Spring was never waiting for us girl it ran one step ahead as we followed in the dance
'Tween the parted pages and were pressed
In love's hot fevered iron like a stripped pair of pants
I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave on the ground around your knees
And birds like tender babies in your hands
And the old man playing checkers by the trees
MacArthur Park is melting in the dark all the sweet green ising flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never had that recipe again oh no
There will be another songs for me for I will sing it
There will be another dream for me someone will bring it
I'll drink the wine while it is warm and never let you catch me looking in the sun
But after all the loves of my life after all the loves of my life you'll still be the one
I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passions flow like rivers through the sky
But after all the loves of my life oh after all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you and wondering why
MacArthur Park is melting...
A short while ago I was searching the Internet for
articles about Jimmy Webb, who I rate as one of if not the finest
songwriters of the modern era.
In particular I wanted to read about the monumental
MacArthur Park which was, is and always will be one of my favourite songs.
I didn't find much apart from one site where a journalist
had voted the lyrics of MacArthur Park to be the worst ever written.
Apparently in a survey more than 10,000 people agreed with this scribe.
Second place apparently went to "Yummy Yummy Yummy, I've Got Love in
My Tummy."
The writer pointed out that the "appalling"
MacArthur Park had been featured on over 50 different albums.
Now I had a problem with the logic of this man. Firstly if
MacArthur Park is as bad as he claims, why have countless artists recorded
it on vinyl and subsequently CD? This shows an immediate flaw in this
reporter's logic. Secondly could it be that the people who feel that
MacArthur Park's lyrics are the worst ever written have no perception of
the song whatsoever. They have no understanding of what makes a great
lyric and what makes a challenging song. The same people would probably
struggle with Surfs Up by the beach Boys - another of the all time great
lyrics.
Ten thousand people may have voted it the worst song ever,
but quite equally another 10,000 probably think it is the best thing since
sliced bread.
MacArthur Park is a brilliant example of Jimmy Webb at his
greatest. No matter how many times I have listened to this song in all its
forms and guises, I always hear something different in it. It has beauty,
pace, calm and that wonderful staccato section which has been cloned by so
many people. There is a Gershwinian feel to parts of the song, but beyond
doubt it has all the signatures of Jimmy Webb at his best.
I decided to put together a compilation of this one song
and soon found myself running out of recording space and having to go to a
second CD. It has over the years been recorded by some of the greatest
names in music - as well as some of the least known. Such is its timeless
quality that new versions are always likely. For me the definitive version
will always be that of Richard Harris. He took the single to number two in
the charts - some going for a song which lasted over seven minutes and certainly broke the mould of the three minute single.
For me Harris, probably better known as an actor than
singer, is the best interpreter of Webb's music. He brings a theatrical
feel to the song that not even Glenn Campbell can match. It is interesting
to see what bits are left out in the cutdown versions
Below is a list of artists who have recorded MacArthur
Park. Many have recorded it numerous times (both live and in the studio)
and I hope to be able to track down most of these as well. The
current total of artists who have recorded the song (with many more to be
found) is 72 and counting
| Artist |
Album(s) |
Length |
Mark |
Comments |
| Richard
Harris |
A
Tramp Shining/Greatest Performances/The Webb Sessions/MacArthur
Park/Someone Left the Cake out in the Rain |
|
10 |
The
definitive single, oozing emotion and one of the greatest
interpretations of any Jimmy Webb song |
| Jimmy
Webb |
10
Easy Lessons |
|
7 |
Jimmy's
voice perhaps doesn't do justice, but his piano playing is
excellent. But who's going to criticise the genius that wrote it? |
| Long
John Baldry |
Up
Up and Away- The Songs of Jimmy Webb |
|
7 |
Baldry's
clipped but sultry voice is similar to Harris but without quite the
same feeling |
| Four
Tops |
Four
Tops Story 1964/72 |
|
|
|
| Andy
Williams |
Love
Theme From the Godfather/Greatest Hits/Super Hits |
5:06 |
6 |
Starts
with the quiet bits which makes this rather strange. Williams'
velvet voice handles the song pretty well but the emotion is
lacking. |
| Floyd
Cramer |
Floyd
Cramer Plays MacArthur Park |
|
|
|
| Donna
Summer |
On
the Radio Greatest Hits/Someone Left the Cake out in the Rain |
|
7.5 |
For
some strange reason I like this up tempo disco version by Donna
Summer which succeeded in bringing the song to a wider audience |
| Waylon
Jennings |
MacArthur
Park/Legends |
5:10 |
8 |
One
of my favourite versions with backing vocals from the Kimberleys,
one of whom takes the lead on the beautiful slow section which is
very emotional. Misses out much of the instrumental passages but
nevertheless very effective |
| Waylon
Jennings |
Are
You Ready for the Country/What Goes Around Comes Around |
6:34 |
6 |
Time
has weathered Jennings' voice to give a more guttarel feel in this
longer version. Without the Kimberleys it lacks depth and becomes
rather tedious. Still a competent version although messing around
with the lyrics is not a good move. |
| Glen
Campbell |
The
Glen Campbell Good Time Album/The Legacy |
|
7.5 |
Another
fine interpreter of Jimmy Webb songs (probably second only to
Richard Harris). At times he makes MP sound more like a singalong
but this version has considerable merit |
| Ed
Ames |
|
|
|
|
| 101
Strings |
|
|
|
|
| Tony
Bennett |
|
|
|
|
| Ray
Conniff |
|
|
|
|
| Percy
Faith |
|
|
|
|
| Ferranti
and Teicher |
|
|
|
|
| Liberace |
|
|
|
|
| Frank
Sinatra |
Trilogy |
|
|
|
| Atlantic
Bridge |
Up
Up and Away -The songs of Jimmy Webb |
|
|
|
| Dionne
Warwick |
|
|
|
|
| The
Stone Canyon |
MacArthur
Park |
6:14 |
3.5 |
A
plinky-plonky speeded up version with some highly embarrassing
passages and a vocalist who quite obviously cannot cope with the
vocal range needed |
| Studio
Group |
|
|
|
|
| The
Associated Soul Group |
|
|
|
|
| Kurt
Edelhagan Orchestra |
Jazz
Swings Pop |
3:41 |
4 |
Starts
with a fanfare and then plenty of brass. Instrumental that is
ultimately too fast as if they are trying to get it over with |
| Carmen
McRae |
|
|
|
|
| Justin
Hayward |
Classic
Blue |
7:16 |
5.5 |
Beautiful
classical baroque intro with plenty of strings. Hayward's lush
lyrics don't quite capture the emotion of the early verses. Just
proves what a phenomenally difficult song this is and the ending
is very strained. |
| Liza
Minnelli |
|
|
|
|
| Vic
Damone |
Selected
Hits Volume One |
4:07 |
4.5 |
At
one point Damone's vocals get so aggressive that it seems he wants
to step outside the song and knife somebody. A very disjointed
version where Damone tries far too hard to be emotional. |
| The
Assembled Multitude |
|
|
|
|
| Manny
Lagod |
Something |
5:02 |
5 |
Doesn't
cut the mustard with his phrasing and lacks the necessary emotion.
Misses out too much and suddenly comes to the ending without any
of the necessary drama. |
| Buddy
Greco |
|
4:33 |
7 |
Decent
funky/jazzy piano led instrumental version that rips along and
builds to a reasonable climax |
| Jeff
Duff Band |
|
|
|
|
| Della
Reese |
|
|
|
|
| The
Lounge-O-Leers |
|
4:33 |
6 |
A
fun version - scampers along in lounge style with fun organ
backing. All rambles along at the same pace. You have to admire
the cheek of these New York satirists. |
| Maynard
Ferguson |
The
Essential Maynard Ferguson |
10:01 |
7 |
Jazz
trumpeter Ferguson provides a long, but crisp interpretation with
some lush slower passages. Due to its length it does veer away
from the original slightly. |
| 101
Strings Orchestra |
Quiet
Moods |
7:05 |
6 |
Decent
lush instrumental version with few frills or surprises, but pretty
true to the original |
| Stan
Kenton |
|
|
|
|
| Percy
Faith and His Orch. |
|
|
|
|
| Goober
and the Peas |
|
4:55 |
5.5 |
Another
tongue in the cheek version, which doesn't mean it's bad. Moves
between country and thrash metal but somehow still manages to stay
on course. Disintegrates at the end |
| Vocal
Majority Chorus |
|
|
|
|
| Pro
Sound Studio Band |
|
|
|
|
| Amen
Corner |
|
|
|
|
| Newell
Oler |
|
4:44 |
6 |
More
of a classical piano interpretation than say Buddy Greco. Again
illustrates how MP lends itself to so many different styles either
vocal or instrumental. This version concentrates more on the
quieter passages of the song. |
| Crescent
City Orchestra |
|
|
|
|
| Grimethorpe
Colliery Band |
Classic
Brass |
6:26 |
7 |
MP
is extremely effective when performed by a brass band. This is a
beautifully moody version that evokes the north of England |
| Stanley
Turrentine |
|
|
|
|
| Mike
Vax |
|
|
|
|
| Denny
G |
|
4:51 |
6 |
Very
competent version with sultry female vocals that erupt into a
Donna Summer disco style feel. An amalgam of many other versions.
No slow section though |
| Andre
Francis |
|
|
|
|
| Magic
Hands |
|
|
|
|
| Ukelele
Orchestra of GB |
|
|
|
|
| Hybrid
Kids |
|
|
|
|
| South
Notts Brass Band |
|
|
|
|
| Chicago
Metorpolitan Jazz Orchestra |
|
|
|
|
| Countdown |
|
|
|
|
| Larry
Matthews |
|
|
|
|
| The
Film Score Orchestra |
|
|
|
|
| Brazilian
Topical Orch. |
Plays
Boleros |
2:53 |
4 |
One
of the shorter versions with a loose samba beat but pretty
mainstream and just seems to fade into the distance |
| Hugo
Montenegro and orch. |
|
|
|
|
| Jack
Fender |
|
|
|
|
| Maestro
Jerard |
|
|
|
|
| Jim
Anderson |
|
|
|
|
| Sammy
Davis Junior |
|
|
|
|
| Fifth
Dimension |
|
|
|
|
| Psychotica |
|
|
|
|
| Beggar's
Opera |
|
|
|
|
| Diana
Ross and Supremes |
|
|
|
|
| The
Queers |
|
|
|
|
| The
Negro Problem |
|
|
|
|
| Zumpino |
|
|
|
|
| Michael
Feinstein |
|
|
|
|
| Three
Degrees |
|
|
|
|
| Madison
Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps |
|
|
|
|
| Monica
Naranjo |
|
|
|
|
| Band
of the Yorkshire Imperial Metals |
Up
Up and Away - The Songs of Jimmy Webb. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
