Voting Station

Hal David

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Songwriter

The Resume

    (May 25, 1921-September 1, 2012)
    Born in Manhattan, New York
    Lyricist
    Best known for his collaborations with Burt Bacharach
    Together they wrote 'Alfie,' 'Anyone Who Had a Heart,' 'Do You Know the Way to San Jose,' 'I Say a Little Prayer,' 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again,' 'The Look of Love,' 'Make It Easy on Yourself,' 'One Less Bell to Answer,' 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head,' '(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me,' '(They Long to Be) Close to You,' 'This Guy's in Love with You,' 'Walk On By,' 'What the World Needs Now Is Love' and 'What's New Pussycat?'
    With Albert Hammond wrote 'To All the Girls I've Loved Before'
    With Sherman Edwards wrote 'Broken Hearted Melody' and 'Johnny Get Angry'
    With John Barry wrote 'We Have All the Time in the World' and 'Moonraker'
    Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1972)

Why he might be annoying:

    He started as an advertising copywriter at the New York Post.
    He wrote lyrics for Henry Mancini's 'Baby Elephant Walk' that were never used.
    He was overshadowed by Bacharach.
    He and Bacharach wrote the songs for the critically derided musical remake of 'Lost Horizon.' (1973)
    He and Bacharach broke up acrimoniously and spent a decade communicating only through attorneys.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He served in an army entertainment unit in the South Pacific during WWII.
    Dionne Warwick said that 'What the World Needs Now Is Love' 'should be the national anthem.'
    Warwick said that he was 'the more stabilizing force' in the partnership with Bacharach and 'the one who really got things done for us.'
    After two decades, he and Bacharach began collaborating on songs again (1992).
    Songwriter Paul Williams said, 'As a lyric writer, Hal was simple, concise and poetic, conveying volumes of meaning in the fewest possible words and always in service to the music.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 31 Votes: 87.10% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 11 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 19 Votes: 42.11% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 78 Votes: 70.51% Annoying