MacArthur Park (song)
Encyclopedia
"MacArthur Park" is a song by Jimmy Webb
, originally composed as part of an intended cantata
. The song was initially rejected by The Association. Richard Harris
was the first to record it, in 1968; the song was subsequently covered
by numerous artists. Among the best-known covers are Donna Summer
's disco arrangement from 1978 and Waylon Jennings's version recorded in 1969. Maynard Ferguson
, Stan Kenton
, and Woody Herman
all performed big-band jazz
arrangements, and "Weird Al" Yankovic
parodied it in his 1993 "Jurassic Park
."
between Webb and Susan Ronstadt, a cousin
of singer Linda Ronstadt
. MacArthur Park was where the two occasionally met for lunch and spent their most enjoyable times together. At that time (mid-1965), Ronstadt worked for a life insurance
company whose offices were located just across the street from the park. Webb and Ronstadt remained friend
s, even after her marriage
to another man. The breakup was also the primary influence for "By the Time I Get to Phoenix
," another Webb composition.
The song begins as a poem about love, then moves into a lover's lament. When asked by interviewer Terry Gross
what was going through his mind when he wrote the lyrics, Webb replied that the lyrics were meant to be symbolic and referred to the end of a love affair.
on his album A Tramp Shining
in 1968 and was released as a single
. It was an unusual single, running for more than seven minutes, with a long, climactic orchestral break. Harris topped the music charts in Europe
and Australia
, and peaked at No. 2 on the American charts. The song peaked at No. 10 in Billboard's Easy Listening survey, and was No. 8 for the year on WABC's overall 1968 chart. The musicians on the recording are listed on the union contract.
Harris first met Webb at a fundraiser
in East Los Angeles, California
in late-1967. Webb had been invited to provide the musical backdrop at the piano
. Out of the blue, Harris suggested to him that he wanted to release a record. Webb didn't take it seriously until he later received a telegram from Harris, requesting that he come to London
to begin the project. After exhaustively listening to all of Webb's compositions, Harris selected "MacArthur Park" for his pop music
debut.
Throughout his recording, Harris can be heard using an incorrect possessive form, "MacArthur's Park". Webb has said he tried correcting Harris during re-takes, but gave up when he simply could not (or would not) sing the correct words. The version recorded by Donna Summer retains this error.
MacArthur Park received the Grammy Award
for "Best Orchestration" in 1969.
version of "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer
was number one on the American pop music sales charts for three weeks during 1978. Summer's recording, which was included as part of the "MacArthur Park Suite" on her double album Live and More
, was eight minutes and forty seconds long on the album. The shorter seven-inch vinyl single version of the MacArthur Park was Summer's first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100
.
The 18-minute musical medley
"MacArthur Park Suite" incorporated the songs "One of a Kind" and "Heaven Knows". This medley was also sold as a 12" (30 cm) vinyl recording, and it stayed at number one on Billboards Hot Dance Club Songs chart for five weeks in 1978. The versions of this medley in Live and More
and in the 12" recording are notably different in choices of the lengths of the slices of the two accompanying songs.
"MacArthur Park" was not included on the compact disc
version of Live and More
because of early CD limitations; however, the album version is available on 1987's The Dance Collection.
more than 50 times, including versions by:
and ridicule over the years.
In 1992, humorist Dave Barry
conducted a poll
among his readers of the worst songs ever, as recorded in Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs
. Barry's readers selected Harris' version of "MacArthur Park" as the worst song ever recorded, both in terms of "Worst Lyrics" and "Worst Overall Song".
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
, originally composed as part of an intended cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
. The song was initially rejected by The Association. Richard Harris
Richard Harris
Richard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
was the first to record it, in 1968; the song was subsequently covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by numerous artists. Among the best-known covers are Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
's disco arrangement from 1978 and Waylon Jennings's version recorded in 1969. Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
, Stan Kenton
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
, and Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
all performed big-band jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
arrangements, and "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
parodied it in his 1993 "Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park (song)
"Jurassic Park" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "MacArthur Park" by Jimmy Webb , and is written as a humorous take on the film of the same name.-Track listing:The following tracks are on the single:...
."
Lyrics
The inspiration for "MacArthur Park" was the relationship and breakupRelationship breakup
A relationship breakup, often referred to simply as a breakup, is the termination of a usually intimate relationship by any means other than death. The act is commonly termed "dumping [someone]" in slang when it is initiated by one partner...
between Webb and Susan Ronstadt, a cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
of singer Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
. MacArthur Park was where the two occasionally met for lunch and spent their most enjoyable times together. At that time (mid-1965), Ronstadt worked for a life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
company whose offices were located just across the street from the park. Webb and Ronstadt remained friend
Friendship
Friendship is a form of interpersonal relationship generally considered to be closer than association, although there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations. Friendship and association are often thought of as spanning across the same continuum...
s, even after her marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
to another man. The breakup was also the primary influence for "By the Time I Get to Phoenix
By the Time I Get to Phoenix
"By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is the title of a song written by Jimmy Webb. Originally recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965, it was made famous by American country music singer Glen Campbell, appearing as the opening track on the latter's 1967 album of the same name. Campbell's version reached #2 on...
," another Webb composition.
The song begins as a poem about love, then moves into a lover's lament. When asked by interviewer Terry Gross
Terry Gross
Terry Gross is the host and co-executive producer of Fresh Air, an interview format radio show produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and distributed throughout the United States by National Public Radio....
what was going through his mind when he wrote the lyrics, Webb replied that the lyrics were meant to be symbolic and referred to the end of a love affair.
Richard Harris
The song was first recorded by Richard HarrisRichard Harris
Richard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
on his album A Tramp Shining
A Tramp Shining
A Tramp Shining is an album by Richard Harris, released in 1968. Harris teamed with singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb for this album. Although Harris sang many numbers on the soundtrack album to the film musical Camelot in the previous year, A Tramp Shining became his first solo album. Jimmy Webb wrote...
in 1968 and was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. It was an unusual single, running for more than seven minutes, with a long, climactic orchestral break. Harris topped the music charts in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and peaked at No. 2 on the American charts. The song peaked at No. 10 in Billboard's Easy Listening survey, and was No. 8 for the year on WABC's overall 1968 chart. The musicians on the recording are listed on the union contract.
Harris first met Webb at a fundraiser
Fundraiser
A fundraiser is an event or campaign whose primary purpose is to raise money for a cause. See also: fundraising. A fundraiser can also be an individual or company whose primary job is to raise money for a specific charity or non-profit organization...
in East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
in late-1967. Webb had been invited to provide the musical backdrop at the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. Out of the blue, Harris suggested to him that he wanted to release a record. Webb didn't take it seriously until he later received a telegram from Harris, requesting that he come to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to begin the project. After exhaustively listening to all of Webb's compositions, Harris selected "MacArthur Park" for his pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
debut.
Throughout his recording, Harris can be heard using an incorrect possessive form, "MacArthur's Park". Webb has said he tried correcting Harris during re-takes, but gave up when he simply could not (or would not) sing the correct words. The version recorded by Donna Summer retains this error.
MacArthur Park received the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for "Best Orchestration" in 1969.
Donna Summer
A multi-million selling vinyl single discoDisco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
version of "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
was number one on the American pop music sales charts for three weeks during 1978. Summer's recording, which was included as part of the "MacArthur Park Suite" on her double album Live and More
Live and More
Live and More was the seventh vinyl long-playing album recorded by Donna Summer, and it was her second double album. The live concert featured on the first three sides of this double LP album was recorded in the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, California in 1978...
, was eight minutes and forty seconds long on the album. The shorter seven-inch vinyl single version of the MacArthur Park was Summer's first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
The 18-minute musical medley
Medley (music)
In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces, usually three, played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumental. A medley which is a remixed series is called a megamix, often done with tracks...
"MacArthur Park Suite" incorporated the songs "One of a Kind" and "Heaven Knows". This medley was also sold as a 12" (30 cm) vinyl recording, and it stayed at number one on Billboards Hot Dance Club Songs chart for five weeks in 1978. The versions of this medley in Live and More
Live and More
Live and More was the seventh vinyl long-playing album recorded by Donna Summer, and it was her second double album. The live concert featured on the first three sides of this double LP album was recorded in the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, California in 1978...
and in the 12" recording are notably different in choices of the lengths of the slices of the two accompanying songs.
"MacArthur Park" was not included on the compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
version of Live and More
Live and More
Live and More was the seventh vinyl long-playing album recorded by Donna Summer, and it was her second double album. The live concert featured on the first three sides of this double LP album was recorded in the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, California in 1978...
because of early CD limitations; however, the album version is available on 1987's The Dance Collection.
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Dutch GfK GfK The GfK Group, established in 1934 as Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung is Germany's largest market research institute, and the fourth largest market research organisation in the world, after Nielsen Company, Kantar Group, and IMS Health... chart |
8 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
9 |
Notable cover versions
The song has been coveredCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
more than 50 times, including versions by:
- Jerry ValeJerry ValeJerry Vale is an American singer.-Career:In high school, in order to make some money, he took a job shining shoes in a barbershop in New York City. He sang while he shined shoes, and his boss liked the sound so well that he paid for music lessons for the boy...
- The 5th Dimension
- Diana Ross & the SupremesThe SupremesThe Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
- Beggar's OperaBeggars Opera (band)Beggars Opera were a progressive rock band from Glasgow, Scotland, formed in Glasgow in 1969 by guitarist Ricky Gardiner. The line-up consisted of Ricky Gardiner , Alan Park , Martin Griffiths , Marshall Erskine and Raymond Wilson...
- Glen CampbellGlen CampbellGlen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
- Vic DamoneVic DamoneVic Damone is an American singer and entertainer.- Early life :Damone was born Vito Rocco Farinola in Brooklyn, New York to French-Italian immigrants based in Bari, Italy—Rocco and Mamie Farinola. His father was an electrician; and his mother taught piano. His cousin was the actress and singer...
- Sammy Davis, Jr (twice)
- Percy FaithPercy FaithPercy Faith was a Canadian-born American bandleader, orchestrator, composer and conductor, known for his lush arrangements of pop and Christmas standards. He is often credited with creating the "easy listening" or "mood music" format which became staples of American popular music in the 1950s and...
- Michael FeinsteinMichael FeinsteinMichael Jay Feinstein is an American singer, pianist, and music revivalist. He is an interpreter of, and an anthropologist and archivist for, the repertoire known as the Great American Songbook. In 1988 he won a Drama Desk Special Award for celebrating American musical theatre songs...
- Maynard FergusonMaynard FergusonMaynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
- M.F.Horn (1971) - Ferrante & TeicherFerrante & TeicherFerrante & Teicher were a duo of American piano players, known for their light arrangements of familiar classical pieces, movie soundtracks, and show tunes.-Career:...
- The Four Tops
- Aretha FranklinAretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
- Live on The Bob Hope Show (1975) - Plastic PennyPlastic PennyPlastic Penny was a UK 1960s pop band, formed in November 1967 before splitting up in August 1968. They had one hit single, early in 1968, with the song "Everything I Am". Most of the members went on to greater fame with other bands or in session work.-Career:...
- Justin HaywardJustin HaywardJustin Hayward is an English musician, best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the rock band The Moody Blues.Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
- Gitte HænningGitte HænningGitte Hænning is a Danish singer and film actress, who rose to fame as a child star in the 1950s.Because her name was relatively unique, she was known primarily without a surname in Europe. She moved to Sweden in 1958. Her first hit in Swedish was "Tror du jag ljuger" from 1961...
- Waylon JenningsWaylon JenningsWaylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
(Grammy Award) - Long John BaldryLong John BaldryJohn William "Long John" Baldry was an English and Canadian blues singer and a voice actor. He sang with many British musicians, with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry in the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where Let the Heartaches Begin reached No...
- Stan KentonStan KentonStanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
- Live at Redlands University (1970) - Liza MinnelliLiza MinnelliLiza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
- Grimethorpe Colliery BandGrimethorpe Colliery BandThe Grimethorpe Colliery Band is a brass band, based in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England. It was formed in 1917, as a leisure activity for the workers at the colliery, by members of the disbanded Cudworth Colliery Band...
- Hugo MontenegroHugo MontenegroHugo Montenegro was an American orchestra leader and composer of film soundtracks. His best known work is derived from interpretations of the music from Spaghetti westerns, especially his cover version of the main theme from the 1966 film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
(Hugo's version used primarly just the middle eight part and was also used as a TV News theme for WJW/WJKW in the mid 1970's) - Only Men Aloud!Only Men Aloud!Only Men Aloud! is a male voice choir from Wales. The choir came to national prominence in the UK when they won the Last Choir Standing competition run by BBC television during 2008.-Overview:...
- Elaine PaigeElaine PaigeElaine Paige OBE is an English singer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, North London, Paige attended the Aida Foster stage school, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16...
- PsychoticaPsychoticaPsychotica, formed in 1994 by Pat Briggs and Paul "ENA" Kostabi, were a seminal influence in Industrial Goth, releasing 3 albums to mixed reviews and varied success....
- The QueersThe QueersThe Queers are a punk band formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King . The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1986. In 1990, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up...
- Doc SeverinsenDoc SeverinsenCarl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen is an American pop and jazz trumpeter. He is best known for leading the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.-Early life:...
- Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
- Trilogy: Past, Present & Future (2010) [Box Set, CD] - The Negro ProblemStew (musician)Mark Stewart , known by his stage name Stew, is a singer/songwriter/playwright from Los Angeles. In the early 1990s, he formed a band called The Negro Problem and later went on to release albums under his own name...
- The Three DegreesThe Three DegreesThe Three Degrees are an American female vocal group. Formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,, the group has always been a trio though there have been a number of personnel changes and a total of fourteen women have represented the group so far. The original members were Fayette Pinkney,...
- Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
- Andy WilliamsAndy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
- ZumpanoZumpanoZumpano was a Canadian indie rock group in the 1990s.The band, whose power pop style resembled such contemporaries as Sloan and The Super Friendz, comprised vocalist/guitarist Carl Newman, keyboardist Michael Ledwidge, bassist Stefan Niemann and drummer Jason Zumpano.The band formed in 1992 after...
- Regine VelasquezRegine VelasquezRegina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez , better known as Asia's Songbird, Regine Velasquez, is a Filipino singer, actress, record producer and TV host...
- Sally YehSally YehSally Yeh , sometimes written as Sally Yip or Yip Sin-Man, is a Cantopop singer in the Hong Kong music industry and an actress in the Hong Kong film industry.-Overview:...
- The Daly-Wilson Big Band
- 101 Strings101 Strings101 Strings Orchestra was a brand for a highly successful easy listening symphonic music organization, with a discography exceeding a hundred albums and a creative lifetime of roughly thirty years. Their LPs were individualized by the slogan "The Sound of Magnificence", a puffy cloud logo and...
- "Million Seller Hits Composed by Jim Webb and Burt Bacharach" [LP S-5162] - Transistor Transistor
- Rico J. PunoRico J. PunoEnrico de Jesus Puno , better known as Rico J. Puno, is a popular Filipino pop singing artist and television host who is credited as a pioneer-promoter of original Filipino music. He started the trend of incorporating Tagalog lyrics in his rendition of the American song The Way We Were and other...
- Peter HofmannPeter HofmannPeter Hofmann was a German tenor who had a successful performance career within the fields of opera, rock, pop, and musical theatre. He first rose to prominence in 1976 as a heldentenor at the Bayreuth festival where he drew critical acclaim for his performance of Siegmund in Richard Wagner's Die...
- Rock Classics (1987)
Other versions
- Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Tony BennettTony BennettTony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, and Ed AmesEd AmesEd Ames is an American popular singer and actor. He is best known for his pop and adult contemporary hits of the 1960s like "When the Snow is on the Roses" and the perennial "My Cup Runneth Over." He was part of a popular 1950s singing group called The Ames Brothers.-Early life:Born in Malden,...
each recorded versions utilizing only the middle section. - Chet AtkinsChet AtkinsChester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
and Jerry ReedJerry ReedJerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
recorded an all-instrumental version for their guitar duet album Me & JerryMe & JerryMe & Jerry is the title of the first duet recording by Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed. Consisting of pop, country and standards, this collaboration won the 1970 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance...
, winner of the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental PerformanceGrammy Award for Best Country Instrumental PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance was awarded from 1970 to 2011. Between 1986 and 1989 the award was presented as the Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance ....
. - The Four TopsFour TopsThe Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes...
recorded their version of the song, omitting the long instrumental breaks of the song, and reached #38 on the Billboard singles chart. - Beggars Opera recorded a progressive version with harpsicord and mellotron in their 3rd album "Pathfinder" in 1972.
- The song was also performed by the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle CorpsMadison Scouts Drum and Bugle CorpsThe Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps is a summer youth drum corps based in Madison, Wisconsin that competes in the Drum Corps International circuit. Founded in 1938, it is the third oldest corps in the DCI circuit, after the Cadets, and the Racine Scouts, founded in 1934 and 1927, respectively....
in several productions in the mid-1970s. - In 1977 Finnish singer-songwriter HectorHector (musician)Heikki Veikko Harma is a Finnish singer-songwriter who has also distinguished himself as a translator of song lyrics, but has written popular lyrics of his own too...
recorded the song in band called H.E.C. with FinnishFinnish languageFinnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
lyrics. Hector titled the song in Finnish as "Vanhan kirkon puisto" ("Old Church´s park"), referring to the old church of HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Hector's hometown. - In 1980 the song was performed by Pink LadyPink Lady (band)is a Japanese female pop music duo of the late 1970s and early 1980s, featuring Mitsuyo Nemoto and Keiko Masuda...
on their variety show Pink Lady and Jeff. - YuriYuri (Mexican singer)Yuri is a famous Mexican singer, actress, and TV host. She has maintained a significant presence in the entertainment business in Mexico for the last three decades...
performed a SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
version of this song, under the title "Siempre Hay Un Mañana" in 1979. - Moody BluesThe Moody BluesThe Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
singer Justin HaywardJustin HaywardJustin Hayward is an English musician, best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the rock band The Moody Blues.Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
with Mike BattMike BattMichael Philip "Mike" Batt is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry...
and the London Philharmonic OrchestraLondon Philharmonic OrchestraThe London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
covered WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
's song on his Classic BlueClassic BlueClassic Blue is the fourth solo studio album by The Moody Blues front-man Justin Hayward. Classic Blue was released in 1989 by Trax Records , and features Mike Batt, who also produced the album, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra...
album. - It was also performed by Carrie UnderwoodCarrie UnderwoodCarrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
in season four of American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. - UK Hip Hop artist Roots ManuvaRoots ManuvaRodney Hylton Smith , better known by his stage name Roots Manuva, is a British rapper from Stockwell, South London. He is currently signed to Big Dada.-Biography:...
uses the main chord structure in his 2001 single "Dreamy Days". - Father Guido SarducciFather Guido SarducciFather Guido Sarducci is a fictional character made famous by American comedian Don Novello. Sarducci, a chain-smoking priest with tinted eyeglasses, works in the United States as gossip columnist and rock critic for the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano .-Background:Novello...
(Don NovelloDon NovelloDon Novello is an American writer, film director, producer, actor, singer, and comedian. Novello is best known for his work on NBC's Saturday Night Live, from 1977 until 1980, and then 1985 until 1986, often as the character "Father Guido Sarducci". Novello has appeared as "Sarducci" on many...
) sings an ItalianItalian languageItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
version called "Parco MacArthur (La Torta in Pioggia)". - Noelia Cano, a SpanishSpanish peopleThe Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
singer, had a version in the reality show Operación TriunfoOperación TriunfoOperación Triunfo is a reality-show talent contest which first aired on Spain's TVE network in 2001. A kind of cross between Pop Idol, Voces en Función, Star Search, and Big Brother, the show aimed to find the country's next solo singing sensation, putting a selection of hopefuls through their...
in 2008. - Industrial MusicIndustrial musicIndustrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
/Goth band Psychotica released the song as a 12' single on clear vinylGramophone recordA gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
. - Parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
in his 1993 song "Jurassic ParkJurassic Park (song)"Jurassic Park" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "MacArthur Park" by Jimmy Webb , and is written as a humorous take on the film of the same name.-Track listing:The following tracks are on the single:...
." - Vermont-based 'jam-band' PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
quoted the lyrics during a rendition of their composition "Dave's Energy Guide" at their March 8, 1991 concert while performing with members of the group Aquarium Rescue UnitAquarium Rescue UnitCol. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit is an experimental rock group originally founded by Col. Bruce Hampton. The band gained popularity in the Atlanta club scene in the early 1990s and went on to tour with the first H.O.R.D.E. Tour. During the initial years, the band was composed of...
at College Station Theater, in Tuscaloosa, AlabamaTuscaloosa, AlabamaTuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
. - Sung in Priscilla Queen of the Desert the musical.
- Homer Simpson (voice of Dan CastellanetaDan CastellanetaDaniel Louis "Dan" Castellaneta is an American actor, voice actor, comedian, singer and screenwriter. Noted for his long-running role as Homer Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons, he voices many other characters on The Simpsons, including Abraham "Grampa" Simpson, Barney Gumble,...
) sang a version of this song in the 5th episode of season 15 of The Simpsons, "Co-dependents day." - Sanjay's daughter Pahusacheta Nahasapeemapetilon played it on the tabla in the episode "Lisa the beauty queen."
Negative press
"MacArthur Park's" unusual metaphors and sentimentality have made it a frequent target of parodyParody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
and ridicule over the years.
In 1992, humorist Dave Barry
Dave Barry
David "Dave" Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist, who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. He has also written numerous books of humor and parody, as well as comedic novels.-Biography:Barry was born in Armonk, New York,...
conducted a poll
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
among his readers of the worst songs ever, as recorded in Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs
Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs
Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs is a 1997 humor book written by Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry, chronicling the results of his bad song survey...
. Barry's readers selected Harris' version of "MacArthur Park" as the worst song ever recorded, both in terms of "Worst Lyrics" and "Worst Overall Song".