Burt Bacharach
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Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and
pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
winner and three-time
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
winner, Bacharach's songs have been recorded by more than 1,000 different artists. , he had written 73 US and 52 UK
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...
hits. He is considered one of the most important composers of 20th-century
popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fu ...
. His music is characterized by unusual chord progressions, influenced by his background in jazz harmony, and uncommon selections of instruments for small orchestras. Most of Bacharach and David's hits were written specifically for and performed by
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
but earlier associations (from 1957 to 1963) saw the composing duo work with Marty Robbins,
Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian-American singer, actor and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, after signin ...
, Gene McDaniels and Jerry Butler. Following the initial success of these collaborations, Bacharach went on to write hits for
Gene Pitney Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, inclu ...
,
Cilla Black Priscilla Maria Veronica White (27 May 1943 – 1 August 2015), better known as Cilla Black, was an English singer, actress and television presenter. Championed by her friends the Beatles, Black began her career as a singer in 1963. Her ...
, Dusty Springfield, Jackie DeShannon, Bobbie Gentry,
Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer *Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...
, Herb Alpert, B. J. Thomas, and the Carpenters, among numerous other artists. He arranged, conducted, and produced much of his recorded output. Songs that he co-wrote which have topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 include " This Guy's in Love with You" (1968), " Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (1969), "
(They Long to Be) Close to You "(They Long to Be) Close to You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The best-known version is that recorded by American duo the Carpenters for their second studio album '' Close to You'' (1970) and produced by Jack Daugherty. Rel ...
" (1970), "
Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" is a song performed and co-written by American singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, which was the main theme for the 1981 film '' Arthur'' starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. The song won the Oscar fo ...
" (1981), and "
That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionn ...
" (1986). A significant figure in
easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, ...
music, Bacharach is described by writer William Farina as "a composer whose venerable name can be linked with just about every other prominent musical artist of his era". In later years, his songs were newly appropriated for the soundtracks of major feature films, by which time "tributes, compilations, and revivals were to be found everywhere". He has been noted for his influence on later musical movements such as chamber pop and Shibuya-kei. In 2015, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' ranked Bacharach and David at number 32 for their list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. In 2012, the duo received the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...
Gershwin Prize The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is an award given to a composer or performer for their lifetime contributions to popular music. Created in 2007 by the United States Library of Congress, the prize is named after brothers ...
for Popular Song, the first time the honor has been given to a songwriting team. As a sign of his significance in popular culture in 1994 the rock band
Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.” The location of oases has been of critical imp ...
had a portrait of Bacharach placed on the floor on the front cover of their famous debut album Definitely Maybe. Chief songwriter Noel Gallagher claimed he wanted Bacharach on the front cover as he was one of his all time favourite songwriters.


Early life and education

Bacharach was born in
Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more th ...
,
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
, and grew up in the Kew Gardens section of New York City, graduating from Forest Hills High School in 1946. He is the son of Irma M. (née Freeman) and Mark Bertram "Bert" Bacharach, a well-known syndicated newspaper columnist. His mother was an amateur painter and songwriter who was responsible for making Bacharach learn piano during his childhood."Burt Bacharach interview: what was it all about?"
''The Telegraph'' U.K., June 1, 2013.
His family was
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
, but he says that they did not practice or give much attention to their religion. "But the kids I knew were Catholic," he adds. "I was Jewish but I didn't want anybody to know about it." Bacharach showed a keen interest in
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
as a teenager, disliking his classical piano lessons, and often used a
fake ID Identity document forgery is the process by which identity documents issued by governing bodies are copied and/or modified by persons not authorized to create such documents or engage in such modifications, for the purpose of deceiving those ...
to gain admission into 52nd Street nightclubs. He got to hear bebop musicians such as
Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but a ...
and Count Basie, whose style would later influence his songwriting. Bacharach studied music (Bachelor of Music, 1948) at
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
's
McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Univer ...
, under Helmut Blume, at the
Mannes School of Music Mannes School of Music is a music conservatory in The New School, a private research university in New York City. In the fall of 2015, Mannes moved from its previous location on Manhattan's Upper West Side to join the rest of the New School c ...
, and at the Music Academy of the West in Montecito, California. During this period he studied a range of music, including jazz harmony, which has since been important to songs which are generally considered pop music. His composition teachers included Darius Milhaud,
Henry Cowell Henry Dixon Cowell (; March 11, 1897 – December 10, 1965) was an American composer, writer, pianist, publisher and teacher. Marchioni, Tonimarie (2012)"Henry Cowell: A Life Stranger Than Fiction" ''The Juilliard Journal''. Retrieved 19 June 202 ...
, and
Bohuslav Martinů Bohuslav Jan Martinů (; December 8, 1890 – August 28, 1959) was a Czech composer of modern classical music. He wrote 6 symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber, vocal and instrumental works. He be ...
. Bacharach cites Milhaud as his biggest influence, under whose guidance he wrote a "Sonatina for Violin, Oboe and Piano."


Beginning work as a musician

Bacharach was drafted into the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
in 1950 and served for two years. He was stationed in Germany and played piano in officers' clubs there, and at
Fort Dix Fort Dix, the common name for the Army Support Activity (ASA) located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Army post. It is located south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Fort Dix is under the jurisdiction of the Air Force ...
and Governors Island.Dunbavan, Peter. ''An Avid's Guide to Sixties Songwriters'', AuthorHouse UK, Bloomington, Indiana, 2017, chapter 3. Burt Bacharach: A House Is Not A Homepage
www.bacharachonline.com. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
During this time, he arranged and played music for dance bands.Burt Bacharach; ('54, '55, '56) viola; 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner
www.musicacademy.org. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
Burt Bacharach Biography (1928–)
Biography.com ''Biography'' is an American documentary television series and media franchise created in the 1960s by David L. Wolper and owned by A&E Networks since 1987. Each episode depicts the life of a notable person with narration, on-camera interviews ...
. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
Bacharach met the popular singer Vic Damone while they were both serving in the army in Germany. Following his discharge, Bacharach spent the next three years as a pianist and conductor for Damone. Damone recalls: "Burt was clearly bound to go out on his own. He was an exceptionally talented, classically trained pianist, with very clear ideas on the musicality of songs, how they should be played, and what they should sound like. I appreciated his musical gifts." He later worked in a similar capacity for various other singers, including
Polly Bergen Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin; July 14, 1930 – September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer and entrepreneur. She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan in '' The Helen ...
, Steve Lawrence, the Ames Brothers and Paula Stewart (who became his first wife). When he was unable to find better jobs, Bacharach worked at resorts in the
Catskill Mountains The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas cl ...
of New York, where he accompanied singers such as Joel Grey. In 1956, at the age of 28, Bacharach's productivity increased when composer Peter Matz recommended him to
Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
, who needed an arranger and conductor for her nightclub shows. He then became part-time music director for Dietrich, the actress and singer who had been an international screen star in the 1930s. They toured worldwide off and on until the early 1960s; when they were not touring, he wrote songs.Barber, Richard (June 10, 2016)
"Burt Bacharach at 88: 'Why would I ever want to stop?'"
''The Telegraph'' U.K.
As a result of his collaboration with Dietrich, he gained his first major recognition as a conductor and arranger."Press Raps With Marlene While She Raps the Press", ''The Star Press'' (Muncie, IN), January 12, 1973, page 22. In her autobiography, Dietrich wrote that Bacharach loved touring in
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and
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
because the violinists were "extraordinary", and musicians were greatly appreciated by the public. He liked
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
and
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, along with the Scandinavian countries, and "he also felt at home in
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
", she wrote, where music was similarly "much revered".Dietrich, Marlene. ''Marlene'', Grove Press (1989). Their working relationship ceased by the early 1960s, after about five years with Dietrich, with Bacharach telling her that he wanted to devote himself full-time to songwriting. She thought of her time with him as "seventh heaven ... As a man, he embodied everything a woman could wish for. ... How many such men are there? For me he was the only one."


Songwriting career


1950s and 1960s

In 1957, Bacharach and lyricist Hal David met while at the Brill Building in New York City, and began their writing partnership. They received a career breakthrough when their song "
The Story of My Life The Story of My Life or Story of My Life may refer to: Literature * ''The Story of My Life'' (biography), a 1903 autobiography by Helen Keller * ''Story of My Life'' (novel), 1988 novel by Jay McInerney * '' Histoire de ma vie'' (''Story of my ...
" was recorded by Marty Robbins, becoming a number 1 hit on the U.S. Country Chart in 1957. Soon afterwards, "
Magic Moments "Magic Moments" is a popular song with music by Burt Bacharach and lyrics by Hal David, one of the first compositions by that duo. The song was published in 1957. The song was recorded by Perry Como as the B-side of his "Catch a Falling Star". I ...
" was recorded by
Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian-American singer, actor and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, after signin ...
for
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...
, and reached No. 4 in the U.S. These two songs were back-to-back No. 1 singles in the UK (the British chart-topping "The Story of My Life" version was sung by Michael Holliday), giving Bacharach and David the honor of being the first songwriters to have written consecutive No. 1 UK singles. Despite Bacharach's early success with Hal David, he spent several years in the early 1960s writing songs with other lyricists, primarily Bob Hilliard. Some of the more successful Bacharach-Hilliard songs include “ Please Stay” (
The Drifters The Drifters are several American doo-wop and R&B/ soul vocal groups. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed i ...
, 1961), “ Tower of Strength” ( Gene McDaniels, 1961), “ Any Day Now (My Wild Beautiful Bird)” ( Chuck Jackson, 1962), and “Mexican Divorce” (The Drifters, 1962). In 1961 Bacharach was credited as arranger and producer, for the first time on both label and sleeve, for the song " Three Wheels on My Wagon", written jointly with Hilliard for
Dick Van Dyke Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, entertainer and comedian. His award-winning career has spanned seven decades in film, television, and stage. Van Dyke began his career as an entertainer on radio and telev ...
. Bacharach and David formed a writing partnership in 1963. Bacharach's career received a boost when singer Jerry Butler asked to record "
Make it Easy on Yourself "Make It Easy on Yourself" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David which was first a hit for Jerry Butler in 1962. The best known version is the 1965 recording by the Walker Brothers for whom it was a No. 1 UK hit. Dionne Wa ...
", and wanted him to direct the recording sessions. It became the first time he managed the entire recording process for one of his own songs. In the early and mid-1960s, Bacharach wrote well over a hundred songs with David. In 1961 Bacharach discovered singer
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
while she was a session accompanist. That year the two, along with Dionne's sister Dee Dee Warwick, released a single "Move It on the Backbeat" under the name Burt and the Backbeats.Leszczak, Bob
"Burt Bacharach"
''Encyclopedia of Pop Music Aliases, 1950–2000.'' Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield (2015), page 12. From
Google Books Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...
. Accessed June 7, 2019.
The lyrics for this Bacharach composition were provided by Hal David's brother Mack David."Burt and the Backbeats - Move It on the Backbeat / A Felicidade"
''45cat''. Accessed June 7, 2019.
Dionne made her professional recording debut the following year with her first hit, " Don't Make Me Over"."Dionne Warwick: dizzying downfall of a bankrupt diva"
''The Telegraph'' U.K., March 30, 2013.
Bacharach and David then wrote more songs to make use of Warwick's singing talents, which led to one of the most successful teams in popular music history. Over the next 20 years, Warwick's recordings of his songs sold over 12 million copies, with 38 singles making the charts and 22 in the Top 40. Among the hits were "Walk on By", "Anyone Who Had a Heart", "Alfie", " I Say a Little Prayer", " I'll Never Fall in Love Again", and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" She would eventually have more hits during her career than any other female vocalist except
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...
. Bacharach released his first solo album in 1965 on the Kapp Records label. ''Hit Maker! Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits'' was largely ignored in the US but rose to No. 3 on the UK album charts, where his version of " Trains and Boats and Planes" had become a top 5 single. In 1967, Bacharach signed as an artist with A&M Records, recording a mix of new material and re-arrangements of his best-known songs. He recorded for A&M until 1978. Although Bacharach's compositions are typically more complex than the average pop song, he has expressed surprise in the fact that many jazz musicians have sought inspiration from his works, saying "I've sometimes felt that my songs are restrictive for a jazz artist. I was excited when tanGetz did a whole album of my music" (''What The World Needs Now: Stan Getz Plays The Burt Bacharach Songbook'', Verve, 1968). His songs were adapted by a few jazz artists of the time, such as
Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre ...
, Cal Tjader, Grant Green, and Wes Montgomery. The Bacharach/David composition "
My Little Red Book "My Little Red Book" (occasionally subtitled "(All I Do Is Talk About You)") is a song composed by American songwriter Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Bacharach's songwriting partner Hal David. The duo were enlisted by Charles K. Feldman to compos ...
", originally recorded by
Manfred Mann Manfred Mann were an English rock band, formed in London and active between 1962 and 1969. The group were named after their keyboardist Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The band had two diffe ...
for the film '' What's New Pussycat?'', has become a rock standard. Bacharach composed and arranged the soundtrack of the 1967 film '' Casino Royale,'' which included " The Look of Love", performed by Dusty Springfield, and the title song, an instrumental Top 40 single for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. The resulting soundtrack album is widely considered to be one of the finest engineered vinyl recordings of all time, and is much sought after by audiophile collectors. Bacharach and David also collaborated with Broadway producer David Merrick on the 1968 musical '' Promises, Promises'', which yielded two hits, including the title tune and " I'll Never Fall in Love Again". Bacharach and David wrote the song when the producer realized the play urgently needed another before its opening the next evening. Bacharach, who had just been released from the hospital after contracting pneumonia, was still sick, but worked with David's lyrics to write the song which was performed for the show's opening. It was later recorded by Dionne Warwick and was on the charts for several weeks. The year 1969 marked, perhaps, the most successful Bacharach-David collaboration, the Oscar-winning "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head", written for and prominently featured in the acclaimed film ''
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' is a 1969 American Western buddy film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman. Based loosely on fact, the film tells the story of Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker, known as Butch C ...
''. The two were awarded a Grammy for Best Cast album of the year for "Promises, Promises" and the score was also nominated for a Tony award. Other Oscar nominations for Best Song in the latter half of the 1960s were for "The Look Of Love", "What's New Pussycat?" and "Alfie".


1970s and 1980s

Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, Bacharach continued to write and produce for artists, compose for stage, TV, and film, and release his own albums. He enjoyed a great deal of visibility in the public spotlight, appearing frequently on TV and performing live in concert. He starred in two televised musical extravaganzas: "An Evening with Burt Bacharach" and "Another Evening with Burt Bacharach", both broadcast nationally on NBC.Lohof, Bruce. ''American Commonplace: Essays on the Popular Culture of the United States'', Popular Press (1982). ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
'' magazine gave him a lengthy cover story entitled "The Music Man 1970". In 1971,
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
appeared on "The Burt Bacharach Special", (aka "Singer Presents Burt Bacharach") where they discussed their careers and favorite songs and performed songs together. The other guests on the television special were dancer
Rudolph Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...
and singer
Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer *Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...
. In 1973, Bacharach and David wrote the score for ''Lost Horizon'', a musical version of the 1937 film. The remake was a critical and commercial disaster and a flurry of lawsuits resulted between the composer and the lyricist, as well as from Warwick. She reportedly felt abandoned when Bacharach and David refused to work together further. Bacharach tried several solo projects, including the 1977 album ''Futures'', but the projects failed to yield hits. He and David reunited briefly in 1975 to write and produce Stephanie Mills' second album, '' For The First Time'', for
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
. By the early 1980s, Bacharach's marriage to
Angie Dickinson Angeline Dickinson (née Brown; born September 30, 1931) is an American actress. She began her career on television, appearing in many anthology series during the 1950s, before gaining her breakthrough role in ''Gun the Man Down'' (1956) wit ...
had ended, but a new partnership with lyricist Carole Bayer Sager proved rewarding, both commercially and personally. The two married and collaborated on several major hits during the decade, including "
Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" is a song performed and co-written by American singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, which was the main theme for the 1981 film '' Arthur'' starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. The song won the Oscar fo ...
" (
Christopher Cross Christopher Cross (born Christopher Charles Geppert; May 3, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. He won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous debut album released in 1979. The singles "Sailing" (1980), and "Arthur's T ...
), co-written with Cross and Peter Allen, which won an Academy Award for Best Song; " Heartlight" (
Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...
); " Making Love" (
Roberta Flack Roberta Cleopatra Flack (born February 10, 1937) is a retired American singer. She topped the ''Billboard'' charts with the No. 1 singles " The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", " Killing Me Softly with His Song", " Feel Like Makin' Love", " W ...
); " On My Own" (
Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman. LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul". She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
with Michael McDonald.) Another of their hits, "
That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionn ...
" in 1985, reunited Bacharach and Warwick. When asked about their coming together again, she explained: Other artists continued to revive Bacharach's earlier hits in the 1980s and 1990s. Examples included Luther Vandross' recording of "A House is Not a Home"; Naked Eyes' 1983 pop hit version of " (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me", and Ronnie Milsap's 1982 country version of " Any Day Now". Bacharach continued a concert career, appearing at auditoriums throughout the world, often with large orchestras. He occasionally joined Warwick for sold-out concerts in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York, where they performed at the Rainbow Room in 1996.


1990s and beyond

In 1998, Bacharach co-wrote and recorded a
Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
-winning album with
Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nom ...
, ''
Painted from Memory ''Painted from Memory'' is a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. It was released 29 September 1998 on Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Group. The collaboration commenced with "God Give Me Strength", a commissi ...
'', on which the compositions began to take on the sound of his earlier work. The duo later reunited for Costello's 2018 album, ''Look Now'', working on several tracks together. In 2003, he teamed with singer Ronald Isley to release the album ''Here I Am'', which revisited a number of his 1960s compositions in Isley's signature R&B style. Bacharach's 2005 solo album '' At This Time'' was a departure from past works in that Bacharach penned his own lyrics, some of which dealt with political themes. Guest stars on the album included
Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nom ...
, Rufus Wainwright, and hip-hop producer
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and w ...
. In 2008, Bacharach opened the BBC Electric Proms at
The Roundhouse The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue situated at the Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England. The building was erected in 1846–1847 by the London & North Western Railway as a roundhous ...
in London, performing with the BBC Concert Orchestra accompanied by guest vocalists Adele,
Beth Rowley Beth Ann Rowley is an English singer-songwriter. Early life Rowley was born in Peru to British parents who moved back to Bristol, England when Rowley was two years old. Career Early career She was influenced by her family's love for many differ ...
and Jamie Cullum. The concert was a retrospective look back at his six-decade career. In early 2009, Bacharach worked with Italian soul singer Karima Ammar and produced her debut single "Come In Ogni Ora". In June 2015, Bacharach performed in the UK at the
Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...
, and a few weeks later appeared on stage at the
Menier Chocolate Factory The Menier Chocolate Factory is a 180-seat off-West End theatre, which comprises a restaurant, bar and rehearsal rooms. It is located in a former 1870s Menier Chocolate Company factory at 53 Southwark Street, a major street in the London Borou ...
to launch 'What's It All About? Bacharach Reimagined', a 90-minute live arrangement of his hits. In 2016, Bacharach, at 88 years old, composed and arranged his first original score in 16 years for the film '' A Boy Called Po'' (along with composer Joseph Bauer). The score was released on September 1, 2017. The entire 30-minute score was recorded in just two days at
Capitol Studios Capitol Studios are recording studios located at the landmark Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood, California. The studios, which opened in 1956, were initially the primary recording studios for the American record label Capitol Records. While ...
. The theme song, "Dancing With Your Shadow", was composed by Bacharach, with lyrics by Billy Mann, and performed by
Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three ...
. After seeing the film, a true story about a child with
autism The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...
, Bacharach decided he wanted to write a score for it, as well as a theme song, in tribute to his daughter Nikki — who had gone undiagnosed with Asperger syndrome, and who committed suicide at the age of 40. "It touched me very much," the composer says. "I had gone through this with Nikki. Sometimes you do things that make you feel. It's not about money or rewards." Though not known for political songs, "Live To See Another Day" was released in 2018. "Dedicated to survivors of school gun violence" proceeds for the release went to charity Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit organization founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at
Sandy Hook Elementary School Sandy may refer to: People and fictional characters *Sandy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Sandy (surname), a list of people * Sandy (singer), Brazilian singer and actress Sandy Leah Lima (born 1983) * (Sandy) ...
in 2012. A co-write with Rudy Pérez it also featured the Miami Symphony Orchestra. In July 2020, Bacharach collaborated with songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Tashian on the EP "Blue Umbrella", Bacharach's first new material in 15 years. The EP earned both Bacharach and Tashian a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories are presented ...
for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.


Film and television

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Bacharach was featured in a dozen television musical and variety specials videotaped in the UK for ITC; several were nominated for
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
s for direction (by Dwight Hemion). The guests included artists such as Joel Grey, Dusty Springfield,Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
, and
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
. Bacharach and David did the score for an original musical for ABC-TV titled ''On the Flip Side'', broadcast on '' ABC Stage 67'', starring Ricky Nelson as a faded pop star trying for a comeback. While the ratings were dismal, the soundtrack showcased Bacharach's abilities to try different kinds of musical styles, ranging from (almost) 1960s rock, to pop, ballads, and Latin-tinged dance numbers. In 1969, Harry Betts arranged Bacharach's instrumental composition "Nikki" (named for Bacharach's daughter) into a new theme for the '' ABC Movie of the Week'', a television series that ran on the U.S. network until 1976. During the 1970s, Bacharach and then-wife Angie Dickinson appeared in several television commercials for
Martini & Rossi Martini & Rossi is an Italian multinational alcoholic beverage company primarily associated with the Martini brand of vermouth and also with sparkling wine (for example, Asti). It also produces the French vermouth, Noilly Prat. History The c ...
beverages, and Bacharach even penned a short jingle ("Say Yes") for the spots. He also occasionally appeared on television/variety shows, such as '' The Merv Griffin Show'', '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'', and many others. In the 1990s and 2000s, Bacharach had
cameo role A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
s in Hollywood movies, including all three
Austin Powers ''Austin Powers'' is a series of American spy action comedy films: '' Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery'' (1997), '' Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'' (1999) and '' Austin Powers in Goldmember'' (2002). The films were produced ...
movies, inspired by his score for the 1967
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...
parody film '' Casino Royale''. Bacharach appeared as a celebrity performer and guest vocal coach for contestants on the television show, "
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to ...
" during the 2006 season, during which an entire episode was dedicated to his music. In 2008, Bacharach featured in the
BBC Electric Proms The BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms (formerly the BBC Electric Proms) was an October music festival in London run by the BBC for five years, 2006–2010. On 31 January 2011, the BBC announced that the event would be discontinued with immediate effec ...
at
The Roundhouse The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue situated at the Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England. The building was erected in 1846–1847 by the London & North Western Railway as a roundhous ...
with the BBC Concert Orchestra. He performed similar shows in the same year at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and with the Sydney Symphony.


Musical style

Bacharach's music is characterized by unusual chord progressions, influenced by jazz harmony, with striking syncopated rhythmic patterns, irregular phrasing, frequent modulation, and odd, changing meters. He arranged, conducted, and produced much of his recorded output.Musiker, Naomi, and Musiker, Reuben. ''Conductors and Composers of Popular Orchestral Music'', Routledge (1998), ebook. Though his style is sometimes called "
easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, ...
", he has expressed apprehension regarding that label. According to ''NJ.com'' contributor Mark Voger, "It may be easy on the ears, but it's anything but easy. The precise arrangements, the on-a-dime shifts in meter, and the mouthfuls of lyrics required to service all those notes have, over the years, proven challenging to singers and musicians." Bacharach's selection of instruments included
flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though som ...
s, bossa nova sidesticks, breezy flutes, tack piano, ''molto fortissimo'' strings and cooing female voices. According to editors of ''The Mojo Collection'', it led to what became known as the "Bacharach Sound". He explains: While he did not mind singing during live performances, he sought mostly to avoid it on records. When he did sing, he explains, "I riedto sing the songs not as a singer, but just interpreting it as a composer and interpreting a great lyric that Hal avidwrote." When performing in front of live audiences, he would often conduct while playing piano, as he did during a televised performance on '' The Hollywood Palace''.


Personal life

Bacharach has been married four times. His first marriage was to Paula Stewart and lasted five years (1953–1958). His second marriage was to actress
Angie Dickinson Angeline Dickinson (née Brown; born September 30, 1931) is an American actress. She began her career on television, appearing in many anthology series during the 1950s, before gaining her breakthrough role in ''Gun the Man Down'' (1956) wit ...
, lasting for 15 years (1965–1980). Bacharach and Dickinson had a daughter named Nikki Bacharach, who was autistic and took her own life on January 4, 2007, at the age of 40. Bacharach's third marriage was to lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, which lasted nine years (1982–1991). Bacharach and Bayer Sager collaborated on a number of musical pieces and adopted a son named Cristopher. This marriage is mentioned in
Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over fou ...
's '' The Meaning of Life''. Bacharach married his fourth wife, Jane Hansen, in 1993: they have two children, a son named Oliver and a daughter named Raleigh. His autobiography, ''Anyone Who Had a Heart'', was published in 2013.


Honours and awards

*1968, Grammy Award, Instrumental Arrangement, '' Alfie (1966) *1970, Grammy Award, Score Soundtrack, ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' (1969) and Musical Theater Album ''Promises, Promises''. *1970, Academy Award, Best Original Song, ''Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head''. *1970, Academy Award, Best Original Score, ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' *1981, Academy Award and Golden Globe, Best Original Song, "
Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" is a song performed and co-written by American singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, which was the main theme for the 1981 film '' Arthur'' starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. The song won the Oscar fo ...
" *1987, Grammy Award, Song, ''That's What Friends Are For''. *1997, Grammy Trustees Award. *1997, subject of a PBS "Great Performances" biography, "Burt Bacharach: This is Now"."Oldies but goodies: PBS documentary looks at Burt Bacharach and those melodies that still sound so good", ''Chicago Tribune'', May 14, 1997.Archived a
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*1999, Grammy Award for the single "I Still Have That Other Girl", in collaboration with
Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nom ...
. *2000, ''People'' magazine named him one of the "Sexiest Men Alive", and one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" in 1999. *2001, Polar Music Prize, presented in Stockholm by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. *2002, National Academy Of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) New York Heroes Award. *2005, GQ Magazine Inspiration Award. *2006, Grammy Award, Contemporary Instrumental Album, ''At This Time'' *2006, George and Ira Gershwin Award for Musical Achievement from UCLA. *2006, Thornton Legacy Award, USC; They also created the Burt Bacharach Music Scholarship at the Thornton School to support outstanding young musicians. *2008, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, when he was proclaimed music's "Greatest Living Composer". *2009, Bacharach received an honorary Doctorate of Music from
Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
. The award was presented to him during the Great American Songbook concert, which paid tribute to his music. *2012,
Gershwin Prize The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is an award given to a composer or performer for their lifetime contributions to popular music. Created in 2007 by the United States Library of Congress, the prize is named after brothers ...
for Popular Song, with Hal David, awarded by the Library of Congress.


Television and film appearances

*'' Analyze This'' *''
An Evening with Marlene Dietrich ''An Evening With Marlene Dietrich'' is a concert-format television special, starring Marlene Dietrich, first broadcast in 1973. Production Alexander H. Cohen, who had produced Dietrich's successful Broadway runs of her one-woman show in 1967 and ...
'' *'' Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery'' *'' Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'' *'' Austin Powers in Goldmember'' *'' Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song'' *'' Nip/Tuck'' *'' The Nanny''


Discography


Albums

*'' Hit Maker!: Burt Bacharach Plays the Burt Bacharach Hits'' (1965) *'' What's New Pussycat?'' (Film Soundtrack) (1965) *''
After the Fox ''After the Fox'' ( it, Caccia alla volpe) is a 1966 heist comedy film directed by Vittorio De Sica and starring Peter Sellers, Victor Mature and Britt Ekland. The English-language screenplay was written by Neil Simon and De Sica's longtime c ...
'' (Film Soundtrack) (1966) *'' Reach Out'' (1967) (US: Gold) *'' Casino Royale'' (Film Soundtrack) (1967) *''On the Flip Side'' (Television Soundtrack) (1967) *''Make It Easy on Yourself'' (1969) (US: Gold) *''
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' is a 1969 American Western buddy film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman. Based loosely on fact, the film tells the story of Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker, known as Butch C ...
'' (Film Soundtrack) (1969) (US: Gold) *'' Promises, Promises'' ( Original Broadway Cast Recording) (1969) *''Burt Bacharach'' (1971) (US: Gold) *''Portrait in Music'' (Compilation) (1971) *''Burt Bacharach's Greatest Hits'' (1973) *''
Lost Horizon ''Lost Horizon'' is a 1933 novel by English writer James Hilton. The book was turned into a film, also called '' Lost Horizon'', in 1937 by director Frank Capra. It is best remembered as the origin of Shangri-La, a fictional utopian lamaser ...
'' (Film Soundtrack) (1973) *''Burt Bacharach in Concert'' (1974) *''Living Together'' (1973) *''Portrait in Music Vol. II'' (Compilation) (1973) *''Futures'' (1977) *''
Woman A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
'' (1979) *'' Arthur'' (Film Soundtrack) (1981) *'' Night Shift'' (Film Soundtrack) (1982) *'' Arthur 2: On the Rocks'' (Film Soundtrack) (1988) *'' One Amazing Night'' (1998) *''
Painted from Memory ''Painted from Memory'' is a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. It was released 29 September 1998 on Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Group. The collaboration commenced with "God Give Me Strength", a commissi ...
'' with Elvis Costello (1998) *''
The Best of Burt Bacharach ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' (Millennium Collection) 20th Century Masters (1999) *'' Isn't She Great'' (Film Soundtrack) (2000) *''The Look of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection'' -Disc Compilation(2001) *''Motown Salutes Bacharach'' ompilation(2002) *''Isley Meets Bacharach: Here I Am'' with Ronald Isley (2003)* *''Blue Note Plays Burt Bacharach'' ompilation(2004) *'' At This Time'' (2005) *''The Definitive Burt Bacharach Songbook'' -Disc Compilation(2006) *'' Burt Bacharach & Friends Gold '' -Disc Compilation(2006) *''Colour Collection'' ompilation(2007) *''Marlene Dietrich with the Burt Bacharach Orchestra'' (2007) *''Burt Bacharach: Live at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra'' (2008) *''Magic Moments: The Definitive Burt Bacharach Collection'' -Disc Compilation(2008) *''Anyone Who Had A Heart - The Art Of The Songwriter'' -Disc Compilation(2013) *''A Boy Called Po'' (Film Soundtrack) (2017) *''Blue Umbrella'' (5-Song EP with Daniel Tashian) (2020)


Theatrical works

*''
Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
'' (1968): concert — music arranger and conductor *'' Promises, Promises'' (1968):
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...
— composer ( Tony Nomination for Best Musical) *''André DeShield's Haarlem Nocturne'' (1984): revue — featured songwriter *'' The Look of Love'' (2003): revue — composer *'' The Boy from Oz'' (2003):
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...
— additional composer *''Some Lovers'' (2011) — composer with Steven Sater *''
My Best Friend's Wedding ''My Best Friend's Wedding'' is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by P.J. Hogan from a screenplay by Ronald Bass. The film stars Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Everett. The film received generally positive ...
'' (2021) — composer with Hal David


Other recordings

;As arranger, conductor *For
Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
: **'' Live at the Café de Paris'' (1954) **'' Dietrich in Rio'' (1959) **'' Wiedersehen mit Marlene'' (1960) **''
Dietrich in London Dietrich in London is a Marlene Dietrich's live album. The album was issued on Columbia Records OS 2830. "Marlene Dietrich in London" opened on November 23, 1964 at the Queen's Theatre. This recording was produced on the closing night, Decemb ...
'' (1964) ;As composer *For
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
: **''Alfie'' *For
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...
: **'' I Say a Little Prayer'' *For
Ronan Keating Ronan Patrick John Keating (born 3 March 1977) is an Irish singer. He debuted in 1993 alongside Keith Duffy, Michael Graham, Shane Lynch, and Stephen Gately, as the co-lead singer (with Gately) of Irish pop group Boyzone. His solo career s ...
: **''
When Ronan Met Burt ''When Ronan Met Burt'' is the eighth studio album by Irish singer-songwriter and Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating. It was produced and composed by Burt Bacharach. Background Backed by a full orchestra, all the tracks featured are classics co ...
'' (2011) An album of Bacharach songs, arranged and co-produced by Bacharach. ;As musician *For
Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...
: **'' Heartlight'', 1982; '' Primitive'', 1984; ''
Headed for the Future ''Headed for the Future'' is the seventeenth studio album released by Neil Diamond in March 1986 on Columbia Records. The album went to number 20 on the US ''Billboard'' 200. ''Headed for the Future'' has also been certified Gold in the US by ...
'', 1986. *For
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...
: **'' What You See Is What You Sweat'', 1991. *For
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
: **''
Reservations for Two ''Reservations for Two'' is a studio album by the American singer Dionne Warwick. It was recorded during the spring of 1987 and released on July 30 of that year. Her eighth album for Arista Records, it was again executive produced by label head Cl ...
'', 1987; '' Friends Can Be Lovers'', 1993. *For Carole Bayer Sager: **'' Sometimes Late at Night'', 1981. *For
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
: **'' Till I Loved You'', 1988. *For Natalie Cole: **'' Everlasting'', 1987. *For
Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman. LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul". She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
: **''
Winner in You ''Winner in You'' is the eighth studio album by American R&B singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on April 28, 1986, in the United States. Recording sessions took place during 1985–1986. Production was handled by sever ...
'', 1986. *For
Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nom ...
: **''
Painted from Memory ''Painted from Memory'' is a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. It was released 29 September 1998 on Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Group. The collaboration commenced with "God Give Me Strength", a commissi ...
'', 1998; '' Look Now'', 2018. *For
Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include " Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Th ...
: **''
Christmas Is Almost Here ''Christmas Is Almost Here'' is the 19th studio album, and first Christmas album, by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Rhino Entertainment, on October 22, 2002. Featuring a mixture of seasonal classics and original compositions ...
'', 2002. *With
Roberta Flack Roberta Cleopatra Flack (born February 10, 1937) is a retired American singer. She topped the ''Billboard'' charts with the No. 1 singles " The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", " Killing Me Softly with His Song", " Feel Like Makin' Love", " W ...
: **'' I'm the One'', 1982. *With Ray Parker Jr.: **'' After Dark'', 1987. ;Tribute albums *
Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre ...
released the album '' What the World Needs Now: Stan Getz Plays Burt Bacharach and Hal David'' in 1968. *Jazz musician
John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of j ...
produced a 2-CD set of Bacharach tunes (1997), featuring several avant-garde musicians, as part of his ''Great Jewish Music'' series. *Marie McAuliffe's Ark Sextet released the Bacharach tribute album "Refractions" in 1998. McAuliffe had been featured on John Zorn's tribute album. *'' To Hal and Bacharach'' is a 1998 tribute album with 18 tunes, performed by notable Australian artists. *''That's New Pussycat!: Surf Tribute to Burt Bacharach'' (2001) * Trijntje Oosterhuis released the album '' The Look of Love: Burt Bacharach Songbook '' in 2006. * Michael Ball recorded the album ''Back to Bacharach'' in 2007 *''What the World Needs Now: Big Deal Recording Artists Perform the Songs of Burt Bacharach'' *''All Kinds of People: Love Burt Bacharach'' (2010) is a tribute album produced by Jim O'Rourke, featuring covers from Haruomi Hosono and
Thurston Moore Thurston Joseph Moore (born July 25, 1958) is an American musician best known as a member of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label. Mo ...
among others. *''This Girl's In Love (A Bacharach & David Songbook)'', released in November 2016 by Anglo-Pakistani singer-songwriter Rumer (real name Sarah Joyce).


References


Works cited

* *


External links

* * *
Burt Bacharach On A&M Records

A database of recordings of Burt Bacharach's songs

Déconstruction in Music
Academic article about Burt Bacharach {{DEFAULTSORT:Bacharach, Burt 1928 births Living people 20th-century American composers 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American conductors (music) A&M Records artists American agnostics American male conductors (music) American male pianists American musical theatre composers American people of German-Jewish descent American racehorse owners and breeders Best Original Music BAFTA Award winners Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters Broadway composers and lyricists Columbia Records artists Forest Hills High School (New York) alumni Gershwin Prize recipients Golden Globe Award-winning musicians Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Jewish agnostics Jewish American film score composers Jewish American songwriters Kapp Records artists Male musical theatre composers Mannes School of Music alumni McGill University School of Music alumni Military personnel from Missouri Music Academy of the West alumni Musicians from Kansas City, Missouri People from Brookville, New York People from Kew Gardens, Queens Pupils of Darius Milhaud Primetime Emmy Award winners Songwriters from Missouri United States Army soldiers Varèse Sarabande Records artists Writers from Kansas City, Missouri