Posted on 08/01/2014 2:40:20 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The singer says she used to hate the iconic song, but she has nothing but nice things to say about the "Capital of Silicon Valley"
In 1968, Dionne Warwick had never been to San Jose and didn't think much of the song.
In 2014, the 73-year old singer is finding her way back to the city that inspired her iconic tune, “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”
The Celebrity Apprentice veteran is in town Friday night, Aug. 1, to sing the 1968 hit and other songs at the Center for the Performing Arts. While in town, Warwick will be officially named the city’s “global ambassador of goodwill.” She’ll sing that song as part of a Sister Cities International conference on Friday.
The catchy number penned by the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David would become her biggest international seller and won Warwick her first Grammy Award in 1968.
Lyricist David said he had fond memories of San Jose while serving during World War II. "It's a dumb song and I didn't want to sing it,” Warwick said in a 1983 interview. She told the Today show back in 2010 she used to hate singing the smash.
When the song became an international hit, Warwick said she “cried all the way to the bank." For Warwick, recasting the song as a duet with Celia Cruz – the duo teamed up in 2003 – has given it new life. ``I'm having a lot of fun with it now,'' she said.
Warwick told The Associated Press that she first recorded the song as a favor to her dear friend and songwriter David, who wrote the lyrics after developing an affinity for the town while he was stationed there in the Navy.
When the song became a hit, Warwick said she figured she'd better visit San Jose, which was then a farming community growing prunes, grapes and apricots.
``It was a little country town. But one of the most beautiful things I saw when I was there for the first time was their rose garden,'' she said.
Today, that 5-acre Municipal Rose Garden is still blooming, but what's really flourishing is technology, as the orchards have been replaced by Silicon Valley firms.
``It's a thriving city now,'' Warwick said.
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said he's pleased Warwick is coming back to town to sing. ``It's a great song and a great story about San Jose,'' he said.
Over the years, especially during stints living in smog-laden Los Angeles, Warwick said there was one line that always got stuck in her head: ``You can really breathe in San Jose.'' ``It's true,'' she said. ``The weather is great there.''
I was saddened to see a giant like her doing those “psychic friends” ads.I wonder if her record label,some lawyer or her agent might have cheated her,thus harming her financially.
San Jose Ping
She supported OJ Simpson, even offered him a home in South America at the time.
in 1968 San Jose was a nice town. Now, not so much.
Yikes!
“Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”
Probably a better song than “Where the hell is Hackensack” or “Hamtramck, here I come.”
I will be there in 45 minutes. My friend, Dennis Nahat, is the coreogrphor and I can watch rehearsal, before the show.
You going? I can meet you in the Crystal Circle Lounge.
Worst concert I ever attended...zero crowd empathy.
5 decades ago, California was a much nicer place. A 3rd world overpopulated hellhole ruled by Communists with the productive class mostly departed.
Near the end of that movie, it shows Dustin Hoffman driving on the top of the Bay Bridge towards Berkeley. If you really tried to do that, it would not be fun.
No, I don’t have tickets, but sounds like fun.
I can getaway with red linen shirt and khaki pants right?
I’m already there. I’ve lived in SJ for the last 19 years.
‘When the song became a hit, Warwick said she figured she’d better visit San Jose, which was then a farming community growing prunes, grapes and apricots.’
Uh, in ‘68, San Jose was hardly a farm village.
She’s a dumb tw@t with a great voice.
but am i bad for listening to Def Leppard and AC DC on the way up to be on Dionne Warwick?
Definitely. Tres chic.
“Do you know the way to San Jose?” The answer is pretty complex.
From Los Angeles, take I-10 to I-19 and go right. Continue south as I-19 becomes Rte. 15. At Tepic, turn right on Rte 200 and proceed to Tehuantepec, then right on Rte. 190. Continue on Rte. 190 until it becomes Rte. 1. Proceed through Quetzaltenango and stay on Rte. 1 to San Jose.
For racists, skin color trumps even a brutal murder.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.