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".
Blue On Blue
Burt Bacharach Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blue on blue now that we are through
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
And I find I can't get over losing you
I walk along the street we used to walk
Two by two, lovers pass
And as they're passing by, I could die
Now the trees are bare
There's sadness in the air
And I'm as blue as I can be
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
Blue on blue now that we are through
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
And I find I can't get over losing you
Night after lonely night, we meet in dreams
As I run to your side
You wait with open arms, open arms
That now are closed to me
Through a veil of tears
Your vision disappears
And I'm as blue as I can be
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
Blue on blue now that we are through
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
And I find I can't get over losing you
The song 'Blue on Blue' by Burt Bacharach is a poignant and melancholic reflection on heartbreak and loss. The repetition of the phrase "blue on blue" and "heartache on heartache" emphasizes the depth of despair the singer feels after losing their loved one. The opening lyrics set the scene: "Blue on blue, heartache on heartache, blue on blue now that we are through". The use of the present tense, "now that we are through", indicates that the pain of the breakup is still very fresh.
The singer then goes on to describe the everyday reminders of their lost love, such as walking along the same street they used to walk together, and seeing other couples enjoying each other's company. The image of the bare trees and sadness in the air reinforces the feeling of desolation. The singer also describes the comfort they find in their dreams, where they can be with their loved one again. However, this only makes the reality of the breakup even more painful, as they wake up to find their loved one still gone.
Overall, 'Blue on Blue' is a heart-wrenching song that captures the universal experience of heartbreak and the difficulty of moving on after a relationship ends.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
I am overwhelmed with sadness and disappointment.
Blue on blue now that we are through
My state of despair is even worse now that we are no longer together.
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
I cannot escape the weight of my emotions, no matter how hard I try.
And I find I can't get over losing you
The sadness I feel over losing you is all-consuming and impossible to move past.
I walk along the street we used to walk
I am haunted by memories of our time spent together.
Two by two, lovers pass
I am reminded of the happy couples around me, and how I am no longer part of one.
And as they're passing by, I could die
The pain of seeing others happy together is almost too much to bear.
'Cause you're not here with me
The absence of your presence is felt deeply and constantly.
Now the trees are bare
The world around me reflects my feelings of emptiness and loss.
There's sadness in the air
The weight of my emotions feels palpable and overwhelming.
And I'm as blue as I can be
I cannot express the depth of my sadness and despair.
Night after lonely night, we meet in dreams
My subconscious continues to bring me back to memories of us together, even in my sleep.
As I run to your side
The longing to be with you again is intense and unrelenting.
You wait with open arms, open arms
The memory of your love and the warmth of your embrace is still deeply impactful.
That now are closed to me
The reality of our separation is crushing and feels irreparable.
Through a veil of tears
I cannot escape the sadness and devastation I feel about the loss of our relationship.
Your vision disappears
Even my memories of you begin to fade, which feels like another loss entirely.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hal David, Burt F. Bacharach
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lisaherrera23
So beautiful as always.🎼🎼🎼🎼🎵🎵🎵😂
@oogachaka3447
Beautiful.
@renatotassi3574
Royksopp bring me here
@Armando-yd8bd
Röyksopp - So Easy
@munchyman3
Röyksopp!
@foodforthoughtchef
Crying
@frankiehunter.
Rarely heard or covered Bacharach song.
@jehanne8610
So much nicer than Bobby Vinton's rendition. Too bad it never got its due acclaim.
@evibakker4297
It's so werd that there are like three versions of this song
@dabreu
I remember listening to it a lot in 1964. Not only this version, but also Percy Faith's. But I didn't know about Bobby Vinton's. Maybe it was nor released here in Brazil. I used to listen it in a radio considered the best for us to listen high quality songs. It was called Radio Jornal do Brasil. It was so good they also used to inform about the composers. I was reading again my Diary from those days and I mentioned it. I wrote I loved this song so much. I wrote the way, they used to say: Percy Faith and is Orchestra, Blue on Blue, by David and Bacharach. But when I had the chance to listen to Bacharach's I liked even more, for this accordion sound at the beginning.