🎵 AotW Classics Burt Bacharach MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF (SP-4188)

[Harry]

Burt Bacharach
make it easy
on yourself
A&M SP-4188



Also released on CD in Japan as POCM-2012 (along with others), and as part of the first disc in the Hip-O SOMETHING BIG box set.

Tracks:

Side One:
1. PROMISES, PROMISES• (Bacharach-David) 2:51
2. I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN• (Bacharach-David) 3:13
3. KNOWING WHEN TO LEAVE• (Bacharach-David) 2:46
4. ANY DAY NOW (Bacharach-David) 3:22
5. WANTING THINGS• (Bacharach-David) 2:51

Side Two:
1. WHOEVER YOU ARE I LOVE YOU• (Bacharach-David) 3:29
2. MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF (Bacharach-David) 3:25
3. DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE (Bacharach-David) 2:26
4. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY (Burt Bacharach) 3:20
5. SHE'S GONE AWAY (Bacharach-David) 3:03
6. THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU (Bacharach-David) 4:46
•From The Broadway Musical, "Promises, Promises"

Credits:
Producer: BURT BACHARACH & PHIL RAMONE
Arranged & conducted by: BURT BACHARACH

Art Direction: TOM WILKES / Photography: Front cover,
GARY WINOGRAND - Back cover, JIM McCRARY / This
album is also available on stereo tapes / Write for a free
full-color A&M Record Catalogue / A&M Records, 1416
North La Brea / Hollywood, California 90028

 

[Captain Bacardi]

My favorite Bacharach album! I remember getting this from our local library when I was a kid because I'd heard of this Bacharach guy. I was blown away with this album. "Promises, Promises" is still my favorite track, with "Pacific Coast Highway" a close second. But the whole album is absolutely great.

 

[Harry]

This was my first Bacharach album back in the sixties. I think I'd heard one of his songs on an A&M sampler and decided that his interpretation of his own music fit my style, so I picked out this one.

There are so many favorites here, I don't think I could pick just one. If I had to though, it would probably be "Knowing When To Leave". I love the way that one starts out soft and builds to an all-out climax on the chorus, softens again, comes to a complete stop, and then picks up again to the fade-out. Just brilliant. I'm also really fond of "Promises, Promises" and "Pacific Coast Highway", and even Burt's earnest vocal on "Make It Easy On Yourself."

I grabbed the first CD version of this that I ever saw in a store that carried imports. Looking at the obi, it appears that this POCM-2012 is dated from 1997. That version sufficed until the SOMETHING BIG box set came out with an excellently remastered version of the album.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

This is a tricky one. I prefer the hit versions of the songs he wrote, as they were originally performed...but having grown up with Burt's A&M albums (my mother was smitten ), they always have a place in my listening rotation. I actually remember, back when this was a newer album, we were driving from store to store, trying to find this one. I kept spotting the Jimmie Rodgers Child Of Clay which had a similar look (black cover, half of the face) but it was always the wrong thing. Finally found it though!

I'm hard picked to choose a favorite here. The title track and "Wanting Things" are my two personal standouts and right now, I can't yet pick a favorite of the two. I have heard a few other versions of "Make It Easy On Yourself" but this one always comes out on top, despite his rough vocals (which IMHO are part of the charm). A few of the instrumental versions here are interesting also: "Knowing When To Leave" and "Promises Promises" (which I like in any version I've heard).

This is actually an excellent sounding LP on its original vinyl pressing--one of A&M's best from that era IMHO.

As for the Something Big box, I split it up into the original albums when I put it in my Zune library. And it is nice to have the sound quality so consistent--they did a great job on the set. Worthwhile to find it if you don't have it yet!

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I tend to enjoy the BURT BACHARACH and LIVING TOGETHER albums more than this one, but I really like this album as well. To me it's a tie with the REACH OUT album -- both are great.

Hearing this album brings back a lot of memories of seeing a Bacharach concert in Billings, Montana back in the '80s. He played several of the songs from this record and it was a great experience.

My favorite tracks are "Promises Promises" (although Herb Alpert's version is my all time favorite), the title track (one of the saddest songs ever written, in my opinion) and "Pacific Coast Highway."

This is one of those albums that I appreciate more now than I did when it was new. It improves with age.

 

[mexicat]

The whole album is genius from start to finish but "Pacific Coast Highway" wins for me. Unusually for a Bacharach tune I've never heard anyone cover it...

 

[Michael Hagerty]

The first Burt LP I bought, too...brand new at age 13. "Promises, Promises:, "Knowing When To Leave" and "Pacific Coast Highway" were and are my three favorite tracks.
Great album cover, too...kind of a different side of the same coin of the album after the next in the A&M catalog: SP-4190..."Warm". Burt looking away from the camera, surrounded by darkness...Herb looking into the camera, surrounded by light...both in closeup.

The advantages of having in-house art direction.

 

[Ed Bishop]

"San Jose" for me, though a few others mighty strong also. Burt looks a tad too serious and forlorn on the cover relative to the buoyant nature of most of the music. Guess he wanted to be taken seriously as an artiste, or somethin'...

 

[Rudy]

"San Jose" for me, though a few others mighty strong also. Burt looks a tad too serious and forlorn on the cover relative to the buoyant nature of most of the music. Guess he wanted to be taken seriously as an artiste, or somethin'...

Where the heck have you been, Ed? Everyone misses ya!

 

[Ed Bishop]

I'm here...there...but mostly, spending a long time recuperating from a nasty illness. Things are better now, so thought I'd prowl around a bit more. Actually, convalescence has its advantages: have spent a long, long time listening to a lot of music, since I was unable to do much else. Found some A&M goodies, too, always on the prowl for promos and other goodies.

Good to see ya, Rood!

 

[Mr Bill]

Welcome back, Ed! Missed your little avatar!

 

[Ed Bishop]

Yes, the little beast has returned, ready for trouble...though can't get in much over here, can I?

 

[Dave]

Good tunes & enough ideas here to distance Burt's 2nd offering from his debut, while firmly establishing a good tenure w/ A&M, delivering much more to come...!

Well, nice to welcome you back, Ed, & I'm glad all is well!


-- Dave

 

[Ed Bishop]

Thanks, Dave...and yes, all is well--for now. That's all you can expect in this life, take it while it's still fun.

ED

 

[Bobberman]

This Album was Reissued on CD Domestically sometime between 1998 and 2000 during the Polygram era I have that one and it sounds very stellar and I was happy to see Burt's A&M output finally coming out on CD I already Had The Reach out Album on Polygram's Rebound imprint which is also stellar I voted for Promises Promises and I also Like Pacific coast Highway the whole Album is worthy of playing all the way through.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

It's kind of fun to see some of these old threads pop up from time to time. Re-reading this one, I think my tastes have changed a little in the past 10 years. These days I tend to favor the Reach Out album more than this one (although Living Together and the self-titled LP are still my favorites) and I've gotten more tolerant of the "EZ listening" songs in Bacharach's repertoire -- I used to mostly like the uptempo tunes the best. But, like all of his A&M albums, there's still really not a bad song on the album.

 

[rockdoctor]

I have had this album for a long time and I have no idea how I first got this and Reach Out. They are the only two that I have in my collection.
8 of these songs I have on Dionne Warwick lp's and This Guy by Herb Alpert( the defining version) but Any Day Now is my favorite on the album.

 

[Harry]

This Album was Reissued on CD Domestically sometime between 1998 and 2000 during the Polygram era

Interesting - Discogs has no listing for a domestic CD release of MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF. Currently there are three different Japanese releases of which I own the third (POCM-2012) one.

For a few years, I owned this, a domestic BUTCH CASSIDY, and like Bobberman, the Rebound REACH OUT.

 

[Rudy]

I'm honestly not even sure if I have this CD or not. I vaguely remember having it, but it certainly wasn't an import if I did get it. But since I have the Something Big box set, I ripped that and split it into albums when I stored it on the server.

 

[Bobberman]

Interesting - Discogs has no listing for a domestic CD release of MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF. Currently there are three different Japanese releases of which I own the third (POCM-2012) one.

For a few years, I owned this, a domestic BUTCH CASSIDY, and like Bobberman, the Rebound REACH OUT.

Wow looks like mine was a very limited edition domestic is a rarity I just took out my CD to share this info 82839-4188-2 On the credits reads digitally remastered by Andrew Garver at A&M mastering Studios in Los Angeles