The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

The French composer Michel Legrand passed away.
He has written many great songs like The Windmills of your mind and others.
He was 86 yrs old.

RIP Michel


Marcel

Very saddened to hear this....R.I.P. Maestro.

'blue'

Very sad news indeed. I have long loved listening to his songs with their excuisite melodies and sophisticated harmonies and since I've learned to play many of them on the piano I appreciate them even more. Coming so soon after Francis Lai's passing, this is an especially sad time for French music and music in general.

We're all diminished by the loss of anyone who has enhanced our lives. ..... Appreciate all your great contributions Michel! ..... R.I.P.

Ron

Mario Pelchat & Dionne Warwick, "How Do You Keep The Music Playing" (from the 1982 film, "Best Friends"):

https://youtu.be/DwgC2IAmPiU

In common with Bacharach he was simply in a different class as a composer, arranger and musician and I'm really going to miss seeing him on his frequent trips to London.

We may be saying goodbye to Michel Legrand but not to his extraordinary music:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rkigCxDZH_s

Here he is in the early 70s showing off his formidable jazz chops on his 'I Will Wait For You'. Taken from BBC TV's The Shirley Bassey Show.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zVbWnHER63U

I`m on record as being less than enamored of LeGrand`s compositions. Nevertheless, this song (covered by everyone and his dog in the `60s) received its definitive due by this still horribly underrated group: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlSbd3OR-to
Their albums are still accessible on YouTube and elsewhere. Younger Bacharach fans and others who ignored them should check them out.

Things began smelling fishy with the "Vintage `74" and "Love Music albums, but everything prior to those is rewarding.

From Pais Tropical (`71) the first full album with Gracinha Laporace replacing Lani Hall :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5_WViR2Dt0

It's a shame but it seems that 'Watch What Happens' was the only Michel Legrand song ever recorded by Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66. I think that if Lani Hall had ever wrapped her vocal cords around 'What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life' it would now have men of a certain age like myself reaching misty-eyed for the whisky bottle. Here it is sung by its composer.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qsH7SLpzzLg

Hi Paul,

Perhaps Babra Streisand is a worthy runner up, in the absence of Lani.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ITvY8sPeWk

Martyn

Oh, no. Not Babs!
As much as I dislike most jazz singing and genuinely loathe jazz guitar, I always was in awe of Carmen McRae (and even grudgingly put up with Joe Pass on this rendition): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjeqHJGyx88

Martyn wrote:Hi Paul,

Perhaps Babra Streisand is a worthy runner up, in the absence of Lani.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ITvY8sPeWk

Martyn

Martyn, whenever I'm about to hear a Barbra Streisand recording of a song for the first time I'm always concerned that she's going to make a meal of it, but her performance there was relatively restrained. Yes, subtlety is the order of the day with 'What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life' I think, particularly in the bridge where many singers, including Sinatra, have tended to go more than a bit OTT. I like Carmen McRae's live rendition a lot and another very measured and assured performance of the song I only discovered when it was posted here a few months ago is by Rosemary Clooney.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-NZs8Frsa6I

I see that the song lost out in the Oscar stakes in 1970 to, wait for it, Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head!

Hi Paul,

I like Rosemary's version as well.

At the 1974 Oscars, Burt and Ann Margret presented the award for Best Original Song. Apart from naming great songs that missed out on an Oscar (including some of his own) Burt asks how a song like 'What are You Doing the Rest of Your Life' could miss out on an Oscar. Cue the punchline from Ann...........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOMwzKxNGTc

But Michel did win a Grammy for his instrumental accompaniment to Sarah Vaughan's very different take on the song. Especially the opening bars!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoEfbrlraks

Martyn

Martyn, we all know one particular composer/arranger who wouldn't have appreciated the kind of liberties Sarah Vaughan takes with the melody of 'What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life' perpetuated on one of his own songs. She takes less risks with the rarely performed Legrand song 'Blue, Green, Grey and Gone'.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ke5rqr_Yx0A

When Bacharach made that presentation in '74, at a time when his career was at its lowest ebb a year on from the 'Lost Horizon' debacle, he must have thought his Oscar winning days were well and truly behind him.