When you think of the songwriting duo of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, what comes to mind? Unique time signatures? Flugelhorns? Lyrics that trip effortlessly over the intricate melodies? All of the above?
We’re guessing that the first thing that crosses most minds is the sound of Dionne Warwick, who handled the tunes of Bacharach/David better than anyone. Here are five wonderful examples.
“Walk on By” (1964)
Warwick had already scored a couple of times with Bacharach/David songs by the time this one was released. But “Walk on By” set the tone for all future collaborations. It features a Bacharach arrangement that allows for each instrumental touch to briefly come to the fore before receding into the bigger mix. David’s lyrics are a marvel, as he provides the template for a million other songs like it about the hurt of encountering an ex. And Warwick teases all kinds of complex emotions out of the direct lyrics. There’s a reason this pops up often on lists of the finest songs ever recorded.
“A House Is Not a Home” (1964)
For some reason, Warwick’s version of this colossal Bacharach/David effort wasn’t released as a single when she first recorded it. It instead was relegated to B-side status and an appearance on the standout ’64 album Make Way for Dionne Warwick. Luther Vandross did indeed knock the song out of the park when given the chance. But Warwick’s original is also perfect, the essence of a slow-building performance that reaches the emotional heights at all the right moments. David’s lyrical associations are brilliant as well, as he calls into question the identity of even household objects when love is absent.
“Trains and Boats and Planes” (1966)
The British pop act Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas did a pretty good version of this classic before Warwick got her hands on it. Bacharach’s arrangement on the Warwick version actually takes a little while to come into focus, but once it does it’s pure magic. Here’s another case where David finds another way to attack the oft-covered topic of lost love. The unique title obviously set off something in Bacharach’s imagination, because it’s a clever melody that plays it mostly cool. That allows the subtle quivers in Warwick’s voice to tell you all you need to know.
“I Say a Little Prayer” (1967)
The story goes that Bacharach wasn’t too keen on the original recording of this classic, worrying it was a bit too frantic. That’s actually some of its charm, especially when you consider how deftly Warwick handles it all. This version certainly got some great competition from Aretha Franklin’s own take, but they’re both pretty grand. Whatever Bacharach’s initial concerns might have been, the way the backing vocalists support Warwick in the chorus was a wonderful idea. Few people know David was intending the song as a lament from a wife missing her soldier husband in Vietnam.
“I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” (1969)
The last great blast from the partnership between this indelible singer and the iconic songwriting/production technique, this song was actually written on command, based on an ask from the producers of a musical Bacharach and David were scoring. Some of the lyrics also find David gently mocking his songwriting partner, who was dealing with a temporary illness: What do you get when you kiss this guy? / You get enough germs to catch pneumonia. Warwick catches all the offhand humor of a song that makes a pretty logical case for staying alone.
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