FLASH SPECIAL: A Hal David Remembrance

Early Saturday morning, legendary lyricist Hal David passed away at the age of 91, so today we will be celebrating his life by partaking in some of the most memorable and entertaining moments from his starry, sixty-year career as captured on the internet.

Known best for his stupefying string of smash hit pop singles with composer Burt Bacharach throughout the late-1950s and into the 1960s and 1970s, Hal David was a one-of-a-kind wordsmith with a particular style and sibilance all his own. Marrying masterfully with Bacharach’s oft-bossa nova-based and R&B-based melodies and their tricky and taxing time signatures, David’s ease with colloquial idioms and modern slang worked to make popular, oh-so-singable songs out of many risky, out-there, difficult-to-immediately-digest melodies - even for a music scene as experimental as it undoubtedly was at the time of the greatest successes for the tunesmiths. Taking Broadway by storm with PROMISES, PROMISES in 1967, Bacharach and David enjoyed some crossover chart success with a handful of songs from the contemporary, Jonathan Tunick-orchestrated score - most notably, the title tune and “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” - yet, it was their film work with which they would make the most major and long-lasting mark on the entertainment realm besides their many hit songs (and David’s work was scarcely represented on the stage following PROMISES, with only the Andre DeShields-led revue HARLEM NOCTOURNE in 1984 and THE LOOK OF LOVE on the list, besides the recent Kristin Chenoweth/Sean Hayes revival of PROMISES, the appearance of one of his hits in BABY, IT'S YOU! and a few abandoned projects like the Michel Legrand concept musical BRAINCHILD). Among the numerous film properties that the celebrity songwriting duo tackled over the course of their decades-spanning partnership are three iconic movie themes - the eponymous ALFIE, as well as “The Look Of Love” from CASINO ROYALE, in addition to their Academy Award-winning contribution to BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”, as well as material for other films. So, too, may many be familiar with the groovy and caustic Tom Jones classic “What’s New, Pussycat?” from the film of the same name, or, in the case of well-known theme tunes, THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE and SEND ME NO FLOWERS. And, then, there are the songs from the disastrous 1973 movie musical adaptation of LOST HORIZON (though The Fifth Dimension made a modest hit of one of the songs from the bizarre project anyway, “Living Together, Growing Together”, which reached #34, and R&B icons Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye infamously teamed up to “Things I Will Not Miss” as a duet that unfortunately was never officially released). Incidentally, Hal David actually had gotten his start by penning words for the music of Monty Nevins (of The Three Suns) for the 1951 film comedy TWO GALS AND A GUY. Six years later, David met Bacharach at the hallowed Brill Building in New York City and on that very day pop music history was unquestionably made.

“The Story Of My Life” was the first Bacharach/David mega-hit, originally recorded by Marty Robbins, and their growing popularity with the public led to many, many more hits as well as some special collaborations with a host of highly talented performers more than once - particularly, The Carpenters (“Alfie”, “Close To You”), Dusty Springfield (“The Look of Love”, “Wishin’ And Hopin’”) and their near-constant work with Dionne Warwick on many albums. Among the songs of this era are such pop music mainstays as “Walk On By”, “Do You Know The Way To San Jose?”, “I Say A Little Prayer”, “What The World Needs Now Is Love”, “One Less Bell To Answer”, “A House Is Not A Home”, “Anyone Who Had A Heart”, “Don’t Make Me Over”, “There’s Always Something There To Remind Me”, “Magic Moments” and so many more - and that’s only a few of the hundreds of pure gold pop gems in the vast catalog David now leaves behind in his passing.

Besides Hal David’s work with Bacharach, he also contributed lyrics to themes for two James Bond films - 1969’s ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE and the subsequent John Barry-composed anthems “We Have All The Time In The World”, originally recorded by Louis Armstrong, as well as “Moonraker” from the 1979 Bond film of the same title, first performed by Shirley Bassey. Additionally, David worked with the unlikely combo of Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias on “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before” and on Sarah Vaughn’s “Broken Hearted Melody” (music by Sherman Edwards) and the Don Gibson country hit “Sea Of Heartbreak” (music courtesy of Paul Hampton), among other one-offs and forays of creative and artistic fancy. Also, David served as president of ASCAP and presided on the Board of Directors for many years in the 1980s and 1990s and he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011.

Hal David’s career is certainly one filled with many magical music moments - and many awards (Oscars, Grammys and more) - and while we may not have all the time in the world, we have more than enough in order for us to glance back one last time.

We Have All The Time In The World

So, now, let’s take a look at and a listen to the story of Hal David’s life as told through the many unforgettable lines and lyrics he composed.

First up, here is the first Bacharach/David pop single to crack the charts, “The Story Of My Life”, by Marty Robbins, which reached #1 on the Billboard country charts in 1958.

That same year, Perry Como scored a chart-topper for Bacharach/David with the wistful "Magic Moments".

Next, here is David’s first co-writing credit shared with John Barry, with the truly timeless “We Have All The Time In the World”, by Louis Armstrong, from ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE.

Later on in his career, David re-teamed with Barry to write “Moonraker” for the James Bond vehicle of the same title, originally premiered by Bond theme grand dame Shirley Bassey.

Bobby Vinton’s endearing “Blue On Blue” was an early Bacharach/David hit.

A consistent collaborator throughout the 1960s, here is one of many smash hit Bacharach/David singles originally introduced by Dionne Warwick - the haunting “Anyone Who Had A Heart”.

While Warwick originally made “Walk On By” a classic, Issac Hayes gave it his own inimitable take a couple of years later. Here he performs it on THE SCENE in 1969. Funky to the nth!

Showing the sheer versatility of David’s lyrics, here this sensitive rendering of one of pop’s most tender ballads, “Close To You”, by the Carpenters.

Jack Jones makes a splash with the woo-worthy “Wives & Lovers”.

Continually exploring a decidedly more urban sound, here is “Baby, It’s You” - the title of a recent jukebox stage musical starring Tony Award-winner and recent InDepth InterView participant Beth Leavel, as well, by the way, with the song featured therein - as sung by The Shirelles.

“Baby, It’s You” was also recently showcased in filmmaker Quentin Tarantino’s music-stuffed car chase horror film DEATH PROOF - and utilized to excellent effect.

Now, here is the ladies’ man himself, Tom Jones, with the come-hither anthem to beat the band, “What’s New, Pussycat?”, featured in the comedy film of the same title.

Another Bacharach/David movie theme is the title song for the western THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, here crooned by originator Gene Pitney.

Bacharach/David found fans with their catchy Doris Day film confection, "Send Me No Flowers" from the film of the same name in 1964.

Continuing on the topic of memorable movie music moments, here are three modern-day classics in a row courtesy of Bacharach/David:

“Alfie” from ALFIE, performed here by Cher.

“The Look Of Love” from CASINO ROYALE, performed by Dusty Springfield.

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” from BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, performed by BJ Thomas (a frequent singer of Bacharach/David hits throughout the 1970s).

Then, there is LOST HORIZON - recently released on DVD in a remastered edition that any Broadway baby even remotely interested in celluloid curiosities of the movie musical genre. So, here is the trailer for the only full-out movie musical of Bacharach/David’s career (thus far).

The Fifth Dimension covered many Bacharach/David songs in their time, yet “Living Together, Growing Together” is especially unique.

A far more satisfying theatrical endeavor unquestionably is the super-successful PROMISES, PROMISES. Witness one of the biggest knockout production numbers in Broadway and Tony Awards history with this breathtaking capture of Michael Bennett’s early-career choreographic tour de force, the innocuously titled “Turkey Lurkey Time”. How wow-worthy is this?!

Jerry Orbach performs the athletic “She Likes Basketball” on the 1968 Tony Awards below.

Enjoy the title song from the Tony Award-winning PROMISES, PROMISES below, as heard on the Original Broadway Cast Recording performed by affable leading man Jerry Orbach.

PROMISES, PROMISES recently enjoyed a hit revival starring Sean Hayes, Kristin Chenoweth and Katie Finneran. Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes sing “I’ll Never Fall In Love” below.

Here we have the Queen Of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, essaying the Bacharach/David earworm “I Say A Little Prayer”.

The endearing “I Say A Little Prayer” scene from MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING (which also references another Bacharach/David smash) is a true romantic classic - and rightly so; featuring InDepth InterView participant Dermot Mulroney and the rest of the film’s charming cast, sample it for the first or fiftieth time below.

Never a more appropriate time for the theme of this landmark pop single than in this currently very divided climate in America, here is Jackie DeShannon with "What The World Needs Now Is Love", live in 1965.

Herb Alpert scored a big hit with "This Guy's In Love With You", here performed in 1971.

Following that, enjoy Barbra Streisand’s incomparable mash-up of “One Less Bell To Answer” and “A House Is Not A Home”. Of all these tremendous clips, this may be the very best!

Lastly, hear one of Hal David’s late-career hits thanks to the Naked Eyes cover of “There’s Always Something There To Remind Me”.

Since no Hal David celebration would be complete without this, as a special bonus, the question of all pop music questions shall be posed one final time: “Do You Know The Way To San Jose?” Here it is, courtesy of the one and only Dionne Warwick.

From the man who penned “There’s Always Something There To Remind Me”, no more apropos a sentiment could be ascribed to the show business legacy left behind by Hal David - he made a distinct mark on Broadway, Hollywood and the recording industry in a way few lyricists ever have or ever will.