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".
Where Did It Go
Burt Bacharach Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where'd it go? I don't know
Stop the clock, make it stop
Where is that world? Where did it go?
When I was a young boy, twelve years old
Growing up in New York city
Never ever be afraid
Where did it go?
And tell me what happened to that world I knew?
Is it really gone?
How did we wind up in this place instead?
Is it really gone?
Now I have a boy who's twelve and a girl who's nine
And a son in college and I worry all the time
Worry about their future, what will it bring?
'Cause nobody is safe these days
Where did it go?
How do we get back to that other place?
There's got to be a way
How do we undo a thousand mistakes?
Gee, there's got to be a way
Where is that world? Where did it go
The song Where Did It Go? by Burt Bacharach is a nostalgic reflection on a time gone by. The lyrics express the singer's longing for a world that once existed but is now lost. The repeated lines "Stop the clock, make it stop, Where'd it go? I don't know," serve as a plea to freeze time in order to hold on to the memories and feelings associated with the past. The song's verses take us back to the singer's memories of his childhood in New York City, where he could ride the subway alone without fear. He reflects on these memories with a sense of loss and sadness, wondering where that world went and how we ended up in this current state.
The bridge of the song shifts the focus to the present, where the singer has a family of his own, and worries about their future in a world where no one is safe. The chorus is repeated, this time with a sense of urgency and a call to action. The singer wonders if it is possible to go back, to undo the mistakes that were made along the way; "How do we get back to that other place? There's got to be a way. How do we undo a thousand mistakes?" These lines express a desire for change, a hope for a better future, and a recognition that it is up to us to create it.
Line by Line Meaning
Stop the clock, make it stop
The singer is desperate to stop time and prevent the world from changing any further.
Where'd it go? I don't know
The singer is lamenting the loss of a world they once knew and is uncertain about how it disappeared and if it can ever be regained.
When I was a young boy, twelve years old
The singer reminisces about their childhood in New York City.
Growing up in New York city
The artist is reflecting on their formative years.
I could ride the subway by myself
The artist could navigate the city and society independently.
Never ever be afraid
The singer had a sense of safety and security in the familiar world they grew up in.
And tell me what happened to that world I knew?
The singer is asking for an explanation for what caused the world they once knew to disappear.
Is it really gone?
The artist is questioning if the world they once knew can never be regained.
How did we wind up in this place instead?
The artist is questioning how society arrived at its current state of uncertainty and confusion.
Now I have a boy who's twelve and a girl who's nine
The artist is reflecting on the present and the family they have now.
And a son in college and I worry all the time
The singer is anxious about the safety and future of their children, who are now grown up and facing an uncertain world of their own.
Worry about their future, what will it bring?
The artist is fearful for what is to come and what kind of world their children will inherit.
'Cause nobody is safe these days
The singer is highlighting how the current world is one of danger and uncertainty, where safety cannot be guaranteed.
How do we get back to that other place?
The singer is searching for a way to return to the familiar world of their youth.
There's got to be a way
The singer remains hopeful that a solution exists to reverse the changes that have occurred.
How do we undo a thousand mistakes?
The artist recognizes that the world of their youth was not without flaws, but is still searching for a way to fix the problems of the present.
Gee, there's got to be a way
The artist continues to express optimism that a solution can be found for the problems of the present.
Where is that world? Where did it go?
The singer is questioning where the world they once knew has disappeared to and if it can ever be found again.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, STEVEN KRIKORIAN, PRINTZ BOARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@trh1493
Burts songs and voice is timeless...he birthed his music,,,it has his DNA i it and it is alive..
@neacht
Never lost his gift for a melody. RIP Burt Bacharach.
@Theranchhouse1
Dyanamic sound by a handsome and talented musician...Best ever born !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ledadejesuspinho274
Maravilhoso, não sei expressar que palavra usar para esse músico por tudo que fez pela música, obrigada por existir, descanse em paz 16/02/2023
@Djajur
Brilliant song! ❤
@cheez71
Rest in peace, Burt.
You will always be one of the greats.
@cordaje
Wow!... Beautiful...❤️
@derekbrown7554
Beautiful song reflecting back in his time and genuinely sung from Burt's heart and soul.
@patrickobrien781
I dont have the words! Even with his voice fading the lyrics and musical arrangement are brilliant.Bacharach has been a gift to the world for decades!
@Sunshinepati
❤