Make It Easy On Yourself – The Walker Brothers – Take It Easy With The Walker Brothers – 1965
The first of several Bacharach / David penned masterpieces that have a place in my top 14. An anomaly during the ‘British Invasion’, when the likes of the Beatles, Stones, Dusty Springfield, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five, The Spencer Davis Group and more were taking residence in the US charts, the American Walker Brothers (not actually brothers) achieved success in the UK with the help of Scott Walker’s outstanding vocal talent.
Not the first to record it, but having the biggest hit with it, this is the archetypal Walker Brothers song- Scott Walker’s deep, stately voice adding the necessary gravitas to a typically lush Burt Bacharach arrangement. Taking its cue from the old adage of ‘if you love someone, let them go’, Walker takes the role of jilted lover- a martyr to his own heart. This song is tragically, heroically, romantic addressing a situation the word ‘heartache’ was invented for. Even as she’s leaving him for another man, and being the injured party, he can’t bring himself to abandon his protective instincts- absolving her of any guilt as he watches her walk away in to the arms of the man she’s chosen over him.
‘If you really love him,
And there’s nothing I can do…
Don’t try to spare my feelings,
Just tell me that we’re through’
‘And if the way I hold you
Can’t compare to his caress,
No words of consolation
Will make me miss you less’
And despite the noble, stiff upper-lip façade this betrayal has left him bereft- the vocals carrying an air of resignation. A trace of bitterness creeps in to the first lines of the second verse, but he remains a monument of devotion.
As with the last entry ‘Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)’ the song writing is so good that it puts you in the singers shoes so effectively that you’re not hearing the song, you’re living it. The backing track mixes iconic Bacharach horns and strings with the epic, echoey Phil Spector touch that creates a sweeping, brooding atmosphere perfectly capitalised on by Scott Walker- capturing the tone of the song impeccably. They repeated the trick later in the same year of ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’s release with ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’ an equally gloomy song lyrically with a slightly more upbeat delivery and a soaring chorus.
‘Make It Easy On Yourself’ brings to mind another well-worn phrase, ‘nice guys finish last’. This song could be partnered very well with The Rolling Stones recording of ‘You Better Move On’, written for a similar situation but taking a far more preferable stance, addressing the other man directly-
‘You ask me to give up the hand
Of the girl I love.?
You tell me I'm not the man
She's worthy of?
But who are you to tell her who to love?
That's up to her,
Yes, and the Lord, above…
You better move on’
Of the girl I love.?
You tell me I'm not the man
She's worthy of?
But who are you to tell her who to love?
That's up to her,
Yes, and the Lord, above…
You better move on’
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