Pop Quiz: Burt Bacharach

Pop Quiz: Burt Bacharach

Aidin Vaziri | You know things are bad when Burt Bacharach is pissed off. The composer behind easygoing, easy-listening staples like "The Look of Love" and "Walk on By" is not taking it so easy on his latest album, "At This Time," which includes guest spots from Dr. Dre, Elvis Costello and Rufus Wainwright. Angered by the Iraq war and the crash-and-burn politics of the United States, the 77-year-old songwriter, who for the past 50 years has depended on others to pen his words, is ripping off his polo sweater and writing his first batch of lyrics ever. They're not pretty, either: "Who are these people that keep telling us lies and how did these people get control of our lives?"


Burt Bacharach
Q: They finally made you angry.
A: Yeah, you know. Here's a guy who wrote love songs all his life, never rocked the boat. But at this time in his life, or my life, I find that it's just impossible not to say something. I'm stupid in so many areas, but you just have to be aware to see all the things wrong. As I was writing, things kept getting worse.
Q: During the Vietnam War, Watergate and Reaganomics, you responded with "What's New, Pussycat?," "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)." What happened?
A: I was a nonpolitical guy. I was in my own world of writing songs. I didn't like what was going on in Vietnam, but I wasn't so involved. I didn't like the Nixon administration. I didn't like people who lied. But did it occupy my time? No. Then again, there has never been a time like this. The world has changed forever, I do believe.
Q: This is the first time you've written lyrics. Did you go back and listen to Bob Dylan and the Clash for inspiration?
A: No, not at all. This is just what came out. It's me. It's what I'm hearing. It's what I'm feeling. It's what I'm reading. It's what I'm thinking. I had no choice. It doesn't matter if I know how to rhyme properly. It's not about the rules. It's about what I feel in my heart.
Q: Well, you've certainly come a long way from "What the World Needs Now."
A: All my life I've written love songs or songs about heartbreak. This album is a continuation. I'm still writing love songs about heartbreak. Only instead of being about a person it's about a situation. It's about the hurt that I feel for the country and the world. So there's an umbrella of love trying to shine through. This is the most honest album I've ever made.