You might be using private browsing or have notifications blocked. Wrecking Crew, a group of famous session musicians who were featured on a "There are little bits and pieces of the true story there, but what I've resorted to, because it's really turned into a kind of lifetime of talking about 'MacArthur Park,' whether I want to or not. var opts = { * And not long ago, Simon Cowell supposedly said Webb had told a friend of his the song is about sex and drugs. When he talks about leaving the cake out in the rain he is talking about his plans lying in ruins (from what he is seeing in Vietnam). Yes, he is still good looking, educated, and smart, but he is still arrogant, self-absorbed, selfish, only interested in sex. We dig deep to uncover the facts, hold the powerful in check and keep a watchful eye on Long Island. There will be another dream for me A precocious second grader could have done better. It's art, but in a musical form. Richard Harris’ “MacArthur Park” Lyrics Meaning There have been various explanations given concerning the meaning of this classic tune (“MacArthur Park”). There's nothing in it that's fabricated. "It's a story of growing up in Oklahoma with nothing and then becoming this crazy, fast-car-driving, drug-taking star who's 19 and has everything you can imagine. I was 17 at the time and didn’t understand a word of it. He used to meet this woman in Macarthur park in LA at that time. MacArthur Park song meanings Add your thoughts 38 Comments. Speaks volumes. Yeah, this song was probably the worst song ever written. Other famous musicians who dropped their own renditions throughout the years include The Four Tops (1971) and Donna Summer (1978). "They rehearsed and planned this segment for months, and the producer said it's maybe only the second time in history that David brought in a whole symphony orchestra. And since when do we run (or dance) between parted pages? A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs, This was originally recorded by the blues singer Robert Johnson in 1937. He is French, and I now see what a “Diva” he was and still is. I now have an understanding of why their marriage was so difficult — it’s because of him. It's been recorded by … And the truth is that everything in the song was visible. Richard Harris was the first to record it in 1968; his version peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number four on the UK Singles Chart. They even had a big cake -- with sweet, green icing -- that Will Lee climbed at the end, playing the guitar and singing. Or simply put, the sentiments expressed in “MacArthur Park” is how Jimmy apparently felt upon learning that Suzy was no longer interested in him. I looked at him through the eyes of a young girl, not as a grown woman. We got a handwritten note from David a couple of days later thanking us and saying what an incredible experience it was for him. Ah, well, you’re entitled to your opinion, and all of us old folks ,who fell in love with the song way back when, will continue to love it as we reminisce…. Log in now to tell us what you think this song means. We asked not only Webb but also his wife of a decade, Laura Savini. No one did! I am now grown up, very successful in my career, never married. Contact Newsday | As for the title of this song, there is in fact a MacArthur Park located in Los Angeles. document.write('
');var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//srv.clickfuse.com/showads/showad.js";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; artist: "Richard Harris", To underscore the song's place in history -- it finished No. Making cake is not usually a joint project, so it would suggest that only person was invested in the relationship while the other is not. ", On Webb's latest CD, "Still Within the Sound of My Voice," Webb is joined not only by the Beach Boys' Wilson but by others singing Webb favorites. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Many tales have evolved, in the media and online to explain the genesis of the song. Instead of doing a Top 10 list, he did a whole segment of the show talking about 'MacArthur Park' and how he heard three versions on Sirius radio when he was with his son: the Richard Harris one, the Donna Summer version -- which he said he had never heard before -- and the Jimmy/Brian Wilson one, and he just went bonkers for the song. Richard Harris’ “MacArthur Park” Lyrics Meaning There have been various explanations given concerning the meaning of this classic tune (“MacArthur Park”). Or more specifically, the singer has lost the woman he is very much in love with. It was an unbelievable thing -- everyone was so excited about it. "The song is gorgeous -- it'll give you the chills. (function() { I’ve never got over him – he had to move to the USA for his career & I knew I couldn’t so I moved home & didn’t let him know where I was – it seemed the kindest thing for both of us. You’ve got no business talking to him because YOU are married. He said he was re-enacting those times when he wrote the lyrics. }; I’ve just played it to my 34 year old daughter and she thinks it’s hysterical. Does anyone really think of their relationships like a cake they mixed, baked, and possibly assembled (like a layer cake) as they iced it. We can help go here. Carly Simon, for example, performs his "Easy for You to Say. Credit: Bob Barry. The old men playing checkers by the trees, the cake that was left out in the rain, all of the things that are talked about in the song are things I actually saw. Non-lyrical content copyright 1999-2020 SongMeanings, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display. I wasted precious time and years thinking about him. I’m glad Jimmy Webb was able to put the pain of his heartbreak into words, if it helped him process his grief. Paul Shaffer's bassist, Will Lee, sang along with the show's band and Webb at the harpsichord-piano keyboards -- plus a 23-piece orchestra: "This whole thing came about because David Letterman is a fan of Jimmy's and loves the song. I dumped his ass recently, recalling some not-so-nice things he would say about me and about his wife back then. I soon learned after 6 months of emails with him, that he is not and never was what I thought he was. Basically, all the lyrics read that way. And I haven’t even touched on the fact that Jimmy Webb wrote this song for his 17-year-old bride, and their wedding party included their 19-month-old child, which would indicate that Jimmy impregnated Patsy when she was 14 or 15. Don’t have an account? Rivers don’t flow through the sky. “MacArthur Park” was written and produced by Jimmy She apparently spent the summer months in Montreal, her hometown. ", Finally, Savini also offered a sneak peek into the memoir that Webb is writing. So how did Webb respond? He has 3 grown children and is now divorced. "Well, it's all true," Webb says, laughing. I couldn't have said it any better. Respect yourself and your marriage. But it is pretty obvious that by and large it is a love song. "It was issued as rather a challenge to me from Bones Howe, who was the producer of The Association, that could I do an extended, classically oriented piece that could be played on the radio, and if I could, then 'something that has different movements.' It comes from the same period when I was experiencing things and pretty much transferring them immediately into music. The language isn’t elevated so much as stilted. But it is pretty obvious that by and large it is a love song. It's been recorded by some of the industry's most celebrated names: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, The Four Tops and, most recently, Carrie Underwood. Speaking of which…, “Between the parted pages and were pressed Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. But that does not negate the fact that it was commercially successful. It’s a masterpiece for the ages. The hilariously written lines "I don't think that I can take it, cause it took so long to bake it" - I mean if you have to put that much effort in then maybe there's a problem right? Terms of service | And he chose GREEN for the icing for christs sake. "MacArthur Park" was kind of in the pile, but we had a lot of songs that we were interested in doing. He knows I am listening because we have exchanged some brief messages online. For instance, it reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Reprints & permissions | It should have been put out as an instrumental piece or the producer should have waited to come down from the acid before printing it.

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