A "Kayo Kyoku Plus" Tribute to Burt Bacharach (1928-2023)

 

I just left a comment for MN, who was lamenting the loss of rock guitarist Makoto Ayukawa（鮎川誠）, about how many of the musical greats in both Japan and overseas we've lost over the last year. And now I got word only in the last few minutes that American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach died yesterday at the age of 94. 

It was only a few weeks ago that I presented "What the World Needs Now Is Love" by Jackie DeShannon as a ROY article, another Bacharach classic and as a song that has been permanently imprinted in my memories as one of the cherished standards. Not surprisingly, the man has been represented throughout the history of "Kayo Kyoku Plus" since his songs were songs that I used to hear all the time through radio and television, and I can say that any of them can be part of the Great American Songbook. And my image of the man will always be as it has been shown above in the "Austin Powers" cameo: sitting by the piano while decked out in a tuxedo giving an understated and dusky performance of one of his hits. He wasn't a great singer but he made other singers great!

This won't be a Reminiscings of Youth entry but more of my Author's Picks in the form of a tribute to the composer. The following are a few covers of his songs by Japanese singers.

Akiko Kobayashi -- I'll Never Fall In Love Again (2013)

Anri -- Close to You (1997)

Aoi Teshima -- Alfie (2008)

Lisa Ono -- Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head (2019)

In addition to the love that Japanese singers have had for Bacharach and his songwriting partner, Hal David, Bacharach's music has had some influence on certain aspects of Japanese pop music thanks to his brand of lounge and orchestral pop of the 1960s whether it be a bit of City Pop and quite a lot on Shibuya-kei. Three songs that come immediately to mind as examples are Hi-Fi Set's "Moon Highway", Ruiko Kurahashi's（倉橋ルイ子）"The Best In My Life" and Pizzicato Five's "Baby Portable Rock".

Allow me to finish this tribute by also noting Bacharach's contribution of an AOR song for singer Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama（遠山ひとみ）, "Our Lovely Days" from 1983; it stands as his first entry in KKP. My condolences to the composer's family, friends and fans, and many thanks to him for his dazzling array of music.