My personal favorite version of this song. Cilla Black has a very rich and powerful voice that is just right! She sings it with much more feeling than Dionne Warwick's more popular version a year later. Burt Bacharach originally wanted to use this recording on the soundtrack to the film 'Alfie', but Ms. Black declined.
from Capital Single #5674 (Capital 5674) available on CD - the Look Of Love: the Burt Bacharach Collection (Box Set) (Rhino R2 75339)
03 Dec 03 ·Mister C: Cilla's version of this knocks spots off anyone elses, especially as Burt Bacharach conducted the orchestra at the recording session, he made Cilla do 19 takes of this, before George Martin chose take 4! Dionnes version suited the USA market more. 01 Oct 05 ·Flippet: I agree with all of the sentiments above. Fans of Ms Warwicke are generally scathing of Cilla's Bacharach/David recordings - but I have to say that I find Cilla's interpretations generally have lusher backings and definitely have more heart. The 2 artistes voices are in fact very similar. But for me - Cilla's recordings of "Alfie" and "Anyone Who Had A Heart" are the definitive!!
A bouncy, delightful instrumental. Those who are in their late 40s/early 50s will recognize the song as the theme from the old ABC Movie of the Week TV series. Bacaharach did it twice, first on a mono 45, then re-recorded on a stereo album. Both versions are now available on CD... the mono on the great 3 CD Box Set "The Look Of Love", and the stereo re-make on the new "What The World Needs Now" CD.
available on CD - The Look of Love (Rhino)
12 Feb 05 ·Synthetrix: I love Nikki! I wish the actual version that was used for the ABC Movie of the Week was available. That one is a bit more lush with more strings.
What a great song! Burt's a heavy hitter on these pages, as you can tell I'm sure. There is something magical when he sings, maybe it's because he seems to humble the incredible songs he writes, or that he works with the best singers to walk the earth. Here is Burt at his best, in a spare setting with a strolling rhythm and paced piano chords, almost like he's singing to you across a smoky piano bar. The song conveys a simple truth, and almost makes it seem like a gospel, that nature continues unabated despite human trials and tribulations... How true.
A hard LP to get your hands on it seems. But worth the wait!
