Groovy picture of my sisters and me in front of Cheryl’s lime green 1967 Mustang.
After publishing that post about 1968 last week, I have to make a confession: I was a square in the 1960s. While the hippies and peaceniks of that generation were worshipping Jim Morrison and grooving to Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company, I was busy at the piano figuring out the arpeggio in Herb Alpert’s hit “This Guy’s in Love with You.”
By then I’d already been mesmerized by the woman in the whipped cream dress on the Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass album cover. Now Herb was setting down his trumpet for a tune, and in 1968 he was singing those lyrics to me, an awkward pre-teen in the Chicago suburbs. And so, along with so many other pop music fans from that generation, I was sad to hear that Hal David, the man who wrote the lyrics to that song and oh so many others, had died last week.
On Friday, National Public Radio’s Fresh Air re-broadcast a 1997 interview with Hal David, and when Terry Gross asked which of his lyrics were his personal favorite, he didn’t even pause to think. “Alfie,” he said.
Alfie? For real? “Alfie”? Not “The Look of Love”? “Walk On By?” “I Say a Little Prayer”? Of course I had to leave the radio to look up the lyrics right away.
You know what? If you take the silly name “Alfie” out of that song, the words are beautiful. Downright insightful. I’ll leave you with the lyrics sans the word “Alfie” here — you can judge for yourself. And hey, if you want to admit to enjoying an easy listening tune from time to time back in the day, by all means leave a comment and fess up. I’d be particularly interested in hearing what your favorite Bacharach/David tune is.
What’s it all about?
Is it just for the moment we live?
What’s it all about?
When you sort it out, are we meant to take more than we give?
or are we meant to be kind?And if only fools are kind, then I guess it’s wise to be cruel.
And if life belongs only to the strong, what will you lend on an old golden rule?As sure as I believe there’s a heaven above, I know there’s something much more.
Something even non-believers can believe in.I believe in love.
Without true love we just exist.
Until you find the love you’ve missed you’re nothing.
When you walk let your heart lead the way,
And you’ll find love any day.
I like the Naked Eyes version of “Always Something There to Remind Me.”
Ugh. I actually prefer the Carpenters version.
Oh, and by the way, did I mention I was a square in the 1960s?!
Please remove me from your email list. ________________________________________
Oh no! Do you have a friend named Alfie? I should have known better than to call that name silly!
In all seriousness, I tried to use the blog tools to make it so that you no longer receive email messages when I publish something new on the blog, but try as I may, I can’t find your name in the list of blog followers. The easiest way to take your name off the email list would be to link to the “unsubscribe” button the next time you get the email alerting you to a new post. Thanks for reading my blog posts up to now, and Sorry to lose you as a follower
I’ve got to admire those with musical talent. Not to say envy, which is nearer the truth. I wouldn’t know an arpeggio if it walked up and slapped me. Hurray for the squares of this world. Hurray for the musically-inclined and the lyricists. Keep making music!
Thanks for the encouragement, Hava.
And to my blog readers: be looking for a guest post by Hava in the near future….
I’ve always loved “Raindrops keep falling on my Head”. It’s not brilliant. You can’t dance to it. But it’s perfect for singing while walking in the rain. You’re right, the lyrics to “Alfie” are beautiful without Alfie!
I wonder what the story is behind that song – I mean, did Hal David and Burt Bacharach know what scene it’d be used in, or did the Butch Cassidy screenplay writers create the scene after hearing the song?
What is your problem with Alfie? The song was written for the movie of the same name staring Michael Caine which was adapted from a London/ Broadway play staring Terence Stamp. Burt Bacharach also said it was his favorite song in colloraboration with Hal David. (Stamp was originally cast to reprise his role but decided to do Modesty Blaise instead and let his longtime friend Caine have the role. Too bad, Stamp would have been better because Caine at the time lacked Stamp’s sex appeal.)
P.S.” Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” always made me want to turn off the radio. .
P.P.S. Sorry about my mispellings in the first reply. I wrote it after returning from Hackney’s.
No need to apologize, Ninny. I appreciate your passion for the subject matter!
PS: And relieved you didn’t stop at Villain’s again on the way home –can only imagine the typos then!
In addition to being square in the 60’s/70’s I was also a total nerd. As an adult, my musical taste evolved. But my inner nerd stayed alive. When the songs “Walking On Sunshine” and “Don’t Worry Be Happy” were all over the airwaves, I turned up the music. I’m getting old. I know all the words to elevator music and I prefer the oldies stations. Guess it’s too late to become cool…
You couldn’t have been THAT square, Beth. Your sister drove a Mustang!
Kim, I’m going to come out of the closet and admit that I too love elevator music! Does that make me square? Who cares! Perhaps there are more closet elevator-music lovers around than I thought. We should all come out and be proud. And Kim, there are definite advantages to being old. One of them is that all the music you like is in the bargain bin at the store.
Thanks Hava. The next time I sing in an elevator, I’ll be smiling and feeling proud!
Hi Beth, I’m new to your Blog and I’ve got to say I really enjoy it. As far as being a nerd in the 70’s I guess I was one. I used to babysit for a family that had Dionne Warwick albums and after I put the baby to bed I used to play those albums over and over singing along to them all night long. To this day I think I can remember all the words when I hear them on the radio and it always leaves me with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Pretty nerdy Huh? I also remember that Herb Albert album with the whip cream lady, pretty racy for back then!
Liz,
What fun to know you’re out there reading my blog. And your timing is perfect – I’m publishing a guest post by Laura Gale next week!
PS: Glad to hear I’m not the only one who remembers that racy Tijuana Brass album cover. And the title? Whipped Cream and Other Delights!
beth, did you have that ‘greatest hits of the 60s and 70’s ‘ piano book? I think I learned piano on that book and sadly I’m still a hack piano player because of it. Lots of those songs in there.
I did love “raindrops” though.
P.s. Brad, yes I agree about the Terence Stamp sex appeal….he’s still got it now!
gammie89
2att.net
Huh?
I was a hippie and peacenik of that generation, worshipping Jim Morrison and grooving to Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company…..but I will admit….I loved and still do love the Hal songs also. And, yes, sans the Alfie, that song is great!!!!!
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