The genius of Burt Bacharach lives forever
12 Sunday Feb 2023
Written by dennisghurst in Attributes, Consequences, Godliness, Inspiration, Origins
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The genius of Burt Bacharach lives forever…
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him. ~ Proverbs 12: 14
Rajan Laad, American Thinker: Burt Bacharach, one of the musical giants of our era, passed away at the grand old age of 94 this past Wednesday, having scored more than 50 chart hits in the U.S. and across the world, from artists such as Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Dionne Warwick, Tom Jones, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello, etc., while leaving behind a legacy that is hard to surpass with colossal hits across six decades. Born 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri, his family moved to New York where he grew up, his father a sports columnist and his mother an amateur musician and painter. Burt studied the cello, drums, and piano when he was young. But his exposure to jazz at the club broadened his musical horizons, leading up to music courses at the Mannes School of Music, in New York, and at McGill University in Canada.
Studying under celebrated French composer Darius Milhaud, he was advised to “never ever feel embarrassed or discomforted by a melody that people can remember or whistle.” This became a tip that Bacharach would never forget and is likely the reason for his longevity and his ability to reinvent and adapt himself to the ever-changing world of pop music. Serving in the U.S. Army (1950-52), while acting as a dance band arranger in Germany, he met singer Vic Damone, and following his return to civilian life, accompanied Damone and numerous other artists performing in the jazz club circuit, his first break coming in 1958, composing the soundtracks of Steve McQueen’s debut star vehicle “The Blob”, of all things!
Bacharach’s mainstream success was achieved by collaborating with songwriter Hal David, the pair working together in the celebrated “Brill Building”, which housed dozens of musicians and songwriters during the late ’50s and ’60s, their sophisticated and understated tunes in drastic contrast with the wild sounds of rock ‘n’ roll of that era; yet that is exactly what set them apart from the rest, their first hit “Magic Moments” sung and whistled by legendary crooner Perry Como. Bacharach’s melody and whistling section was also sampled by other musicians and the track was used in various movies and advertisements – something particularly joyous about the composition.
His autobiography, Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music, was published in 2013 and 2015 linked down below.
He never “retired”, and in 2018 / 19 continued touring past his 90th birthday, with concerts in the U.K. and continental Europe. In the interim he won three Oscars, two Golden Globes, and six competitive Grammy Awards, and was hailed as music’s “greatest living composer” when he accepted the Grammy lifetime achievement honor in 2008. Bacharach managed to bridge the boundaries of pop, jazz, and even classical. His music was relatable and accessible to all, yet it had the gravitas of jazz and classical music that earned him the reputation of being the Beethoven of pop. His songs, while joyous, had a distinctive undercurrent of melancholy.
DGH: Such was the magic of his work that they continue to be used in movies, TV shows, advertisements and so much more. Many of the familiar tunes that are now part of pop culture were works of Bacharach. Perhaps listeners are fond of many of these tunes without realizing that they emanated from Bacharach’s mind, that vast, unique and eclectic body of work which has left an indelible mark in the thoughts and minds of millions of his listeners. The genius of Burt Bacharach lives forever. Including, I might say, within that of my own and with friends of friends! [end]
In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death. ~ Proverbs 12: 28
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- Bruce Bawer, The American Spectator: R.I.P. Burt Bacharach
- Rajan Laad, American Thinker: Remembering Burt Bacharach
- Don’t miss His Autobiography, Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music, from 2013 and 2015.
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Soli Deo Gloria!
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Link To DennisGHurst.com
