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A House Is Not a Home (song)

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This article is about the Dionne Warwick song. For the Deborah Cox song, see House Is Not a Home.
"A House Is Not a Home"
File:Dionne Warwick – A House Is Not a Home (song).jpg
French EP release
Song by Dionne Warwick
from the album Make Way for Dionne Warwick
A-side"You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)"
Released1964
Recorded1964
StudioBell Sound (New York City)
GenreSoul
Length3:08
LabelScepter
Songwriter(s)Burt Bacharach, Hal David
Producer(s)Burt Bacharach, Hal David

"A House Is Not a Home" is a 1964 ballad written by the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the 1964 film of the same name, starring Shelley Winters and Robert Taylor. The song was recorded by American singer Dionne Warwick at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, and was a modest hit in the United States for the singer, peaking at #71 on the pop singles chart as the B-side of the top 40 single, "You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)". Another version of the song, by Brook Benton, which was the version that appeared in the film, was released at nearly the same time. It debuted two weeks earlier on the Billboard Hot 100. Benton's version split airplay with Warwick's, and ultimately peaked at #75.

Warwick's version of "A House Is Not a Home" fared better in Canada, where it was a top 40 hit, peaking at #37. The ballad made the R&B top 10 in Cashbox by both Warwick and Benton, with neither artist specified as best seller.

Despite its modest initial success, the song went on to achieve greater renown through frequent recordings by other artists, including a hit version in 1981 by Luther Vandross.

Production

The Warwick single was performed in the key of F major, and it is most often played in that key in jazz interpretations. Bacharach recorded and performs the song in the key of A-flat major.

Luther Vandross version

"A House Is Not a Home"
Single by Luther Vandross
from the album Never Too Much
Released1981
Genre
Length7:07
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Burt Bacharach, Hal David
Producer(s)Luther Vandross

The song was recorded by R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross on his 1981 debut album Never Too Much. The track, which was recorded at seven minutes long, was released as a single and became an R&B hit, and later one of Vandross's signature songs. His performance of the song at the 1988 NAACP Awards telecast would bring Warwick to tears.

In 2009, Essence magazine included Vandross's version of the song in their list of the "25 Best Slow Jams of All Time".[2]

Vandross's version was sampled by Kanye West for "Slow Jamz", from Twista's 2004 album Kamikaze, as well as Kanye's own 2003 studio album The College Dropout.

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[3] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

  • In 2006, Tina May, accompanied by pianist Nikki Iles, recorded the song on her album A Wing and a Prayer.[7]
  • The song is featured twice during the sixteenth episode of the first season of Glee, Home, both on its own and as a cover of the Barbra Streisand medley with "One Less Bell to Answer".


Instrumental versions

  • Various jazz musicians have performed and recorded the song, and it has thus acquired the status of a jazz standard.
  • Sonny Rollins recorded a version at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival, released on The Cutting Edge.
  • Bill Evans recorded the song for his 1977 album I Will Say Goodbye in the key of B flat major
  • Ramsey Lewis recorded the song for his 1983 album Les Fleurs.
  • In 1993, pianist Joe Sample included the song on the album Invitation.
  • In 1995, another instrumental rendition was released on saxophonist Nelson Rangell's album Destiny.[9]
  • In 2004, Eliane Elias included the song in her album Dreamer.
  • In 1968, Stevie Wonder recorded an instrumental version of this song on his album "Eivets Rednow".
  • In 1972, alto saxophonist Karl "Cannonball" Bryan, with the Soul Vendors featuring Jackie Mittoo on keyboards, recorded the song as a reggae instrumental released as a single on Studio One with a B-side dub version called "A House is Not a Dub".*
  • In 2011, the Blue Devils played the song as the opener and closer to their 2011 show, "The Beat My Heart Skipped". The show fully consisted of Burt Bacharach's music.[10]

References

  1. ^ Harvey, Eric (May 19, 2012). "The Quiet Storm". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "25 Best Slow Jams of All Time".
  3. ^ "American single certifications – Luther Vandross – A House Is Not a Home". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  4. ^ Richie Unterberger. "The Marbles - The Marbles - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  5. ^ Dusty: Full Circle – Taragon Video
  6. ^ "Reggae Disco Rockers - A House Is Not A Home (Flower Records JPN)". Reggaecollector.com. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Tina May – A Wing And A Prayer". Discogs.
  8. ^ Ramirez, Erika (May 12, 2014). "Dionne Warwick, 'A House Is Not A Home' Feat. Ne-Yo: Exclusive Song Premiere". Billboard.
  9. ^ "Destiny overview". Allmusic.com.
  10. ^ "2011 :: Blue Devils".
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