“Make It Easy On Yourself” (Dionne Warwick) #37 11/7/1970

A Top 5 easy listening hit from Dionne Warwick, a live remake of the 1962 Jerry Butler smash that she recorded at the Garden States Arts Center in New Jersey. She did the original demo for Burt Bacharach and Hal David before her stardom, but the label’s owner nixed putting out Dionne’s version and allowed Butler to release it instead. Bacharach and David promised a miffed Warwick another tune which became her first single, “Don’t Make Me Over.” Thus began a long association that resulted in many of Dionne’s hits until Burt and Hal dissolved their partnership in the early 70’s.