The Walker Brothers’ “Make It Easy on Yourself” Elevates Orchestral Pop and Redefines Heartbreak Ballads in 1965
Released in August 1965, “Make It Easy on Yourself” by The Walker Brothers wasn’t just a chart-topping ballad—it was a defining moment for the orchestral pop movement. With its sweeping arrangement, haunting vocals, and aching lyrics, the song became a transatlantic success, reaching No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and climbing to No. 16 in the U.S. What set it apart from other heartbreak songs of the era was its sheer emotional scale. Rather than soft, restrained sorrow, it delivered grief on a grand, cinematic level—an approach that would leave a lasting impression on pop music for decades.
The Walker Brothers were an American trio—Scott Walker (real name Noel Scott Engel), John Walker, and Gary Leeds—who found their greatest success not in their homeland, but in the UK. Originally from California, the group relocated to London in the mid-1960s, where their brooding image, melodramatic sound, and lush production found a receptive audience. What made them stand out from the wave of British Invasion bands was their reversal of that trend: they were Americans who became stars in Britain, delivering an exotic blend of Hollywood melancholy and European romanticism.
“Make It Easy on Yourself” was written by the famed songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David, originally recorded by Jerry Butler in 1962. The song’s melancholic lyrics and gentle pleading tone made it a natural choice for reinterpretation, and when The Walker Brothers’ producer Ivor Raymonde heard Scott Walker’s deep, cinematic voice, he recognized the potential to give the track new emotional weight. The decision to cover the song was not only strategic—it was inspired. Scott’s voice brought a near-operatic despair to the track, elevating it beyond a simple breakup tune and into the realm of tragic drama.
The production, overseen by Johnny Franz with Ivor Raymonde arranging, was lush and heavily orchestrated—a wall of sound filled with strings, horns, and sweeping crescendos. This grand, almost theatrical treatment of a love song was reminiscent of Phil Spector’s influence, but it carried a European flavor, blending pop with hints of baroque and classical composition. Scott’s vocal performance, deep and mournful, sat at the center of it all. He didn’t sing so much as he confided, his voice cracking ever so slightly as he delivered the song’s most vulnerable lines.
When the single was released, it immediately resonated with British audiences. It shot to No. 1 on the UK charts, displacing The Beatles and the Stones with its surprising emotional heft. The Walker Brothers’ moody image—dark suits, solemn expressions, and Scott’s towering presence—perfectly matched the music’s tone. In the United States, the song had moderate success, but it was in Britain that the group found their true fan base, particularly among young women drawn to their blend of sensitivity and mystery.
The impact of “Make It Easy on Yourself” extended beyond the charts. It helped establish a new aesthetic in pop music—what would later be called “orchestral pop” or “baroque pop”—that embraced complexity, sorrow, and grandeur. It opened the door for more introspective, emotionally vulnerable male vocalists in pop, setting a precedent that would be taken up by artists like Nick Drake, David Bowie, and later, Morrissey. The song showed that heartbreak could be expressed with elegance and cinematic flourish, without losing its authenticity.
For The Walker Brothers, the single marked the beginning of their meteoric rise. It set the tone for their next few hits, including “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore,” another dramatic ballad that further established Scott Walker as a vocalist capable of conveying emotional devastation with unmatched subtlety. The success of “Make It Easy on Yourself” catapulted the group into stardom and gave Scott the platform that would later support his solo career—a journey into ever more avant-garde musical territory.
The song’s influence on other artists was subtle but far-reaching. While few tried to replicate its exact sound, many were inspired by its scale and vulnerability. The idea that a pop song could be both musically ambitious and emotionally raw was still novel in 1965, and it encouraged experimentation in pop arrangements. In the late ’60s and ’70s, bands from The Left Banke to Roxy Music would take cues from its orchestral ambition.
Several artists revisited “Make It Easy on Yourself” in the years that followed. Dionne Warwick, one of Bacharach’s closest collaborators, performed it live. Isaac Hayes gave it a soulful spin, adding a layer of gospel-inflected gravitas. Yet none captured the aching intensity of The Walker Brothers’ version, which remains the definitive interpretation—its sorrow so elegant and overwhelming that it seems to exist in its own emotional universe.
Around the time of the song’s release, The Walker Brothers were navigating their rapid rise to fame, particularly in the UK, where they were mobbed by fans in scenes reminiscent of Beatlemania. But with that fame came tension—particularly creative friction, as Scott Walker began to crave artistic autonomy. “Make It Easy on Yourself” became a bittersweet marker: a symbol of success, but also a reminder of the constraints Scott would later rebel against.
Today, the song is widely regarded as a classic of its time, frequently appearing on lists of the best pop ballads of the 1960s. It continues to enjoy radio play, especially in the UK, and is often used in film and television to underscore scenes of heartbreak or nostalgia. Its orchestration, once groundbreaking, has aged beautifully, remaining as dramatic and affecting now as it was nearly sixty years ago.
In terms of long-term influence, “Make It Easy on Yourself” helped pave the way for genre-blending in pop—particularly the integration of classical and orchestral elements into mainstream music. It demonstrated the emotional potential of pop when treated with the same reverence and complexity as classical composition. It also marked a shift in vocal approach, favoring vulnerability over bravado in male pop singing.
Though The Walker Brothers would disband a few years later and Scott Walker would move into increasingly experimental territory, this song remains a cornerstone of his early career. It introduced the world to his singular voice and set the foundation for his artistic evolution. For many fans, it’s the song that best captures the haunting beauty of his early work.
“Make It Easy on Yourself” endures not just because of its melody or arrangement, but because of the honesty it conveys. It speaks to the universal experience of letting go—of loving someone enough to release them, even when it hurts. That message, paired with its majestic sound, ensures its place in the pantheon of great pop ballads.
Ultimately, the song is more than just a hit—it’s a masterclass in musical emotion. The Walker Brothers, through their unique interpretation, elevated a well-written tune into a timeless anthem of heartbreak. And in doing so, they left an indelible mark on the sound and soul of 1960s pop music.
