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".
Close To You
Burt Bacharach Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every time you are near
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
On the day that you were born
The angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
In your hair of gold
And starlight in your eyes of blue
That is why all the girls in town
Follow you all around
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
Close to you, you
Can I get close to you, to you
The opening lines of Burt Bacharach's Close To You expresses the enchanting and magnetic aura of the person being addressed by the singer. It opens with the question "Why do birds suddenly appear/ Every time you are near?" This sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the lyrics weave an imagery of someone who is so captivating and inspiring that they evoke the fascination and adoration of not just humans, but nature itself. The singer goes on to poetically convey how they, like the birds, yearn to be close to this person who is the center of their attention and affection.
The second stanza of the song tells a tale of how magical and mythical the person being talked about is. "On the day that you were born/ The angels got together/ And decided to create a dream come true/ So they sprinkled moon dust/ In your hair of gold/ And starlight in your eyes of blue." This is an extravagant and fascinating creation story of this person, emphasizing the rarity and preciousness of their being. This stanza is a beautiful and fanciful expression of admiration and adoration for the addressee.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do birds suddenly appear
Have you noticed that whenever you're around, birds seem to appear out of nowhere?
Every time you are near
It's amazing how birds always appear every time you're near.
Just like me, they long to be
Just as I am drawn to you, birds are also drawn to your presence.
Close to you
They want to be close to you, just like I want to be close to you.
On the day that you were born
The day you were born was a very special day.
The angels got together
The angels in heaven convened to discuss something important.
And decided to create a dream come true
They decided to create a special person, someone who is a dream come true.
So they sprinkled moon dust
To create such a special person, the angels sprinkled moon dust to give you a magical aura.
In your hair of gold
Your hair was blessed with a touch of moon dust to make it brilliant and shimmering like gold.
And starlight in your eyes of blue
The angels added starlight to your eyes of blue, making them shine and sparkle like stars in the night sky.
That is why all the girls in town
It's no wonder why all the girls in town are attracted to you.
Follow you all around
They can't resist following you around, just as birds can't resist being close to you.
Just like me, they long to be
Just like me, they also long to be close to you.
Close to you
They want to be close to you, just like I want to be close to you.
Close to you, you
I want to be close to you, just like everyone and everything else does.
Can I get close to you, to you
Can I have the privilege of being close to you, just as everything else seems to be?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Burt Bacharach, Hal David
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Nick-TheAngloSaxon
RIP The one and only Burt Bacharach, he brought joy to millions and will be missed.
@JANUARY.
An AMERICAN TREASURE sorely missed
@oneeyeddog3045
My mom passed away last night and loved this song! Reminds me of my childhood. 53 years old and have no idea how to live without her.
@NeilRaouf
may she rest in peace! my love to you!
@erikarios3026
I know how is it , rest in peace
@peterbrown408
I know exactly what you mean!( Hope, after 3 years, you feel a little bit better☘️🇫🇷
@zarianewton7546
May she rest in peace! 🙏🏽❤️ God is watching over you and your family! 💕
@henriquefranchiose8373
How are you doing? My dad just passed away last thursday, and he also loved this song! I also have no idea how to keep living without him.
@mattyice782
2:17 to the end has almost the exact same orchestration as some of the more intimate parts of Bill Conti’s score for Rocky. Hauntingly beautiful.
@danyjr
This song always reminds me of my grandmother.
She died this morning and this is what I felt listening to.
Rest in peace M.N.