What, exactly, is The Look of Love?
Is it characterized by a sophisticated, smooth, jazzy arrangement, with lush orchestration, a relaxed bossa nova rhythm, and a sultry vocal performance by the incredibly talented Diana Krall?
Or is it a high-energy slice of early 1980s new wave pop music, with an upbeat tempo, catchy melody, and a prominent use of synthesizers and electronic instrumentation?
One of the great things about doing this particular blog is the ability to really step back and do some old school, High School level "Compare and Contrast" type of musical essays.
1967s "The Look Of Love" was composed by Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Hal David, and was originally performed by Dusty Springfield for the James Bond film "Casino Royale."
1982s "The Look Of Love" was written and performed by the English band ABC, and was the third single from their debut studio album, "The Lexicon of Love." Which, remains to this day, one of the greatest albums to come out of the 1980s, and that's a hill I will, in fact, die on.
ABC was part of the New Romantic movement, an subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s, and characterized by flamboyant, eccentric fashions. Bands like Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, A Flock of Seagulls, and Culture Club were all thrown under this banner.
Burt Bacharach is an Old Romantic, in the very best ways.
But, where does all this leave us, really? Are we any closer to knowing what, exactly, "The Look Of Love" really is?
I didn't think so. Listen, I barely graduated High School, so maybe I'm not the best person you should be reading essays from. How about just listening to two very different, and very cool, variations on a theme.
Enjoy.
