Died On This Date (September 1, 2012) Hal David / Award Winning Lyricist
themusicsover Harold David
May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012
Hal David was an Oscar and Grammy-winning lyricist who penned the words to such pop music classics as “What’s New, Pussycat?,” “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” “Do You Know The Way To San Jose,” and countless more. His best known work was with longtime writing partner, Burt Bacharach. David launched his writing career during the ’40s, when he wrote songs for the likes of Sammy Kaye and Guy Lombardo. In 1957, he hooked up with Bacharach when the two were writing for Famous Music at the legendary Brill Building in New York City. The pair went on to write many of popular music’s most enduring songs which were recorded by the likes of Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, the Carpenters, and Jackie DeShannon. The pair won an Oscar for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid‘s “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.” Their “(They Long to Be) Close to You” – a huge hit for the Carpenters, was a wedding dance favorite through most of the ’70s and ’80s. David/Bacharach hits were on the singles charts nearly every month between 1963 and 1971. Hal David was 91 when he passed away on September 1, 2012.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus of Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.