Burt Bacharach

Singer and performer, who had 73 Top 40 hits in the US and 52 in the UK, died at home in Los Angeles of natural causes.

They scored back to back UK No 1s with two of their earliest songs, The Story of My Life by Marty Robbins (Michael Holliday in the UK hit version) and Magic Moments by Perry Como. Together, he and David created a string of all-time classics: I Say a Little Prayer, sung by Aretha Franklin, What’s New Pussycat? He also worked as an arranger and conductor for Marlene Dietrich when she toured Europe in the late 50s and early 60s. He was a giant in the music business. [Burt Bacharach](https://www.theguardian.com/music/burt-bacharach), the songwriter and performer who turned easy listening into high art, has died at 94. Burt was a hero of mine and very influential on my work.

The legendary musician was known for his orchestral pop style featured in hits including “I Say a Little Prayer”. His publicist said the musician died on ...

Bacharach had three children – Nikki, with Stewart, and Oliver, Raleigh and Christopher with Hansen. Farewell Burt Bacharach, you were a king.” He also composed “The Look of Love”, which appeared in 1967 film Casino Royale. We each felt that we had something to offer and made it all work together. And I said, ‘As long as it doesn’t interfere with my education because my mother would kill you and me, so let’s get that understood right away.’ He married lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, with whom he worked on Arthur, in 1982, and his final marriage was to Jane Hansen.

Burt Bacharach has died after a career packed with hits you can't help but hum from 'Do You Know the Way to San Jose' to 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head'

He was preceded in death by his daughter with Dickinson, Nikki Bacharach who took her own life in 2007. Bacharach was described as a 'swinger' in the sixties and he was married four times. Try singing them.” Try playing them. Bacharach began with a string of top 10 hits in the 1950s and his career took off alongside the rock era. He reached a new generation of fans in the 1990s with the help of Elvis Costello and others.

The composer of classic pop songs including I Say A Little Prayer and Walk On By died on Thursday at the age of 94. In a statement given to the PA news agency, ...

“His work with Hal David, Carole Bayer Sager and others, share an effortless combination of simplicity & sophistication. Kiss frontman Paul Stanley reflected on the body of work Bacharach has left behind, writing on Twitter: “Burt Bacharach… He tweeted: “Very sad day, probably one of the most influential songwriters of our time. He wrote: “Heartbreaking news today. Who was a humble creative giant with a big heart.” He was a great inspiration.

Composer Burt Bacharach - perhaps best known for his Oscar-winning song Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head - has died aged 94. Hailed as one of the greatest ...

Looking back on his time with her in his autobiography, Bacharach wrote: "We went to Russia, Israel, the Middle East. Without doubt, his most enduring and fruitful professional relationship was with lyricist Hal David, who he met in 1957. It was finally settled out of court in 1979 for $5m (£4.1m). It was thanks to his mother's love of music that Bacharach undertook piano lessons as a child. One after his Neil Diamond collaboration, inspired by film E.T. Their first and only Broadway show, it won them a Grammy. It went on to be sung by stars including Barbra Streisand, The Four Seasons and The Wailers. The family moved to New York when he was three. In the 1980s, Bacharach's music inspired many of the songs coming out of the post-punk era, and in the 1990s his work was introduced to a whole new generation of fans thanks to a lounge music resurgence, led by bands including Divine Comedy and The Mike Flowers Pops. Burt Bacharach also collaborated with stars including Frank Sinatra, Cilla Black, and even Dr Dre. Not a fan of the classical music he would play in his classes, he would later sneak into jazz clubs as a teenager, with the style going on to influence his songwriting later in his career. His mention in Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life was proof of his rightful place in pop culture, as well as his reputation as a ladies man.

Burt Bacharach, one of the greatest composers of all-time, who wrote 'I Say A Little Prayer', has died at the age of 94.

In total, Bacharach’s have been recorded by more than 1,000 artists. His influence on music and ability to write enduring hits is almost hard to fathom. His list of collaborators is a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the good and great in music, from The Beatles and Frank Sinatra to Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin.

Burt Bacharach was an American composer, songwriter, producer, and pianist, who wrote hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s to the 1980s, ...

Burt Bacharach was married four times, most recently to Jane Hansen in 1993, and had four children; Christopher, Oliver, Raleigh and Nikki Bacharach, who died in 2007. Bacharach studied music at McGill University and The Music Academy of the West in California before serving two years in the US Army in 1950. Legendary composer Burt Bacharach has died at the age of 94.

Over his career, he scored 73 Top 40 hits in the US and 52 in the UK, working with artists including Dionne Warwick, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Barbara ...

I was caught in the drift of things," he later reflected. what a loss to the songwriting world and to all of us— DavidGArnold (@DavidGArnold) I was very fortunate." "His observation was: Never be ashamed of something that's melodic, one could whistle," Bacharach recalled. After graduating from school, he studied music theory and composition. It was a pleasure to have known you." "I wasn't chasing it. It was a "very costly and unfortunate" dispute, Bacharach told the Guardian in 2019, adding: "I stupidly handled it wrong." His songs will live forever," he added. [Dave Davies said](https://twitter.com/davedavieskinks/status/1623707915763720193) Bacharach was "probably one of the most influential songwriters of our time" and "a great inspiration". one of the greatest songwriters of all time who found the finest lyricists to match his elegant ,sophisticated , beguiling , intensely beautiful melodic and harmonic skill . [The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson](https://twitter.com/BrianWilsonLive/status/1623720764372402179) said he was "a hero of mine and very influential on my work", adding: "He was a giant in the music business.

Along with lyricist Hal David, he created hits for Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones and Dionne Warwick among many others, as well as numerous movie themes. Here is ...

We've saved the best Bacharach track, according to Spotify's algorithm, for last. "I thought, I'm going to punch the [stuffing] out of it on What's New Pussycat," said Jones. I have to have a voice of authority.'" This desperately heartfelt and horn-filled break-up ballad, written by Bacharach and David, gave Dusty Springfield a number three hit in the UK in the summer of 1964. Written by Bacharach, Luther Dixon and Mack David about surrendering to the powers of love (despite your mates trying to warn you off the idea), this was recorded and released by girl group The Shirelles in 1961, giving them a number eight hit in the US. It once ranked number 51 on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All time - the second highest song by a solo female on the list, after Aretha Franklin's Respect. "And Burt said, 'That's what I want. Nominated for an Oscar in 1966 for best original song, this was the theme for the comedy film of the same name starring Peter Sellers and Peter O'Toole. It tells the story of a woman thinking of a partner who is on his way to the Vietnam War. It was later covered in the UK by Cilla Black, whose version turned out to be one of the biggest female chart hits in 1960s, staying at number one for three weeks. A young Cher reworked the track as the theme song of the 1966 movie of the same name, starring Michael Caine, and it was also sung, with chart success, by Warwick. Its appeal continued through to the 1980s, when it was famously chosen to advertise Quality Street sweets; in the '90s, when British pop group Erasure cut a version; and the 2000s, when it featured in the hit movie Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

Songwriter whose hits, including I Say a Little Prayer and Walk On By, became classics of easy-listening pop.

He continued to tour past his 90th birthday, with [concerts in the UK](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jul/08/burt-bacharach-review-masterclass-in-melody-by-pop-maverick), US and Europe in 2018 and [2019](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/17/burt-bacharach-review-hammersmith-apollo-london-joss-stone). His autobiography, [Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jul/21/burt-bacharach-anyone-heart-review), was published in 2013, and in 2015 he performed at the [Glastonbury festival](https://www.theguardian.com/music/glastonbury). In 1997, an all-star cast including Costello, Warwick, [Chrissie Hynde](https://www.theguardian.com/music/chrissie-hynde), [Sheryl Crow](https://www.theguardian.com/music/sheryl-crow) and [Luther Vandross](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/jul/04/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries2) banded together at the Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, for a serenade of Bacharach’s songs called One Amazing Night, and the Rhino label issued The Look of Love, a three-disc compilation of his music. In 1986, Bacharach enjoyed one of his best ever years, achieving two US No 1s with [That’s What Friends Are for](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1iXlyRa47A), recorded by Warwick with [Elton John](https://www.theguardian.com/music/elton-john), [Gladys Knight](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jul/02/gladys-knight-review-a-masterclass-in-enduring-talent) and [Stevie Wonder](https://www.theguardian.com/music/steviewonder) as a charitable fundraiser for Aids, and the Patti LaBelle/Michael McDonald recording of the lachrymose [On My Own](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsH63qJlIMM). [Cilla Black](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/aug/02/cilla-black) – whose version of [Anyone Who Had a Heart](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUxn6JLwdDY) was her breakthrough hit – [Sandie Shaw](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/may/29/sandie-shaw-this-much-i-know), the Walker Brothers and [Frankie Vaughan](https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/sep/18/guardianobituaries). In 1995 he co-wrote [God Give Me Strength](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLwyvIf-TmA) with [Elvis Costello](https://www.theguardian.com/music/elviscostello) for Allison Anders’ film about the Brill Building era, Grace of My Heart, and this resulted in the Costello-Bacharach album Painted from Memory (1998). [Mike Myers’s](https://www.theguardian.com/film/mike-myers) 60s-spoofing Austin Powers films. [Aretha Franklin](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/16/aretha-franklin-obituary) a US Top 10 hit and [her biggest solo hit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8y0onSG3kg) in Britain, where it reached No 4. [The Carpenters](https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2017/aug/02/the-carpenters-10-of-the-best) ushered in the 70s with [(They Long to Be) Close to You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT86AoSGEL8), a US No 1 which also reached No 6 in the UK, but although Bacharach’s 1971 album (called just Burt Bacharach) became a sought-after collector’s item, the decade would prove disappointing. A cover version by Michael Holliday reached No 1 in the UK the following year, and [Perry Como](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/may/14/guardianobituaries) brought them another smash with his recording of [Magic Moments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ND3oghPL5M), which spent eight weeks at No 1 in Britain. [Tom Jones](https://www.theguardian.com/music/tom-jones) never particularly liked [What’s New, Pussycat?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQvIAs-nPSo), the Oscar-nominated theme from the 1965 film of the same name, but acknowledged its enduring popularity. Bacharach was an Oscar-winner for a third time in 1982, with [Arthur’s Theme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOBHXxiZyZM) from the film Arthur.

Burt Bacharach, the composer of classic pop songs including I Say A Little Prayer and Walk On By, has died at the age of 94.

“His work with Hal David, Carole Bayer Sager and others, share an effortless combination of simplicity & sophistication. Kiss frontman Paul Stanley reflected on the body of work Bacharach has left behind, writing on Twitter: “Burt Bacharach… He tweeted: “Very sad day, probably one of the most influential songwriters of our time. He wrote: “Heartbreaking news today. He was a great inspiration. and Promise Her Anything for Sir Tom.

Fans are celebrating the life of Burt Bacharach by reminiscing on his cameo in 'Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery'.

[February 9, 2023] Another said: “I can’t be the only person of a certain age who got properly introduced to him by way of the Austin Powers movies. Burt Bacharach.” At which point, the camera pans to Bacharach, wearing a tuxedo, playing the song on the piano. He drives through Las Vegas and is mocked by a group in a bar after giving them the “peace” sign. Farewell Burt Bacharach, you were a king.”

You need to hear only a few bars of a Bacharach song to sense his singular gift.

Henry](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/07/05/are-all-short-stories-o-henry-stories) story, “The Gift of the Magi.” Congratulating him on his body of work, one sensed a just detectable wince at hearing his sixties music praised all over again, in the predictable way of such things. Whereas Irving Berlin and [Paul McCartney](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/18/paul-mccartney-doesnt-really-want-to-stop-the-show) are fountains of music of many kinds, a smaller group make music that sounds like that of no one else on earth. “Painted from Memory” and “This House Is Empty Now” and the haunting “In the Darkest Place” will live on as recordings. [Ishtar](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/elaine-may-talks-about-ishtar),” it has never had a rescue operation attempted on its behalf—remained the singular painful trauma in Bacharach’s career. David and Bacharach, with Warwick as an incidental casualty, broke apart in 1973 with the car-crash production of a single Hollywood film. (One of his early songs, “Baby, It’s You,” made a memorable appearance in

He was dubbed 'easy listening' but this was nonsense. His dazzling music, a result of classical tuition and nights in bebop clubs, defied categories – and ...

It’s a state of affairs that’s true today, and a state of affairs that seems unlikely ever to change. He first had hits in the 1950s, Magic Moments among them, but it was as the 1960s dawned, and his partnership with David blossomed that his career ignited. They started writing one impermeable classic after another – to the songs already mentioned you can add The Look of Love, I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself, Wives and Lovers, I Say a Little Prayer, (There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me, Make It Easy on Yourself and I’ll Never Fall in Love Again among umpteen others. But in reality, the easy listening label was lazy to the point of being nonsensical, not least because – as any musician will tell you – Bacharach’s songs were seldom easy. He made music that was genuinely sui generis: rock bands could record his songs, so could mum-friendly crooners, so could soul singers and jazz musicians. Listen to Herb Alpert’s version of This Guy’s in Love With You.

Burt Bacharach, the composer of classic pop songs including I Say A Little Prayer and Walk On By, has died at the age of 94.

“His work with Hal David, Carole Bayer Sager and others, share an effortless combination of simplicity & sophistication. Kiss frontman Paul Stanley reflected on the body of work Bacharach has left behind, writing on Twitter: “Burt Bacharach… He tweeted: “Very sad day, probably one of the most influential songwriters of our time. He wrote: “Heartbreaking news today. He was a great inspiration. and Promise Her Anything for Sir Tom.

Burt Bacharach, the acclaimed composer and songwriter behind dozens of mellow pop hits from the 1950s to the 1980s, including "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My ...

The composer died of natural causes at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday (02.08.23), aged 94, and Sheryl has taken to social media to heap praise on him. The 60 ...

TOM LEONARD: An Edinburgh nightclub in the 1950s and a crowd had gathered by the stage door, clamouring for the autograph of the screen icon Marlene ...

I had my camera and he was 53 years old and I said to him: 'You are so handsome.' He said: 'Hey baby, you should have seen me ten years ago.' Despite his mother nicknaming him 'Happy', he was a lonely child. He and Dickinson divorced in 1981, by which time they'd had a daughter, Nikki. He would go on not only to be crowned the King of Easy Listening, but over a remarkably long career establish himself as one of the greatest ever songwriters with multiple Oscars and Grammys to his name. Their daughter was 40 when she committed suicide in 2007. Cilla Black recalled nightmarish sessions with him at London's Abbey Road studios, during which he made her sing 29 takes of the song Alfie. He was married four times, including to film star Angie Dickinson (a rumoured girlfriend of John F. For me he was the only one.' as a man, he embodied everything a woman could wish for... Dietrich was hardly alone in falling heavily for him. 'Don't make it difficult for the listener. 'Ah,' she told them in her thick German accent, 'you don't vant my autograph...

Along with lyricist Hal David, he created hits for Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones and Dionne Warwick among many others, as well as numerous movie themes. Here is ...

We've saved the best Bacharach track, according to Spotify's algorithm, for last. "I thought, I'm going to punch the [stuffing] out of it on What's New Pussycat," said Jones. I have to have a voice of authority.'" This desperately heartfelt and horn-filled break-up ballad, written by Bacharach and David, gave Dusty Springfield a number three hit in the UK in the summer of 1964. Written by Bacharach, Luther Dixon and Mack David about surrendering to the powers of love (despite your mates trying to warn you off the idea), this was recorded and released by girl group The Shirelles in 1961, giving them a number eight hit in the US. One of Warwick's best-loved songs peaked at number six in the US in 1964, giving her a second international million-seller, following Anyone Who Had A Heart. "And Burt said, 'That's what I want. Nominated for an Oscar in 1966 for best original song, this was the theme for the comedy film of the same name starring Peter Sellers and Peter O'Toole. It tells the story of a woman thinking of a partner who is on his way to the Vietnam War. A young Cher reworked the track as the theme song of the 1966 movie of the same name, starring Michael Caine, and it was also sung, with chart success, by Warwick. It was later covered in the UK by Cilla Black, whose version turned out to be one of the biggest female chart hits in 1960s, staying at number one for three weeks. Its appeal continued through to the 1980s, when it was famously chosen to advertise Quality Street sweets; the '90s, when British pop group Erasure cut a version; and the 2000s, when it featured in the hit movie Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

Fans have been posting footage of Noel Gallagher's 1994 duet with Burt Bacharach following the latter's death this week – watch here.

[Oasis](https://www.nme.com/artists/oasis) singer-songwriter was backed by the composer on piano, as well as an accompanying live orchestra. [Noel Gallagher](https://www.nme.com/artists/noel-gallagher)‘s ’90s duet with [Burt Bacharach ](https://www.nme.com/artists/burt-bacharach)following the latter’s death this week. He wrote songs for a host of stars including The iconic artwork for Oasis’ 1994 debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’ features a picture of Bacharach that’s propped up against the sofa Gallagher is sitting on. [The legendary composer passed away of natural causes](https://www.nme.com/news/music/legendary-composer-burt-bacharach-has-died-aged-94-3395557) at his home in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday (February 8). [Tom Jones](https://www.nme.com/artists/tom-jones) (‘What’s New, Pussycat?’), [Aretha Franklin](https://www.nme.com/artists/aretha-franklin) (‘I Say A Little Prayer’), [Dusty Springfield](https://www.nme.com/artists/dusty-springfield) (‘The Look Of Love’) and [Dionne Warwick](https://www.nme.com/artists/dionne-warwick) (‘Alfie’). [Smashing Pumpkins](https://www.nme.com/artists/smashing-pumpkins) frontman [Billy Corgan](https://www.nme.com/artists/billy-corgan), [Brian Wilson](https://www.nme.com/artists/brian-wilson), [Tim Burgess](https://www.nme.com/artists/tim-burgess) and [The Bangles](https://www.nme.com/artists/the-bangles)‘ Susanna Hoffs. [High Flying Birds](https://www.nme.com/artists/noel-gallaghers-high-flying-birds) album [‘Council Skies’](https://www.nme.com/news/music/noel-gallagher-announces-new-album-council-skies-releases-single-easy-now-listen-preorder-3381946) on June 2 via Sour Mash. Later, the collaborative cover was aired on BBC Radio 2. [Liam](https://www.nme.com/artists/liam-gallagher) has also expressed his condolences, [tweeting](https://twitter.com/liamgallagher/status/1623720271579435013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1623720271579435013%7Ctwgr%5E2344eaa62e21bc21bbb984d1b2bef18e81ca7b72%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nme.com%2Fnews%2Fmusic%2Flegendary-composer-burt-bacharach-has-died-aged-94-3395557): “RIP BURT BACHARACH X.” “RIP Maestro”, he wrote. [said](https://twitter.com/scyhodotcom/status/974776455593889792?lang=en).

The Grammy and Oscar-winning songwriter and musician was responsible for hundreds of popular songs including I Say A Little Prayer and Walk On By.

In his later years, Bacharach developed a 30-year songwriting partnership with British new wave rocker Elvis Costello, and the pair are due to release a compilation of their works in March. The Grammy and Oscar-winning songwriter and musician died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. One of the most accomplished composers of the 20th century, Burt Bacharach entertained millions with his melodies and worked with some of the best in the music business.

Recording with Hal David, Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, the late songwriter's discog includes some of the best pop songs ever written.

Proof that Bacharach’s melodies were strong enough to be carried even by people who couldn’t really sing came when the trumpeter Herb Alpert sighed his way through This Guy’s in Love With You – and sounded perfectly suited to it, like someone wandering through a park in the afternoon sun, unable to believe his good fortune. The next three might be the best pop songs ever written, and in the case of this one, Bacharach and David were definitely served by having Aretha Franklin sing it (if Warwick was the pair’s definitive interpreter, she couldn’t get near Franklin on I Say a Little Prayer). First recorded by the actor Richard Chamberlain in 1963, but brought to perfection in 1970 by the Carpenters, Close to You highlights one of Bacharach’s preferred tricks – an instrumental melody line that’s jaunty and melancholy.