Burt Bacharach passed away from natural causes in his Los Angeles home on February 8. Bacharach was an incredibly talented composer and songwriter, working with many of the biggest pop musicians of the 20th century. His usual lounge pop style would also go on to inspire tons of artists as the decades went on.
Born in 1928, Bacharach won six Grammies and wrote standards that were recorded by hundreds of artists. He had a long collaboration with lyricist Hal David; the pair became particularly famous for their work with Dionne Warwick. Later Bacharach became a prolific songwriter for movies. Two of his compositions won the Oscar for Best Original Song. The first was “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” from 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. (Bacharach also won an Oscar for his score from the film.)
In 1981, Bacharach won another Oscar for co-writing “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from Arthur.
Bacharach’s music was also featured in movies ranging from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to Dogma to Goodfellas to the original Casino Royale. His association with Bond and the music of the 1960s led to his being featured in — and Bacharach himself having a cameo in — the first Austin Powers, performing his classic song “What the World Needs Now Is Love.”
In Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Bacharach appeared with Elvis Costello — the pair had recently collaborated on the hit album Painted From Memory — for another musical cameo, this time performing Bacharach and Hal David’s hit “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.”
Bacharach will be sorely missed, but he will not be forgotten. Many of his songs will continue to be played in and out of movies for years to come.
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