After an extensive and successful career, Burt Bacharach died at age 94 on February 8th of natural causes. Bacharach built his career by penning film scores and hit songs – often with lyricist partner Hal David – throughout the mid-to-late-90s, many of which became staples of the era and after it.
Bacharach made his beginnings in 1954 as the musical director for the Ames Brothers at New York’s Copacabana Club and as an arrangement director of a cabaret show at the Beverly Hilton’s Bali Room in 1955, as chronicled by Variety Daily.
During the late 50s, Bacharach and lyricist Mack David wrote music for the 1958 horror-comedy cult classic that propelled Steve McQueen to stardom.
In 1961 Bacharach and Hal David entered into the movie business, writing the title track to Love in a Goldfish Bowl starring Fabian-Tommy Sands. According to Daily, the song had “the herky-jerky tempo and frenetic lyric to be a hit contender. One thing is sure – it’ll help sell the picture.” Bacharach and David continued to garner increasingly positive reviews for their work. By the 196s, Bacharach was signed as a solo artist to Kapp Records, where he and David began penning hits for Dionne Warwick.
Bacharach’s career found unequivocal success with the release of What’s New Pussycat from the 1965 comedy, sung by Tom Jones. Bacharach and David continued to churn out hits like Alfie, The Look of Love from 007’s Casino Royale, Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head (1969) in George Roy Hill’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – which won an Oscar for original song and an Academy Award for original score – and more throughout the 1970s.
Bacharach clearly adored his work as a composer, arranger, musician, producer, and singer. His talent and passion will be missed.
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