Hal David and John Cacavas

As one half of the greatest American songwriting duo of the postwar era, lyricist Hal David teamed with composer Burt Bacharach to elevate the common pop song to fine art; the perfect complement to Bacharach's elegant melodies and shimmering arrangements, David's lyrics boasted an uncommon sophistication and maturity, achieving a poetic grace unparalleled in their sweeping romanticism and heartbreaking poignancy. The younger brother of tunesmith Mack David, he was born May 25, 1921 in Manhattan, and had already penned a series of hits including "American Beauty Rose," "Broken ...