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".

You're Following Me
Burt Bacharach Lyrics

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You're followin' me,
Wherever I go . . .
You'll always be there,
So, what do I care?
You're followin' me!

When I've got the time,
I'll slip you a kiss,

I'll keep you around,
You'll always be found,
You're followin' me!

That's what I thought ( Do wah, do wah! )
That's what I said right along ( Do wah, do wah! )
But now it appears with time and tears
Have proved that I was wrong!

You're followin' me ( Gi, gi! )
But, not like before ( Gi, gi! )
Though we're far apart ( Bah! ) 1
You're stealin' my heart ( Bah! )
You're followin' me ( You're followin' me! )

Come back baby! ( Sha na na na! )
I'll treat you right this time! ( Sha na na na! )
Come back baby! ( Sha na na na! )
I promise to change all my ways!

You're followin' me ( Gi, gi! )
But, not like before ( Gi, gi! )
Though we're far apart ( Bah! )
You're stealin' my heart ( Bah! )

You're followin' me ( You're followin' me! )

You're followin' me ( You're followin' me! )
You're followin' me ( You're followin' me! )

Ah! Come back baby! ( Sha na na na! )
I'll treat you right this time! ( Sha na na na! )
Come back baby! ( Sha na na na! )
I promise to change all my ways!

You're followin' me ( Gi, gi! )
But, not like before ( Gi, gi! )
Tho' we're far apart ( Bah! )
You're stealin' my heart ( Bah! )
You're followin' me ( You're followin' me! )
You're followin' me ( You're followin' me! )
You're followin' me... yeah!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Burt Bacharach's song "You're Following Me" are about a person who is being followed by someone who has an intense interest in them. The person being followed is unsure about how they feel about it, as expressed through the lines "You'll always be there, so what do I care?" and "I'll slip you a kiss, I'll keep you around". They question their own thoughts on the matter and wonder if they were wrong in their initial assessment of the situation, as conveyed in the lines "That's what I thought, that's what I said right along, but now it appears with time and tears have proved that I was wrong". The song ultimately ends with the person being followed realizing that they have developed feelings for the follower, asking them to come back and promising to change their ways, as seen in the lines "Come back baby, I'll treat you right this time, I promise to change all my ways".

The song was released in 1965 and was written for Dusty Springfield, who was a popular singer at the time. It was also covered by Dionne Warwick and released on her album "Here I Am" in 1965. Despite being a lesser-known song in Bacharach's catalog, it still has a catchy melody and memorable lyrics.

You're Following MeBurt Bacharach Lyrics

You're Following Me
Burt Bacharach Lyrics