I have wanted
to do a song by Burt Bacharach because I have the greatest respect for him. He
wrote such beautiful music, which I’m sure will be enjoyed for generations to
come.
And, he has the uncanny ability to capture the meaning and message of the
songs in his music. Take, for instance, these lyrics:
What the
world needs now
Is love,
sweet love.
It’s the
only thing
That there’s
just too little of.
What the
world needs now
Is love,
sweet love,
No not just
for some,
But for
everyone.
Lord, we don’t
need another mountain.
There are
mountains and hillsides, enough to climb.
There are
oceans and rivers, enough to cross,
Enough to
last, ‘til the end of time.
Now, when
you read the words, you can hear the music in your head. And likewise, when you
hear the music alone without the words, you can hear the words- they come right
to you. And it’s not just because you know the song, but because the music, the
notes themselves, seem to invoke the words. The meaning and message of the song
is contained in the melody. It sings to you like it has a voice. That’s what
Burt Bacharach’s music does, and nobody does it better.
And, it’s
true of this song of his from 1964, A
House is Not a Home, which is the theme song to a movie with the same
title. I don’t think the movie endured very well, but his song went on to
become a classic, recorded by many artists, both vocally and instrumentally. And
it’s still very popular today. That’s because it’s a great song. Thank you, Burt Bacharach.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.