Songwriter Burt Bacharach died earlier this week at the age of 94. Bacharach has a longtime partnership with Elvis Costello. Costello paid tribute to his late friend with performance of “Baby It’s You” and “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” watch below.
Costello and Bacharach first worked together in 1996, when they collaborated on the song “God Gave Me Strength” for the Grace Of My Heart soundtrack. Two years later, they released the much-acclaimed album Painted From Memory.
Costello has been performing a residency at New York’s Gramercy Theatre, where every night he will sing new songs not to be played again. On Thursday, February 9, Costello had planned to dedicate that nights show to songs that he’d written in 1977 and earlier. While he did play all the intended songs, he also took the time to sing some Bacharach classics. Costello told the crowd, “It’s been a tough day, I can’t deny. A really great man left us yesterday. And when somebody reached a great age, people say, ‘Well, it was a good ending.’ Yeah, it’s never time to say goodbye to somebody if you love them. I’m not ashamed to say I did love this man for everything he gave, Mr. Burt Bacharach.”
Costello also shared that the rest of his residency shows will continue to pay tribute to Bacharach: “We will, of course, be delving into the songbook that Burt and I assembled over 30 years.” (Stereogum)