Hal David (1921-2012)

Posted: September 1, 2012 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News
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Lyricist Hal David has passed away today at age 91 in Los Angeles. The songwriter was best known for his collaborations with Burt Bacharach and has written the lyrics for numerous hit songs, including several original songs for film. He received an Academy Award for co-writing the classic song Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head from 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids with Bacharach and also was honored with three more Oscar nominations in the Best Original Song category for The Look of Love from Casino Royale, Alfie from the 1966 film of the same name and the title song from 1965’s What’s New Pussycat. Among his most popular songs for non-film projects are such hits as Walk On By, Don’t Make Me Over and (They Long to Be) Close to You, all of which were performed by Dionne Warwick. David also collaborated with film composer Henry Mancini on the songs The Greatest Gift from The Return of the Pink Panther and Send a Little Love My Way from 1973’s Oklahoma Crude, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. He also worked with composer John Barry on the title song for the James Bond film Moonraker and on the Louis Armstrong-performed song We Have All the Time in the World from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.