Now I can rest easy knowing that the future of Wyre Forest music is safe in the capable hands of the likes of Nick J. Townsend, I can make a final dip into nostalgia with Part Two of the Burt Bacharach story! Hey, I've just realised that if you split Burt's surname he becomes Bach - as in Johann Sebastian. Couldn't fail really, could he!

Anyway, we left Burt in 1964, having scored at least five Top Twenty hits with his joint compositions with Hal David. The boys had a favourite singer of their songs and that was Dionne Warwick, who warbled on most of their demos. She confessed she would cheerfully strangle Dusty, Cilla and Sandie for having UK hits with 'her' songs! Now I always thought it was only since I became old and decrepit that I'd become musguided and out of touch, but now I realise I've always been that way. I didn't like Dionne's voice! I always thought she took the higher notes almost up into her sinuses, making me feel uncomfortable for her as I thought it must be hurting the girl. We'll see later how I came to see the light. Anyway, I assume Ms Warwick was equally miffed with other recorders of the boys UK hits: 1965 - The Walker Brothers "Make It Easy On Yourself" (1); Billy J. Kramer "Trains & Boats & Planes" (12). 1966 - The Swingin' Blue Jeans "Don't Make Me Over" (31). 1968 - Herb Alpert "This Guy's In Love With You", originally "This Girl's In Love With You" (3), and Aretha Franklin's simplified vocal version of "I Say A Little Prayer" (4). 1969 - Bobbie Gentry "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" (1). This last song was a film score, and indicates a change of direction. Burt didn't fair too well in 1967, what with LSD inspired psychedelia and the Summer Of Love ethic - but he was already having his own summer of love with starlet Angie Dickinson! In 1965 she introduced him to the Hollywood set and the dubious joys of film-scoring. Burt and Hal did find UK success with the Tom Jones version of "What's New Pussycat"(11)and Cilla Black's "Alfie" (9). Strangely, Cilla's limited vocal range made for a better version than Dionne's original. As Ms Black had to struggle, it gave a nice contrast between the 'soft' and 'hard' girl voicings. For Ms Warwick it was all too easy. Cher handled the theme song for the US film version! For good or bad Bacharach became more involved in this time-consuming arena and solo projects, so his relationship with Hal David all but disintegrated. However, one late flash of brilliance came with "Promises Promises". Most of us, however unconciously, are probably familiar with the usual 32 bar song format in 4/4, 3/4 (waltz) and perhaps even 2/4 Time Signatures, but this theme tune has a 10 bar mid-section that changes Time Signature for each bar. I suspect that not many singers could deliver it as Dionne did without running out of breath! A last hurrah was probably Richard Carpenter's re-working of "Close To You", a UK No.6 in 1970. However, great songs can always be re-worked to suit various genres. This was ably pointed out to me by Robert Page who cites the White Stripes version of "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself". It worked equally well in orchestral and rock versions. Nice one Burt.