Recently, Steve and I found ourselves having a discussion about music. Old music. Which is pretty much the only kind I know. Now I tend to listen to audio tapes of books.
Which is good and bad. I hear a lot of wonderful books, but I miss a lot of great music. I need to find a balance I guess.
So, somehow we were talking about Richard Harris and the movie Camelot.
Steve asked me if I remembered MacArthur Park.
Do I remember MacArthur Park? Do I remember MacArthur Park? Best song ever!
I was thirteen when it came out and if there was ever a song to reflect teenage angst, that was it.
The image of a cake being left out in the rain. (Sob).
A cake that took a long time to bake. (Sob, Sob.).
And to never have that recipe again. (Buckets of tears).
I didn't know that Harris was the first to record MacArthur Park. And Steve didn't know that I could on and on about the song.
Fast forward to the next night when we had friends over for dessert and a game of chicken foot.
Since it was fresh on my mind, I brought up MacArthur Park and what a great song it was. It turns out NOT EVERYONE AGREES! While one of my friends and I belted out that we didn't think that we could take it cause it took so long to bake it, another one of those present laughed and called the song dumb. I was amazingly hurt. In fact, I found myself kind of worked up about it.
But, she's not alone. Apparently.
MacArthur Park was named in NPR's, All Songs Considered, The Worst Songs of All Time? It was considered by some to be a song that takes itself too seriously.
Well, whatever. I did learn a few things I didn't know. MacArthur Park is in California and is dedicated to and named after Douglas MacArthur
Here is a bright and beautiful picture from 2015 of the park with artsy spheres.
But to me, MacArthur Park will always be a mystical, magical place where lovelorn tragedy co-mingled with heart-breaking lyrics.
No comments:
Post a Comment