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Fred Astaire Fact: He insisted the only way to be filmed dancing was wide-angle, full frame and uncut to show the poetry of movement. There is never a close-up of his feet or face.

Fred Astaire Fact:

He insisted the only way to be filmed dancing was wide-angle, full frame and uncut to show the poetry of movement. There is never a close-up of his feet or face.

(Source: gregorypecks, via pickurselfup)

Tom Cruise loves women. He especially loves the women of Croatia where he is on vacation. Here he is loving on more women. And finds time for more women. He just can’t get enough women. He even goes to dinner with women. Tom looks confused when there are no women.

Tom Cruise loves women. He especially loves the women of Croatia where he is on vacation.

Here he is loving on more women.

And finds time for more women. He just can’t get enough women.

He even goes to dinner with women.

Tom looks confused when there are no women.

Meeting Hal David & Burt Bacharach is a moment I will be babbling about in the old folks home.

The odds were stacked against my attending this sold out charity event in Tacoma, Washington on March 8, 2008. Eespecially since it would be the one and only time Hal David would appear on stage to SING with Burt Bacharach.

Aside from all the mind-blowing events of the night, the one image that sticks with me most is watching Hal David at his table mouthing the words - his words - to most of the songs Burt Bacharach performed.

That is what I’m remembering today as I mourn the passing of one of the greatest poets and lyricists of the 20th century, Hal David.

Here is the entire story and photos of meeting Hal David & Burt Bacharach.

(Source: )

Only one time did Hal David appear on stage with Burt Bacharach to sing one of their songs. This was March 8, 2008, and I was there to see and record it.

I had the mind-blowing honor of meeting Hal David that night, and before having my photo taken with him, I said the following to him about this momentous occasion:

“Ira Gershwin never came to the gigs of his brother George. Bernie Taupin has never stepped on stage with Elton John. Lyricists just don’t usually do such a thing. But you are an exceptional man of words, and this is an exceptional moment in time. I am deeply honored to meet you.”

(Source: tobymelt.blogspot.com)

What The World Needs NowWhen a song went nowhere, they stuck it in a desk drawer and left it there for months. In a brief essay on his website, David recalled having an idea for a song for “at least two years before showing it to Burt.” “I was stuck,” he wrote. “I kept thinking of lines like, `Lord, we don’t need planes that fly higher or faster …’ and they all seemed wrong. Why, I didn’t know. But the idea stayed with me. “Then, one day, I thought of, `Lord, we don’t need another mountain,’ and all at once I knew how the lyric should be written. Things like planes and trains and cars are manmade, and things like mountains and rivers and valleys are created by someone or something we call God. There was now a oneness of idea and language instead of a conflict. It had taken me two years to put my finger on it.” What the world needs now is love, sweet love It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of What the world needs now is love, sweet love No not just for some But for everyone. Lord, we don’t need another mountain, There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb There are oceans and rivers enough to cross Enough to last till the end of time. What the world needs now is love, sweet love It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of What the world needs now is love, sweet love No, not just for some But for everyone. Lord, we don’t need another meadow There are cornfields and wheat fields enough to grow There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine Oh listen, lord, if you want to know. What the world needs now is love, sweet love It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of What the world needs now is love, sweet love No, not just for some But for everyone. No, not just for some, oh, but just for everyone.

What The World Needs Now
When a song went nowhere, they stuck it in a desk drawer and left it there for months.

In a brief essay on his website, David recalled having an idea for a song for “at least two years before showing it to Burt.”

“I was stuck,” he wrote. “I kept thinking of lines like, `Lord, we don’t need planes that fly higher or faster …’ and they all seemed wrong. Why, I didn’t know. But the idea stayed with me.

“Then, one day, I thought of, `Lord, we don’t need another mountain,’ and all at once I knew how the lyric should be written. Things like planes and trains and cars are manmade, and things like mountains and rivers and valleys are created by someone or something we call God. There was now a oneness of idea and language instead of a conflict. It had taken me two years to put my finger on it.”

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some
But for everyone.

Lord, we don’t need another mountain,
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross
Enough to last till the end of time.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some
But for everyone.

Lord, we don’t need another meadow
There are cornfields and wheat fields enough to grow
There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine
Oh listen, lord, if you want to know.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some
But for everyone.
No, not just for some, oh, but just for everyone.

Everybody’s Out of TownGoing against the grain of the easy listening label, Hal David tackled the death of American cities due to White Flight to the suburbs. Burt Bacharach underplayed the soft-sell politics with an old-fashioned musical arrangement and the laid-back delivery of B.J. Thomas: Where have the people gone Seems like there’s no one hangin’ on Look through the windows The houses are empty Hey, everybody’s out of town Seems like I’m the only one around. All of the streets are bare No traffic tie-ups anywhere Don’t have to wait for a seat at the movie Hey, everybody’s out of town Seems like, I’m the only one around. Everyone’s moved out from the ghetto Lots of space Empty apartments No more pollution Plenty of classrooms everyplace And it looks like we’re ready To give it one more try This time there’ll be no alibi I’m gonna send out a message to Noah Hey, better send some people down Everyone on earth Is out of town

Everybody’s Out of Town
Going against the grain of the easy listening label, Hal David tackled the death of American cities due to White Flight to the suburbs. Burt Bacharach underplayed the soft-sell politics with an old-fashioned musical arrangement and the laid-back delivery of B.J. Thomas:

Where have the people gone
Seems like there’s no one hangin’ on
Look through the windows
The houses are empty
Hey, everybody’s out of town
Seems like I’m the only one around.

All of the streets are bare
No traffic tie-ups anywhere
Don’t have to wait for a seat at the movie
Hey, everybody’s out of town
Seems like, I’m the only one around.

Everyone’s moved out from the ghetto
Lots of space
Empty apartments
No more pollution
Plenty of classrooms everyplace


And it looks like we’re ready
To give it one more try
This time there’ll be no alibi
I’m gonna send out a message to Noah
Hey, better send some people down
Everyone on earth
Is out of town

The Windows of the WorldCome the turbulence of the late 1960s, Hal David felt the need to speak about what troubled him. Dionne Warwick said of “The Windows of the World” that it is “my favorite song that they’ve written. It was during the Vietnam War. There was just a lot of confusion going on in the world. And Hal David, I think, wrote probably one of the most poignant lyrics ever. It was something that had to be said. And still has to be said.” Hal David said of the 1967 Top 40 hit, “We were right in the middle of that terrible war. I have two sons, so it was very much on my mind. My older son, Jim, was a student at Boston University and was facing the possibility of being taken into the army.” A subtle and superbly crafted war protest song has a much more enduring impact. No matter the decade or the war, Hal David’s words resonate in the heart and soul: The windows of the world are covered with rain Where is the sunshine we once knew? Everybody knows when little children play They need a sunny day to grow straight and tall. Let the sun shine through. The windows of the world are covered with rain When will those black skies turn to blue? Everybody knows when boys grow into men They start to wonder when their country will call. Let the sun shine through. The windows of the world are covered with rain What is the whole world coming to? Everybody knows when men cannot be friends Their quarrel often ends where some have to die. Let the sun shine through. The windows of the world are covered with rain There must be something we can do. Everybody knows whenever rain appears It’s really angel tears. How long must they cry? Let the sun shine through.

The Windows of the World
Come the turbulence of the late 1960s, Hal David felt the need to speak about what troubled him.

Dionne Warwick said of “The Windows of the World” that it is “my favorite song that they’ve written. It was during the Vietnam War. There was just a lot of confusion going on in the world. And Hal David, I think, wrote probably one of the most poignant lyrics ever. It was something that had to be said. And still has to be said.”

Hal David said of the 1967 Top 40 hit, “We were right in the middle of that terrible war. I have two sons, so it was very much on my mind. My older son, Jim, was a student at Boston University and was facing the possibility of being taken into the army.”

A subtle and superbly crafted war protest song has a much more enduring impact. No matter the decade or the war, Hal David’s words resonate in the heart and soul:

The windows of the world are covered with rain
Where is the sunshine we once knew?
Everybody knows when little children play
They need a sunny day to grow straight and tall.
Let the sun shine through.

The windows of the world are covered with rain
When will those black skies turn to blue?
Everybody knows when boys grow into men
They start to wonder when their country will call.
Let the sun shine through.

The windows of the world are covered with rain
What is the whole world coming to?
Everybody knows when men cannot be friends
Their quarrel often ends where some have to die.
Let the sun shine through.

The windows of the world are covered with rain
There must be something we can do.
Everybody knows whenever rain appears
It’s really angel tears.
How long must they cry?
Let the sun shine through.

One of the few songs Burt Bacharach would sing himself was “Alfie.” Of this song he said, “If you press me for what my favorite song is, the one I’m most proud of, that just about is the number one.” The true mark of a profound lyric is if it works as a stand-alone poem. Hal David does just this with “Alfie.” What’s it all about, Alfie? Is it just for the moment we live? What’s it all about when you sort it out, Alfie? Are we meant to take more than we give Or are we meant to be kind? And if only fools are kind, Alfie, then I guess it’s wise to be cruel. And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie, what will you lend on an old golden rule? As sure as I believe there’s a heaven above, Alfie, I know there’s something much more, something even non-believers can believe in. I believe in love, Alfie. Without true love we just exist, Alfie. Until you find the love you’ve missed you’re nothing, Alfie. When you walk let your heart lead the way and you’ll find love any day, Alfie.

One of the few songs Burt Bacharach would sing himself was “Alfie.” Of this song he said, “If you press me for what my favorite song is, the one I’m most proud of, that just about is the number one.”

The true mark of a profound lyric is if it works as a stand-alone poem. Hal David does just this with “Alfie.”

What’s it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?

What’s it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind?

And if only fools are kind, Alfie,
then I guess it’s wise to be cruel.
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie,
what will you lend on an old golden rule?

As sure as I believe there’s a heaven above, Alfie,
I know there’s something much more,
something even non-believers can believe in.

I believe in love, Alfie.
Without true love we just exist, Alfie.
Until you find the love you’ve missed you’re nothing, Alfie.

When you walk let your heart lead the way
and you’ll find love any day, Alfie.

(Source: Guardian)

Which shorts are too big? (Taken with Instagram)

Which shorts are too big? (Taken with Instagram)

LOOK at this suit. Just LOOK at it! Note the matching belt.This is Bryan Ferry levels of sophistication and style. And he’s not yet even 21. Christ. What an appropriate last name he has. doingitwithonedirectionfanfic: Ladykiller.

LOOK at this suit. Just LOOK at it! Note the matching belt.
This is Bryan Ferry levels of sophistication and style. And he’s not yet even 21.

Christ. What an appropriate last name he has.

doingitwithonedirectionfanfic:

Ladykiller.