― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 22 September 2002 22:33 (twenty-one years ago) link
great brass arrangement, an untouchable melody skating over unpredictable chord changes, breezily sung by someone who can sing.
― phil turnbull (philT), Sunday, 22 September 2002 22:36 (twenty-one years ago) link
― A.V. Alexandre (Keiko), Monday, 23 September 2002 01:18 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Jez (Jez), Monday, 23 September 2002 08:39 (twenty-one years ago) link
Just remembered Issac Hayes Walk On By - hmmm fight brewing.
― tigerclawskank, Monday, 23 September 2002 10:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
next time i'm in a trough of despond it'll go back to being "I just don't know what to do with myself" though.
― adam b (adam b), Monday, 23 September 2002 10:36 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom (Groke), Monday, 23 September 2002 10:39 (twenty-one years ago) link
I'm actually going to go for 'Something Big' by Jim O'Rourke on 'Eureka' - I'd never heard the song before I got this rec, the lyrics are really funny + clever and totally fit the mood of the alb, I like the backing singers being so upfront in the mix, and because it's done without irony or kitsch...
― Andrew L (Andrew L), Monday, 23 September 2002 10:45 (twenty-one years ago) link
― mark s (mark s), Monday, 23 September 2002 10:45 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Monday, 23 September 2002 12:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Monday, 23 September 2002 12:31 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ray M (rdmanston), Monday, 23 September 2002 15:41 (twenty-one years ago) link
"I gotta moan now, aaaooommmmmmmmm"
― tigerclawskank, Monday, 23 September 2002 15:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Arthur (Arthur), Monday, 23 September 2002 21:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
But my choice is "Bond Street". It's the quintessential 60s lounge-pop instrumental. There are many great versions, including the proto bootleg version by Japanese outfit Les 5-4-3-2-1 (which combines the tune with the accompaniment of Stereolab's "Ping Pong"). But the Enoch Light version on Spaced Out is still my favourite, such a great arrangement. Blew my mind, as they say, first time I heard it pumped out loud in extreme stereo at a gig.
― Jeff W (Jeff W), Tuesday, 24 September 2002 08:09 (twenty-one years ago) link
i went through a period nearly 10 years ago and i was watching todd haynes' superstar (as referenced in the GOO thread) at a friend's house and the opening moments karen carpenter is in the shower singing along with dionne on the radio and agnes, karen's mom, yells at her and it's the moment when karen gets convinced that not only is she a fantastic drummer but also a great singer.
best line is when richard whines "i'm losing my drummer..."it's so sad yet funny.
― gygax!, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 02:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
I also have a real soft spot for "Walk On By". Though the Dionne version is sublime, I think I would go with the Isaac Hayes version. It just sounds so haunted and wracked with regret.
― Nicole (Nicole), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 02:31 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ally (mlescaut), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 02:47 (twenty-one years ago) link
I'd never even heard of Lou Johnson before getting the box set a couple of years ago. He recorded the definitive versions of a few Bacharach/David songs and then seemed to vanish into obscurity. I've tried getting hold of any other stuff by him with no joy.
Particularly love this one for the way he glides over the strings on the verses and the "I'll never love another" shoo-de-bop bit at the end.
― James Ball (James Ball), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 12:31 (twenty-one years ago) link
Perry Como, Childness and Cheapness: some thoughts
― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 13:16 (twenty-one years ago) link
― amateur!!st, Saturday, 27 November 2004 23:48 (nineteen years ago) link
― amateur!!st, Saturday, 27 November 2004 23:49 (nineteen years ago) link
― amateur!!st, Saturday, 27 November 2004 23:55 (nineteen years ago) link
― amateur!!st, Saturday, 27 November 2004 23:57 (nineteen years ago) link
― John Fredland (jfredland), Sunday, 28 November 2004 00:34 (nineteen years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 28 November 2004 00:48 (nineteen years ago) link
As performed by the Shirelles or by Smith: but Smith, being a late 60s early 70s harder edged band gets the nod. Awesome gutsy performance on vocals by (damned if I can google her name) and a hot organist playing some simmering licks. Plus they were a one hit wonder with this song. Their version changed Bacharach's arrangement much like Vanilla Fudge changed Holland/Dozier/Holland's You Keep Me Hanging On.
― jim wentworth (wench), Sunday, 28 November 2004 02:39 (nineteen years ago) link
64 versions of "what the world needs now is love"!!!
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Friday, 29 September 2006 13:00 (seventeen years ago) link
T'was Gayle McCormick. She had a minor solo charter two years later with "It's a Cryin' Shame."
Back to thread, my pick is the Walker Brothers' "Make It Easy on Yourself." Gives me chills every single time.
― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 30 September 2006 02:18 (seventeen years ago) link
Anyway, my first choice woulda been Love's "My Little Red Book", but apparently Burt himself hated that version. So I'll go with Dionne Warwick's "Anyone Who Had A Heart" - love those convoluted twists and turns.
― Monty Von Byonga (Monty Von Byonga), Saturday, 30 September 2006 07:45 (seventeen years ago) link
Also gotta give love to Herb Alpert's "This Guy" and "Casino Royale." So super-killer when the maracas up the rhythmic potency on the last chorus repeat.
Finally, I love BB's own "Hasbrook Heights." It seems that Bacharach's vocals give rise to more controversy among lovers of "good voices" than even Dylan's, but I like them. He's so mellow and friendly on this one, fits the weekend-squire theme perfectly.
But he's wrong about Love.
― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Saturday, 30 September 2006 08:45 (seventeen years ago) link
― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Saturday, 30 September 2006 09:04 (seventeen years ago) link
The first two and a half discs of this --
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000DGR0.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1115937910_.jpg
-- are just mind-blowingly good.
― The Bearnaise-Stain Bears (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 30 September 2006 12:05 (seventeen years ago) link
"Send My Picture To Scranton, PA""Twenty-four Hours from Tulsa""Do You Know The Way To San Jose?"
― hank (hank s), Saturday, 30 September 2006 14:02 (seventeen years ago) link
― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Saturday, 30 September 2006 14:25 (seventeen years ago) link
― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 30 September 2006 18:58 (seventeen years ago) link
...and that FUCKED-UP monotone sax solo
― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 06:40 (seventeen years ago) link
Seconded but actually... no... I think I'll pick the Dionne version. A classic tune
― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 07:10 (seventeen years ago) link
Didn't realize "This Guy's In Love With You" was a great song until I heard Marshall Crenshaw play it Saturday night. Before he sang it, he told a story about how he used to torment his younger brother for having the single when they were kids.
― Jazzbo, Monday, 6 October 2008 16:25 (fifteen years ago) link
The White Stripes did a thundering version of "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself"
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 6 October 2008 23:16 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm a huge fan of the box Hip-O-Select put out of his solo releases. Those records are treasure troves of prime-era Bacharach.
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 6 October 2008 23:50 (fifteen years ago) link
god i love burt bacharach
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, 7 October 2008 00:08 (fifteen years ago) link
I should also mention:
Bacharach's first post-Hal solo record, Futures in 1977, is quite the mindfuck. Operatic in places, unbearably gushy in others, it seems like every one of the tracks is about getting old, relationships ending and feeling like the music industry is passing him by. It's pretty bleak and depressing, but some of the arrangements are fascinating. Plus, it has this cover:
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre600/e666/e66623nbljf.jpg
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 7 October 2008 01:17 (fifteen years ago) link
saw him play on friday! was really nice. wish he could still sing though. :(
― sean gramophone, Tuesday, 7 October 2008 01:52 (fifteen years ago) link
What a random-ass tour schedule this is:
Sept. 27 Denver, CO (Boettcher Concert Hall)Sept. 28 Phoenix, AZ (Orpheum Theatre)Oct. 2 Rama, Ontario, Canada (Casino Rama Entertainment Centre)Oct. 3 Montreal, Quebec, Canada (St-Jean Baptiste Church)Oct. 5 Utica, NY (Stanley Theatre)Oct. 26 Milan, Italy (Teatro Degli Arcimboldi)Oct. 27 Florence, Italy (Teatro Verdi)Oct. 28 Rome, Italy (Auditorium di via della Concilia)Nov. 13 Newport News, VA (Ferguson Center for the Arts)
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 7 October 2008 01:58 (fifteen years ago) link
Come & Get Me by Jackie DeShannonI love the chorus of this. She sounds heartbreaking.
― sparkletuna, Tuesday, 7 October 2008 12:47 (fifteen years ago) link
only picked one commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBLMbJnN69c
― satan club sandwich (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 16 August 2011 15:02 (twelve years ago) link
Best Halloween song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCtcgI4BcIQ
Lovecraftian horror version of same. IE, a ten hour edit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lulfRjHFrDo
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 30 October 2015 22:40 (eight years ago) link
Over the last month, I've taken to using this song to wake my eight year-old daughter up for school.
Sometimes it feels like it takes ten hours.
― Naive Teen Idol, Sunday, 1 November 2015 16:49 (eight years ago) link
90 today!
― the ignatius rock of ignorance (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 13 May 2018 00:36 (five years ago) link
Now we have to fact check your EC report; in fact you were at home scrounging the dark web and had to make an excuse.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 10 February 2023 04:58 (one year ago) link
Ah you got me. I was eating mustard packets at home while fabricating details around what I gathered from setlist.fm.
― birdistheword, Friday, 10 February 2023 05:10 (one year ago) link
Video (not mine obviously)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00YyqUAZG3k
― birdistheword, Friday, 10 February 2023 05:12 (one year ago) link
I love the person nearby who hadn't realized he died!
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 10 February 2023 05:16 (one year ago) link
Haven’t clicked on the video, is it from tonight?
― And Your Borad Can Zing (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 05:19 (one year ago) link
It is indeed.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 10 February 2023 05:19 (one year ago) link
FWIW, I've been going to his shows since 2011 and it's too bad I didn't go this time because then I could say it might have the best one I've ever seen, so much that I would've bought tickets to more shows had I been more confident that it was going to be this good.
― birdistheword, Friday, 10 February 2023 05:31 (one year ago) link
I trust you mean Elvis. Burt had to cancel all his dates.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 10 February 2023 05:40 (one year ago) link
Who else would he mean?
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 05:53 (one year ago) link
Sorry to bust in here like Bruce Thomas at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and make trouble.
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 06:13 (one year ago) link
Bless Costello for keeping him busy in his later years, God Give Me Strength is just tremendous, for anyone, nevermind pushing 70, does anyone know what he got up to post Painted from Memory?
Also had no idea he co-wrote On My Own, unbelievable, what a treasure, songwriting MVP fuck off to beautiful music heaven Burt Bacharach
― Florin Cuchares, Friday, 10 February 2023 06:23 (one year ago) link
He’s up there in the green room right now being stared out from behind a potted plant à la Laugh-In’s Arte Johnson by Tom Verlaine.
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 06:28 (one year ago) link
I'm confused - did poster 'birdistheword' go to see EC?
I'm very touched to hear of EC's tribute to BB.
Bacharach & Verlaine would have been a good collaboration.
― the pinefox, Friday, 10 February 2023 10:31 (one year ago) link
Watched EC's video. His spirit when talking is classic EC, but his singing is possibly the worst I have ever heard from EC.
― the pinefox, Friday, 10 February 2023 10:36 (one year ago) link
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 11:46 (one year ago) link
What do you get when you fallWhen you fallInto the arms of the Venus de Milo
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 12:11 (one year ago) link
Take a message to Richard
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 13:01 (one year ago) link
birdistheword is actually Elvis Costello
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 10 February 2023 13:07 (one year ago) link
No way, his posting style is way too concise.
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 13:11 (one year ago) link
Where's all the "clever" wordplay from birdistheword?
― Maggot Bairn (Tom D.), Friday, 10 February 2023 13:16 (one year ago) link
Yes, exactly.
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 13:18 (one year ago) link
Bless Costello for keeping him busy in his later years, God Give Me Strength is just tremendous, for anyone, nevermind pushing 70, does anyone know what he got up to post Painted from Memory? Also had no idea he co-wrote On My Own, unbelievable, what a treasure, songwriting MVP fuck off to beautiful music heaven Burt Bacharach
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 10 February 2023 13:52 (one year ago) link
I don't really share the view that the first track towers over the rest of PAINTED FROM MEMORY. I think the best song may be 'the sweetest punch'. Extraordinary. But I think the whole LP is pretty even in quality.
re: what BB did later, he released AT THIS TIME, which I looked at in a record shop but never bought. My recollection is that it included attacks on the (very bad) US government of the time; one or two collaborations with Costello; a song with the promising title 'Go Ask Shakespeare'. I rather wish I'd bought it now and got to know it.
― the pinefox, Friday, 10 February 2023 14:29 (one year ago) link
“Go Ask Shakespeare”? Sung by Rufus Wainwright? Heard it for the first time last night on the radio tribute by Alec Cumming. Pretty good!
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 14:34 (one year ago) link
The Look of Love box is still probably the best way to listen to Burt and one of the greatest boxed sets ever produced.
^^This. In the foreword, the producer mentions that the project started out as a 1-disc hits package that grew into a double-disc anthology and finally the three-disc set we know and love simply because they keep finding more and more songs to include. It's a fine capper to the whole Bacharach renaissance of the time, formed through Loungecore and up through films like Austin Powers, Grace of My Heart (which is where "God Give Me Strength" came from), and My Best Friend's Wedding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c74BSImG4xM
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 10 February 2023 14:50 (one year ago) link
Here I am - Isley meets Bacharach from 2003 sounds good . Ron Isley, Burt, and an orchestra take on Bacharach/ David classics
― curmudgeon, Friday, 10 February 2023 15:15 (one year ago) link
Absolutely love the Isley record.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 10 February 2023 15:18 (one year ago) link
anyone have a favorite set of burt singing his own songs?
― sault bae (voodoo chili), Friday, 10 February 2023 15:19 (one year ago) link
https://archives.wpkn.org/bookmarks/listen/374639/snap-crackle-pop-with-alec-cumming-fill-in-for-ed-flynn-t
― The Windows of the URL (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 10 February 2023 15:20 (one year ago) link
I haven't found a full set, just little dribbles here and there. "Something Big" is so beautiful
― Blessed Bloated Burdened (flamboyant goon tie included), Friday, 10 February 2023 17:01 (one year ago) link
otm, "something big" is glorious
― sault bae (voodoo chili), Friday, 10 February 2023 17:10 (one year ago) link
Yep. By his own admission, he was never a good singer of his songs – one reason he only would sing a song or two on his solo releases and usually with a lot of vocal assistance from background singers. But some are charming – Something Big, Hasbrook Heights. The few verses he sings on Lost Horizon from Living Together are pretty terrific. For instance, the other day I came across this version of him performing A House Is Not a Home at 92 – as positively decrepit as his voice sounds, it’s not actually much different than it was in 1967 when he sang it on Reach Out! But the whole of the performance is actually incredible nonetheless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4mOEADryLg
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 10 February 2023 18:20 (one year ago) link
Literally DJing a warmup Bacharach tribute set right now. Feels so good.
― mike t-diva, Friday, 10 February 2023 21:50 (one year ago) link
Pieces from Carole King:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/02/10/carole-king-burt-bacharach-songwriting/
And Diane Warren:
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-02-10/diane-warren-on-burt-bacharach
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 11 February 2023 05:45 (one year ago) link
From Beck:
One of my favorite things of recent years was getting the occasional phone call from Burt Bacharach. His name would pop up on my phone and it always felt like I was getting a call from the President (President of Songwriting). He always checked in and I feel lucky for the conversations and hangs we got to have. What a master of songwriting and a generous soul— you will be missed! Take care Burt and thank you for the music. 🤍
― birdistheword, Saturday, 11 February 2023 06:30 (one year ago) link
Lost Horizon may have been a bust but this is the business:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tms_sZio5-4
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 14 February 2023 00:27 (one year ago) link
I'd forgotten about this but it's def another side of the coin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZualTksF8A
― Blessed Bloated Burdened (flamboyant goon tie included), Tuesday, 14 February 2023 05:53 (one year ago) link
Truly top shelf content in these last two posts.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 14 February 2023 13:50 (one year ago) link
If you look at the “Written by Burt Bacharach” playlist on Spotify, you’ll notice that roughly 40% of the tracks there are hip-hop tracks from the last 15 to 20 years. Almost all of which, if not all, simply feature samples of his music. And a bunch of them are sampling Isaac Hayes’ version of “Walk on By.” The guy must have positively cleaned up the last few decades of his life on these royalties alone. Anyway here are a few others:An early and kind of wild one haunted by a ghostly soprano from 1957 for Johnny Mathis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-419Uxp1uoMAnd this one is Burt shepherding Jackie DeShannon to pioneer Liz Frasier’s vocal stylings in 1966: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn1dMgluoiY
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 14 February 2023 15:16 (one year ago) link
James Redd, did you ever recreate my big playlist for Spotify?
― The Terroir of Tiny Town (WmC), Tuesday, 14 February 2023 15:19 (one year ago) link
No, never found the time, sorry.
― after the pinefox (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 14 February 2023 15:31 (one year ago) link
Good/sad timing here (per the mailout I got about this, this was in the works for a while and was about to be announced anyway):
https://realgonemusic.com/collections/upcoming/products/dionne-warwick-the-complete-scepter-singles-1962-1973-3cd-set
...More importantly, Warwick, Bacharach, and David brought a new level of sophistication to popular music…and by doing so, created some of the most indelible recordings of all time. However, despite its brilliance and lasting influence, there has never been a collection at music retail that truly captured this incredible body of work…until now. The Complete Scepter Singles 1962-1973 offers the A and B-side of every single Dionne cut for the Scepter label (with the bonus inclusion of her single for Musicor featuring the hit “Only Love Can Break a Heart”), all original, (mostly) mono single versions remastered by Mike Milchner of Sonic Vision from original tape sources and annotated by veteran music journalist and Billboard contributor Paul Grein.
Hell of a tracklist for sure, 74 total.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 15 February 2023 04:35 (one year ago) link
Just heard in the car earlier Mavis Staples doing "A House is not a Home"
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 16 February 2023 06:21 (one year ago) link
xp This is actually the same exact release that was given to PBS donors several years ago (I think with a $200 donation) - Real Gone confirmed they're using the same CD masters, they just changed the title. It's great news as it was previously unavailable or really expensive on the secondhand market.
― birdistheword, Thursday, 16 February 2023 17:27 (one year ago) link
Okay, this is kind of stupid, I know, but I like the fact that the few real Bacharach mavens I have had to good fortune to interact with are nice and approachable and not some crazy defensive Keepers of the Faith.
― after the pinefox (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 16 February 2023 20:55 (one year ago) link
Actually I did have a weird interaction with one discography nut but he was more a self-styled cut and paste music "historian" rather than a Bacharach guy, which is in part why I got into the argument.
― after the pinefox (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 16 February 2023 20:57 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcbq62P48K4
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 19 February 2023 03:42 (one year ago) link
FWIW, here's a track from the "Taken from Life" disc that's on both the two-CD and super deluxe editions of The Songs of Bacharach & Costello:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPD9t1rit7g
I don't have the liner notes, but I think this is for the Broadway musical that never came to be. I'm not sure if this is a demo, but it sounds like it could be and with a little more oomph, this could really kill on stage.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 8 March 2023 03:12 (one year ago) link
(To clarify, it's a song from Painted from Memory but I'm guessing it was to be incorporated into the musical.)
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 8 March 2023 03:14 (one year ago) link