Burt Bacharach, writer of such classic pop hits as ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,’ dies at 94

A family member of Burt Bacharach confirmed his death to CNN. He was the renowned composer and lyricist behind scores of peaceful pop singles from the 1950s through the 1980s, including “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” and the title from the movie “Arthur.”

Top 40 singles, country hits, rhythm and blues hits, and even film score hits were all within Bacharach’s wheelhouse as a key character in 20th-century pop music. Many famous performers—from Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick to Tom Jones and Neil Diamond and the Carpenters and Christopher Cross—recorded songs he penned.

Many of his tracks were erroneously categorized as “easy listening,” a mellow, traditional form of music with few edgy modern elements. Most of them were quite different from the rock & roll, funk, and disco that were all the rage throughout his youth.

Still, Bacharach and his longstanding writing partner Hal David produced a few of the era’s most memorable tunes. Warwick was one of the most popular female singers of the 1960s, and she recorded several songs that became successful.

The songs “Magic Moments” by Perry Como, “Baby It’s You” by the Shirelles, “What’s New Pussycat?” by Tom Jones, and “What the World Needs Now Is Love” by Jackie DeShannon were all written by Bachrach. Some of my favorite songs include “This Guy’s In Love With You” by Herb Alpert, “Heartlight” by Neil Diamond, and “On My Own” by Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald.

That’s What Friends Are For, a charity single he recorded with Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder that went to number one and earned millions of dollars for AIDS research, was one of his largest and most significant songs.

Bacharach told NPR’s Scott Simon in 2013, “never be terrified of anything that you can whistle.”

During his lengthy career, Bachrach won six Grammys, three Academy Awards, and the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress (shared with Hal David). In 2008, he was named the best living composer by the Grammys.

Thomas Burgess, a British musician, paid him homage on Thursday on Twitter.

The legacy of Burgess’s songwriting is “one of the best in the history of ever,” he said. A monarch has fallen. Farewell, Burt Bacharach.

The Bangles’ co-founder and lead vocalist Susanna Hoffs posted a picture of Bacharach with the caption, “Peace and love, Burt Bacharach.”