Burt Bacharach – Hit Maker

Hit Maker - remade

Burt Bacharach, composer, arranger, director, piano, vocals (b. 12 May, 1928, Kansas City, Missouri, USA).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the major songwriters of the Twentieth Century. Bacharach’s sophisticated, but easily memorable, melodies and sun-drenched arrangements define the 1960s as perfectly as anything by the Beatles.

Though Bacharach had a distinctly classical musical education – Martinu, Cowell and Milhaud were among his teachers – his allegiance was always with pop and jazz rather than the concert hall. Following spells working as an accompanist for Vic Damone and Marlene Dietrich his song writing abilities won him chart success in the USA.

Bacharach’s first impact on the British singles chart was with Michael Holliday’s cover version of “Story of My Life”. This success was cemented with “Magic Moments” by Perry Como. Both these songs were co-written with lyricist Hal David who became his regular song-writing partner.

Together they provided a stream of hits for many US artists, notably Dionne Warwick who worked with them so frequently she was almost a member of the team. Many of these records got into the British charts, but there were classy covers too, by Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield and Sandie Shaw.

The title Hit Maker! says it all and the album includes; “Don’t Make Me Over”, “Walk on By” (both originally recorded by Dionne Warwick), “Always Something There to Remind Me” (Warwick, covered by Sandie Shaw),  “24 Hours From Tulsa” (Gene Pitney) and “Anyone Who Had a Heart” (Warwick covered by Cilla Black).  Though his own hit single “Trains and Boats and Planes” is included, Hit Maker! is a compilation of greatest hits, only performed by the composer instead of the singers normally associated with them.  Even though vocals are missing the songs benefit from his further thoughts on their arrangements. 

During the decade Burt Bacharach also added his signature sound to movies and TV shows including  What’s New Pussycat, Casino Royale and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. His score for Butch Cassidy… won Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Song (“Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”) plus a Golden Globe.

May 1965 – Hit Maker! Burt Bacharach Plays the Bacharach Hits

- (UK) London HAR8233 Highest Chart Position 3

   (US) Kapp KS 3428 failed to chart

Re-released in USA as The Man! – Burt Bacharach – His Songs, Kapp KS3447 Oct. 1965, and as Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits Kapp KS3577 ? 1966 and again in ?, 1969 as MCA Records MCL 1738  with additional track “A House is Not a Home”

1  Don’t Make Me Over  (Bacharach, David)

2  Walk on By (Bacharach, David)

3  Don’t Go Breaking My Heart  (Bacharach, David)

4  Blue on Blue  (Bacharach, David)

5  The Last One to Be Loved (Bacharach, David)

6  There’s Always Something There to Remind Me (Bacharach, David)

7  24 Hours From Tulsa (Bacharach, David)

8  Trains and Boats and Planes (Bacharach, David)

9  Wives and Lovers (Bacharach, David)

10 Anyone Who Had a Heart  (Bacharach, David) 

Recorded: unknown (possibly Decca Studios, London)

Producer: Burt Bacharach

Burt Bacharach arranger, director, piano, vocals; unknown session orchestra and chorus

CD reissues:

      1997 Universal 83089

     2006 Universal 93063 (with What’s New Pussycat?/My Little Red Book (sung by Joel Grey/Tony Middleton)

     2003 What the World Needs Now A&M 000080002 contains tracks 6 and 8