CYCLE MUSIC #07
B.J. Thomas “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”

It’s been a year since the passing of Burt Bacharach, the iconic composer of the 20th century. His art of songwriting, characterized by sophisticated yet beautiful melodies and vibrant, stylish arrangements that make full use of “Bacharach Magic” chord progressions and rhythm changes, along with bold and elegant structures, continues to captivate people’s hearts worldwide. His witty and imaginative compositions, combined with urban and deeply resonant lyrics (especially those of Hal David), create a timeless marriage that still resonates with people around the world, transcending generations.

The records that I consciously purchased and listened to, influenced by Bacharach’s name, exceed lightly 100, including soundtracks and numerous covers. The first time I was drawn to his music was during my junior high school years when three songs played on an FM radio program caught my attention. I’ll never forget it – B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” Dionne Warwick’s “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” and Aretha Franklin’s “I Say A Little Prayer.” In this month’s column, let’s explore “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” from the perspective of its connection with bicycle.

Yes, when we mention B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” one cannot forget the iconic scene from the 1969 American New Cinema classic “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” directed by George Roy Hill, where Paul Newman and Katharine Ross ride a bicycle on their date. Many cinephiles, including some of my friends, consider this scene as a happy and romantic moment that touches the heart in their favorite movies. Although it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Best Original Music Score, my favorite part of this song is the ending, “Because I’m free, Nothing’s worrying me.” Let’s once again pay tribute to the great genius, Burt Bacharach, who has gifted us with many heart-touching moments through his music, and express our gratitude. R.I.P.

B.J. Thomas「Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head」

https://youtu.be/_VyA2f6hGW4?si=uMB1cK0ckVJr8DOT



♬CYCLE MUSIC STORAGE♬
#01 The Style Council “My Ever Changing Moods”
#02 Cordelia “Play Pretend”
#03 Corinne Bailey Rae “Put Your Records On”
#04 Georgie Fame ”Happiness”
#05 Alulu Paranhos “Bicicletinha”
#06 Motoharu Sano “Angelina”
#07 B.J. Thomas “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”
#08 The Smiths “This Charming Man”
#09 Dominic Miller “Bicycle”
#10 NewJeans “Bubble Gum”
#11 Tank and the Bangas “Smoke.Netflix.Chill.”
#12 Kraftwerk “Tour de France”
#13 Livingston Taylor “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream”
#14 RM “Bicycle”
#15 Norah Jones “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)”


Profile

Toru Hashimoto (SUBURBIA)
Editor / Music Selector / DJ / Producer. Founder of Suburbia Factory. Owner of Shibuya’s “Cafe Apres-midi” and “Apres-midi Selecao.” Over 350 compilation CDs, including series like ‘Free Soul,’ ‘Mellow Beats,’ ‘Cafe Apres-midi,’ ‘Jazz Supreme,’ ‘Music With A View,’ and many others, have been curated, making him the world’s foremost selector. He oversees and produces music broadcast channels “usen for Cafe Apres-midi” and “usen for Free Soul” on USEN, wielding significant influence in Japanese music scene since the 1990s. In recent years, his ‘Good Mellows’ series with a focus on mellow chillout has gained great popularity both domestically and internationally.

Art Work_spoken words project

CULTURE
Music Cycles Around The World
#01 New York
3rd Bass “Brooklyn-Queens”

After 15 instalments, my column CYCLE MUSIC, where I’ve written about cycling and the music I love, has come to an end.Starting from this issue, I’m launching a new series titled Music Cycles Around The World. With the theme of “cities and music”, the idea is to explore the world through both cycling and sound. We begin with New York, where the Five Boro Bike Tour—a ride event that takes in all five boroughs including Brooklyn and Queens—is scheduled for 4th May. The title speaks for itself, so let’s kick things off with “Brooklyn-Queens” by 3rd Bass. 3rd Bass were a mixed-race hip-hop trio formed in Queens in 1987, made up of MC Serch, Prime Minister Pete Nice, and DJ Richie Ric […]

#Column #Music
CULTURE
CYCLE MUSIC #11
Tank and the Bangas “Smoke.Netflix.Chill.”

In last month’s column, I mentioned the DJ party held on 27th April at Cafe Apres-midi. The event brought together the editor and artwork production team of this series, their friends, and even the staff of “Global Ride,” including designers and translators. The atmosphere was filled by good vibes with an array of fantastic music, and it was genuinely a delightful and lively gathering. During the event, our mutual friend and interior designer, Takashi Kobayashi, who runs the architectural firm ima, was spinning records. This month, I’d like to introduce a favourite song of mine that I remembered, “Ah, this one had a bicycle cover too!” They are acclaimed as the best l […]

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