Hal David facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hal David
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David at the 2011 ASCAP concert
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Harold Lane David |
| Born | May 25, 1921 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | September 1, 2012 (aged 91) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Lyricist |
| Years active | 1940s–2012 |
| Associated acts | |
Harold Lane David (born May 25, 1921, died September 1, 2012) was an amazing American lyricist. A lyricist writes the words for songs. He grew up in New York City, U.S. Hal David is most famous for writing many hit songs with composer Burt Bacharach. Their songs were often sung by the talented singer Dionne Warwick.
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Hal David's Early Life and Education
Hal David was born in New York City. His parents, Lina and Gedalier David, were immigrants from Austria. They owned a delicatessen in New York. Hal was the younger brother of another American lyricist, Mack David. Hal went to Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn. He later studied Journalism at New York University.
Hal David's Music Career
Hal David started writing lyrics for popular music in the 1940s. He wrote songs for famous bandleaders like Sammy Kaye and Guy Lombardo. He also worked with Morty Nevins from The Three Suns. Together, they wrote four songs for a movie called Two Gals and a Guy (1951). They also created the classic Christmas song "I Believe in Santa Claus."
Working with Burt Bacharach
In 1956, Hal David began working with composer Burt Bacharach. They met at Famous Music in the Brill Building in New York, a famous place for songwriters. That same year, they released several songs, including "I Cry More" and "The Morning Mail."
The next year, their song "The Story of My Life" became a big country hit for singer Marty Robbins. In the UK, a version of this song by Michael Holliday reached number one in 1958. Soon after, Perry Como's "Magic Moments" (also written by Bacharach and David) took the top spot. This was the first time a songwriter had two number one hits in a row in the UK Singles Chart.
Through the 1960s and early 1970s, Bacharach and David wrote some of the most popular American songs. Many of their hits were for Dionne Warwick. They also wrote songs for other famous artists like The Carpenters, Dusty Springfield, B. J. Thomas, Gene Pitney, Tom Jones, and Jackie DeShannon.
Famous Songs by Bacharach and David
Some of their well-known songs include:
- "Alfie"
- "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
- "This Guy's in Love With You"
- "I'll Never Fall in Love Again"
- "Do You Know the Way to San Jose"
- "Walk On By"
- "What the World Needs Now Is Love"
- "I Say a Little Prayer"
- "One Less Bell to Answer"
- "Anyone Who Had a Heart"
Songs for Movies and Musicals
Hal David and Burt Bacharach also wrote songs for movies. They created Oscar-nominated title songs for "What's New Pussycat?" and "Alfie". Their song "The Look of Love" was from the movie Casino Royale. They won an Oscar for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Several of their songs, like "Don't Make Me Over", "(They Long to Be) Close to You", and "Walk On By", have been added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The duo also worked on two musicals. Their first was a 1966 television musical called On the Flip Side. Their second musical, Promises, Promises, was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical in 1969. The album of the original cast won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
The successful partnership between Bacharach and David ended after they worked on the 1973 film Lost Horizons. The movie was not very popular, and the stress caused problems between them. They even exchanged lawsuits, which unfortunately ended their professional relationship.
Other Collaborations and Achievements
Hal David continued to write lyrics with other composers. One of his most famous songs not with Bacharach was "To All the Girls I've Loved Before." He wrote it with Albert Hammond, and it became a hit for Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias.
He also wrote "Broken Hearted Melody" for Sarah Vaughan and "Johnny Get Angry" for Joanie Sommers. With Albert Hammond, he wrote "99 Miles From L.A." which was recorded by Art Garfunkel. He also co-wrote the country song "Sea of Heartbreak" and "It Was Almost Like a Song."
Hal David contributed lyrics to three James Bond film themes:
- "The Look of Love" from Casino Royale (1967) with Bacharach.
- "We Have All the Time in the World" with John Barry, sung by Louis Armstrong for On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969).
- "Moonraker" with John Barry, sung by Shirley Bassey for the 1979 film Moonraker.
In 2011, Hal David and Burt Bacharach received the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress. This was the first time a songwriting team received this special honor. Hal David was recovering from an illness and could not attend the ceremony in 2012.
A TV show called What the World Needs Now: Words by Hal David was released in 2019. It featured interviews with Hal David and tributes from many famous artists like Bette Midler, Dionne Warwick, and Barbra Streisand.
Hal David's Personal Life and Passing
Hal David had two sons with his first wife, Anne. He later married his second wife, Eunice, and had three grandchildren. For many years, he lived in East Hills, New York.
On September 1, 2012, Hal David passed away from a stroke in Los Angeles. He was 91 years old. He is buried next to his first wife, Anne, in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Awards and Honors
Hal David received many awards and honors throughout his career for his amazing songwriting.
- In 1972, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- In 1984, he was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- He received honorary degrees from Lincoln College, Illinois (1991) and Claremont Graduate University (2000) for his contributions to music.
- In 1997, he received the Grammy Trustees Award with Burt Bacharach.
- In 2009, he received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.
- In 2011, the Songwriters Hall of Fame gave him their Visionary Leadership Award.
- Also in 2011, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- In 2012, he was a recipient of the prestigious Gershwin Prize.
Key Achievements and Contributions
Hal David was not only a songwriter but also played an important role in the music community:
- He helped found the Los Angeles Music Center.
- He was a member of the board of directors for ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and even served as its president. He worked to improve intellectual property rights for artists.
- He was a member of the board of the National Academy of Popular Music and its Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Work on Broadway
Hal David contributed his lyrics to several Broadway shows:
- Promises, Promises (1968) – a musical where he was the lyricist.
- André DeShields' Haarlem Nocturne (1984) – a revue where his songs were featured.
- The Look of Love (2003) – a revue where he was the lyricist.
See also
- List of songwriter tandems
- List of songs written by Burt Bacharach
