Song cycle

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Song cycle
Van Dyke Parks studio album

Publication
(s)

1968

Label (s) Warner bros.

Format (s)

CD, LP

Genre (s)

Singer-songwriter

Title (number)

13

production

Lenny Waronker

chronology
- Song cycle Discover America
(1972)

Song Cycle is the first solo album by the American musician Van Dyke Parks . The album was released in 1968 on the Warner Bros. record label . It was produced by Lenny Waronker and arranged by Van Dyke Parks.

background

In 1967, Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys made the decision to write the greatest rock album of all time. They worked on the concept album Smile for some time . Van Dyke was to write the lyrics, Brian Wilson was to compose the music. However, since the Beach Boys heavily criticized Park's texts, the two unfinished things diverged. It wasn't until 2004 that the work was launched under the title Brian Wilson presents Smile . Parks had worked as a studio musician , composer , songwriter and record producer for Warner Bros. up to this point . Since the Smile project had failed, he wanted to bring his own album onto the market. At Warner Bros., Parks was highly regarded for his skills and he was signed to an album. His friend Lenny Waronker, the creative mind behind Warner Bros., wanted to personally produce this album. He gave Parks all the liberties regarding this album, which was very unusual for the late 1960s. Parks promptly got to work. Parks produced an album by Randy Newman almost at the same time as the recordings .

History of origin

It was also Newman who gave Van Dyke Parks the title Vine Street for his solo album . Parks used this title to open his solo album. In the pieces that were arranged and orchestrated contrary to the listening habits of the pop and rock audience, Park's concern to help songwriters of earlier times to get their rights came into play; so z. B. through the songs Van Dyke Parks and Public Domain . He ascribes the song public domain to himself, the title Van Dyke Parks is ascribed to the public domain , i.e. the royalty-free, freely accessible songs. The history of popular culture in America can be identified as a continuous, albeit very encrypted, topic.

When the album was released, it was critically compared to the greatest masterpieces and was highly praised. At least the music community was certain that Parks had created something lasting with this album. The audience, however, ignored the album. The Warner Brothers promotions department took advantage of this fact for funny full-page ads in the music press; For example, a promotional text with the headline read: "How we lost $ 35.509.50 on the album of the year (damn it)". After the album did not sell anyway - as did the album by Randy Newman produced by Parks - both albums were finally given away by Warner Bros. When you bought a Song Cycle album you got a second one for free for a friend in need.

Very few of the consumers could do anything with Park's thin voice, his elaborate orchestration , the unusual arrangements and the very complex texts. Over the years, however, this album has become an insider tip and has been re-released for over 35 years.

In 2005 the album was voted “Coolest Album Ever” by British music critics, whatever that title may mean.

Track list

  1. Vine Street (Randy Newman)
  2. Palm Desert (Van Dyke Parks)
  3. Widow's Walk (Van Dyke Parks)
  4. Laurel Canyon Blvd. (Van Dyke Parks)
  5. The All Golden (Van Dyke Parks)
  6. Van Dyke Parks (Public Domain)
  7. Public Domain (Van Dyke Parks)
  8. Donovan's Colors (Donovan Leitch)
  9. The Attic (Van Dyke Parks)
  10. Laurel Canyon Blvd. (Van Dyke Parks)
  11. By The People (Van Dyke Parks)
  12. Pot Pourri (Van Dyke Parks)
  13. The Eagle And Me (Arlen / Narberg) ( CD bonus track )

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Brian Wilson: Wouldn't It Be Nice . Harper Collins, New York 1991, pp. 161-164
  2. ^ Stan Cornyn: Exploding . Rolling Stone Press, New York 2002, pp. 73-74
  3. ↑ Kenneth FitzGerald: Song Cycle Revisited in: Rudy VanderLans: Palm Desert, A Book Based on Lyrics and Music by Van Dyke Parks . Emigre Inc., Sacramento 1999, pp. 6-9, 81-88.

literature

  • All Music Guide To Rock . Miller Freeman Books, San Francisco 1999, ISBN 0-87930-376-X , pp. 586f.
  • Rudy VanderLans: Palm Desert, A Book Based on Lyrics and Music by Van Dyke Parks . Emigre Inc., Sacramento 1999, ISBN 0-9669409-0-3 .