Alfie (Burt Bacharach song) Alfie (Burt Bacharach song) "Alfie" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David to promote the 1966 film "Alfie". The song was a major hit for Cilla Black (UK) and Dionne Warwick (US). Although Bacharach has cited "Alfie" as his personal favorite of his compositions, he and Hal David were not eager to write a song to promote the film "Alfie" (a release from Paramount Pictures, which owned Famous Music) when approached by Ed Wolpin of the Composers' Guild. David thought the title character's name pedestrian: "Writing a song about a man called 'Alfie' didn't seem too exciting
Alfie (Burt Bacharach song) Artists wanted the song featured on the film's soundtrack despite the objections of the film's director Lewis Gilbert who felt the song "Alfie" would distract from the jazz score he had had Sonny Rollins provide for the film. United Artists compromised with Gilbert in keeping the prospective theme song out of the main body of the film "Alfie" but having it play during the closing credits. Rather than utilize Black's version, United Artists commissioned a new version of the song "Alfie" by the American singer/actress Cher who was on the roster of Imperial Records. Recorded at Gold Star Studios, Cher's