Burt Bacharach: Songwriter Extraordinaire, Has Died Age 94

Burt Bacharach, one of pop music’s greatest composers, has died at the age of 94. Together with lyricist Hal David, he wrote some of the best loved songs of the 1960s.

The list of hit songs written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David rivals those of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Bob Dylan and John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

What made Bacharach/David songs stand out were Burt’s sophisticated melodies. His early interpreter was Dionne Warwick, beginning with 1962’s Don’t Make Me Over, but even then Burt had already written hits for Perry Como, The Drifters, Marty Robbins and Gene McDaniels.

Bacharach’s career was long and prolific. His later years found him co-writing with Carole Bayer Sager and even Elvis Costello.

Click here to read more about the life and songs of Burt Bacharach.

On a personal note, I first starting collecting records in 1968 when I was given Tiny Tim’s Tip Toe Thru The Tulips for my 13th birthday (along with a record player). The next day I went out and bought 3 singles…one of them was a Burt Bacharach/Hal David song…Herb Alpert’s This Guy’s In Love With You (the other two were Lady Willpower by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap and Dream A Little Dream Of Me by Mama Cass).

Marty Duda

Today, my favourite is Gary Puckett’s version of I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself:

Click here to hear the story of the original version of the song as told by Tommy Hunt of The Flamingos

So what is your favourite Burt Bacharach song? To help jog your memory, here’s a partial list of Burt’s greatest hits:

Walk On By

I Say A Little Prayer

I’ll Never Fall In Love Again

Don’t Make Me Over

This Guy’s In Love With You

Alfie

The Look Of Love

The Blob

Baby It’s You

Any Day Now

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence

I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself

Make It Easy On Yourself

Only Love Can Break A Heart

Wishin’ and Hopin’

Blue On Blue

(They Long To Be) Close To You

Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa

Wives And Lovers

Anyone Who Had A Heart

Walk On By

A House Is Not A Home

You’ll Never Get To Heaven

Always Something There To Remind Me

Trains and Boats and Planes

What The World Needs Now Is Love

What’s New Pussycat

My Little Red Book

The Windows Of The World

I Say A Little Prayer

One Less Bell To Answer

Do You Know The Way To San Jose?

Promises, Promises

Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head

Arthur’s Theme

That’s What Friends Are For

And many more…