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Song Parodies -> "Bacharach-David Meddling"
Original Song Title:
"Bacharach-David Medley"
(MP3)Original Performer:
The Carpenters
Parody Song Title:
"Bacharach-David Meddling"
Parody Written by:
Lifeliver
The Lyrics
Lyricist Hal David passed away on 1 Sep. He was 91. I thought a tribute would be in order.
David parted ways with Burt Bacharach in 1973, but not before their catchy melodies, gorgeous arrangements and sophisticated love songs had helped to define the 1960s, not to mention Dionne Warwick's almost entire career. Their collaboration spawned dozens of pop standards, rendered by, among others,Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, Petula Clark, Bobbie Gentry and retrospectively, the Carpenters. Their adult-oriented pop was a refreshing foil to the rhythm-and-blues-based fare of the so-called 'British Invasion' beat bands.
Just before the Carpenters hit the big-time with Bacharach-penned 'Close To You' in 1970, Bacharach invited Richard Carpenter to arrange a medley of his songs for a TV production. This recording is the result. It's the version I use, from the 1971 album entitled simply 'The Carpenters'. There are various TV productions of it that can also be viewed. Richard's astute musicality and Karen's magical voice make for a heavenly feast for Bacharach-David admirers.
I've adopted the theme of an aspiring (and probably mediocre) lyricist looking for a talented composer to help propel him or her to stardom. It in no way reflects on Hal David himself, nor is it remotely autobiographical.
Snippets of five B-D classics are used, listed below and number-coded for reference.Enjoy.
1 Knowing when to leave
2 Make it easy on yourself
3 (There's) always something there to remind me
4 What do you get when you fall in love?
5 Do you know the way to San Jose?
David parted ways with Burt Bacharach in 1973, but not before their catchy melodies, gorgeous arrangements and sophisticated love songs had helped to define the 1960s, not to mention Dionne Warwick's almost entire career. Their collaboration spawned dozens of pop standards, rendered by, among others,Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, Petula Clark, Bobbie Gentry and retrospectively, the Carpenters. Their adult-oriented pop was a refreshing foil to the rhythm-and-blues-based fare of the so-called 'British Invasion' beat bands.
Just before the Carpenters hit the big-time with Bacharach-penned 'Close To You' in 1970, Bacharach invited Richard Carpenter to arrange a medley of his songs for a TV production. This recording is the result. It's the version I use, from the 1971 album entitled simply 'The Carpenters'. There are various TV productions of it that can also be viewed. Richard's astute musicality and Karen's magical voice make for a heavenly feast for Bacharach-David admirers.
I've adopted the theme of an aspiring (and probably mediocre) lyricist looking for a talented composer to help propel him or her to stardom. It in no way reflects on Hal David himself, nor is it remotely autobiographical.
Snippets of five B-D classics are used, listed below and number-coded for reference.Enjoy.
1 Knowing when to leave
2 Make it easy on yourself
3 (There's) always something there to remind me
4 What do you get when you fall in love?
5 Do you know the way to San Jose?
BACHARACH - DAVID MEDDLING
1) Know tears are flowing is good
- Knowing how to grieve
May be the hardest thing anyone can learn
Know!
Bacharach, David part: heavy on my heart
Cry while the memory stings
Knowing how to grieve
May never let you reach the point of great heartburn
Cry!
Great songwriting teams build for us our dreams
(So I keep groping)
Day after day, as I wait for the match I need
Night after night as I seek a partner that can be
(Though I'm sure that)
No one can tell where their artistic hopes will lead
Somehow I feel there's a songwriter waiting for me
(When someone)
Plays with your words, you just better be sure they're right
'Cause if they're wrong there'll be failures and tears every day
(Keep both of your)
Eyes on the score, never let it get out of sight
Just be prepared when the hit has come, take it away
Failure, success - yes or no?
But like a fool I don't know words to weave
2) And fake those cheesy words yourself
Well, leave those big words on the shelf
Easy on yourself, easy on your health
'Cause breakin' through is so very hard to do, oh wah
3) If you should find you miss the sweet taste of success
and still not there (You're still nowhere)
Just go back to the basics that all of us know
And you'll get there
Oh how can I forget tunes
When there is always Bach'rach there to remind me
Always David there to remind me
I was born to love them
And I will never be me
They will always top the tree
Woe woe woe, woe
(instr. break)
When there is always their fine songs to remind me
4) Don't tell me what it's all about
'Cause I've been there and I plumb struck out
Weak quatrains, the chains that bind you
That is why I languish behind you
(Here to remind you, words I can't find you, wanna rewind you)
What do you get for a song of love?
You only get pennies and have to borrow
So for at least until tomorrow
I'll never write a song again
Nein, not a lyric will I pen
5) If you see me with a music sheet
And I start to cry if it's not complete
Walk on by, don't ask why
Make believe that you don't see or hear
Just let me sulk in private
'Cause each and every deadline
I just wanna die
So walk on by
I just can't succeed amusing you
So if I should seem stuck in the goo
Walk on by, don't ask why
Hal has died, now only Burt is left
So let me hide my grief and my sadness,
Can't save me, so just say goodbye
Walk on by
Bye bye bye
6) David knew the way to write OK
He sure could nail a song, I just go wrong and lose my way
Do you know the way to write OK?
I'm goin' back to grind, I'll lose my mind one day this way
Bacharach, a great composer
Put a few notes down and there you are
In a week, maybe two, became a big star
Weeks turned into years and decades pass
And in the bars, us never-weres
Are parking arse and passing gas
I've got lots of friends that end that way
Can't wait to throw carcass in the bay
Mr David, loved you (I'm not gay)
1) Know tears are flowing is good
- Knowing how to grieve
May be the hardest thing anyone can learn
Know!
Bacharach, David part: heavy on my heart
Cry while the memory stings
Knowing how to grieve
May never let you reach the point of great heartburn
Cry!
Great songwriting teams build for us our dreams
(So I keep groping)
Day after day, as I wait for the match I need
Night after night as I seek a partner that can be
(Though I'm sure that)
No one can tell where their artistic hopes will lead
Somehow I feel there's a songwriter waiting for me
(When someone)
Plays with your words, you just better be sure they're right
'Cause if they're wrong there'll be failures and tears every day
(Keep both of your)
Eyes on the score, never let it get out of sight
Just be prepared when the hit has come, take it away
Failure, success - yes or no?
But like a fool I don't know words to weave
2) And fake those cheesy words yourself
Well, leave those big words on the shelf
Easy on yourself, easy on your health
'Cause breakin' through is so very hard to do, oh wah
3) If you should find you miss the sweet taste of success
and still not there (You're still nowhere)
Just go back to the basics that all of us know
And you'll get there
Oh how can I forget tunes
When there is always Bach'rach there to remind me
Always David there to remind me
I was born to love them
And I will never be me
They will always top the tree
Woe woe woe, woe
(instr. break)
When there is always their fine songs to remind me
4) Don't tell me what it's all about
'Cause I've been there and I plumb struck out
Weak quatrains, the chains that bind you
That is why I languish behind you
(Here to remind you, words I can't find you, wanna rewind you)
What do you get for a song of love?
You only get pennies and have to borrow
So for at least until tomorrow
I'll never write a song again
Nein, not a lyric will I pen
5) If you see me with a music sheet
And I start to cry if it's not complete
Walk on by, don't ask why
Make believe that you don't see or hear
Just let me sulk in private
'Cause each and every deadline
I just wanna die
So walk on by
I just can't succeed amusing you
So if I should seem stuck in the goo
Walk on by, don't ask why
Hal has died, now only Burt is left
So let me hide my grief and my sadness,
Can't save me, so just say goodbye
Walk on by
Bye bye bye
6) David knew the way to write OK
He sure could nail a song, I just go wrong and lose my way
Do you know the way to write OK?
I'm goin' back to grind, I'll lose my mind one day this way
Bacharach, a great composer
Put a few notes down and there you are
In a week, maybe two, became a big star
Weeks turned into years and decades pass
And in the bars, us never-weres
Are parking arse and passing gas
I've got lots of friends that end that way
Can't wait to throw carcass in the bay
Mr David, loved you (I'm not gay)
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Before anyone else points out the mistake, I humbly confess there are six songs, not five, the fifth being 'Walk on by'.
As a fan of both the Carpenters and Bacharach-David I found this heavenly.
Excellent tribute! I especially like the final two stanzas.
"Always Something There to Remind Me" - the old R.B. Greaves version, is one of my favorite old songs.
"Always Something There to Remind Me" - the old R.B. Greaves version, is one of my favorite old songs.
Thanks, Porfle. It was wholesome fun for me - only one or two bad lines this time. (That's asking for it, lol)
Thanks Merry. I'll track down R B Greaves, the name sounds familiar. The original hit version was by Sandie Shaw late '64, at least in UK, and made her an idol.
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