The Jimmy Castor Bunch were talented musicians with a knack for silly songs.
The Jimmy Castor Bunch were talented musicians with a knack for silly songs.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
So, in summary, support your aging soul singers. Even when they're singing silly love songs.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
If I am gonna post a few songs in honor of the late Burt Bacharach's influence on soul music, I have to start with an example of his legendary cooperation with lyricist Hal David and chanteuse Dionne Warwick.
A song that definitely fits these times, too.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
A prolific songwriter himself, Isaac Hayes was one of the first to realize that a Bacharach song could be turned into an epic soul opera.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
The original of this one was actually recorded by Cher and included in the movie of the same name. Dionne had a hit with it, but I also really like what Nancy Wilson did with "Alfie". Bacharach considered this Hal David's greatest lyric.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
Whitney's mom did something cute on one of her albums: She recorded a cover of a famous Bacharach song, and one of a famous Phil Spector song (Be My Baby). But she recorded the latter as a Bacharach style ballad, and transformed "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" into a "Wall of Sound" stomper, basically switching up the two songs' arrangements.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
This, to me, remains the greates live vocal performance of any male soul singer. Luther Vandross honoring his idol Dionne Warwick with "A House is Not A Home".
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
This song was nominated for an Acadamy Award after being included in the original Casino Royal movie.
Burt never really got over losing to a silly (and today largely forgotten) song called "Talk to the Animals" from Doctor Doolittle.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
Maybe that's why the next time he wrote a pop song, it was more bubbly, like the song he lost to? B J Thomas' "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" was pure pop and won the Oscar when it was included in the soundtrack to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Decades later, however, the Isley Brothers' front man recorded an album with Burt and convinced him to try to do to that song what Isaac Hayes had done to Walk on By. The result is transformative. And soulful.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
In the 80s, he married Carole Bayer and the sound became more electronic. An exception to that sound was the world's first HIV/AIDS benefit record in 1985, which became a global hit. You can see both Burt and Carole in the background here with Dionne, Gladys, Elton and Stevie.
Last edited by PaulBullion; 02-09-2023 at 10:43 AM.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
His usual 80s songs sounded like this:
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
And that stuff still sold.
It basically finally made a crossover star out of a 40-something Patti Labelle.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
In the late 90s, Burt retired that electronic Fender Rhodes keyboard and got his grand piano out of the mothballs. His cooperations with Elvis Costello saw him return to his classic style with luscious horns and emotional, pleading vocalists.
RIP Burt Bacharach.
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
PS:
"How does the Green Goblin have anything to do with Herpes?" - The Dying Detective
Hillary was right!
RIP Trugoy The Dove