Bacharach studied music at McGill University and the Mannes School of Music. In the 1950s and the early 1960s he was the pianist, arranger and bandleader for Marlene Dietrich with whom he toured. He teamed with lyricist Hal David and others to write many popular songs in the 1960s and 1970s.
Bacharach's music has been sung by a number of popular singers including The Beatles,The Carpenters, Aretha Franklin, Jack Jones, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield, Luther Vandross and The Drifters. He met Dionne Warwick, with whom he would form a famed collaboration. His songs are characterized by (1) the use of unexpected harmonic changes and (2) unusual rhythmic patterns and time signatures. He employs times such as 5/4 or 3/2, and frequently goes from one time signature to another in the same song, often after each measure. He also changes keys frequently. An excellent example of his style is "Promises, Promises", from his score to the musical of the same name. He has a total of 52 Top 40 hits. In addition, many of his songs were adapted by jazz artists of the time, such as Stan Getz and Wes Montgomery. The Bacharach-David composition "My Little Red Book", originally recorded by Manfred Mann for the film What's New, Pussycat, and promptly covered by Love in 1965, has become a rock standard. He composed and arranged the soundtrack of the 1967 film Casino Royale.
He has been married four times, to Paula Stewart (1953-1958), to actress Angie Dickinson (1965-1980), to lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (1982-1991) - with whom he collaborated on a number of pieces - and (since 1993) Jane Hanson. He has a total of four children, two girls and two boys.
In 1998 he collaborated on an album called Painted From Memory with singer/songwriter Elvis Costello. His 2005 album At This Time features collaborations with Costello, Rufus Wainwright, and Dr. Dre (who provides bass-and-drum loops).
Bacharach has had cameo roles in a number of Hollywood movies including all three Austin Powers movies. His music is also credited as providing inspiration for these movies.
During subsequent Burt Bacharach concert tours, each show would open with a very brief video clip from the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, with Mike Myers (as Austin Powers) uttering "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Burt Bacharach".
Arthur's Theme
Burt Bacharach Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone who turns your heart around
And next thing you know
Yor're closing down the town
Wake up and it's still with you
Even though you left her way across town
Wonderin' to yourself
Hey what have I found
When you get caught
Between the moon and new york city
I know it's crazy but it's true
If you get caught
Between the moon and new york city
The best that you can do
The best that you can do
Is fall in love
Arthur, he does as he pleases
All of his life his master's toys
And deep in his heart he's just
He's just a boy
Living his life one day at a time
He's showing himself a pretty good time
He's laughing about the way
They want him to be
The lyrics to Burt Bacharach/Sydney Symphony Orchestra's song Movie Medley: Arthur's Theme are about love, temptation and finding oneself. The first verse talks about the experience of falling in love with someone who turns your life upside down. The love is so strong that even after you part ways, you are still thinking about that person. The chorus, "When you get caught between the moon and New York City" refers to a feeling of being stuck between two conflicting emotions or desires. It's a metaphor for wanting something that seems impossible to have. The best you can do is to fall in love and pursue what you want, even if it's not rational.
The second verse is about a character named Arthur who does whatever he wants in life. He is carefree, living his life one day at a time, and enjoying the moment. Arthur represents the idea of being true to oneself and not conforming to society's expectations. He doesn't care what others think of him, and he is happy following his own path.
Overall, the lyrics to Arthur's Theme are about taking risks and following your heart. It's about embracing the moment and not letting life pass you by. The song encourages listeners to pursue their desires and not worry about the consequences. It's a timeless message that still resonates with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
Once in your life you will find her
At some point in your life, you will encounter a woman who captures your heart
Someone who turns your heart around
This woman will have the power to completely change your life
And next thing you know
Before you know it
Yor're closing down the town
You'll be so consumed with thoughts of her that you won't want to leave her side
Wake up and it's still with you
Even when you're not physically together, you'll still feel her presence
Even though you left her way across town
Despite the distance between you, your feelings for her remain strong
Wonderin' to yourself
Questioning yourself and reflecting on your emotions
Hey what have I found
Realizing the immense love you have found
When you get caught
If you find yourself
Between the moon and new york city
Feeling torn between two different worlds or desires
I know it's crazy but it's true
Although it may seem illogical or irrational, it's a real feeling
The best that you can do
The most you can hope for
Is fall in love
Is to give in to your feelings and allow yourself to love
Arthur, he does as he pleases
Arthur lives life on his own terms, doing whatever makes him happy
All of his life his master's toys
Arthur has always had access to material possessions due to his wealthy upbringing
And deep in his heart he's just
However, despite his privilege, he is still just a person with complicated emotions
He's just a boy
In many ways, Arthur is still young and figuring things out
Living his life one day at a time
He takes things as they come, not worrying too much about the future
He's showing himself a pretty good time
Arthur enjoys himself and makes the most of his life
He's laughing about the way
Arthur finds humor in the way others want him to behave or conform
They want him to be
They have preconceived notions of who he should be, and Arthur resists that pressure
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, CAROLE BAYER SAGER, CHRISTOPHER CROSS, PETER WOOLNOUGH ALLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joshuabrooks4907
Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross, and Peter Allan used their great talents to write an awesome song.
@peternemeth1777
I love this tune. Is forever in my heart. As a musician I often play things that pop up randomly in my soul and this song comes up often. It's the first time that I first looked up who composed this and to my astonishment I learned that it was the great Burt Bacharach.
@machelopa12
Escuchar la música de Burt, la voz de Christopher y la actuación de Dudley...hace que se me erice la piel.
Espectacular!!!
@ampzamp
utter genius
@fariseo666
@Magamaguitam Claro ¡¡¡ Del maestrazo BURT BACHARACH ¡¡¡ A mi parecer en México no lo apreciamos como su talento lo amerita. Me encanta un tema que le interpreta Neil Diamond, se llama HEARTLIGHT , y como dices con sus inconfundibles acordes¡¡ te lo recomiéndo maga ¡¡¡
@fariseo666
@Magamaguitam Claro¡¡¡ del maestrazo Burt Bacharach, fijate que a este grán compositor, en México no lo conocimos en la magnitud que es (a mi parecer) Hay muchos hits que son de su autoría¡¡¡ A mi me encanta un tema qde su composición y que interpreta Neil Diamond y se llama HEARTLIGHT y como mencionas, sus inconfundibles acordes ¡¡¡ Te lo recomiénde Maga ¡¡¡
@pljms
For 'Burt Bacharach' read Christother Cross. BB's own instrumental version of this tune would be nice to find on Youtube.
@pbamse
This is misleading. Burt Bacharach has his own instrumental version in the soundtrack. This is the vocal one by Christopher Cross.
@ItalianBMT.
11th
@Marthagunawan
Glee brought me here !