Origin:

Written for the 1966 film of the same name

Style:

Ballad

Form:

A1-A2-B-C (40 Bars) [10-8-8-14]

Key:

Although the original recording was performed in Bb Major and this is also the key that Burt Bacharach would often perform the tune himself, it is commonly played in C Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The harmony of this composition while containing many functional elements is rather unconventional along with its complex form. The A sections meander around for the most part diatonically within the home key, although the Idim7 in the 8th bar which is left unresolved is a very unique touch that is not all too common. The B section begins in V Major, although it finishes with V7sus which then sets-up the final C section which again takes place in the home key. The final 4 bars of the C section tend to be a point of contention among many musicians as lead sheets often contain conflicting changes and many performances differ dramatically. Burt Bacharach himself played I13b9 - IImi9 - I13b9 - IMaj7. It is well worth listening to and comparing the many different recordings which exist in order to see how the harmony is most commonly approached, and also to learn of the many possible re-harmonizations.

Recordings:

This song has been recorded over 340 times to date. Cilla Black was the first to record it to promote the 1966 film Alfie. Chér would also record it later that year to promote the film's US release. This composition never managed to find wide-spread popularity as a standard in the repertoire, although many notable musicians have left behind recordings such as Bill Evans, Art Farmer, and John Scofield to name a few. This song is not to be confused with the Sonny Rollin's composition "Alfie's Theme".

JGC Top Picks:

Sarah Vaughan, It's A Man's World, 1967

Art Farmer, The Summer Knows, 1976

Pat Metheny, What's It All About, 2011