This week’s tune began life with a long ass title: They Long To Be Close To You. Parenthesis were added making it (They Long To Be ) Close To You. Eventually the parenthetical aside was dropped by many artists leaving us with my preferred title, Close To You. Why do I prefer it? I’m too lazy to type the full title, that’s why.
This week’s tune is perhaps the most middle of the road song I’ve ever selected for the Friday Cocktail Hour. It could even be called easy listening. I don’t care; it’s got a brilliant melody to go along with the corny lyrics.
When I took piano lessons as a tadpole, my mom gave me a Bacharach-David songbook because I wanted to play more contemporary music. I was sick of playing Fur Elise. My piano teacher went along because I played pop songs less badly than the classics. Oh well, what the hell.
Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote Close To You in 1963. The featured image notwithstanding, it did not win an Oscar for the songwriters but Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head did. Close To You did, however, win a Grammy for the Carpenters who were NOT the first to record it.
Richard Chamberlain was the first to record this week’s tune. That’s right, TV’s Dr. Kildare. Does anyone remember that show? It was a huge hit for the handsome actor. Close To You was not, but that’s where we begin:
The song became a standard when it was recorded by the Carpenters in 1970. Richard Carpenter tweaked the title and he and his sister Karen won the Grammy.
Nancy Wilson applied some pop-jazz magic to this week’s tune.
Isaac Hayes. Say no more.
This oddball collaboration between Canadian rockers BNL and Bacharach was recorded for a 1998 TV special, One Amazing Night:
I’m not sure if birds suddenly appeared when Paul Weller recorded this week’s tune but I dig his interpretation:
Longing to hear my homey’s version of the Bacharach-David classic? This is your chance.
Here’s Jeffrey Osborne with a 21st Century R&B version:
Finally, I’m gaga for Stefanie Germanotta’s voice.
What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without instrumental versions of the week’s tune? This time, Burt Bacharach followed by McCoy Tyner:
That’s it for this week. I propose a toast to cooler weather. It’s gotta come eventually. It’s what Karen and Richard Carpenter would want. Never argue with them.
