The Life of a Song is a regular column in the FT Weekend Life and Arts supplement. And today's article is devoted to the song Alfie;

Bacharach and David wanted Dionne Warwick to record their song. But because the film was set in London, Paramount sought a British singer. At Abbey Road studios in the autumn of 1965, Cilla Black sang "Alfie" 29 times before Bacharach was satisfied.

United Artists, the film's US distributor, instead had Cher record the song. This was heard only during the closing credits. Dionne Warwick recorded it in 1967.

Burt Bacharach described the words as "one of the best lyrics Hal, or anyone else, has written". Cilla Black apparently agreed; lines from "Alfie" are inscribed on her grave in her native Liverpool.