AND SHE'S BACK

So we went on this holiday, and I could tell you all about it until your eyes glaze over or you nod off (Kris and I actually did this at a friends house while watching pictures of Turkey - the country - not the bird. How rude! But we BOTH did it so I didn't feel too bad). But I won't put you through that. We had a MMMAAARRRVVEEELLOOOUUSSS DAHHHLLING holiday. Enough said. And if you ever want to go to Iceland or England just call me up and I can give you some pointers. Deal? Deal.

So, we got back, tried to get into a normal sleeping pattern - ha! and decided to drive to the cottage to shut it down for the season. The weather was gorgeous and we got everything done in record time and headed back home.

Driving along the TransCanada.......Listening to Sirrius radio - 60's on 6 - which, it dawned on us was quite a few years back now, we listened and commented on how.....really.....really....bad some of the songs that we thought were amazing at the time where really....well....shit. Bad guitar work, sloppy drumming and people who just couldn't sing! Then the song of all songs came on. No, it wasn't the Beatles, even though they did play an obscure Beatles song that really wasn't up to par, no, it wasn't the Stones, or ABBA.....it was.....MacArthur Park sung by Richard Harris.......OOOOOOHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO (which is, to those of you who know the song and have sung along, lemming-like, like the rest of us,  ..........actually part of the lyrics (and are cleverly interjected here by me).

To those of you who don't know the song....consider yourselves very lucky...NO...that isn't what I wanted to say...that was a joke. To those of you who don't know the song I will give you a rather long explanation. Believe me, when you Google this song and give it a listen you will be very glad that I explained the true, deep meaning behind these lyrics.

MacArthur Park was written by Jimmy Web, who also wrote By the Time I Get to Phoenix, which is another 60's fav song to sing along to...unless of course you are the original singer... Glen Campbell. Okay - strike me dead now! I know he has Alzheimer's!

ANYWAY - Jimmy broke up with his gal pal, Susan and MacArthur Park is where they used to meet for lunch. AAAAHHHHH, how sweet.  Soon after this break up Jimmy visited his friend Buddy Greco and composed this song on his piano. I have never heard of Buddy Greco, but apparently he is a lounge lizard of sorts and closes his own show with MacArthur Park and has done so for over 40 years! WHY???

MacArthur Park was composed as part of an intended 'cantata.' I had no clue what a cantata was/is.....I do, however, know what tatas are.....so I will save you some finger time on The Google and tell you right now - a cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements. I know this now because I looked it up and you never know when I can use this during an awkward moment in conversation.

So, there is Jimmy toiling away on Buddy's piano and he comes up with the greatest lyrics of all time - no, he does not. What he comes up with is a song - in four movements - and no - none of them are bowel - relying heavily on the metaphor that love is like a cake in the rain. The song begins "as a poem about love and then moves into a lover's lament." OOOOHHHH NOOOOOO.

The lyrics were meant to be "symbolic and referred to the end of a love affair." Jimmy is quoted as saying and "those lyrics were all very real to me, but there has been a lot of intellectual venom." (towards the song).

Okay - let's just say that when MacArthur Park was used in the musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and was performed by the character Tick and passel of dancing cupcakes, giving literal interpretation to "someone left the cake out in the rain." (okay,,,everybody.....OOOOHHHH NOOOOO), it was meant to be taken seriously. After all, the Los Angeles times considered the song....polarizing. Well, it was the 60's.

The song actually went on to receive a Grammy for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist. I kid you not. However, years later when Weird Al Yankovic recorded it, there wasn't even a mention.

So, who, you ask, was the vocalist? It was Richard Harris - best known for appearing in the movie version of Camelot. Apparently Richard decided that because he did so well singing in Camelot he should record a record - they had those back then. After listening 'exhaustively' to all of Jimmy Webb's compositions he decided on this one for his 'pop music debut.' I have a feeling both Richard and Jimmy had been eating too much "icing" nudge, nudge, wink, wink, off the cake. Richards ex-wife states "I think they just understood each other." Yeah, ya think? Maybe in THAT moment! Snort!

Look familiar?

He's the one in the middle.........no, don't know him?
How about now?

Just be thankful that Harry Potter was never made into a musical!


Here is a direct quote from a Youtube clip of said Richard singing said song....that is really worth watching because people actually critique this song.....and some call it genius!

Please - Read this with an excited British accent: "Imagine you are 60's songwriting genius Jimmy Webb and you've just penned a seven minute long psychedelic orchestral epic but no one wants to sing it....then you remember your drinking buddy.......the famous actor...he can sing a bit!"

The song is SEVEN minutes long.......with questionable lyrics and somehow we ALL KNOW IT!!!:

Spring was never waiting for us, girl
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance

Between the parted pages and the prayers
Still love's hot, fevered iron
Like a strip-ed pair of pants

(Short instrumental interlude)  - probably so you can think deeply on what you just heard

There would be another song for me
For I will sing it
There would be another dream for me
Someone will bring it                                - who?

I will drink the wine while it is warm       - never a good idea
And never let you catch me looking at the sun   - that's probably a good thing
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life, you'll still be the one

I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky   - huh?

And after all the loves of my life
Oh, after all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you - and wondering why           - me too! Why?

(Much, much longer instrumental interlude)   - I think this is one of the movements

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 that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again, oh noooooo


While driving back from the lake, merrily singing along to this song, Kris and I decided that if ever someone asks me for a recipe we will look at each other and belt out OOOOHHHHH NNNOOOOOOO! Because I may not have it...and I may...never....ever....have that recipe....again...OOOOHHHHH NNNNNOOOO.

Things I've learned this week:

Elvis Presley actually did a 'spoken word' album. It contained almost no actual music, compiled in a seemingly incomprehensible manner. It is listed in The Worst Rock and Roll Records of All Time, duly noting the lack of rock and roll on the album. The AllMusic review of the album states: "Some have called Having Fun with Elvis on Stage thoroughly unlistenable, but actually it's worse than that; hearing it is like witnessing an auto wreck that somehow plowed into a carnival freak show, leaving onlookers at once too horrified and too baffled to turn away."

Taxidermy is making a comeback. I'm thinkin' Joan rivers.

There is a 'Mystery' dish at our local Chinese takeaway....Lily?....Lily???