MacArthur Park

One of the unlikelier hits of 1968 was a seven-minute plus song that was recorded by an actor. "MacArthur Park" was written by Jimmy Webb, one of the most successful songwriters of the '60s (some of his other songs are "Wichita Lineman," "Up, Up, and Away," and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix).

Webb had the idea to write a cantata, which is a seven-part choral song. "MacArthur Park" has four identifiable sections: an introduction;, then a slower tempo section; an allegro, which is an up tempo instrumental section; (a Detroit talk show host, Lou Gordon, used it as his theme music) and then a conclusion. He brought the song to The Association, who rejected it.

Webb later met Richard Harris at a party, and the Irish actor proposed doing a record together. Webb didn't take him seriously at first--Harris was not known as a singer, but he had recently played King Arthur in the musical Camelot. The resulting record was a big hit, going to number one in Australia and Canada, and number two in the U.S. But it certainly has its detractors--columnist Dave Barry took a poll of his readers who called it worst song of all time.

I happen to love the song, despite its cheesiness. My dad loved it, which is maybe why I do, too, as I was introduced to it at a young age. He bought the album it was on some years later, and showed it to me and indicated how long the song was, which to him was a good thing.

The song is a metaphor for a break-up that Webb went through. The park is in Los Angeles (Harris constantly refers to it as "MacArthur's Park" throughout). The central metaphor is a cake left out in the rain:

"MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh no!"

There are also references to things the singer sees in the park, such as "old men playing checkers." I think the cake metaphor is just too goofy for some people, but what I like about the song is the melody and the almost absurd passion Harris brings it to it--he acts it as much as sings it. And when he hits that high note at the end, well, that's just thrilling.

Sneer all you want, but I find "MacArthur Park" to be a moving and toe-tapping song. Fuck you, Dave Barry.