Burt Bacharach, Writer Of Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head Dies At 94

The Grammy-winning composer Burt Bacharach, whose catchy, big-hearted pop tunes lifted the early 1960s out of the musical doldrums and helped define an era of freewheeling possibility and social change, died on Wednesday at his home in the Los Angeles area. He was 94. Mr. Bacharach’s songwriting partnership with the lyricist Hal David produced some of the decade’s most indelible hits, including “Walk on By,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.” But their work also expanded pop music’s emotional palette, using passing cadences from jazz and classical music to convey both lightness and longing in equal measure. Along with artists like Bob Dylan, Nancy Sinatra, and Phil Spector, they were part of a wave of sophisticated popular songwriters who came to prominence in the middle of the 20th century and upended traditional ideas about what popular music could be. A self-taught musician who played several instruments (but not piano), Mr. Bacharach was an unconventional choice as a pop producer when he was starting out: He wrote atonally or in unusual time signatures, making use of bits of counterpoint or dissonance for coloration rather than relying strictly on melody and harmony for structure. But his approach fit perfectly with the freewheeling spirit of the 1960s — an era when youth culture was beginning to flex its muscles and established institutions were losing their grip — and it yielded some of the decade’s most unforgettable earworms. In 1968 alone, he had four No. 1hits: “This Guy’s in Love With You,” sung by Herb Alpert; “Sayings Christmas(Baby Please Come Home),” by Darlene Love; “Do You Know the Way to SanJose?,” by Dionne Warwick; and “I'll Never Fall in Love Again," sung first by Tom Jones and later becoming something of a theme song for DustySpringfield…

Burt Bacharach was a true musical great who had a lasting impact on the industry. His compositions throughout the 1960s continue to wow crowds of all sizes to this day, such as his famous hits "Alfie," "Walk On By," and legendary number one single "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head." The music he created in collaboration with other writers and performers span decades and have become beloved classics that will live on for many years to come. Unfortunately, we lost Burt Bacharach this week at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 94. We are deeply saddened by the passing of such an incredible talent.

The music world has suffered a great loss with the death of Burt Bacharach, one of the most accomplished composers in history. He was known for his vast body of work composed for movie soundtracks and popular songs. His publicist Paul Shefrin confirmed that he had been ill for some time before passing away, although no cause was given. Music fans around the world bid farewell to a legend who provided countless hours of spontaneous joy through his timeless masterpieces. He will be remembered as one of the greatest songwriters who ever lived and an undeniable influence on modern music.

Mr. Bacharach was a prolific composer and, with lyricist Hal David, wrote some of the most beloved songs in American music. One of his earliest hits, “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” hit number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 and has since become an iconic song from that era. It was famously sung by Dionne Warwick and set the tone for many of Mr. Bacharach's future collaborations with David. Another collaboration between Bacharach and David - “I Say Little Prayer”- climbed as high as number 4 on the charts in 1967 and has since become one of their signature songs. Even outside of their usual work together, Mr. Bacharach contributed greatly to popular music culture: his single “What's New Pussycat?” provided Tom Jones with a top 5 hit in 1965 upon its release, serving as the title song for a film of the same name.

Burt Bacharach's passing is a great loss to the music industry. He was a prolific composer and wrote some of the most popular songs of the 1960s. His work with lyricist Hal David resulted in many top-40 hits in the United States. He will be dearly missed by his fans and collaborators alike.