Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Song of the Day: 'Are You There (With Another Girl)' by Dionne Warwick


Sometimes I let my mind wander and think about who my "girl" would be if Debbie Harry had never entered my life. Since she was preceded by Olivia Newton-John, odds are I would have had a little more love for the (imported) Aussie goddess. But then there are other moments, when I'm listening to something so wonderful that I have to look myself in the mirror and ask how I can NOT think think this is the greatest thing ever? Always think how fun it would be to find people who put women I view this way -- like Aretha Franklin, Annie Lennox, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, Joni Mitchell, Gladys Knight or Carole King -- on the same pedestal I put Debbie, Chrissie Hynde and Rosanne Cash. 


In recent weeks, another name was added to that list of "could have beens": Dionne Warwick. In addition to being a beauty and '60s style icon, her classic years as Burt Bacharach and Hal David's muse are unparalleled, with "Don't Make Me Over," "Anyone Who Had a Heart," "Walk On By," "Message to Michael," "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself," "Alfie," "The Windows of the World," "I Say a Little Prayer," "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me," "Promises, Promises," "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," not to mention her theme from "Valley of the Dolls." (The closest I can think of that comes close is Madonna's '80s-'90s run.) And I'm just the right age to remember Dionne's second (and third?) act with gems like "Then Came You," "I'll Never Love This Way Again," "Deja Vu," "Heartbreaker" and "That's What Friends Are For." (Am I the only one who didn't know this song was originally recorded by Rod Stewart for the underrated film "Night Shift" back in '82?)


I guess the only solace I can take in not hitching my wagon to her is that I didn't have to live with the shame of the "psychic friends" years, although I'd love to further worship someone who married a man in 1966, divorced him in 1967, and then married him again later that same year! Is Dionne YOUR girl?



1 comment:

ed said...

One of the best singers ever.