BURT BACHARACH 100 ESSENTIAL SONGS. . This post: #3. Continues: tomorrow.

Caffè Lattè presents:

THE 100 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS CO/WRITTEN BY

BURT

BACHARACH

Burt Bacharach has had a major impact on popular music with a catalogue spanning many decades. His songbook boasts some of the most elegant and unforgettable songs of all time. His compositions have been recorded by a vast array of acts ranging from The Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Elvis Costello, Tom Jones and Carpenters. He is best remembered for his collaborations with Hal David that were brought to life with Dionne Warwick’s vocal skills.

Burt Bacharach died in his home in February 2023. He was 94 years old. This special countdown pays tribute to Bacharach’s immense talent and impressive legacy, celebrating 100 of his best compositions…

 

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(THEY LONG TO BE)

CLOSE TO YOU

Carpenters (1970)

This endearing love song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David might have faded into obscurity had a duo consisting of siblings not been persuaded to record it.

Richard Chamberlain cut the original version, but relegated “Close To You” to the B-side of the single “Blue Guitar” in 1963. That same year, Dionne Warwick recorded the song but radio airplay was instead given to its flip side, “Here I Am”. It seemed unlikely that the public would ever embrace “Close To You”.

Years later, Richard and Karen Carpenter emerged as a promising new act. Bacharach was impressed with the duo’s 1969 remake of The Beatles’ “Ticket To Ride”. The brother and sister act was signed to A&M Records, the label co-owned by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. The former had already achieved success with a Bacharach-David composition.

In early 1970, The Carpenters were invited to sing a medley of the writers’ songs for a benefit. Alpert recommended that the duo include “Close To You”. Richard later decided against having the song as part of the medley.

Alpert persisted and The Carpenters recorded a version of the song. It was released as a single under the title Richard opted for: “(They Long To Be) Close To You”. This time, the disc took off. It spent 4 weeks at #1 Pop and 6 weeks topping the Easy Listening Chart in America. The single also reached pole position in Canada and Australia. In Britain, the disc peaked at #6.

Follow the countdown on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1nYjYdZQeXUUOLLnkehRj7?si=132a524084ae466f&pt=b46ae886558caeaeb131e7d76b44e203