Have any of you ever heard this before? I never had; I don't even think I'd ever heard of it. I'm intrigued the the odd intervals and harmonies of the song, very reminiscent of other pieces by Burt in the 60s. I'm not crazy about Anita's voice, but maybe I just need more listening.
Re: A Little-Heard Song? "London Life"
Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 11:27 am
by Blair N. Cummings
It`s brand new to me; was it a UK hit? It`s near-classic mid `60s Burt and Hal.
Incidentally, am I the only one to notice that the photo of Anita (also new to me) looks exactly like Marlo Thomas from her "That Girl" era? (That`s how old I am).
Update:
A quick check of (the pseudonymous) Serene Dominic`s book (and who is he and why the pseudonym?) reveals that this song was released on Pye in the UK in `65 and that Ms Harris was a childrens` television show host.
Lyrically, it seems the reverse of the rather downer take on London in the contemporaneous "Come and Get Me", a song which none-the-less has always been a melodic favorite of mine.
Re: A Little-Heard Song? "London Life"
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:31 am
by Rio
I knew the song and I like it quite a bit. Sounds like it could have been a Petula Clark hit.
It's So Fine (Pye Girls Are Go) [UK] Disc 2
Track 21.
Original: 1965.
I believe Mr. Keith Burke, may he R.I.P., offered us access to it a couple of years ago.
Re: A Little-Heard Song? "London Life"
Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 1:55 pm
by ron hertel
Still miss the late Keith Burke's contributions to this forum! .......... Along with Petula Clark - Dusty Springfield could also have performed this song well!
Re: A Little-Heard Song? "London Life"
Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 5:45 pm
by grooverider
"London Life" by Anita Harris is available on the 3cd set, "Magic Moments The Definitive Burt Bacharach Collection", which BTW has other lesser known BB/HD songs:
"One Less Bell To Answer" - Keely Smith, "Once In a Blue Moon" - Nat King Cole, "How About?" - Della Reese, "What's In Goodbye" - Will Young, "I Looked For You" - Charlie Gracie, "Just Friends" Carole Bayer Sager - (background vocals from Michael Jackson), among the usual hits that are on various other anthologies. This 3cd set is a UK import released in 2008 on Rhino/Universal.
Re: A Little-Heard Song? "London Life"
Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 7:53 pm
by blueonblue
Apart from Anita Harris, I've never heard any other version of this song ?
Although it sounds almost "tailor-made" for Barbra Streisand......
"blue"
Re: A Little-Heard Song? "London Life"
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:41 am
by steveo_1965
I enjoy this little song..its part of the pleasantness of Burt's style of writing..He wrote a lot of this sort of stuff as well as the "big hits"..but even in the
subtlety(did I spell that right?-lol) of his average compositiions, there is joy to be found!
