Burt Bacharach’s best-loved songs

Find here some of the most famous songs of the deceased songwriter Burt Bacharach, one of the most influential figures of 20th-century popular music

American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach, who has died aged 94, wrote dozens of songs with lyricist Hal David which have gone down in pop/soul history.

Here are some of the most famous:

– “Baby It’s You” (1961) – with its “Sha-la-la-la-la, Sha-la-la-la-la” refrain, it was recorded by both American girl group The Shirelles and The Beatles.

– “24 Hours from Tulsa” (1963) – a hit for pop baladeer Gene Pitney.

– “(They long to be) Close to you” (1963) – the breakthrough hit of the American brother-and-sister duo “The Carpenters”.

– “Walk On By” (1964) – one of soul legend Dionne Warwick’s best-loved songs, which lurches between stoicism and anguish.

– “What the World Needs Now is Love” (1965) – first made popular by Jackie DeShannon, reached the top ten of the US Hot 100.

– “Alfie” (1966) – theme song of the film of the same name starring Michael Caine. It was a major hit for Britain’s Cilla Black and later Dionne Warwick.

– “I Say a Little Prayer” (1967) – first recorded by Warwick but Aretha Franklin made the definitive version a year later.

– “The Look of Love” (1967) – a favourite of husky-voiced divas Dusty Springfield and Diana Krall.

– “Do You Know the Way to San José?” (1968) – another Warwick hit which won her first Grammy.

– “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (1969) – Bacharach won an Oscar for this cheerful ditty for “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, which topped the US charts for four weeks.

– “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” (1969) – both Warwick and Jones scored with this heartbreak tune.

– “Arthur’s Theme (Best that you can do)” (1981) – one of the most recognisable film theme songs of all time, which won Bacharach another Oscar.

– “That’s What Friends Are For” (1982) – first recorded by Rod Stewart but better known for the AIDS charity cover made by Dionne Warwick & Friends, including Elton John and Stevie Wonder, in 1985.

– “On My Own” (1986) – a love song Bacharach composed with ex-wife Carole Bayer Sager which was a power duet for Patti La Belle and Michael McDonald.