Saturday, October 01, 2005
WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?
Another aging songsmith has taken a courageous and unusual stand against President Bush: Burt Bacharach. Burt's new album, to be released in a month, finally allows the king of cheese to speak out:
But I can do without all the bawling:
"I had to express myself, not only musically but lyrically," Bacharach says. "It was time for me to ask, 'Who are these people who are taking control of our lives and how do we stop the violence?'All I can say is, it's about time someone in the music biz asked these questions. They're all such administration apologists. It takes an old-timer to truly buck the system.
But I can do without all the bawling:
There's no doubt that At This Time is a departure, a deeply-felt and personal statement. Among other things, it features the sound of the old smoothie actually breaking down and weeping, while talking about his children on "Where Did it Go?" He has four children, a 39-year-old daughter by the actress Angie Dickinson, a 19-year-old son by Carole Bayer Sager, the songwriter he married in 1982, and two young children with his fourth wife, Jane Hansen. He sings heart-rendingly about the world he's bequeathing to them. "I recorded the song live," he says, "in front of an orchestra, and yes, I was very moved, I was in tears." Does he really fear for his kids' future? "Yes I do. It's not getting any better, is it? I don't want my 19-year-old boy going into the army. I love these little kids. They understand how passionate I am."I have this thing about crybabies, you see. Unless they actually are babies.
