Burt Bacharach and Hal David were one of the most successful songwriter teams in the history of pop music. They had a style entirely of their own. Songs like Only Love Can Break A Heart, Walk On By, Close To You, Make It Easy On Yourself and A House Is Not A Home are unforgettable. It came as no surprise that Bacharach and David also tried their skills at a musical. As to be expected, their Promises, Promises, based on Neil Simon's comedy The Apartment became a solid Broadway hit. Even the critics were unanimous in their praise, and the public loved it. It ran for four years! The one person that did not enjoy the show was Burt Bacharach. An unforgiving perfectionist, he found the minor irregularities that occur in theatrical performances extremely nerve-racking. He could neither stand nor understand that a stage production is something one single artist alone can't have under total control. So he decided to keep away from the theater forever and for good. Too bad! He could have become a second Richard Rogers.
Was Richard Rogers self-centered and arrogant, too?
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