Hal David

Hal David was a prolific lyricist who is best known for his collaboration with Burt Bacharach and launching the career of Dionne Warwick.

David was born in New York City in 1921, the youngest son of Austrian Jewish immigrants. His older brother Mack was also a successful songwriter and lyricist. David’s career began in the 1940s, writing lyrics for the bandleaders Sammy Kaye and Guy Lombardo. In 1957, he met Burt Bacharach and the pair began writing together regularly from the 1960s onwards. The duo discovered Dionne Warwick, who was working as a session singer, and the trio had huge hits with songs such as "Walk On By", "Don't Make Me Over", "I Say a Little Prayer", and "Anyone Who Had a Heart". David and Bacharach continued their successful partnership until 1973, writing for singers including Barbra Streisand, Tom Jones, Cilla Black, the Carpenters, and Dusty Springfield. They also worked together on several films, including Casino Royale (1967, featuring "The Look of Love" by Dusty Springfield) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969, featuring "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" which won the Academy Award for Best Song).

In 1968, Bacharach and David collaborated with producer David Merrick on the musical Promises, Promises. The show won a Grammy Award for Best Cast Album.

David also worked with other composers, including Albert Hammond (“To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” and “99 Miles From LA”), Sherman Edwards (“Johnny Get Angry” and “Broken Hearted Melody”), and John Barry (“Moonraker” and “We Have All the Time in the World”).

David was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972 and was awarded the 2011 Gershwin Award for Popular Song along with Burt Bacharach, the first time the award had been given to a partnership.

David died in September 2012 of a stroke at the age of 91.