Do you ever feel you need a song to bring hope to your day? Many people miss a tune that can heal. Then came what the world needs now Burt Bacharach, first heard in 1965 when Jackie DeShannon recorded it.
In this post, we will dig into the song’s lyrics, its music, and the social waves it made. We will show chart success and its place in a national archive registry. We will even peek at Burt Bacharach’s life and friendships.
Read on.
Key Takeaways
- Burt Bacharach wrote the melody in 1962, and Hal David finished the lyrics by 1964. Jackie DeShannon recorded it on April 15, 1965. It hit number 7 on US charts in July and number 1 on Canada’s RPM list.
- Bacharach mixed pop, country, and gospel in one track. He recorded piano, violin, brass, steel guitar, and choir-style backing in a Los Angeles studio. This style set it apart from other 1965 hits.
- Dionne Warwick first passed on the song but then recorded it for her 1965 album and again in 1996. The Supremes scored it in 1967. Luther Vandross (1994), Petula Clark, Glenn Yarbrough, the Chambers Brothers, and Missi Hale (2017) all made versions.
- The song became an anthem in civil rights and anti-war protests. Marchers hummed it in the 1960s, and stations played it after Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 assassination. Tom Clay’s June 22, 1971 medley wove in speeches. A 2016 stage show raised money for Pulse survivors. It appears in over 220 films and shows, from Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) to Amazon’s 2024 holiday ad.
- Bacharach shared his life in his 2014 memoir Anyone Who Had a Heart, noting four marriages and hits like Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head. The Library of Congress added “What the World Needs Now Is Love” to its national registry, and new artists still study its chord changes.
The Story Behind “What the World Needs Now Is Love”
Bacharach cut a rough track on a recording device, then he tweaked the string arrangement through an audio console. He and Hal David crafted the lyrics at a lone desk, and session players laid down the rhythm in a Los Angeles studio.
How did Burt Bacharach and Hal David collaborate on this song?
The composer sketched the melody and chorus in 1962, while lyricist Hal David hit a wall. David wrestled with words for two years, until he muttered, “Lord, we don’t need another mountain.” It broke his writer’s block, and the team moved forward.
Hal then crafted the verses on a drive from Long Island to Manhattan, jotting ideas into a notebook. Once lyrics fell into place, Burt Bacharach recorded the song in a few swift studio sessions.
What the World Needs Now Is Love sprang from that push and pull, and the duo wrapped up the full track in no time.
What was the song’s release timeline and how was it received initially?
In April 1965, Jackie DeShannon cut the first full track at a studio. She released it on April 15, 1965, through a record label. A prior session for another label never reached stores.
Listeners turned it into one of the summer’s popular singles. It climbed to number 7 on a music chart in July. Canada’s RPM Top Singles list saw it reach number 1. The song closed 1965 at number 63 on the year-end list and number 27 on the Cash Box survey.
Influence on Music
Bacharach’s catchy melody climbed charts on the strength of his chord progression. Session musicians, top singers and producers grabbed new recording equipment, eager to build on those clever arrangements.
What makes the composition and arrangement of the song innovative?
Burt Bacharach sketched the melody soon after Hal David finished the words. He wrote the tune in one session, showing his fast musical process. That move gave the tune a pop spark, country twang and gospel warmth.
Dionne Warwick led the vocals over soft piano, violin and brass.
Producers placed steel guitar riffs next to choir style backing vocals. They added drum kit hits to drive the chorus, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” That mix set it apart from other 1965 hits.
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon ran an instrumental track during its broadcasts. Burt opened and closed his live shows with the full track through the 2000s.
How did “What the World Needs Now Is Love” impact popular music and artists?
Dionne Warwick first refused what the world needs now is love as too country and preachy. Hal David and burt bacharach heard her thoughts and gave her time. She then recorded it for her 1965 album here where there is love, and she revisited it in 1996.
The Supremes took it on in 1967. Their style pushed it onto the charts among popular singles and popular eps. A piano led the arrangement and new artists still play the full track today.
Glenn Yarbrough tracked a version that later popped up on Apple Music. The Chambers Brothers hopped in next, and their take climbed the R B charts. Luther Vandross gave the song a new pulse in 1994.
Petula Clark spun it in British pop style. Missi Hale dropped her own in 2017, and a stripped instrumental rang out at the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Artists still sign in to stream the full track on their favorite apps.
Cultural Significance
Civil rights marchers hummed it as they called for change. The song lit sparks under social causes and still pops up in films and on Spotify playlists for social justice.
Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote What the World Needs Now Is Love in 1965, as marches rose against the Vietnam conflict. Jackie DeShannon cut the first full track, and protests rang with its plea.
Stations spun the song again after Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 assassination, turning a popular single into a protest song and anti-war anthem.
Tom Clay issued What the World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin and John on June 22, 1971, weaving soundbites of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. into the medley.
A stage adaptation in 2016 raised money for survivors of the Pulse tragedy, proving that the song still moves fans to stand up, sign up, and call for unity.
How has the song been represented in films, TV, and popular culture?
What the World Needs Now Is Love has popped up in over 220 movies and series. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice used it in 1969. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery rode its tune in 1997.
Amazon picked it for its 2024 holiday campaign, Midnight Opus. Fans sign in to streaming sites for the full track under What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach.
Joker: Folie Deux leaned on this melody in its 2024 trailer. My Best Friend’s Wedding and The Boss Baby boast it on their soundtracks. Jackie DeShannon, known for her popular singles, adds soul to movie scenes.
Los Angeles Times on Feb 9, 2023 hailed its pop turn in Austin Powers. Hal David and Burt Bacharach proved true hits stay alive.
Who was Burt Bacharach in his personal life and what were his marriages?
Burt Bacharach stayed out of the spotlight in his private life. Fans got insider views in his 2014 memoir Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music. He wrote about film scores like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and popular singles such as Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.
He also recounted his long creative bond with Hal David, and noted his work with artists like Dionne Warwick.
He went through four marriages and wrote about them in his book. Each union influenced songs such as I Say a Little Prayer and What the World Needs Now Is Love. He shared his highs and lows with raw honesty, and listeners sense those themes in his full track lists and in tribute albums that cap his legacy.
Takeaways
What the World Needs Now Is Love still moves hearts with its melody and chorus. Young people felt hope when they heard its simple tune. Many artists praise its arrangement during studio sessions.
Crowds used the track in peace marches and social movements. A music archive added the song to its national collection. Chart ranking data show its lasting pop culture pull. New bands cite its chord pattern and lyric craft for music lessons.
FAQs
1. Who wrote What the World Needs Now Is Love?
Burt Bacharach wrote the music, Hal David wrote the lyrics.
2. Who sang the hit versions?
Jackie Deshannon first took it to the charts. Dionne Warwick then gave it new life. Luther Vandross lent his soul to it. Some medleys even list it as What the World Needs Now Is Love / Abraham, Martin and John.
3. How did it shape music and culture?
It hit home like a warm hug in tough days. It pops up on popular singles, and it graced popular eps. It showed that a simple song can move hearts.
4. Where can I listen to the full track?
You can sign in to many streaming sites, press play on the full track, and enjoy Burt Bacharach’s timeless tune.
