Iconic Composer of “I Say a Little Prayer” and Numerous Hits Passes Away at 94
Burt Bacharach, the legendary composer behind timeless songs like “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” has passed away at the age of 94. Throughout his illustrious career, Bacharach penned hundreds of songs, with an impressive 73 reaching the top 40 on the US charts.
Born and raised in New York, Bacharach was a classically trained musician who also served in the United States Army. His breakthrough came in 1957 when he teamed up with lyricist Hal David. Together, they crafted hits such as “The Story of My Life” by Marty Robbins (with Michael Holliday’s version becoming a hit in the UK) and “Magic Moments” by Perry Como, both reaching number one in the UK charts.
Following their initial successes, Bacharach and David continued their prolific collaboration, producing chart-toppers like Aretha Franklin’s “I Say a Little Prayer,” Tom Jones’s “What’s New Pussycat?,” Dusty Springfield’s “The Look of Love,” and the Walker Brothers’ “Make It Easy on Yourself.”
One of Bacharach’s most celebrated compositions, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” performed by BJ Thomas and featured in the film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” earned both a Grammy and an Oscar in 1969. His score for the film also garnered an Oscar for Best Original Score.
Bacharach, who was married four times, wed his fourth wife, Jane Hansen, in 1993. He is survived by Hansen and three of his four children. Tragically, his daughter Nikki passed away in 2007 at the age of 40.