Bacharach & other collections

The music of Burt Bacharach defined the ‘60s for the cocktail party crowd. The kids enjoyed the Beatles or Motown. They all got hippied up with psychedelia. But those who want to be thought cool and sophisticated drove around to the sound of Bacharach, Do You Know the Way to San Jose, and nursed their heartbreaks with the voice of Dionne Warwick, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, singing the so affecting lyrics of Hal David.

That was oh so long ago but to this day, ears still perk up and react positively to a Bacharach tune everywhere. Best example was the karaoke scene in the romantic comedy My Best Friend’s Wedding where the whole place went into a spirited rendition of I Say a Little Prayer and we all did too. I do not really know how to describe it but Bacharach songs set a definite time, place and mood in a way that is unlike any other.

There is a new Bacharach compilation album available in the stores. It is This Guy’s In Love with You. It is not the usual Bacharach CD. For one, there is not a single Dionne Warwick song in it and she was, or still is the best Bacharach interpreter ever. Dusty Springfield is in it but it is not with her iconic rendition of The Look of Love. Remember that from the first Casino Royale? I think that what this album has can be described as rarities or surprises. Like hey, I didn’t know Connie Francis recorded Make It Easy on Yourself and her beautiful version is here. Didn’t also know you can squeeze soul out of the country-tinged Raindrops Keep Fallin’ in My Head like the Four Tops do.

Still, why get a copy of this one when the definitive recordings are not included and chances are those who like Bacharach already have his hits on LPs, tapes or CDs and maybe even DVDs? The CD does not even have the heart-tugging Anyone Who Had a Heart. I say though that you should still get it because the distributor threw in a bonus disc of Bacharach recordings. The album has two discs. CD 1 is titled The Interpretations and CD 2 is The Originals. But don’t believe that of the latter. That title is very misleading.

These are not the originals. What CD 2 has are dreamy instrumental tracks probably also arranged and conducted by Bacharach with occasional vocals. This is great background music and it is packed with memories. You can listen to them and they will make you feel like you can still look good in a beehive hairdo and a glittery mini or wide, wide bell-bottom pants. Think of the era of Hugo Montenegro or the Fifth Dimension or of the master of them all, Bacharach, of course.

The girls excel in the collection. One of the best cuts is They Long to be Close to You because Springfield sounds fantastic. She was indeed one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Also a wonderful surprise is There’s Always Something There to Remind Me by the little girl with the big, big voice, Brenda Lee. And what can you say about Ella Fitzgerald singing a soft and easy A House is Not a Home. No vocal histrionics here. Just effortless but expressive singing.

The Interpretations mirror image the cuts in the so-called The Originals, like you have Alfie by Laura Fygi in the first and there is an instrumental version of Alfie in the other. This is save for the last cuts in both discs. CD 1 ends with an instrumental take on the Academy Award winning Arthur’s Theme done by David Benoit while CD 2 has Trains and Boats and Planes.

The other songs included are This Guy’s in Love with You by Donny Osmond; The Look of Love by Susanna Hoffs; Walk on By by the Anita Kerr Singers; I Say a Little Prayer by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas; Don’t Make Me Over by Lyn Collins; What the World Needs Now is Love by Diana Ross & The Supremes; The April Fools by Gordon Staples; and I’ll Never Fall in Love Again by Isaac Hayes.