The Man Who Wrote "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance"

I've been a big fan of composer Burt Bacharach since my readin', writin', and luncheon days in school.

During the pulsating hippie years of the early 1970s, he was my favorite musical artist. Of course, I couldn't tell anyone at college or they would have taken away my herringbone flare pants and Remington Hot Comb (personally endorsed by Edd "Kookie" Burns).

I spent my time at the university as an imposter. I was compelled to roam hallways, mumbling to anyone and everyone, "Hendrix ... Joplin ... Hot Tuna ... He's a complicated man, but no one understands him, but his woman. John Shaft!..."

I'd throw the campus citizens off my musical trail with those trippy, psychedelic references and a glimpse of my plasticized, The Dry Look-encrusted John Denver 'do, but inside my head I'd be perusing satellite photographs and longitudinal charts to, you know, the way to San Jose.

I still find Burt Bacharach's music to be quirky and unexpected. I've always enjoyed pop from the twangy rock era that had the guts to bring in 20 violins and a large classical orchestra for audio enhancements.

So, recently, I was delighted to see him in concert with the Atlanta Symphony. In what was essentially an extended medley of hits -- all of which he wrote -- he played keyboards for an hour and 45 minutes. Even then, not every piece was included. Great tunes like "Baby, It's You," "Nikki," "Everybody's Out of Town," and the theme to "Casino Royale" were omitted.

They did feature "The Blob," one of Burt's first successes, from the spooky 1958 Steve McQueen flick.

"Beware of The Blob, it creeps
And leaps and glides and slides
Across the floor
Right through the door
And all around the wall
A splotch, a blotch
Be careful of The Blob"

Frankly, I had forgotten that song, but I was delighted to hear it. Now, I'll have something to serenade the septic tank guy.

Burt and the orchestra also performed a memorable western movie ballad, "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance." A big song in 1962, it, oddly enough, is not in the film of the same name. According to The Internet Movie Database:

Many people take Gene Pitney's recording of "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" to be the theme song from the movie but, as Gene himself reports: "The song `Liberty Valance' was written for the movie but for some strange reason never was put in the soundtrack. Because of the prior success with "Town Without Pity" I was paid a bundle to record the song, and Burt Bacharach produced it. He wrote the song with Hal David. There was some screw-up between the publishing company, Famous Music, and the parent company, Paramount Pictures, as to why it never was in the actual film[...] The most bizarre part of the story I found out a few years ago. The actual music used in the film was from a 1938 Henry Fonda film called 'Young Mr. Lincoln' (1939). Go figure that out!"

Of course, John Ford directed both movies and, I'm guessing, he probably got irritated when the music issue materialized. I'd bet he told Paramount to go use that "Lincoln" score and be done with it.

Oh, in case you're wondering, "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" is not in "Young Mr. Lincoln" either.

"(The Man Who Begot) Abraham Lincoln" is in the picture, as I recall, although that could be The Dry Look fumes talking.

Say, I was textbook groovy in those trousers, high atop my platform shoes.

I had to give up the shoes because of the nosebleeds.

Now, there's a medley for you, Burt.... "Nosebleeds Keep Fallin' on My Threads" and "The Blot."