Hal David turns 90 today!

[randy_russi]

Just saw in the newspaper songwriter Hal David is 90 today! He wrote the lyrics to so
many great songs with Burt Bacharach, especially for Dionne Warwick.
Does anyone know why the two had a riff that split them up as a team?

[mr_june]

Happy Birthday Hal! I always thought that he, Burt and Dionne still being around was great. Did Burt just have a birthday recently? As for the breakup, the straw that broke the camels back was the bombing of the movie The Lost Horizon. The soundtrack got blasted in the press [[I have that sound track and like enough of it to be satisfied with it). There were other everyday things also like familiarity breeding contempt. I guess a much needed break from one another was in order. Too bad life is like that but you see it all the time but you have to overcome or go your seperate way. I like how Gamble & Huff overcame it.

Hal is very underrated as a lyracist. When I listen to the words of those songs I think of how well crafted they are. Very simple, but crafted with thought and wisdom. Happy Birthday Hal and God Bless.

[tom_moulton]

I know that Hal did not share in the song royalties if the song was just an instrumental hmmmmmm? [[ besides those words didn't mean anything) it was the music that made them hits.

[tom_moulton]

Hal, I personally feel those songs mean nothing without those words. There is a perfect marriage there between the words and music. Hal you have written some great lyrics with Bert's music and they certainly bring back a lot of great memories for me. A very Happy Birthday to you.

[ladyvanaye]

Wow! I did not know he was still with us! GOD BLESS...90!

[nabob]

besides those words didn't mean anything it was the music that made them hits.

Tom Moulton, Shame on You!. Even though I know you were only joking by the text of your next post

Hal, I personally feel those songs mean nothing without those words.

I'm looking for James Brown's Lickin' Stick and coming to get you [LOL]. I may have committed more sacrilege than you in another post while commenting on AMEN being the child of Jester Hairston and not Curtis Mayfield. Can I count on you for protection?

[tom_moulton]

I was being a smart ass on that one. When I first heard that Bert wanted it listed as the sole writer on the instrumental versions when the songs were performed or recorded. I thought it was a joke and then I realized it must have been all about the publishing. What about the titles of the songs? I wonder who's idea that was? Again those songs don't have much meaning without the great stories to back them up!

[randy_russi]

I agree, Tom! Did Bert and Hal ever mend their feud, if there really was one?

[tom_moulton]

The real feud was about the reviews and the lack of success on Lost Horizons. The album was a bomb and they never really had any success together after that. There might be more too it but that is all I know.