05.12.2020
THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST BURT BACHARACH SONGS THAT REALLY HIT HOME WITH ME AS A KID AND IT WAS ONE THE ATTRACTIONS AND I SLIPPED INTO THE FURIOUS AND NOT OVERLY FANCY SETS OF 1977.
“This is one of the first Burt Bacharach songs that really hit home with me as a kid and it was one the Attractions and I slipped into the furious and not overly fancy sets of 1977.
People seemed to think I was singing the song ironically.I was deadly serious.
I haven’t seen this clip of Dusty Springfield singing, “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself” for many years but it occurs to me now that the set director must have thought she was singing about her failure to hang the rolls of wallpaper that were piled up on the set. Television could be very odd back then.
Speaking of television, as a young child, I had a soft spot for Perry Como singing, “Magic Moments” but it was this wonderful performance by Dusty, Dionne Warwick’s version of “Walk On By”, Cilla Black’s superb take on “Anyone Who Had A Heart” and Zoot Money’s version of “Please Stay” that sealed my life-long love and admiration for the songs of Burt Bacharach. There was even a Bacharach melody on The Beatles first album, “Please Please Me”. That record also contained a Carole King tune on it, just like our last record. I’ve tried to learn my lessons well.
As ever, Burt Bacharach’s settings of Hal David’s lyrics offer hope in troubled hours. “What The World Needs Now Is Love”, “I Say A Little Prayer” and “The Look Of Love” may have been written for different occasions and motives but their beauty is undimmed by any challenge or sorrow.
Since writing “God Give Me Strength” together in 1995, Burt and I have written a song for every one of the years since, including the album “Painted From Memory” to which we added another ten songs for a stage musical adaptation of that album, several of which featured on the 2018 album release, “Look Now” and the remainder of which we hope to bring to you before too very long. It is typical of Burt’s approach to music and life that we should be discussing our next possible recording session, just as the world was being locked inside.
I recall one time when I called Burt and found that he’d just returned from a punishing walk in the middle of a heatwave. When I questioned the wisdom of this, Burt replied, “You know me, I’m an extremist”. Not perhaps the first thought that comes to mind when you think of the elegant, intimate, emotional music that Burt has written all his life. However, this is the man who once told me he was easier on himself in the studio these days, “I no longer insist on 120%”, he said, “These days, I settle for 95”.
Happy Birthday, Burt – My Favourite Extremist.”