Wives and Lovers

Burt Bacharach

About Wives and Lovers

"Wives and Lovers" is a 1963 song by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It has been recorded by numerous male and female vocalists, instrumentalists and ensembles, most notably by Jack Jones in 1963. That recording earned the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male, and peaked at number fourteen on the Hot 100 and number nine on the Easy Listening chart."Wives and Lovers" is a song of advice to married women, to stay attractive and attentive to their husbands ("wives should always be lovers, too") to avoid their husbands straying with "girls at the office". The song originated when Bacharach and David were asked to write a song with the title "Wives and Lovers", on the theme of marital infidelity, as a promotional tie-in for the 1963 film Wives and Lovers. The song did not appear in the film but was intended simply to promote the film; which made it what was known at the time as an "exploitation song". Similarly, the song "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," which Bacharach and David wrote in 1962, promoted, but was not featured in, the film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. 


Year:
1974
307 
#2

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Hey, little girl
Comb your hair, fix your make-up
Soon he will open the door
Don't think because
There's a ring on your finger
You needn't try any more

For wives should always be lovers, too
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you
I'm warning you

Day after day
There are girls at the office
And men will always be men
Don't send him off
With your hair still in curlers
You may not see him again

For wives should always be lovers, too
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you
He's almost here

Hey, little girl
Better wear something pretty
Something you'd wear to go to the city
And dim all the lights
Pour the wine, start the music
Time to get ready for love

Oh, time to get ready
Time to get ready
Time to get ready
For love

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Burt Bacharach

Burt F. Bacharach ( /ˈbækəræk/ BAK-ə-rak; born May 12, 1928) is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David, as part of the duo Bacharach and David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick. Following on with the initial success of this collaboration, Bacharach went on to produce hits with Dusty Springfield, Bobbie Gentry, Jackie DeShannon and others. more »

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Written by: BURT BACHARACH, HAL DAVID

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Song Origin
"Wives and Lovers" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
Performers
Originally, Jack Jones recorded the song for his 1963 studio album, Wives and Lovers.
Grammy Awards
This song won a Grammy award in 1964. Jack Jones won the Best Pop Male Vocal Performance for his rendition of "Wives and Lovers".
Theme
The lyrical content of "Wives and Lovers" is aimed at wives who are warned to always look their best in order to prevent their husbands from having affairs.
Backlash
The lyrics have been criticized for their sexist message, although the sensibilities reflected were common for the era in which the song was written.
Other Versions
Many artists, including Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, and Ella Fitzgerald have also recorded the song since its 1963 release.
Hit Record
"Wives and Lovers" turned out to be a hit record. It reached No.14 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No.9 on the Easy Listening chart.
Cultural Influence
The song's title was so iconic it was used as the title for a 1963 film, thought the song itself isn't associated with the movie.
Notable Interpretations
Frank Sinatra performed a live cover version of "Wives and Lovers" though he never officially recorded this song.
Unofficial Theme Song
"Wives and Lovers" became the unofficial theme song for The Tonight Show during the tenure of host Johnny Carson.
Songwriters
Burt Bacharach, the composer of "Wives and Lovers," is one of the most celebrated and successful songwriters in the history of Pop and Easy Listening music, having penned numerous hit records for a wide array of artists during his career.

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