Ultimate versions of Bacharach & David songs

Tommy Hunt's original of "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" should not be overlooked.

I love the medley of "Make It Easy on Yourself" and "Knowing When to Leave" performed by Vikki Carr on a Bacharach TV special.

The trio version of "I Took My Strength From You" with Sylvester, Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes is a favorite.

It's a minor Bacharach & David song, but I enjoy "Live Again" by Irma Thomas. I'm not sure if anyone else ever released a version.

Chuck Jackson's "Any Day Now" remains the definitive version.

Bobbie Gentry made #1 in the UK with her version of I'll Never Fall In Love Again. Not sure if it was ever released in the US.

Probably their best song of all wasn't even a Dionne song: "Baby It's You" was introduced by the Shirelles.

As I said on the Dionne thread (which I started), my favorite of all their songs for her is "Another Night," which was not much of a hit for Dionne (it never got higher than #49) but is just beautiful all the same. It has no opportunity for the singer to show off, but it's got a great tension between the upbeat melody and the melancholy lyrics that I really love. I've also always loved "Do You Know the way to San Jose?" since I was a little child, mostly for the great orchestrations. Of their sadder songs that allow more for the singer to show off with, I've always loved "Message to Michael" (which originally was "Message to Martha"!) and "Walk on By," both as covered by Dionne. I also love "This Empty Place," which is not as well known.

People always go crazy over "A House is Not a Home," and I do love the music, although it has one of the stupidest lyrics in their oeuvre: "A chair is still a chair/ Even if there's no one sitting there..." Well, DUH.

Although I love Dusty, my favorites of her songs are actually not Bacharach/David, except for "Wishin' and Hopin'": my favorites of hers are by others, like "I Only Want to Be with You" and "Son of a Preacher Man."

Dionne's version takes too long to get going. All you need is the original "Always Something There to Remind Me" by Lou Johnson. Patti LaBelle's proto-Jackson 5 version is fun too.

Dusty Springfield on The Look of Love. Plus a lot of other B&D songs.

Deacon Blue recorded 4 songs on their Bacharach & David EP in 1990.

Are You There (With Another Girl) was by far the best song on it. The vocal is amazing but the arrangement improves on the original and takes it to another level. Stunning.

The Breakways released "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" before Dionne did.

Jerry Orbach's version of "Promises, Promises" can't be topped. And I agree with R9 one thousand percent regarding Dusty Springfield's "The Look Of Love" being the best/definitive version.

Which of Dusty's versions, though?

Dionne's "Walk On By" is in a class by itself.

My favorite version of "Baby It's You" is by the Carpenters on their Close To You album. Totally diferent take than the Shirelles or Smith versions, really nice rendition.

Yes, OP, Wynonna's version of Anyone Who Had A Heart is sublime.

Dusty's "A House Is Not a Home."

The orchestration is a touch too bombastic in places but I love Dee Dee's plaintive vocal.

Dl's very own Connie Francis.

One of the few times I liked someone singing their song more than Dionne. Cilla's version of "Alfie."

R12 That really is an amazing performance

I love the teen angst of Gene Pitney's "True Love Never Runs Smooth". 1962.

You can hear Bacharach's famous quirky melody style taking shape.

Johnny Mathis did an incredible version of Make It Easy On Yourself.

A lot of shitty songs by dead people.

This, of course, is the definitive version of "Turkey Lurkey Time."

This was the very first released recording of "Knowing When to Leave," by the ever-popular Bambi McCormick. (WHO?)

[Quote] Bambi McCormick is a newcomer whose operatic training is well -hidden in her first LP. She rolls through 11 tunes that range from the unknown to the obscure, and the result is likely to be that she will remain in one of those pigeonholes.

Ouch!

Wow, R24. She really reminds me of Karen Carpenter. Sure, they were more or less of the same era, performing some of the same music, but I've never heard anyone else that reminded me of Karen as much as she does.

My favorite unfinished snippet

Bacharach arranging Elvis Costello songs is pretty great.

[quote] A lot of shitty songs by dead people.

By an odd coincidence you're shitty, and I hope you're a dead person soon.

I had the BIGGEST CRUSH on Herb Alpert.

"This Guy"

There's a snippet of Julie Andrews singing that song on some variety show, and of course she sings it as "This Gell's in Love with You"

No, there's definitely an r in Julie's girl.

One particular song I like by Burt Bacharach is "Nikki," otherwise known as the "ABC Movie of the Week" theme.

Here's the actual Nikki song.

I can provide the basis for good judgment in dee-fining "ultimate versions" of my songs any time you persons would like.

For a Jackson.

Because Andy was a dumb fuck, too.

Yes, I love Nikki too. Makes me sad to hear it knowing about Burt and his relationship with his daughter. Obviously heartfelt when he wrote while she was struggling to live as a newborn. Ed Ames did good job on it with the words.

I wonder if Burt is on the spectrum himself.

He definitely had a problem with imperfection.

I dig Costello’s God Gove Me Strength, R28.

But the ultimate queen of Bacharach is still Dionne.

Good choice, but r39 but here's the song sung by a real singer

Cilla's "Alfie" is dreadful. Jerry Butler's "Make it Easy on Yourself" takes the song in a very different direction than the female singers.

The Walker Brothers' big production of "Make it Easy on Yourself".

[quote]Cilla's "Alfie" is dreadful.

She almost sounds good after listening to Connie Francis at R18

What is Bacharach's biggest-selling song? I would guess it's between Arthur's Theme, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head and Close To You.

Burt Bacharach was a pop music genius.

Linda Ronstadt - Anyone Who Had A Heart

Girls, you both gave wonderful performances

Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin sing "I Say A Little Prayer" | 1981

And then: "Lost Horizon"

Cher's version of Alfie is more emotional, dramatic, and heartfelt than Dionne's. And Gayle McCormick and Smith totally transformed Baby It's You and sang the shit out of it- she should've been as big as Linda Ronstadt or Karen Carpenter.

R44. Connie's version of Alfie is quite good, as are Trains is Boats and Planes. However, her Broadway LP Never On Sunday LP, and the Les Reed LP which followed the B & D LP are far superior, to name a few.

Dionne is the ultimate Alfie songstress, that one definitely belong to her.

Dionne's voice had a quality of wistfulness that worked well with Hal David's lyrics.

R52, then why is Cher's version in the U.S. print of the movie? Dionne's is bland in comparison.

The ultimate version of God Give Me Strength is the Kristen Vigard. Not the version Illeana Douglas lipsynchs to in Grace Of My Heart but a 5:51 full orchestral version I got from iTunes years ago and isn't on YouTube.

As much as I love Elvis's version the GOMH soundtrack should have included Kristen's version.

It was snubbed at the Oscars in favour of the song from That Thing You Do.

[Quote] The Walker Brothers' big production of "Make it Easy on Yourself".

John Franz' big production.

Chrissie Hynde's version of Message To Michael is sublime. A shame she's never recorded a studio version.

'𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞' - I like the instrumental version, and only a particular arrangement of it, from the 1967 'Reach Out' album - the one which was used in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝 (1970), quite different from the one used in 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐞 (1967).

Listening to it, I always think of beautiful Cowboy, looking around at Michael's apartment through the psychedelic colors of the translucent scarf, visualizing the world through gay eyes.

Anita Kerr Singers - Are You There (With Another Girl.)

Knowing When to Leave is a song I adore, and I give the prize to Betty Buckley on the Promises Promises London cast album.

Buckley is so strident. One of her "When to LEAVE"s before the end sounds like she's going to murder someone.

Will no one (but me) give a nod to Barbra's House Is Not a Home/One Less Bell to Answer?

emembering the day I scraped my babysitting money together to buy this

Sing along with Sally Kellerman! These lyrics are a challenge Hal!

Bacharach & David's songs had a lot of awkward phrasing and Warwick consistently excelled at putting this over. BJ Thomas' version of "Raindrops" is probably the major exception to this. The more "catchy" and simple of their songs are the ones where others tended to outshine her, like "The Look of Love".

R7, Walk on By was not 'covered' by Dionne. It was written for her. But I do like and agree with your points.

"Baby It's You" is just Shirley Owens singing over the demo instrumental. Burt is among the background singers. Scepter, the label, was independent and pretty cheap. They made Dionne pad out her early albums with vault material that had already been released by others. It's a shame she didn't cut a vocal for "Baby It's You." She sounds infinitely better than Shirley on "It's Love That Really Counts."

[Quote] People always go crazy over "A House is Not a Home," and I do love the music, although it has one of the stupidest lyrics in their oeuvre: "A chair is still a chair/ Even if there's no one sitting there..." Well, DUH.

That's not a stupid lyric. A House is not a home without people to make it a home, unlike chairs, rooms etc. - ya know, the stuff you find in a house.

Agree about Kristen Vigard, her version should've been on the Grace of my Heart soundtrack along with Costello's. I didn't like any of the other songs on that cd!

Dionne Warwick's musicality and vocals were the reason he triumped in the '60's. He could experiment and write more difficult music because he knew that she would get it and could perform it brilliantly. Dusty Springfield herself knew Warwick was a superb singer and was a devotee from the same era.

Dusty Springfield was probably Dionne's only real rival in pop music at that time. They were both the best of the best.

They weren't really rivals. Dusty never gained a foothold on the US charts.

In terms of talent, r72

Dionne and Dusty were great friends too.

Dusty is my vote for Anyone Who Has a Heart. The arrangement/recording is a bit thin soundwise/music wise, but the hurt and pain in her voice is flawless.

[quote] Dusty Springfield (1964). To my ears, the definitive reading of the song, a bar no one has ever cleared, though many have tried. Everything about this performance, produced by Johnny Franz as an album track for Springfield's debut LP, A Girl Called Dusty, and never even issued as a single (presumably too close on the heels of Dionne Warwick's and Cilla Black's huge hit versions) is redolent not only of heartbreak, but of the depravity a broken heart is capable of inspiring. It's full of the kind of naked vulnerability that would be embarrassing if it weren't communicated with such mastery. Shattered and shattering. And she was just 25 years old.

YAAAAS BITCHES

[quote]Dionne and Dusty were great friends too.

I really doubt Dionne and Dusty were friends, but there was a real sense of mutual respect there.

[quote]Agree about Kristen Vigard, her version should've been on the Grace of my Heart soundtrack along with Costello's. I didn't like any of the other songs on that cd!

There are some absolute gems on that soundtrack! I love the lesbian angst in My Secret Love (co-written by party girl Lesley Gore), Dave Stewart teaming up with Carole Bayer Sager for I Do, Joni Mitchell's Man From Mars and Elvis Costello's Unwanted Number. Gerry and Louise Goffin's Between Two Worlds was also a lovely song Shawn Colvin did justice to. Not sure Carol would have been happy about their involvement in the movie though.

Dionne, shady queen that she is, commented that all Dusty had was music.

One of Dusty's latterday girlfriends claimed that Dusty would regular point out Dionne's house when they drove by. I presume it was LA. There was no mention that they ever socialised when Dusty lived in the US.

Maybe I'm wrong then. Dionne had been interviewed about Dusty, and among the nice things Dionne said about Dusty's voice, she said that she was a close personal friend of hers. This was a while back. Maybe she was exaggerating?

Dionne also said that she wanted an apology from all of the British girls who sang her songs, naming Dusty, Cilla and Sandie. Funny how Dionne forgets that Sandie sang "Always Something There to Remind Me" BEFORE Dionne. And Dusty released "Wishin' and Hopin'" in the US about a year after Dionne, just as Aretha did with "I Say a Little Prayer." Dionne had no smoke for Aretha, though. (Well, not until Whitney's funeral...)

[quote]Maybe I'm wrong then. Dionne had been interviewed about Dusty, and among the nice things Dionne said about Dusty's voice, she said that she was a close personal friend of hers. This was a while back. Maybe she was exaggerating?

There was no doubt a mutual respect between Dusty and Dionne but I really don't think they were close friends.

I don't think Dusty was close friends with anyone, which was why her career suffered so much. She didn't have anyone to turn up at her motel and kick the cats off the bed and drag her into the shower in the style of Kathy Bates in Men Don't Leave.

I think Vicki Wickham would refute that.

My favorite version of "Trains and Boats and Planes" is by the Box Tops (Alex Chilton's pre-Big Star group).

Kirsty MacColl's plaintive vocals really suit Trains and Boats and Planes.

R82, the below link does seem to back up what you are saying.

The complaint might be a bit out of context though. Dionne phrased it that cover versions were released immediately after her versions had been, and that is very true. But, that is really more of a beef to be had with the people with the publishing rights (Bacharach/David), and, that type of thing happened all the time in the 60s and early 70s. It was a different world back then. I have a lot of my Mom's old LPs, and it's amazing how so many of them were released in the same year or two as each other, and they ALL have the same Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash songs.

[Quote] Dionne phrased it that cover versions were released immediately after her versions had been, and that is very true.

It's not true, though. Dionne's "Wishin' and Hopin'" was released as a b-side in 1963. Dusty's version - Bacharach suggested she record the song in late 1963 - wasn't released until well into 1964. Dionne's version was not prevented from being a hit by the release of Dusty's version. Sandie covered "Always..." in 1964 (She arguably stole the hit from Lou Johnson), whereas Dionne didn't release a version until 1967. Cilla Black's "Anyone Who Had a Heart" is the only version that "covered" Dionne's version in the charts - the UK charts.

Did he write for DaBaby?

I loved this the moment I heard it. It was the first version I ever heard, late in 1964, when I had no idea who Burt Bacharach was.

R88, Dionne recorded Wishin' and Hopin' first, and Dusty wanted to record it based solely on Dionne's recording, and did so soon thereafter. See link below.

Also, Dionne recorded "In the Land of Make Believe" in 1964, before Dusty recorded it in 1968.

I think this all might have something to do with Dionne's resentfulness (not defending her). Dionne later sang "I Just Don't Know What to do With Myself" and "The Look of Love", both previously recorded by Dusty. Yes, others had covered some of these songs too, but her beef was with British women recording her songs after she did, and it's a bit more than you are indicating in your post.

Dionne Warwick is so overrated and a terrible person. She is not a friend to the gay community, and is toxic and gross!

[Quote] Dionne recorded Wishin' and Hopin' first, and Dusty wanted to record it based solely on Dionne's recording, and did so soon thereafter. See link below

That link states that Bacharach persuaded Dusty to record the song.

[Quote] Also, Dionne recorded "In the Land of Make Believe" in 1964, before Dusty recorded it in 1968.

You're rather proving my point (and wasn't Make Believe also done by the Drifters?). Dionne's version had time to find an audience. Dusty took nothing from Dionne.

I'm happy to live in a world where both Dionne's and Dusty's music exists. I don't give a crap who got there first.

R78, the songs you mention are corny, you sound like the typical dyke with no taste!

R20 I prefer Petula Clark's version of "True Love Never Runs Smooth". I've never liked Pitney's version. He over enunciates - the way he sings "matter" is particularly jarring - and the background "la, la, la's" are just fighting the orchestra.

Johnny Mathis - Saturday Sunshine

R9, R12 While Dusty's version of "The Look of Love" is sublime, Sergio Mendes' Brazilian take includes Lani Hall's sensual vocals, an upbeat summery sound (it was released in July of '67) and the ending sounds like a Bond theme (even though "Casino Royale" was a comedy).

"Mendes really burst into mainstream prominence when he performed the Oscar-nominated "The Look of Love" on the Academy Awards telecast in April 1968. Brasil '66's version of the song quickly shot into the top 10, peaking at No. 4 and eclipsing Dusty Springfield's version from the soundtrack of the movie Casino Royale. "

The Carpenters 1970 version of "(They Long To Be) Close To You, " may be the best known but I love Dusty's version (recorded in 1964 but not released until 1967) . We won't talk about Richard Chamberlain's 1963 original (don't waste the 2 minutes and 15 seconds on YouTube).

Let me add another great "Look of Love" version: Nina Simone.

Susanna Hoffs recorded The Look Of Love in '99. It's really quite lovely.

Johnny Mathis sucks as a singer, so does Harry Belafonte. Hated their styles.

R98, Lani Hall is still married to Herb Alpert. I bought Brasil 66's Fool on a Hill album when I was a teen. The back cover landscape looked like a nude female torso.

I actually give the prize for Knowing When to Leave to Jill O'Hara, who first performed the song on Broadway in Promises, Promises. There's a pain but also a little bit of terror in her voice that none of the other interpreters managed to communicate. Listen.

The Naked Eyes version of, "Always Something There to Remind Me", puts a smile on my face.

Not even a Wikipedia page for Bambi McCormick?

Bambi's self titled album is now on streaming services.

[quote] Dionne also said that she wanted an apology from all of the British girls who sang her songs

They’re not her songs, they’re Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s songs.

Dionne should have got an apology from Pye International, her UK label at the time. Bobbie Gentry got the UK hit of "I'll Never Fall In Love Again." Gentry was probably in the country to promote it, which could have made all the difference. British Radio had strange laws in those days.

R108, weren't they written for her?

This is the first version of "Make it Easy on Yourself" I ever heard. As is often the case, the first version I heard automatically became the definitive version for me.

It was a moderate R&B hit in 1983, so I heard it often on the radio for a while. At the time I had no idea it was a Bacharach/David song, or that it was a cover version of an established classic.

It's by Ron Banks (former lead singer of the Dramatics) and Belita Woods (former lead singer of Brainstorm)

Dionne 's "Make it Easy on Yourself" is fantastic. I'd consider hers definitive.

You don't rate Jerry Butler's? He also did the original version of "Message to Martha."

Maybe not THE definitive, but pretty damn close

Nope. Foghorn no bueno for Bacharach.

I LOVE Diana Ross' version of Close To You. Superb!

Luther Vandross - What The World Needs Now

Just beautiful!

Cher "Alfie"

I hate Luther's self indulgent versions.

The Stylistics - You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart) outperformed the Dionne Warwick version on both the pop and R&B charts.

I wouldn't say it rivals Dionne's original recording, but I enjoy D-Train's remake of "Walk on By."

It's not the ultimate version, but I still enjoy it.

Helen Shapiro. Walk On By

Sybil. Don’t Make Me Over

Helen Shapiro didn't have the head voice to pull that arrangment off.

Just thought I'd mention for the curious that LOST HORIZON is streaming on Amazon Prime (the print looks pretty great, too, which isn't always the case with Amazon). It's a ridiculous movie, but I don't actually think the songs in and of themselves are terrible, though Burt's music is better than Hal's lyrics. No songs could save that campfest.

[quote] There are some absolute gems on that soundtrack! I love the lesbian angst in My Secret Love (co-written by party girl Lesley Gore), Dave Stewart teaming up with Carole Bayer Sager for I Do, Joni Mitchell's Man From Mars and Elvis Costello's Unwanted Number.

I love Jill Sobule's "Truth is You Lied," but it got cut from the film. She released a video of it, though (with period clothes and hair for her and the back-up singers).

R24 Hot dayum I dug that! Foxy woman as well. Wow. I'm in love. One hit wonder from back in the day love. Gorgeous alto from that enigmatic sexy woman.

I think that Dusty Springfield and Lady Dionne of Warwick really own this thread. Those are the first two people I think of when it comes to Bacharach and David. The Carpenters did a whole medley of a fair amount of their works as well as some covers and all but Dusty and Dionne are just the tops with Bacharach and David to me and Dionne wore her "Burt Bacharach's muse" status like the Queen of England does her crown.

[Quote] One hit wonder from back in the day love.

What was her hit?

I don't remember Bambi McCormick at all but I really like her.