Didn't care much for the soapy AI but watched it with the family all the same. But what was a true American ICON to me, this remarkable Jewish American pianist and composer born May 28, 1929 in Kansas City, Missouri. They aptly paid tribute to him (by having him play his compositions on stage) and his songs. One by one the medley of hits swept over me like a balm to my soul. Burt Bacharach, he and lyricists Hal David teamed up to write several hits of the 70's & 80's.
From (to name a few);
"What's New Pussycat?" (Tom Jones, 1965, from the movie of the same name), Make it Easy on Yourself, "(They Long To Be) Close To You" "Anyone Who Had a Heart" "Walk On By" "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" "The Look of Love" "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and my favourite optimist song- "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" (B.J. Thomas, US no. 1, 1969, from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)
This song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1969.Bacharach also won the Academy Award and Grammy for Original Score for the movie. Grammy nominee Song of the Year. Yup 1969. Woodstock and Vietnam War.
Sigh....... they don't write songs like these anymore.
Thanks for the memories Burt, you are one true American Idol.
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