Let us compare mythologies: A quick glimpse at two music giants
Burt Bacharach
Leonard Cohen
McGill milestone:
McGill milestone:
As a McGill student, Bacharach wrote his first song, "The Night Plane to
Heaven."
As a McGill student, Cohen published his first book, Let Us Compare
Mythologies
Bacharach on songwriting:
Cohen on songwriting:
"Never be ashamed to write a melody that people remember."
"If I knew where the good songs came from, I would go there more often."
The hipsters love Bacharach:
The hipsters love Cohen:
Musicians performing on the Bacharach tribute album, Burt Bacharach:
One Amazing Night, included Elvis Costello, Ben Folds, Chrissie Hynde
and the Barenaked Ladies.
Musicians performing on the Cohen tribute album, I'm Your Fan,
included REM, Lloyd Cole, the Pixies and John Cale.
Famous flames
Famous flames
Bacharach's ex-wives include Oscar-winning songwriter Carole Bayer Sager and
actress Angie Dickinson (Police Woman).
Cohen's paramours have included Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Joni
Mitchell and actress Rebecca de Mornay (Risky Business).
Famous neighbours
Famous neighbours
During the '60s, Bacharach and longtime songwriting partner Hal David plied
their trade at New York's famed Brill Building, whose other songwriting
occupants included Carole King, Neil Sedaka and the team of Leiber and
Stoller ("Spanish Harlem," "Yakety Yak").
During the '60s, Cohen resided in New York's famed Chelsea Hotel, whose other
occupants included Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin and poet Allen
Ginsburg.
Music for the movies
Music for the movies
Bacharach's songs have appeared in such films as Alfie,
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (earning Bacharach an Oscar),
Arthur (earning him another Oscar), My Best Friend's
Wedding and the three Austin Powers movies.
Cohen's songs have appeared in such films as McCabe and Mrs.
Miller, Shrek, Exotica, Natural Born
Killers and Wonder Boys.
Well-dressed dad:
Well-dressed dad:
Bacharach's father, Bert, wrote a nationally syndicated newspaper column
about men's fashion.
Cohen's father, Nathan, co-managed the Freedman Company, a clothing
manufacturer that specialized in suits and topcoats.
Best interpreter of Bacharach's work
Best interpreter of Cohen's work:
Dionne Warwick, whose silky vocals helped propel 15 Bacharach/David
compositions onto the U.S. Top 40 charts between 1962 and 1968. "She was a
dream vehicle for those years," says Bacharach.
Cohen himself, of course. That gravel-voiced delivery, that sly sense of
humour, that sinner/saint balancing act - who else could pull it off? In a
pinch, Jennifer Warnes, whose 1987 album, Famous Blue Raincoat: Songs
of Leonard Cohen, earned rave reviews, could sub nicely.
Did you know?
Did you know?
Early in his career, Bacharach served as a musical director and accompanist
to Marlene Dietrich.
Cohen portrayed Interpol head François Zolan on an episode of Miami
Vice in 1986.
Rufus Wainwright (who performs on Bacharach's latest album, At
This Time) says:
Rufus Wainwright (who performs in I'm Your Man, a new
documentary film about Cohen) says:
"It was amazing! [Performing with Bacharach] was one of the high points of my
career."
"The thing about Leonard is that his greatest attribute is creating a perfect
marriage between lyrics and music, neither one ever obliterating the other."
Bacharach on Bacharach
Cohen on Cohen
"I've never been a consistent writer of up tempo songs. I'm seldom totally
positive. Maybe that's because 'she loves you' or 'I'm so happy' don't make
for such good songs."
"Only in Canada could somebody with a voice like mine win Vocalist of the
Year (after accepting a Juno Award for Best Male Vocalist in 1992)."