Hal David: Hits Enough to Last 'Till the End of Time

H

al David, the lyric-writing half of the famous Bacharach/David songwriting partnership who passed away this week at the age of 91, was one of those rare artists who successfully occupied the fuzzy middle ground between art and commerce. He had a gift for a well-turned phrase that could give Bill Shakespeare a run for his farthings, but he wasn’t looking for a place in an Oxford Anthology—his business was writing hits.

David met Burt Bacharach in 1957 when the two were working for Famous Music in what was then the epicenter of songsmithing, the Brill Building. Located at 1619 Broadway at 47th Street in Manhattan, the Brill Building was home to over one hundred music-related businesses, from publishers, to recording studios, to public relation agencies.

Despite being an overtly commercial enterprise, Bacharach and David’s songwriting partnership produced not only some of the most popular, but some of the greatest songs of the 20th Century. Bacharach’s genius for melody, coupled with David’s ability to craft clever, poignant, and often profound lyrics, made them an unbeatalbe team. From “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” to “(They Long to Be) Close To You” to “Walk On By,” their songs are part of the fabric of American popular culture.

Here are a few of our favorite songs featuring the brilliant lyrics of Hal David.

Make It Easy On Yourself
Performed by The Walker Brothers

Walk On By
Performed by Dionne Warwick

My Little Red Book
Performed by Love

Windows of The World
Performed by Scott Walker

The Look Of Love
Performed by Dusty Springfield

It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
Performed by The Cyrkle

Live Again
Performed by Irma Thomas

They Don’t Give Medals To Yesterday’s Heroes
Performed by Walter Jackson

There’s Always Something There To Remind Me
Performed by Sandie Shaw

What’s New Pussycat
Performed by Tom Jones

(They Long to Be) Close to You
Performed by The Carpenters