The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

"Looking With My Eyes" ranks among Burt's most adventurous compositions, on par with challenging touchstones like "Promises, Promises" and "Is There Another Way to Love You." Yet, it's also strangely accessible, despite it's complexity. I don't think that anyone has ever covered it, and I certainly don't see it talked about much here, so I'm wondering what the consensus is about this one. Hit or miss?

For me, it was a hit! You summed it up by using the word "complexity" to describe it. I like the without-warning intro, the way the song just attacks and gets right to the heart of the matter. Another song that reminds me of the complexity of this one is "Another Night".

face & BBW

a "HIT" for me as well. ... I still recall hearing it for the first time on WLS radio in Chicago in the 60's. ..... Instantly loved it and Dionnne performed it live on the TV show Hullabaloo soon after its release. ........ Within weeks it was apparent that the song was far too sophisticated for the casual listener and it suddenly dropped off the charts and the radio playlists. ..... To this day - it remains one of my all time favorites along with another great song that met the same fate ... "WHO IS GONNA LOVE ME?"

ron

A BIG HIT!!! for me. An unbelievable song. The kind of song that truly separated Burt from all the other songwriters. And the kind of song that made other songwriters realize that Burt was in a league of his own. I've never heard another version other than Dionne's either. When they heard Dionne singing it, along with Burt's orchestration, they said "that's it!"

Enormous,
Who could ever follow what Burt and Dionne achieved with that fantastic song !
And furthermore, who would ever try to attempt it ?


"blue"

Well, so far it's unanimous -- the song is a hit! I wonder why it wasn't actually a "hit." I guess, as Ron wrote, that it must have been too sophisticated for the average listener. Makes me wonder how a song like "Promises, Promises" managed to make a respectable showing on the charts a few years later. Maybe the public was just more used to the BB/HD sound by then.

It's one of those songs in IMHO that requires multiple plays for the listener to fully absorb and appreciate it.
..........just guessin'


"blue"

face:

I would attribute the "respectable showing on the charts" of "Promises Promises" to the fact that the hooks in that song have an immediate impact on the listener's ear - much like the"82" international hit "Heartbreaker". ....... What astounds me to this day is how one of my least favorite Warwick hits - "Then Came You" - shot up the charts to #1.

The average top 40 radio listener won't get familiar with this melody, even after three listenings, and there are these strange key changes (which, for my ears, seem to be a bit arbitrary this time). That makes this composition "interesting", seen from a music-theoretical point of view, but it's not something I would call chart-compatible.

A nice one, however. I never heard this tune before, thanks for posting.

A hit in every sense. AT 1:10 when Dionne sings things look bad for me my heart literally skips a beat. One of Burts gems.