Hal David, Walk On By composer, dies aged 91

Songwriter Hal David, who wrote dozens of hits with collaborator Burt Bacharach, has died at the age of 91.

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers said he had died in Los Angeles from complications from a stroke.

Hal David had a lengthy career writing lyrics to go along with Burt Bacharach’s tunes.

The pair wrote a string of hits for Dionne Warwick, including Walk On By, and co-wrote songs for films including Alfie and Casino Royale.

His wife, Eunice David, told the Associated Press news agency that he had suffered a major stroke in March and was stricken again on Tuesday.

“Even at the end, Hal always had a song in his head,” she said.

“He was always writing notes, or asking me to take a note down, so he wouldn’t forget a lyric.”

Hal David won two Oscars for his work on the soundtrack for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – one for best music, and the other for the song Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.

Both awards were shared with Burt Bacharach.

The pair were nominated for three other Oscars and won many other awards for their soundtracks.

Hal David’s work was performed by a huge array of artists over the decades, including Perry Como, Louis Armstrong, the Carpenters and Sandie Shaw.

In 2011, Hal David and Burt Bacharach were awarded the Gershwin Prize for popular song by the US Library of Congress, the first time a songwriting team has been given the honor.

Hits of Hal David and Burt Bacharach

• Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, BJ Thomas

• Close To You – The Carpenters

• Alfie – Cilla Black

• What’s New Pussycat? – Tom Jones

• Walk On By, I Say a Little Prayer, Do You Know The Way To San Jose – Dionne Warwick

• Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa, Gene Pitney

• (There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me, Sandie Shaw

• Magic Moments – Perry Como