Hal David
Hal David (born May 25, 1921 in New York City, New York) is an American lyricist and songwriter. His older brother, Mack David, was also a lyricist and songwriter.
Much of his work has been in collaboration with Burt Bacharach, with whom he wrote hit songs for Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, B. J. Thomas, Gene Pitney, Tom Jones, Jackie DeShannon, and others in the 1960s. His best selling hits include: "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", "This Guy's in Love with You", "I'll Never Fall in Love Again", "Do You Know the Way to San Jose", "Walk on By", "What the World Needs Now Is Love", "I Say a Little Prayer", "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me", "One Less Bell to Answer", and "Anyone Who Had a Heart".
"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" won an Academy Award as the score for the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. "Don't Make Me Over", "(They Long to Be) Close to You", and "Walk on By" are all in the Grammy Hall of Fame. "What's New Pussycat?" (the theme song to the film of the same name), "Alfie", and "The Look of Love" received Oscar nominations. He also wrote many country music hits, including Willie Nelson's "To All the Girls I've Loved Before".
Other achievements
- In 1984 he was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- He received a Doctor of Music degree from Lincoln College, Illinois in 1991 for his major contribution to American music.
- In May 2000 he received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree from Claremont Graduate University.
- He is a Founder of the Los Angeles Music Center
- He is a member of the Board of Governors of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
- He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of ASCAP, having served as its President, and where he now works on reform of intellectual property rights.
- He serves the Advisory Board of the Society of Singers.
- He is a member of the Board of Visitors of Claremont University in California.
- He is currently the Chairman of the Board of the National Academy of Popular Music and its Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Work on Broadway
- Promises, Promises (1968) - musical - lyricist - Tony Nomination for Best Musical
- André DeShield's Haarlem Nocturne (1984) - revue - featured songwriter
- The Look of Love (2003) - revue - lyricist
External links
- Hal David at IMDb
- Hal David at the Songwriters Hall of Fame
- Official Hal David Website
- "The Dionne Warwick Channel" -YouTube site containing over 100 Dionne Warwick tunes with rare photos and information on each tune, including those produced by Burt Bacharach
- "The Recordings of Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick"-YouTube playlist containing 71 Bacharach/David/Warwick recordings and the backstory of each tune.