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Rating: How to Create the Perfect Pop Song
Those who love "Pop," the kind that is white and little (or not at all) contaminated by blues and sometimes defined as "light music" (light?), can only appreciate Burt Bacharach.
In my opinion, neither the stratospheric production of the Beatles nor the magnificent performance created in "Pet Sounds" by Brian Wilson (who moreover considered Bacharach his favorite composer) manage to reach the peaks of harmonic refinement of this author.
In his compositions, everything flows as if it were a simple C chord. But if you pay attention to the harmonic flow of the pieces, you realize that simplicity hides a very sophisticated plot.
In fact, Bacharach's art is complex, cultured, full of modulations and changes of rhythm; to fully appreciate it, one needs to be somewhat accustomed to musical harmony and have some experience beyond the pentatonic scale or "Power Chords".
Indeed, rock music criticism, often incredibly snobbish and conservative despite being accustomed to a generation of not very educated musicians, took a while to recognize the artistic status he deserves.
Besides Brian Wilson, people like Elvis Costello, Noel Gallagher, Frank Zappa (indeed!), Donald Fagen, Aretha Franklin, Wes Montgomery, not to mention groups like Love, White Stripes, Yo La Tengo, and REM, expressed their admiration for this composer who managed to elevate "Popular Music" to the highest rank, enriching it marvelously with "cultured" elements, typical of authors like Gershwin or Berlin.
Moreover, his musical education is impressive.
Years dedicated to the study of theory and composition were alternated with years of apprenticeship and extraordinary experiences, such as the nights in the clubs of 52nd St. in New York, where, underage but properly equipped with fake documents, he absorbed the daring and unusual Bebop harmonies of Parker and Gillespie.
Among other things, alongside the classicism of composers like Debussy and Satie (several melancholic cadences of Bacharach recall this author), he also appreciated experimenters like Cage and Stockhausen.
A modern and eclectic artist who managed to masterfully coexist different musical elements: from French Impressionism to Pop, from Jazz to Soul, from Bossanova to Beat and - albeit very marginally - to Rock
Bacharach's adventure as a composer began in 1956 at the Brill Building in Manhattan. A "laboratory" where songs (successful ones) were literally "crafted" on demand. The fact that these songs also had a certain quality depth, thus satisfying both commercial and artistic demands, should not be surprising given that among the "employees", besides Bacharach, there were Goffin & King, Leiber & Stoller, Phil Spector, and Neil Sedaka.
From there on, Bacharach embarked on a solo career. And it would be a triumphant march studded with Gold Records, Oscars, and Grammys. Together with the trusted "lyricist" Hal David - truly unique in dressing melodies with bittersweet, never banal lyrics - he created an impressive series of classics worthy of the best Tin Pan Alley pieces.
From the initial productions present on the first CD such as: "Magic Moments" from 1958 entrusted to the warm voice of Perry Como (first gold record) or "Baby It's You" sung by the Shirelles and later invigorated by the Beatles for their first album "Please Please Me", we move on to splendid gems of the early '60s like "Don't Make Me Over" interpreted by what would become his favorite singer Dionne Warwick and "Anyone Who Had A Heart", a brilliant melody that naturally floats from 5/4 to 4/4 to finally land in 7/8.
The incredible ascent of those years continues in the second CD with "Walk On By" and the delicate "What The World Needs Now Is Love", or with "My Little Red Book" entrusted by Bacharach to Manfred Mann and immediately subject to an original "garage-punk" reinterpretation (apparently not liked by the author because harmonically incorrect) by Arthur Lee with the Love.
Naturally, a jewel like "I Say A Little Prayer" cannot be missing, always sung by Warwick but made famous by Aretha Franklin's overwhelming R'n'B interpretation.
The third CD contains multiple award-winning planetary successes such as: "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "(They Long To Be) Close To You", and what I consider to be the most beautiful song written by Bacharach, namely "This Guy's In Love With You" entrusted to the voice and trumpet of Herb Alpert.
The selection also explores the latest recordings such as "That's What Friends Are For" also a Grammy in 1986, sung among others by Stevie Wonder and Elton John, or again "God Give Me Strength" composed together with Elvis Costello for their album "Painted From Memory" from 1998.
It is difficult to mention all the worthy tracks among the 75 proposed by this 3 CD box set from Rhino Records which fully retraces Bacharach's production from its beginnings to 1998.
A truly valuable item, both in the accurate and exhaustive captions and in the refined and elegant graphic design, perfectly in line with the philosophy of this famous Los Angeles label.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
11 Make It Easy on Yourself (02:41)
Make It Easy on Yourself
Oh, breaking up is so very hard to do
Verse 1:
If you really love him
And there's nothing I can do
Don't try to spare my feelings
Just tell me that we're through
Chorus 1:
And make it easy on yourself
Make it easy on yourself
'Cause breaking up is so very hard to do
Verse 2:
And if the way I hold you
Can't compare to his caress
No words of consolation
Will make me miss you less
Chorus 2:
My darling, if this is goodbye
I just know I'm gonna cry
So run to him
Before you start crying too
[repeat chorus 1]
Oh, baby, it's so hard to do
21 Reach Out for Me (02:43)
When you go through a day And the things that people say They make you feel so small They make you feel that Your heart will just never stop aching And when you just can't accept the abuse you are taking Darlin' reach out for me Don't you worry I'll see you through You just have to reach out for me I'll be there and I'll confort you Oh yes I will Comfort you and love you How I'm gonna love you When good friends prove untrue And the things they do to you They make you feel so bad They make you feel that You haven't a reason for living So when you feel you Could throw in the towel and just given in Darlin' reach out for me
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