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".

The Forgotten Man
Burt Bacharach Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There goes the forgotten man
There goes the forgotten man
Walkin' alone
Walkin' all alone!

I used to be known as Jennie's guy
They point me out when I walk by
Oh, yes everyone noticed me

'Till one night a stranger came
And stole my love away
And now I hear people say

There goes the forgotten man
There goes the forgotten man
Walkin' alone
Walkin' all alone!

They turn away when I pass by
Guess they're afraid I'll start to cry
Jennie is gone and they pity me
When I lost her love, they knew
That I lost everything
That's why they are whispering

There goes the forgotten man
There goes rhe forgotten man
Walkin' alone
Walkin' all alone

Jennie is gone and they pity me
When I lost her love, they knew
That I lost everything
That's why they are whisperin'

There goes the forgotten man
There goes the forgotten man
Walkin' alone
Walkin' all alone

Walkin' alone
Walkin' alone

Overall Meaning

The Forgotten Man is a poignant song by Burt Bacharach that delves into the pain of being forgotten and ignored by society. The lyrics describe the life of a man who was once known as "Jennie's guy" and was pointed out by people when he walked by. However, after a stranger came and stole his love away, he became the forgotten man, walking all alone. The man feels invisible, as people turn away when he passes by, afraid that he'll start to cry. He has lost everything, including his love, and now lives a life of isolation.

The song's lyrics are a powerful commentary on how society often overlooks and neglects people who are struggling. The recurring line "There goes the forgotten man" serves as a reminder of this injustice, and the song's melancholic melody reinforces the message. The song's protagonist represents all the people who, for various reasons, have become invisible in society.

Line by Line Meaning

There goes the forgotten man
Here goes a man who has been ignored and overlooked by everyone.

Walkin' alone
Walking without company.

Walkin' all alone!
Walking without anyone to talk to.

I used to be known as Jennie's guy
People used to identify me as Jennie's partner.

They point me out when I walk by
When people see me, they indicate my presence to others.

Oh, yes everyone noticed me
People used to pay attention to me.

'Till one night a stranger came
After an unknown person arrived.

And stole my love away
And took away my affection.

And now I hear people say
Now people talk behind my back.

They turn away when I pass by
People avoid looking at me.

Guess they're afraid I'll start to cry
Maybe they think I will become emotional and upset.