Wishin' and Votin' - the BURT BACHARACH SONGBOOK Poll Results

Although I did get on board with the Rhino Box, come to think of it.

So, I voted for all of the top 5! "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" was the second track I remember vividly from my otherwise seemingly Bacharach-free early childhood. Wish I had that childhood nostalgia for more of them, tbh.

Four of my selections didn't make the top 60. (I apparently had some company with the first two though. Bless.)

Living Together, Growing Together
Paper Mache
Try to See It My Way
The Breaking Point

Ella Fitzgerald cut an album for Reprise in 69 with a bunch of Brit session players covering Motown, Beatles, Randy Newman etc. Her version of ‘The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game’ is particularly suited to her.

― Dan Worsley, Friday, May 17, 2019 2:40 PM (three hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Cheers Wm! this very much needed done also i can use it to dig into the stuff that i shd've dug into before

Thanks! I'm really happy with how the poll turned out -- could have used more ballots, but everybody who did vote brought a ton of enthusiasm and well-considered choices. I'm going to hang on to that spotify deep-dive playlist, now up to 675 tracks, and keep adding to it as I find things. If nothing else, it's something for other spotify users to drag from to create their own exploration and personal listening lists. Speaking of spotify, thanks Nag! Nag! Nag! for creating the results playlist.

Thank you to everyone who voted! You made the poll!

I haven't opened the spreadsheet, but I'm guessing this doozy didn't get any votes. Have never seen the movie, but I *definitely* know the chorus; am thinking I heard it performed by some children show's ensemble circa 1973. Never knew it was Bacharach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46stUnjT71c

sally kellerman is so dreamy

hat-tip to whoever the other "Three Wheels On My Wagon" voter was

According to the memoir, there are FIVE pianos on “What’s New Pussycat?”

But tbh I can’t hear any piano at all

"I'l Never Fall In Love Again," sung by Jill O'Hara, Jerry Orbach, from the Promises, Promises OCR is great, thanks, and the vibe is totally reminiscent of "Frank Mills," sung by Shelley Plimpton on the Hair OCR.

The replacement cast for the original Broadway PP included Lorna Luft and Tony Roberts.

Interesting.

After Burt had stopped conducting for Marlene, I ran into her in Beverly Hills one day. I chased after her and said, “Marlene!” And then I said, “Burt would love to hear from you,” or “I’m so sorry things aren’t working out.” And she said, “Finita la commedia.”

Ah, just got to the part in the book where Neil Simon wanted Tony Roberts to replace Jerry Orbach in the original cast during rehearsals, but then changed his mind at the last minute.

If this thread has that Geico commercial it should certainly have
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBLMbJnN69c

William, I don’t know why you keep saying this book is so short, my copy is 400 pages long. Don’t think it can just be that the ebook has a different numbering system.

It's short compared to Robert Caro's Bacharach: Master of The Melody (#3 of 5 Volumes)

The hardcover is 280 pp.

It's short compared to Robert Caro's Bacharach: Master of The Melody (#3 of 5 Volumes)

L

Finished the book, which I will also recommend. Now to see if I can find one of the volumes by that fellow from Cairo.

Tbh thought it was one of the better memoirs that I have read. Lots of good detail about his working process and on the personal front there is lots of interspersed text from others such as Angie Dickinson so it is not just from his point of view.

So, as to why I put “Mexican Divorce” at number one:

• Knew it wouldn't win but wanted it to place high
• Think highly of the Bob Hilliard collabos in general
• Historic importance of being the session at which Dionne Warwick and Burt made first contact
• The fact that Paul Griffin probably played on this as well as Steely Dan's "Haitian Divorce" (although I don't have confirmation of either of these things)
• The genre-bending: seems like from the music it is going to be a South of the Border novelty song a la The Coaster's "Down In Mexico" mixed with a touch of Mary Robbins' "El Paso" but then it turns into a kind of breakup song (albeit with a tacked on happy ending), echoed decades later in the fireworks-shooting Mexican kids in X's "4th of July"
• The jaunty but lugubrious beat, and they way it is reflected in the slow funereal march of the almost monosyllabic lyrics, the numbed out I can't believe this is happening of it all until the breakout of two three syllable words in "Mexico is different"
• The detail of the "travel folder," as evocative as Hal David's "thumbing" through the Little Red Book.

^ love this

Yes -- like I said, well-considered choices all around.

Forgot to mention the “old adobe courthouse.” Okay, I’m done.

sad i didn't get the time to vote, if only because it meant that nobody voted for roland kirk's "say a little prayer" :(

(actually i would've voted ground zero, but close enough!)

Thought maybe he got a vote for another tune like "You'll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart)" but seems that was not the case.

Hal David's birthday yesterday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp2AKAhPkZs

This is more relevant perhaps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0rZEi_lT-o

Weird thing I just came across about the group called Smith mentioned several times up thread, they did a version of “The Weight” which is on the Easy Rider soundtrack. Lead vocal is by a dude this time. For a split second I thought it was actually The Band with Levon singing, although I got over it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMQ6QrsTPfw

They seem to be one of the only groups, perhaps the only group, not mentioned on the album cover.

IIRC, the Smith cover was recorded for the soundtrack album because The Band and/or Albert Grossman wouldn't license it out for the album even though it was cleared for the movie proper.

"wouldn't license the original" should be in there.

Makes sense, it’s all clear now, thanks.

I rarely check my release radar on spotify, but did today and saw the Complete Scepter and Warner Albums by Dionne Warwick -- 200 tracks, tons of good stuff, not all BB.

https://open.spotify.com/album/3D7QBZNuwDgKojTvNe74SY?si=RGiU1uggTIuveVXpjd1z-A

Wow

Extensive track notes? Probably not on Spotify

I think if any of the music streamers added liner notes/credits/art, there'd be a mass migration.

Wondering how Bobbie Gentry’s version of “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” placed. Asking for a friend via Zing.

I didn't break down the voting by version past the top 10 (link: Wishin' and Votin' - the BURT BACHARACH SONGBOOK Poll Results). I still have all the tabulations and could do that someday I suppose. Bobbi G's version got 2 votes and 60 points, which would have been around 55th place in the whole poll taken on its own.

Thanks! I’ve been kind of digging it. It popped up on some 60’s Country playlist the other day

And now digging the Jackie Trent version of “Make It Easy On Yourself.”

Of all the ballot polls I did, and I bogarted Zeppelin, Bowie, Miles and Eno, this one was the most fun, all 17 voters' worth.

Always liked this Ben Folds Five take on "Raindrops," and Bacharach too gives the impression of liking this "very hot group"

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

I was alone with "Checkout Time", I see. Even Warwick dislikes it, I read. One day the world will recognise its greatness.

I'm not aware of this having happened yet. *weeps*

I remain pissed that I missed this great poll. I have absolutely worn the Rhino box out (which I also bought for my dad) and have the solo albums box that came out about 15 years ago as well. He is about as much a musician hero for me as anyone.

A few very belated comments:

“One Less Bell to Answer” has one of my favorite bridges in popular music. It seems to keep modulating up forever.

“Land of Make Believe” has such an elegant melody. The Dionne version is pretty much perfect.

My favorite version of “The April Fools” is the solo Burt instrumental on the green album (S/T maybe?). The bit where the brushes come in on the second chorus is absolutely glorious.

My favorite version of “Always Something There to Remind Me” remains the Naked Eyes version. Most of the time, Burt’s arrangements win out and the syndrum rolls aren’t awesome but the “girl” of “How can I/Forget you GIRL” is so vastly superior to the rushed and clipped “How can I/Forget you” it’s not even funny.

The Costello record is mostly what you’d expect from Burt and Elvis in his bel canto stage but special mention for “In the Darkest Place” which has one of the most thrilling bridges in Burt’s career.

Here’s a very quick run at a ballot I did – most of it is embarrassingly obvious but it’s all amazing:

1. This Guy’s in Love with You
2. The Look of Love
3. Land of Make Believe
4. My Little Red Book
5. I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself
6. The April Fools
7. I’ll Never Fall in Love Again
8. One Less Bell to Answer
9. The Windows of the World
10. Walk On By
11. I Say a Little Prayer
12. Promises Promises
13. Anyone Who Had a Heart
14. (They Long to Be) Close to You
15. Do You Know the Way to San Jose
16. Alfie
17. Always Something There to Remind Me
18. Here I Am
19. Something Big
20. Take a Broken Heart

burt is 92 today !