Customer Reviews

Burt Bacharach's Greatest Hits

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If you are going to put out a 12-track CD under the title "Burt Bacharach's Greatest Hits" shouldn't you be expected to include the only four hits he had under his own name?

We all know he wrote, in conjunction with Hal David, all of the songs in this CD, but with the exception of tracks 1 and 4 none were hits for him per se. I suppose one could be charitable and say the title of the CD is meant to convey the message that these were his babies [or partly so], even if someone else had the actual hits.

But when I see "greatest hits" following the name of an artist who actually HAD a few under his or her own name I fully expect to see those at the very least. His first, in late 1967, was Reach Out For Me, a song he produced for Dionne Warwick in 1964, which reached # 38 on the Adult Contemporary [AC] charts b/w The Look Of Love from the film Casino Royale [tracks 4 and 5].

A year and a half later in 1969 his version of I'll Never Fall In Love Again [track 1], a huge hit for Dionne Warwick early in 1970, and from the Broadway musical Promises, Promises, topped out at # 18 AC and # 93 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in June [his only Hot 100 hit]. The flip of that was Pacific Coast Highway, not included.

After another 18-month drought, All Kinds Of People also made it to # 18 AC and # 116 Hot 100 "bubble under" in February 1971 b/w She's Gone Away. Neither is included here, nor is his last hit, Something Big, which reached # 50 AC in January 1974. However, the uncharted flipside - Living Together, Growing Together IS here at track 12.

Incidentally, Burt does not sing on any of the four charted hits credited to him, all vocals being performed by a chorus. Which, perhaps, explains why they charted in the first place. Another drawback to this CD, in addition to the missing hits and B-sides, is the fact there are no liner notes. All in all a poor effort by the folks at A&M.

I had wanted a collection of Burt's best tunes, as sung by the original singers, but I couldn't find any. So, I settled for this CD. Not too bad a collection of mostly instrumental pieces as orchestrated by Burt, with some help from anonymous background vocalists. Burt also sings in a couple of songs - well, he tries to. We all know why he stuck to song-writing.

This CD will not be the most satisfying collection for Burt's fans. It is good for the uninitiated and for those, who like me, would like some unintrusive late-night music from a great song-writer.

My mother wanted the CD and received it in great condition! She is 82 going on 67 (and looks every bit of it).
She has thoroughly enjoyed it!

My husband almost collapsed when he opened the package that had just arrived from Amazon.com. " Burt Bacharach?" I grew up on Burt Bacharach. My Mom & Dad were always playing his music and singing his songs. They are songs that you find yourself humming and somehow always know the words. The musical arrangements are wonderful and I am truly glad Mr. Bacharach is receiving the recognition he deserves. As a little kid I enjoyed his music and now again as an adult.