Burt Freeman Bacharach(May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American com… Read Full Bio ↴Burt Freeman Bacharach(May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American composer, songwriter, and musician who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music.

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".

Keep Away from Other Girls
Burt Bacharach Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A hundred times or more
You used that line before

You gave me everything that a girl could want
In that small restaurant
A hero sandwich and a glass of wine
A smile, a joke and oh, such a great big line

You better keep away from other girls
Keep away from other girls
Don’t break my heart, just to be smart
You gotta keep away from other girls

You told me everything that I longed to hear
Mixed my dreams with instant cheer
Gave my world such a rainbow shine
A smile, a joke and oh such a great big line

You better keep away from other girls
Keep away from other girls
Don’t break my heart, just to be smart
You gotta keep away from other girls

A hundred times or more
You used that line before

When you were close to me in that corner booth
Was it love? Now tell the truth
You held me closer than a clinging vine
A smile, a joke, a smile, a joke, and oh such a great big line

You better keep away from other girls
Keep away from other girls
Don’t break my heart, just to be smart

You gotta keep away from other girls

You gotta keep away from other girls
Keep away from other girls
Don’t break my heart, just to be smart
You gotta keep away from other girls

A hundred times or more
You used that line before

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Burt Bacharach's song Keep Away from Other Girls seem to be about a romantic encounter between the singer and someone who has a reputation for being a bit of a player. The singer reflects on previous times when this person has used the same lines and tactics to woo other women, but still finds themselves drawn to them despite their reservations. The encounter takes place in a small restaurant where this person has seemingly pulled out all the stops to impress the singer, with a hero sandwich, a glass of wine, and plenty of flattery.

The lyrics describe a situation where the singer is caught between their desire for this person and their fear of being just another conquest. The repetition of the line 'You gotta keep away from other girls' underscores this tension and suggests that the singer is aware of this person's track record. However, the singer is still susceptible to their charms, as they are described as having 'mixed my dreams with instant cheer' and having given the singer's world 'such a rainbow shine.'

Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about falling for someone who may not have the best intentions. The singer is aware of the risks but can't help being drawn to this person, even though they know they will likely end up hurt in the end.

Line by Line Meaning

A hundred times or more
The singer has heard the same line from the other person many, many times

You used that line before
The other person has said the same line to the singer multiple times

You gave me everything that a girl could want
The other person gave the singer everything they thought a girl would want

In that small restaurant
The events described in the song took place in a small restaurant

A hero sandwich and a glass of wine
The specific food and drink that the other person provided for the artist

A smile, a joke and oh, such a great big line
In addition to the physical gifts, the other person also gave the singer a compliment (which is described as a 'line')

Keep Away from Other GirlsBurt Bacharach Lyrics

Keep Away from Other Girls
Burt Bacharach Lyrics