Here's audio of the sheet music of the 1963 Bacharach-David tune "Move Over and Make Room for Me":
It's a robot playing the music, so don't expect much in terms of performance, but you can hear the bones of a tune that apparently was never recorded.
The tune was published by Aaron Schroeder's Arch Music Co. in a 1969 collection (I'm not sure if it was published as a stand alone sheet earlier, but this particular arrangement is dated 1968). It's not a great piano part. The 4 measure intro adds absolutely nothing to the song, and doesn't sound anything like a Bacharach arrangement. I assume Bacharach had no input into the arrangement, and I wouldn't even assume the harmonies are all what he would have played on a demo--if anyone knows of a demo, I'd love to hear it.
I'm guessing Bacharach and David had Gene Pitney in mind, or perhaps Jimmy Radcliffe, when they wrote it--both singers recorded for Schroeder's Musicor label. I don't think it's a lost masterpiece, but it does have some of Bacharach's distinctive musical language. The way the melody rushes a little in the second bar of the A section, and then waits a beat in the third, feels very Bacharachian--it defies rhythmic expectations a bit. Bacharach also does some key-signature slight of hand...the A section starts out with a strong F major feel until the 8th bar, where it shifts into C major. It's not "Wichita Lineman", but it's an interesting move.
The B section really feels off the shelf--almost like a lift from a hymnal. That generic quality, plus a ho-hum lyric hook, is why I assume they didn't pitch the song harder (and possibly they didn't want to do anything to enrich Schroeder after their 1964 fallout with him).
I can imagine Pitney or Jackie DeShannon really going for it vocally (over a great arrangement) and making this tune a decent album track.
Move Over and Make Room For Me - sheet music audio
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