Burt Bacharach's best-loved songs

Pallade Veneta - Burt Bacharach's best-loved songs

CULTURE 09.02.2023

Burt Bacharach's best-loved songs / Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI - AFP/File

American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach, who has died aged 94, wrote dozens of songs with lyricist Hal David which have gone down in pop/soul history.

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Here are some of the most famous:

- "Baby It's You" (1961) - with its "Sha-la-la-la-la, Sha-la-la-la-la" refrain, it was recorded by both American girl group The Shirelles and The Beatles.

- "24 Hours from Tulsa" (1963) - a hit for pop baladeer Gene Pitney.

- "(They long to be) Close to you" (1963) - the breakthrough hit of the American brother-and-sister duo "The Carpenters".

- "Walk On By" (1964) - one of soul legend Dionne Warwick's best-loved songs, which lurches between stoicism and anguish.

- "What the World Needs Now is Love" (1965) - first made popular by Jackie DeShannon, reached the top ten of the US Hot 100.

- "Alfie" (1966) - theme song of the movie of the same name starring Michael Caine. It was a major hit for Britain's Cilla Black and later Dionne Warwick.

- "I Say a Little Prayer" (1967) - first recorded by Warwick but Aretha Franklin made the definitive version a year later.

- "The Look of Love" (1967) - a favourite of husky-voiced divas Dusty Springfield and Diana Krall.

- "Do You Know the Way to San José?" (1968) - another Warwick hit which won her her first Grammy.

- "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (1969) - Bacharach won an Oscar for this cheerful ditty for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", which topped the US charts for four weeks.

- "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (1969) - both Warwick and Jones scored with this heartbreak tune.

- "Arthur's Theme (Best that you can do)" (1981) - one of the most recognisable movie theme songs of all time, which won Bacharach another Oscar.

- "That's What Friends Are For" (1982) - first recorded by Rod Stewart but better known for the AIDS charity cover made by Dionne Warwick & Friends, including Elton John and Stevie Wonder, in 1985.

- "On My Own" (1986) - a love song Bacharach composed with ex-wife Carole Bayer Sager which was a power duet for Patti La Belle and Michael McDonald.

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Pallade Veneta - Burt Bacharach's best-loved songs