"Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head", "This Guy's in Love With You", and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again", are just three of the hits in a string of
standards written by Academy Award-winning lyricist Hal David.
"Raindrops", which was in the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,
garnered an Oscar, "Don't Make Me Over", "Close to You" and "Walk on By"
are all in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
"What The World Needs Now is Love" was proclaimed "The Towering Song" by
the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004, distinguished by its unforgettable
melody and prayerful plain-spoken words that sound utterly contemporary
today when conflict is so wide-spread around the world, even though it was
written in 1965.
In addition, "What's New Pussycat", "Alfie", and "The Look of Love" received Oscar nominations.
Amongst Hal David's million-sellers are such standards as "Do You Know the
Way to San Jose", "Walk on By", "What The World Needs Now is Love", "I Say
a Little Prayer", "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me", and "One Less Bell To Answer" - all of which have become Pop standards.
When Dionne Warwick recorded Hal David's hit song "What the World Needs Now Is Love", she commented that she felt it "should be the new national
anthem".
Small wonder that Hal David has been honored for his way with words with
every major award bestowed by the music industry, including 20 gold
records, several Grammys, the NARM Presidential Award, and the B'Nai B'rith
Creative Achievement Award. He has also been elected to the Songwriter's
Hall of Fame, and has been presented with their coveted Johnny Mercer
Award. Mr. David was awarded the prestigious Grammy Trustees Award by the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He was also honored by the
British Performing Rights Society by being awarded the esteemed British
Ivor Novello Award (the first non-British person to ever receive that
award).
In addition, Mr. David wrote the lyrics for film scores to "Alfie", "What's
New Pussycat", "Casino Royale", "The April Fools", "A House is not a Home",
"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", and "Moonraker".
Hal David has been elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame for
his many country hits, including "To All The Girls I've Loved Before",
which garnered a Top country Hit of the Year Award when the Famed country
singer Willie Nelson duetted with the Latin star Julio Iglesias to record
the hugely successful song.
His Broadway show "Promises, Promises" received a Grammy, and was nominated
for a Tony Award, when it first appeared on Broadway. Two songs, written
for the show: "Promises, Promises" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again",
became instant hits. The The Encore Series in New York showcased
"Promises, Promises". Following that successful revival, the Reprise Series
produced the show in Los Angeles, where it was so successful that they
extended the series, and presented "Promises, Promises" a second time in
the same season.
Hal David's work is quoted in "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations", and the
book of his lyrics, entitled "What the World Needs Now and Other Love
Lyrics", was published by Simon & Schuster. The Joffrey Ballet features
two of Mr. David's songs, "Make it Easy on Yourself" and "There's Always
Something There to Remind Me" in its production of "Love Songs", which is
in its permanent repertoire.
Lincoln College bestowed a Doctor of Music degree on Mr. David for his
major contribution to American music, and he received an Honorary Doctorate
of Humane Letters Degree from Claremont Graduate University. In October of 2007
he received an Honorary Degree from the Five Towns College in Long Island, and in
addition, they named their new Music Library building "The Hal David Music Library".
Hal David, Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick are the proud recipients of
the prestigious "New York Heroes Award" from the National Recording
Academy.
He's listed as a "Distinguished Patron of the Arts" of the Los Angeles
Music Center. He serves as a member of the Board of Governors of Cedars
Sinai Medical Center, as well as the Board of Directors of ASCAP, having
formerly served as its President.
Hal David is the Chairman of the Board of the National Academy of Popular
Music and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.