Today’s classic song of the day is another piece of sophisticated adult pop from the pens of Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (words), “You’ll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart).” It was a hit for two different artists in successive decades.
“You’ll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)” was first recorded by Dionne Warwick in a version arranged and produced by Burt Bacharach himself. Released as a single in August of 1964, Ms. Warwick’s version of the song peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100, #28 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #10 on Billboard’s R&B chart. Interestingly, the B-side of the single, “A House is Not a Home” (another Bacharach-David tune) also made the charts, reaching #71 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #50 on the Cash Box Top 100.
A decade later, Philadelphia soul group the Stylistics recorded a Philly Soul-influenced cover of “You’ll Never Get to Heaven,” produced by Philly legend Thom Bell. Released in May of 1973, the Stylistics’ version did even better than the original, hitting #23 on the Billboard Hot 100, #16 on the Cash Box Top 100, #8 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and #4 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. This is a good example of what a good fit Bacharach’s music was with the smooth sound of Philly Soul. It just sounds right.
Musically, “You’ll Never Get to Heaven” has that typically Bacharach sound and feel. It’s filled with extended chords (lots of sevenths and ninths) and the melody spends a lot of time on those extensions, rather than on the basic chord triad. The chords aren’t quite what one might expect, including a prominent bVI9 chord throughout the verse. (The chords go IMaj7 – IV – bVII9 then back to the IMaj7; in the key of Eb, that’s EbMaj7 – Ab – Db9.) Unusual but extremely effective.
Lyrically, the song warns the singer’s current lover, who may be playing around, not to stray:
Mother told me always to follow the golden rule
And she said it’s really a sin to be mean and cruel
So remember if you’re untrue
Angels up in heaven are looking at you
You’ll never get to heaven if you break my heart
So be very careful not to make us part
You won’t get to heaven if you break my heart
And here’s your daily bonus video of the day, Dionne Warwick singing “You’ll Never Get to Heaven” live in Paris in 1966. She nails it.
