Bobby Jo Valentine • Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

Above see the rain here on the farm, and the adorable Bobby Jo Valentine.

As the rain pours down in Delaware today, as you can see in the pictures above, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to share with you all a wonderful cover song from the talented and adorable Booby Jo Valentine. The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the 1969 film, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", starring the stunningly handsome Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The song was a huge hit for B.J. Thomas, making it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks in January of 1970. It also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. But here is Bobby Jo Valentine's version, worthy of an award, I think!

For more about Bobby Jo Valentine, visit his official website. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook. His latest album, 'Home', can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon.

RIP Hal David (1921 – 2012)

Over the weekend, the world became just a little bit less musical when the voice of lyricist Hal David was lost. He was 91 years old. David was best known for his work with composer Burt Bacharach, together writing some of the most successful and respected songs of the 1960s and 1970s. While it is easy to say his words were sung by some of the best voices in the music business, but in this case it is true. He and Burt are closely tied to the career for the magnificent Dionne Warwick. Together, they had hit after hit on the charts.


Laughing with writing partner Burt Bacharach.

But there were so many others, far more than I could put into one post. I will start with one of those magnificent voices who delivered the songs with amazing abilities. One of the many combinations that worked in addition to the Bacharach/David duo working with Dionne Warwick was the writers working with the gorgeous voice of Karen Carpenter. Richard & Karen Carpenter worked together in a band aptly called Carpenters, and were a hit factory in the 1970s and 1980s. They had a mega-hit with the single "(They Long To Be) Close To You", but that was not the only Bacharach/David song they recorded. Listen as they perform "Bacharach/David Medley: Knowing When To Leave/Make It Easy On Yourself/There's Always Something There To Remind Me/I'll Never Fall In Love Again/Walk On By/Do You Know The Way To San Jose".



The medley was recorded for the eponymous 1971 album, which went quadruple Platinum in sales. You can download "Bacharach/David Medley: Knowing When To Leave/Make It Easy On Yourself/There's Always Something There To Remind Me/I'll Never Fall In Love Again/Walk On By/Do You Know The Way To San Jose" from iTunes and Amazon. The next song was first recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1964, but was quickly covered by many others. Nineteen years later, the song was covered by the New Wave/New Romantic group Naked Eyes. "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me" was a great success, making it to #8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Check out the video for "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me".



You can find "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me" on the compilation album, The Very Best of Naked Eyes. You can purchase the single from iTunes and Amazon. In 1964, Dionne Warwick sung the achingly beautiful "A House Is Not A Home", written by Bacharach/David. It was the B-side of "You'll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart)", and both songs ended up on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1967, Burt & Hal wrote "One Less Bell To Answer" for Keely Smith, but it wasn't a hit. It was recorded by the 5th Dimension featuring the gorgeous voice of Marilyn McCoo for a 1970 hit. In 1971, the two were recorded as a medley on the album 'Barbra Joan Streisand', which brought the haunting quality of both songs together is a delicious package, Streisand singing a duet with herself. Enjoy as Barbra Streisand sings "One Less Bell To Answer/A House Is Not A Home".



You can find this medley on Streisand's 1971 album, Barbra Joan Streisand. You can purchase it from iTunes and Amazon. In 1969, one of the runaway hits in the movie theaters was Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, starring the gorgeous duo of Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The soundtrack also featured a song written by Bacharach/David that was sung by B.J. Thomas that was the definition of charm. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" went on the win the Academy Award for Best Original Song and went to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Adult Contemporary, and the US Cashbox Top 100. This is B.J Thomas singing "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head".



"Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" can be found on countless albums. You can purchase it on iTunes and Amazon off the album All-Time Greatest Hits of BJ Thomas. In 1967, Columbia Pictures released Casino Royale, a comedy spoof of spy adventures like James Bond, starring David Niven and Ursula Andress. It was said Bacharach was inspired by seeing sexy Andress in a particular scene when he wrote the music. David wrote the lyrics and Dusty Springfield as asked to sing the song, and "The Look of Love" went on to earn an Academy Award nomination. Check out Dusty giving a great performance.



"The Look Of Love" can be found on the 1967 album of the same name. You can purchase it from iTunes and Amazon. And finally, I couldn't do this memorial without including the woman who was a muse for much of this great music, Dionne Warwick. She sang much of the great songs by Bacharach/David, so I decided to pick my favorite. Well, my favorite at this moment, since there were so many, I could easily pick another tomorrow. Anyway, I am going with the 1964 hit, "Walk On By". I loved the way the song sat perfectly in Warwick's voice, and delivered an amazing depth of emotion. Here is the glorious "Walk On By" as sung by Dionne Warwick.



You can find "Walk On By" on Dionne's 1964 album, Make Way For Dionne Warwick. You can purchase it from iTunes and Amazon. So much great music, and much I haven't mentioned. Rest in peace, Hal David, for you left a lifetime of music here on earth.

B. J. Thomas • The 70s

A few weeks ago, I posted about B.J. Thomas' hits from the 1960s, including Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head, Hooked On A Feeling, and I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. Well, B.J.'s career didn't end in 1969, that is for sure. In fact, it was in 1970 that he had one of the more memorable songs, Which made it to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. I Just Can't Help Believing was written by music legends Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.



1972 Rock And Roll Lullaby went to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Thomas' third #1 on the Easy Listening chart. Once again, it was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.



And in what became his last trip to the top of the charts, (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song made it to #1 in 1975. It also made it to #1 on the Country chart, and the Easy Listening chart, too. It also can be said to have the longest title of a #1 song in the history of the Billboard charts. And the Country feel of the song paved the way for Thomas to move in that direction, singing Country.

B. J. Thomas • The 60s

In the 1960s, there was a boy named Billy Joe singing in a band in Houston, Texas. The Triumphs garnered some local success, and even released an album. That was not going to last, however, for soon local fame made it to the national scene when Billy Joe, now called B. J. Thomas, went solo, and showcased an amazing voice combined with a laid-back vocal styling took American airwaves by storm, starting in 1966 when he released a cover of the great song by Hank Williams, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. It made it to #8 on the US Billboard Hot 100.



Of course, his rugged good looks didn't hurt things, but it was really the strength of his voice that made B. J. stand out. His next hit came in 1968, showcased the quality of his vocals, it's strength and the clarity of tone. Hooked On A Feeling was written by Mark James, a boyhood friend from Houston. James wrote songs for Thomas and others, including Elvis Presley. In fact, he wrote Suspicious Minds for Elvis. But in '68, it was all about B. J. and Hooked On A Feeling, which made it to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.



Thomas' next hit was in 1969, and boy was it a big one. Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, and the theme to one of the biggest movies of that decade, Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head soared to the top of the charts, sitting at #1 for four consecutive weeks. The song was filled with charm and romance, delivered perfectly by Thomas.



Currently, B. J. Thomas is still playing dates around the world. As he approaches 70, his voice still sounds great, and his fans still adore him. For more about B. J. Thomas, check out his official website here. You can also purchase one of his many 'Greatest Hits' collections on iTunes here, or on Amazon here.