"If I had to pick a favorite singer, it would be Dionne," stated Bacharach. "She was a dream vehicle for those years. She has such wide emotional range. She can be very understated and delicate, plus she is capable of going for the jugular. A marvelous voice. The only song I can think of where someone else approached Dionne's version is Aretha's 'Say a Little Prayer.' That's a great, great record."
Bacharach and Warwick waited until 1985 for their first No. 1 together, "That's What Friends Are For."
Remarkably, Bacharach has been even more successful in the U.K.. Frankie Vaughan, Cilla Black, Sandie Shaw, the Walker Brothers, Herb Alpert and Burt himself all hit No. 1 there in the '60s with Bacharach/David tunes.
True "Kings of All Media," Bacharach and David also wrote the film scores for What's New Pussycat?, Alfie, Casino Royale and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the latter of which won Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Theme Song for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (B.J. Thomas) in 1969.
They also wrote the musical Promises, Promises which won a Tony and a Grammy Award (Best Score for an Original Cast album) in 1969 and ran for three years.
Bacharach has enjoyed a renaissance in the last decade: in 1994 his picture appeared in homage on the cover of Oasis' huge Definitely Maybe album, and Oasis's Noel Gallagher joined Bacharach onstage during a concert in 1996 for a duet on the enduring and endearing "This Guy's in Love With You."
Bacharach collaborated with Elvis Costello on the soundtrack for the movie Grace of My Heart in '96 and on the Painted from Memory album in '98.
The 1997 Julia Roberts film My Best Friend's Wedding featured five Bacharach songs, including the film's centerpiece where an entire wedding party, and fellow diners, belt out the classic "I Say a Little Prayer." Ever-suave Burt himself appeared tinkling the ivories and crooning atop a Las Vegas limo in Mike Myers' 1997 spy-spoof Austin Powers.
An outstanding career-overview box set, The Look Of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection, was released in '98.
Article comments
1 - Barry Stoller
Yes, Bacharach used cool chords and tempos when going the easy route would have earned him all those Grammies earlier; and, yes, he wrote (minor material) with Elvis Costello... but "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head," "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "What The World Needs Now Is Love" and "Do You Know The Way To San Jose" are all egregious examples of atrophied ultra-smaltz, popularized largely by an indiscriminating audience. Cool only as a dreck master, not a serious composer.
2 - Eric Olsen
we seriously disagree on this one Barry - I think the best is brilliant, innovative, sophisticated AND catchy popular song.
3 - Eric Berlin
You really get an insight to Bacharach the craftsman here -- fantastic stuff!
I personally dig Bacharach for appearing in Austin Powers.
His stuff isn't something that I'd throw on, but I agree that it's elegant, sophisticated, yet easy listening.
4 - Eric Olsen
I'd throw on Dionne's greatest hits with no prodding at all
5 - Barry Stoller
Well, I think it's cool he's written a high-profile song condemning the Iraq war.
6 - Eric Olsen
there you go - and I agree he isn't rock 'n' roll!
7 - Mat Brewster
The Eric Olsen knows EVERYBODY hit parade continues...
Seriously, is there anybody you don't know personally, or haven't interviewed, or didn't DJ for? You need your own TV show :)
8 - Rhinocasts
Wanna know the secret behind some of Burt Bacharach's songwriting techniques or the magic behind your favorite "songs?" Burt Bacharach sits down with Ron Shapiro and tells all about his new studio album "At This Time," classic collaborations with Dionne Warwick and Hal David on this episode of the Rhinocast. Win an exclusive autographed Burt Bacharach Boxed set from Rhino by entering at Rhinocasts. Plus, the Lefsetz letter featuring Rock & Roll Hall of Fame artist Bob Seger.