Anyone Who Had a Heart was a Top Ten for Dionne Warwick on the US Billboard Hot 100, but in the UK her version only reached No. 42. On this side of the Pond the song is most associated with Cilla Black, who took it to No. 1 in February 1964. It was Cilla's second single, and her first big hit – her first single, Love of the Loved (a Lennon/McCartney song) peaked at No. 35.
Cilla Black's version of Alfie was released as a single in January 1966, having been recorded for the film, but it only reached the charts after the release of the film in March that year. It just made the Top Ten in the UK, but only reached No. 95 in the Billboard Hot 100 – where Cher's version was more successful. Dionne Warwick recorded a version and it was featured on an album in December 1966, by which time over 40 versions had been released. In January 1967 it was released as the B–side to another Bacharach / David song, The Beginning of Loneliness. Dionne Warwick performed Alfie at the Oscars ceremony in April 1967, after which her version was given a lot of radio play in the USA. Although the single only reached No. 15 in the Hot 100, Billboard ranked Dionne Warwick's version of Alfie at No. 44 in its list of the biggest Pop hits of 1967. Neither The Beginning of Loneliness nor Alfie (Dionne Warwick's version) made the charts in the UK.
© Haydn Thompson 2022