Wishin' and Votin' - the BURT BACHARACH SONGBOOK Poll Results

Good morning! Some early results for the UK and EU.

32. Please Stay — 152 Points, 3 Votes
Lyric: Bob Hilliard
The Drifters, 1961 single, 152 points — https://youtu.be/1iY2UpSz9Vs

I thought about voting for the Elvis Costello version of this because it starts really nice but he goes way overboard by the end.

31. Mexican Divorce — 165 Points, 3 Votes, 1 #1 Vote
Lyric: Bob Hilliard
The Drifters, 1962 b-side to "When My Little Girl Is Smiling," 113 points — https://youtu.be/_UwQjkmQ5KM
Ry Cooder, on Paradise and Lunch, 1974, 52 points — https://youtu.be/5Cci6Jn2t-Y

That was my #1, which maybe I can explain a little later if you want.

Not going to be able to post much today maybe but watching in.

xp oh yeah, #1 vote note added

I guess I will push on through and do all of the top 30 today...? Unless everyone wants some today and some tomorrow.

That was my #1, which maybe I can explain a little later if you want.

Please do!

30. What's New, Pussycat? — 181 Points, 6 Votes
Lyric: Hal David
Tom Jones, 1965 Parrot Records single, 181 points — https://youtu.be/cB-ur_x-1Hg
A 60s or 70s live tv version — https://youtu.be/YG1c3Oasifc
Live, 2018 — https://youtu.be/RP3WPZqkBwg - still in great voice.

29. Something Big — 227 Points, 5 Votes
Lyric: Hal David
Jim O'Rourke, from Eureka, 1999, 126 points — https://youtu.be/1TVVQvk5KbM
Burt Bacharach, 1973 single, 101 points — https://youtu.be/m6ROvkl9gNY

The Jim O'Rourke version of this song is what originally turned me on to Burt Bacharach's songwriting back 1999 (well, that and Austin Powers :)
I had always assumed that this was a much less obscure song (based on the fact that he decided to cover it), but apparently Jim did some crate-digging.

Listening to the original version for the first time now, and it seems that Jim O'Rourke did a pretty straight/faithful cover. I was afraid I wouldn't like the original, but it's essentially identical.

The pain and disappointment behind the jaunty exterior in this song fit O'Rourke so well, he was born to cover it.

https://media.timeout.com/images/102606826/630/472/image.jpg

"There'll be joy and there'll be laughter..."

The vote counts have really shot up! I gave points to Burt's "Something Big" though, oddly, it was O'Rourke's rendition posted in the other thread that got me reexamining the original. There's something going on in the chorus, rhythmically, that is immensely pleasing in both versions.

28. The Windows of the World — 236 Points, 9 Votes
Lyric: Hal David
The Free Design, from You Could Be Born Again (1968), 106 points — https://youtu.be/mbb_xx38zZY
Dionne Warwick, from The Windows of the World LP (1967), 56 points — https://youtu.be/Hvq5RYlgQ-U
Scott Walker, from Scott 2 (1968), 55 points — https://youtu.be/8OvChlYMN6s
Bobbie Gentry, unknown recording date, 19 points — https://youtu.be/tWeQLQ75sTs
Gentry version is on The Best of the Capitol Years and The Girl from Chickasaw County comps.

All the voted for versions of this are great but I couldn’t not vote for the Dedricks.

Free Design 4 votes, Dionne 5 votes, Scott and Bobbie 1 vote each

Correction, Dionne got 3 votes.

Dedricks?

What is the family from The Free Design

WAY too low!

(Oh well, that's what I get for not voting.)

27. You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart) — 255 Points, 8 Votes
Lyric: Hal David
The Stylistics, 1976 single, 235 points — https://youtu.be/T7pgAAW9pEU
Rumer, from This Girl's in Love (A Bacharach & David Songbook), 2016, 20 points — https://youtu.be/OzAM69HpkWU
(First recording is by Dionne, 1964.)

Had to be the Stylistics version, and it broke up my Dionne-heavy choices a bit. Also wow this is low.

Burt gave Phil Ramone a lot of credit for that original of Something Big - "I never sang better".

And I think the Jim O version was my intro to Edith Frost (who really doesn't sing like that anywhere else, not surprisingly!) :)

That Stylistics version is so beautiful. I might have heard it back in the 70s but wasn't really knocked out by it until this poll. Also had never heard of Rumer before the poll -- my first thought was "is this Rumer Willis?"

If not Rumer Godden.

Next 4 songs are bunched up, climbing in 1-point increments.

26. Are You There (With Another Girl/Guy) — 260 Points, 7 Votes
Lyric: Hal David
Dionne Warwick, 1965 single, 260 points — https://youtu.be/3F9NWBPf23Q
Dionne lip-syncing on French TV, 1967 — https://youtu.be/-8B_bhMMg8c

Too low! etc, etc.

otm

Don’t blame me, I had it at #19

25. Casino Royale — 261 Points, 7 Votes
Lyric: Hal David (yes, there are lyrics on the end credits version, I don't recommend them)
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, 1967 single and movie soundtrack, 184 points — https://youtu.be/dgcV8PrCLcs
Geoff Love & His Orchestra, from Big Bond Movie Themes (1975), 77 points — https://youtu.be/F0gI4KoD0TA

Seven James Bonds at Casino Royale,
They came to save the world and win a gal at Casino Royale!
Six of them went to a heavenly spot,
The seventh one is going to a place where it's terribly...hot.

The formula is safe with ole double-oh seven!
He's got a redhead in his arms!
Oh, he's a lover, when you're in trouble

Have no fear, look who's here...James Bond...
They've got us on the run…With guns…And knives...
We're fighting for our lives...Have no fear, Bond is here...
He's gonna to save the world at Casino Royale!

Never fear, Bond is here!

The formula is safe with ole double-oh seven!
He's got a redhead in his arms!
Oh, he's a lover, when you're in trouble

Have no fear, look who's here...James Bond...
They've got us on the run…With guns…And knives...
We're fighting for our lives...Have no fear, Bond is here...
He's gonna to save the world at Casino Royale...
James Bond...is here...so have...no fear...
so have...no...fear.

Makes you wonder what the point is of working with a professional lyricist.
"Hal, you had ONE job..."

24. A House Is Not a Home — 262 Points, 6 Votes
Lyric: Hal David
Luther Vandross, from s/t album, 1982, 166 points — https://youtu.be/CGib6okEeZ4
Dionne Warwick, from Make Way for Dionne Warwick (1964), 96 points — https://youtu.be/Mk7CNHHIuH4
Terrific Dionne live TV version — https://youtu.be/olvaDzUi8c8
No love for the original Brook Benton single, 1964.

The original is great, but Luther Vandross...

Luther Vandross version live at the NAACP Image Awards (not sure of the year), Dionne looking on admiringly — https://youtu.be/Gu2JBMNBbKo

23. Promises, Promises — 263 Points, 6 Votes, 1 first-place vote
Lyric: Hal David
Dionne Warwick, 1968 single, 163 points — https://youtu.be/dGqPbfjJarI
Erik Friedlander, from Great Jewish Music: Burt Bacharach (1997), 100 points — https://youtu.be/ti8_LA-_OdE

The Friedlander version was my #1...

That's pretty cool. I kept meaning to get back to the Great Jewish Music stuff.

22. One Less Bell To Answer — 284 Points, 8 Votes
Lyric: Hal David
The Fifth Dimension, 1970 single, 262 points — https://youtu.be/pjW_z02EjaA
Barbra Streisand, from Barbra Joan Streisand (1971), 22 points — https://youtu.be/Txyd1fkJxmg

Streisand version is a medley with "A House Is Not a Home," but the vote was for just "Bell" so I didn't split the points.

Had the 5D version at #14

And Dionne version of “Promises, Promises” at #22, almost right on the consensus.

That's pretty cool. I kept meaning to get back to the Great Jewish Music stuff.

There are 3 songs on that comp that keep it from being one of the best records I own -- Yuka Honda/Sean Lennon "The Look of Love," Medeski Martin & Wood "San Jose," and Lloyd Cole/Robert Quine "Just don't know what to do w/myself."

ok, here's the song with points from seven different versions -- the last couple of ballots knocked it out of the top 20.

21. Trains and Boats and Planes — 375 Points, 10 votes
Lyric: Hal David
Dionne Warwick, 1966 single, 129 points — https://youtu.be/nuBumHuouug
Astrud Gilberto, from Lo Mejor De Astrud Gilberto (1975), 77 points — https://youtu.be/e2n-x3hovJE
Fred Frith, from Great Jewish Music: Burt Bacharach (1997), 43 points — https://youtu.be/juNwNdYic5w
The Box Tops, from The Letter/Neon Rainbow (1967), 40 points — https://youtu.be/-gNB-6WNk7E
Burt Bacharach, 1965 single, 36 points — https://youtu.be/58db0IGpiVM
The Everly Brothers, from The Hit Sound of the Everly Brothers (1967), 34 points — https://youtu.be/nA0bVfCpSR0
Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, 1965 single, 16 points — https://youtu.be/wIEpKZLH1GY

I couldn’t figure out how I felt about that song, so didn’t vote for it. Never paid much attention to it before, but like a lot of artists that sang it and am enjoying their versions of the song. Also, I’ve met the guy who arranged the Astrud Gilberto record. He also played on a lot of Burt’s Scepter sessions.

The Astrud version is A+...her accent totally makes it and drives home the storyline.