Bacharach Leaves "Close to You" Out; Comments on O

[ringves]

I saw Burt Bacharach perform in Vancouver on Monday night. Of course, I was hoping to hear "Close to You" at some point, but he didn't play it! Too bad. No encore either. Don't know why.

He made a brief comment on the song which won an Oscar on Sunday evening. He admires some Hip Hop music, but apparently not the "Pimp" song. He made a reference to past Oscar-winning composers "turning over in their graves"! The audience (myself included) applauded in support of his comments.

[Sorry for the editorial, but I just can't see the latest Oscar winner being in the same class as "For All We Know" or "Over the Rainbow". What were the Academy members thinking??!!]

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I saw Bacharach about 20 years ago and he didn't play "Close to You" then either. He has said that Richard Carpenter "really nailed" that song so maybe he doesn't feel the need to play it himself as often as others.

As for the Academy's music choices, I think sometimes they vote for something just because it "seems cool" to do so. I was pulling for the Dolly Parton song myself, but overall the music category was really weak this year, I thought.

 

[Harry]

My review of Burt's concert in Philly from July of 2000 is still floating around these pages:

http://www.amcorner.com/features/review_view.php?fetchtopic=28

In that review, I mention that Burt performed "Close To You" - on the same stage on which I last saw Karen Carpenter.

My wife and I later saw Burt - must've been around 2004. I'm pretty sure he did "Close To You" there too. And he always uses the arrangement that he did for his own records, rather than adapt it to Richard Carpenter's "nailed" version.

Harry

 

[Dave]

Yes, Burt Bacharach, Orchestra and Singers made "Close To You" part of their act, when I saw them back in 2004! Really wish I made that SECOND NIGHT of that Performance! :goofygrin:


Dave