"The Look of Love" is a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetit ...

composed by Burt Bacharach and

Hal David Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. Early life David ...

and originally popularized by English pop singer

Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, pop and dram ...

. The song is notable for its sensuality and its relaxed bossa nova rhythm. The song was featured in the 1967 spoof

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...

film '' Casino Royale''. In 2008, the song was inducted into the

Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...

. It also received a Best Song nomination at the 1968 Academy Awards.

Songwriters

The music was written by Burt Bacharach, and was originally intended to be an instrumental. But later

added the lyrics, and the song was published in 1967. According to Bacharach, the melody was inspired by watching

Ursula Andress Ursula Andress (born 19 March 1936) is a Swiss-German actress, former model and sex symbol who has appeared in American, British and Italian films. Her breakthrough role was as Bond girl Honey Ryder in the first James Bond film, '' Dr. No'' (1962 ...

in an early cut of the film.

Recordings

Early recordings

Stan Getz made the first recording of the song, an instrumental version, in December 1966 for his album '' What the World Needs Now: Stan Getz Plays Burt Bacharach and Hal David''. The first recording featuring the song's lyrics was by

, for the '' Casino Royale'' soundtrack.

Phil Ramone Philip Ramone (né Rabinowitz, January 5, 1934March 30, 2013) was a South African-born American recording engineer, record producer, violinist and composer, who in 1958 co-founded A & R Recording, Inc., a recording studio with business pa ...

, the soundtrack's engineer, recorded the song separately from the rest of the film tracks. The film version received an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

nomination for songwriters Bacharach and David. Springfield re-recorded the song the same year for

Philips Records Philips Records is a record label founded by the Dutch electronics company Philips. It was founded as Philips Phonographische Industrie in 1950. In 1946, Philips acquired the company which pressed records for British Decca's Dutch outlet in ...

with an arrangement about half a minute shorter than the soundtrack version. Both Springfield versions feature a breathy tenor saxophone solo similar in style to Stan Getz's playing on his early-1960s bossa nova hit recordings like "

The Girl from Ipanema "Garota de Ipanema" ("The Girl from Ipanema") is a Brazilian bossa nova and jazz song. It was a worldwide hit in the mid-1960s and won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. It was written in 1962, with music by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Por ...

" and "Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)". Her Philips single version reached #22 in the U.S.

Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streamin ...

in November 1967. Springfield's Philips version was later featured in the 2002 film ''

Catch Me If You Can ''Catch Me If You Can'' is a 2002 American Biographical film, biographical crime film, crime Comedy drama, comedy-drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks with Christopher Walken, Martin ...

''.

Claudine Longet Claudine Georgette Longet (born 29 January 1942) is a Franco-American singer, actress, dancer, and recording artist popular during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Paris, France, Longet was married to American singer and television entertainer Andy ...

recorded the song on her 1967 album of the same title.

Lainie Kazan Lainie Kazan (born Lainie Levine; May 15, 1940) is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for ''St. Elsewhere'' and the 1993 Tony Award for Best Featured Actr ...

also recorded "The Look of Love" (arranged by Pat Williams) on her 1967 album ''Love Is Lainie''.

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blu ...

also recorded "The Look of Love" in 1967 on her album '' Silk & Soul''.

Morgana King Maria Grazia Morgana Messina (June 4, 1930 – March 22, 2018), known as Morgana King, was an American jazz singer and actress.Liner notes by Joel Dorn – Morgana King album ''The Complete Reprise Recordings'' (2000).Liner notes by Ed Osborne � ...

recorded "The Look of Love" on her 1967 album ''Gemini Rising''.

Sérgio Mendes Sérgio Santos Mendes (; born February 11, 1941) is a Brazilian musician. His career took off with worldwide hits by his group Brasil '66. He has over 55 releases and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk. He was nominated for ...

' hit rendition on the Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 album '' Look Around'' reached #4 on the pop charts after their performance in the

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

telecast in April 1968. The lead vocal on this single was handled by Janis Hansen, not

Lani Hall Lani Hall (born November 6, 1945) is an American singer, lyricist, and author. From 1966 to 1971 she performed as lead vocalist for Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66. In 1972 Hall released her first solo album, ''Sun Down Lady''. She may be best know ...

, a rarity in the early Brasil '66 canon. Andy Williams released a version in 1967 on his album, ''

Love, Andy ''Love, Andy'' is the twenty-first studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams, released on October 16, 1967, by Columbia Records to coincide with the NBC special of the same name, which aired on November 6. The LP had a mix of covers of ...

'', while Nancy Wilson included the song on her 1968 album '' Easy''. Soul group

The Delfonics The Delfonics were an American R&B/soul vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Delfonics were most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include " La-La (Means I Love You)", " Didn't I (Blow Your Mind Thi ...

also covered the song in 1968 on their album '' La La Means I Love You'', while the legendary Motown quartet Four Tops gave the song a sweeping Broadway-like treatment on their 1969 album ''Soul Spin''. Brazilian threesome Som Três recorded an early instrumental version on their album ''Show'' (Odeon, 1968).

Dorothy Ashby Dorothy Jeanne Thompson (August 6, 1932 – April 13, 1986), better known as Dorothy Ashby, was an American jazz harpist, singer and composer. Hailed as one of the most "unjustly under loved jazz greats of the 1950s" and the "most accomplished ...

included the song in her 1968 album '' Afro-Harping''. An instrumental version of the song was included on the 1967 Burt Bacharach album '' Reach Out'', which was also featured on the soundtrack for the film '' The Boys in the Band''.

References

Footnotes Bibliography *

External links

Sérgio Mendes interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' July 2008
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Look Of Love, The 1960s ballads 1967 songs 1967 singles 1968 singles 1971 singles Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Songs with music by Burt Bacharach Songs with lyrics by Hal David Isaac Hayes songs Diana Krall songs Shelby Lynne songs Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) songs Nina Simone songs Dusty Springfield songs Dionne Warwick songs Gladys Knight & the Pips songs Shirley Bassey songs Scott Walker (singer) songs Andy Williams songs Songs from James Bond films Bossa nova songs Pop ballads Anita Baker songs Song recordings produced by Phil Ramone A&M Records singles