Monocled Alchemist

“Walk On By” / “Any Old Time Of Day” (Pye International 7N.25241) April 1964

Secrecy Gets Dionne Warwick Into Charts

THERE must have been some head-scratching and teeth-gnashing in the offices of Scepter Records when the news filtered across the Atlantic that Britain’s Cilla Black had covered Dionne Warwick‘s original recording of “Anyone Who Had A Heart.” Not only covered it, but stifled the American challenge from the American challenge from the outset.

Clearly, from that moment onwards, the powers-that-be at Scepter determined that this situation would not arise again.

When the time came for Dionne’s next recording session, a veil of secrecy was flung over her choice of material. And as soon as the disc was cut, a well-planned scheme was immediately brought into operation. The tapes were rushed across the Atlantic by jet, hastily processed in London and the record was in the shops in a matter of days!

Thus Dionne’s waxing of “Walk On By” became available to British fans before it was on sale in her native America—and long before Cilla Black or any other British artist could even consider the possibility of covering it.

The move certainly paid off, because Dionne makes her British debut this week—and her advance will surely he warmly applauded, for this must rank as of 1964’s most tasteful and imaginative recordings.

Dionne Warwick | Walk On By | (Pye International) 1964

“Walk On By” is actually Dionne’s fifth release, following her discovery by noted music personality Burt Bacharach. She had been leading her own singing group, which had gained a considerable reputation around her home town of Hartford, Connecticut—and which had accompanied many already established artists, including the Shirelles and Chuck Jackson.

Her unique style soon came to the attention of Burt Bacharach, who secured for her a recording contract with Scepter—and her very first release, “Don’t Make Me Over,” proved a smash hit throughout America. By coincidence, this number has just been revived by our own Louis Cordet.

Her follow-up was titled “This Empty Place,” and then came “Make The Music Play,” a number which had previously been recorded under the title of “Let The Music Play” by the Drifters and Britain’s Lena Martell. It was “Anyone Who Had A Heart” which really attracted the attention of British fans, although regrettably, it didn’t receive the recognition it deserved. However, “Walk On By” has convincingly counteracted that lapse.

It is significant that virtually all Dionne’s material has been written by Burt Bacharach in association with lyricist Hal David—this includes her current hit, as well as “Anyone Who Had A Heart.”

Glittering Future

In fact, Mr. Bacharach must be easily the most potent force in Dionne’s career—for in addition to writing her songs, he also arranges, conducts and produces her sessions. On “Walk On By” he also plays piano!

Quite a phenomenon is Burt Bacharach! Another of his activities is acting as musical director to Marlene Dietrich. But I suppose he is best known for the enormous string of hit songs he has written. There are far too many to mention in detail, but they date back to “The Story Of My Life” and “Magic Moments.” And more recently, he and Hal David have written “24 Hours From Tulsa,” “It’s Love That Really Counts” (the first Merseybeats’ release) and “Baby It’s You” (just revived by Dave Berry).

Dionne Warwick is undoubtedly an extremely lucky girl to have such a forceful and talented personality behind her. This, coupled with her own colourfully appealing and distinctive style, can be guaranteed to ensure her many more hits in the years to come —for Dionne is still only 22, and obviously has a glittering future.

Dionne Warwick | Walk On By | (Pye International) 1964

She was actually born in East Orange, New Jersey, and attended school there before moving to the famed Hartt College of Music in Hartford. She began singing at the age of six, and received ample encouragement since she stemmed from a musical family—mainly in the gospel field.

In addition to her singing, Dionne is also an extremely competent pianist. She puts her keyboard mastery to excellent use in her cabaret act, for she is now a leading attraction in Stateside night clubs.

It seems certain that we are destined to hear a great deal more of the silky smooth styling of the delicious Miss Warwick. Let’s hope that her chart entry will prompt some enterprising promoter to tempt her over here. In the meantime, I applaud the good taste of the fans who have boosted her record—a disc which I felt was probably too classy for the hit parade.

Incidentally, it’s worth recalling that just over two years ago a certain Leroy Van Dyke was enjoying a lengthy chart run with “Walk On By.” It wasn’t the same song, of course, but it prompts two intriguing questions.

Firstly, why did such an impeccable song-writing partnership as Bacharach and David choose a title which had been a smash hit only a couple of years ago? And secondly, whatever became of Leroy Van Dyke? (NME, 17/04/64)