Well, dear readers, it is three minutes past midnight as I begin these here notes. Therefore these here notes won’t be up at midnight as it is now three past midnight. So, I must buckle down, Winsocki and write these here notes because midnight has come and gone without notes. Now that we’ve cleared all that up, here come the notes.
I had a restful Sunday, which is what I needed. I got nine hours of blessed sleep, after which I blessedly woke up. Once up, I answered e-mails, did some work at the piano and on the computer, did a little writing and then I moseyed on over to Gelson’s, went to the salad bar, and got two count them two to-go containers filled with lettuce, veggies, about an ounce of turkey, and a couple of croutons in each. I found some little cups so I did about four filled with the red wine vinegar and one cup containing a few drops of oil. Then I came home and sat on my couch like so much fish, whilst eating to-go container number one, which, I must say, was filling and fine.
Yesterday, I finished watching the BBC concert of Burt Bacharach. Aside from the nits I picked in yesterday’s notes, it was somewhat enjoyable. What was fully enjoyable was, of course, the songs. Bacharach will go down in history as one of the greatest pop composers in history, as well he should. He has weathered every decade since he began in the mid-1950s. He’s had a humungous number of number one hit songs (mostly with lyrics by Hal David), written for the movies and stage, and his music has remained as hip and vital as it was the first time it was heard. I think it’s safe to say he was extremely influential on a very large number of people. He had his own voice, his own sound, and he was like no other, despite the many imitators over the years. Listening to one great song after another was just the berries. Of course, I would have chosen some different songs than they did, but there wasn’t a bum one in the batch. The interviewer/host was irritating, and some of the singers were not at all to my liking, but the band was great.
My first real exposure to Mr. Bacharach was Perry Como’s Magic Moments, only I didn’t know it was by Mr. Bacharach. The first song where I consciously looked at his name was the 45 of the song inspired by the movie Hot Spell. I was completely obsessed with the song and still have the 45 to this day. Then I loved the song from The Blob and noticed that it was also by him. Same with The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. But it was Walk on By, sung by Dionne Warwick, that turned me into a complete Bacharach-aholic. I bought all the Dionne Warwick album, which were filled with Bacharach and David songs. The Bacharach love continued with each new thing, whether in a movie or just a record, whether with Dionne or Dusty Springfield or Jackie DeShannon. Suddenly everyone was on the Bacharach bandwagon. Then came Promises, Promises, which never gets the credit it deserves for being a Broadway game changer. With that show, the sound of Broadway changed – many say it was Company, but Company would not have sounded like it did were it not for Promises, from the same orchestrator to the pit singers to the way the band was miked and baffled. And then, thanks to Ross Hunter choosing the worst possible director for a film musical, Lost Horizon, it all came crashing down. The film was a huge flop, derided by one and all (NOW it’s become a cult film and fashionable to like it, but THEN – it was HATED), and it ended one of the greatest composer/lyricist collaborations in history.
The 70s were a time of Burt Bacharach searching and trying but having few successes. But his work during that decade was great and eventually people would discover those albums that hadn’t done well. And then came Arthur and he was back at the top. He’s written with any number of people since then and the songs are always surprising and inventive and Bacharachian. And he’s still writing today. I did a whole album of Broadway singers singing Bacharach – one of my favorites. I did an instrumental Bacharach album with Grant Geissman that is definitely worth seeking out. Best of all, I did a remix of Promises, Promises and fixed all the pitch problems of its leading man, that had made that album so difficult to listen to. I was told that Mr. Bacharach was pleased.
After that, I wrote some more, began a monologue for the LA show, finished more of the new song, and did a jog. Then I read through the Kritzerland show commentary, adjusted a few things, then printed that out. By that time it was already seven, so I took out to-go container two and ate my second salad o’ the day whilst watching the first two episodes of the new season of House of Cards. The first wasn’t one of the strongest and the second, while a bit better, wasn’t either. I think some of these series just stay on way past their expiry date. This particular show had an amazing first season, and the opening episode of season two was absolutely a high point of television. But the subsequent episodes of that season and the entirety of season three never could live up to the first season and the first episode of the second. It went downhill quickly and one of the reasons for it is because the writers repeat themselves and you can predict where the story is going before the characters know, and that’s not a good thing. Still, the cast is wonderful and it’s very well produced.
After that, I finished one set of liner notes, and I heard another synth mock-up from Lanny, this for the LA show’s opening number – even though these mock-ups are not very good, you can hear just enough to know how great the charts are going to sound when played by real instruments. But hearing allows me to catch any problems – rhythm things or anything that might not feel right. I don’t really have much to say in that regard, maybe a nitpick or two, but Lanny is just so good and he understands my writing so well, that he’s usually right on the money. I also must tell you, this band is going to be incredible – I have miraculously gotten every musician I wanted – all my top guys. The only maybe right now is Grant Geissman – he’d have to miss the first three performances – he’d do the two previews and the rest of the run – so I told him to find out who could sub for him, and if we’re happy with who that is, then we’ll probably do it.
Today, the helper is coming at eleven, then I have stuff to do, after which I may do the salad thing again if I wake up and it seems to have made a difference. After all, I ate two huge salads yesterday, which had almost no calories whatsoever, plus I jogged. If that doesn’t cause weight loss then I may as well just forget about ever losing weight again. Then I’ll just work on the LA show, try to finish the song, and try to finish the monologue I’m working on – I don’t want it to be too too long.
Tomorrow I’ll relax until it’s time for sound check and then we do the show. I will, of course, have a complete report for you. The rest of the week is meetings and meals and seeing a couple of things.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do stuff, do a jog, eat, work on the LA show, hopefully pick up some packages, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite Burt Bacharach songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have reminisced about B is for Bacharach.