Song Cycle (album)
Encyclopedia
Song Cycle is a 1967 album by Van Dyke Parks
that encompasses a number of genres, including psychedelic
, folk
, baroque
, and experimental
rock and pop. The release was Parks' debut album, and was produced by future Dreamworks Records
co-founder Lenny Waronker
.
The album's material explores unconventional song structures, and reflects an American Gothic trip. Song Cycle also features three cover songs: Randy Newman
's "Vine Street", Donovan
's "Colours", and the traditional "Nearer My God to Thee" (listed on the album as "Van Dyke Parks").
The subjects of many songs, on the other hand, are Southern California locales, including Laurel Canyon Boulevard
, Vine Street
, Silver Lake Boulevard, and Palm Desert. The lyrics on Song Cycle also reflect Parks' history working in both the film
and music industries of Southern California.
' ill-fated Smile album, Parks was signed as a recording artist by Warner Bros. Records
. The album was backed by producer Lenny Waronker, who placed Parks' musical freedom over budgetary constraints. It was one of the most expensive albums ever produced up to this time. The album made early use of an eight-track
professional reel-to-reel recorder at a time when most studios were still limited to four-track machines.
A Rykodisc
edition added an extra song, "The Eagle and Me" by Harold Arlen
and Yip Harburg
, to the end of the album.
Note: the song "Van Dyke Parks" above (credited as 'public domain') is actually an interpretation of "Nearer, My God, to Thee
", traditionally assumed to have been the last song played by the band on the deck of the Titanic, dubbed over battlefield recordings of Vietnam
.
ran full page newspaper and magazine advertisements that said they "lost $35,509 on 'the album of the year' (dammit)." The ad said that those who actually purchased the album had likely worn their copies out by playing it over and over, and suggested that listeners send in worn out copies to Warner Bros. in return for two new copies, including one "to educate a friend with."
In the years since its release, it has gained status as a cult album. Many musicians cite the album as an influence, including producer and songwriter Jim O'Rourke
. O'Rourke worked with Parks and harpist Joanna Newsom
on Newsom's record Ys
. Joanna Newsom sought out the partnership with Van Dyke Parks after listening to Song Cycle.
In July 2010, Continuum published a book in their 33 series about Song Cycle, written by Richard Henderson.
Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....
that encompasses a number of genres, including psychedelic
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, baroque
Baroque pop
Baroque pop, Baroque rock, or English baroque, often used interchangeably with chamber pop/rock, is a pop and rock music subgenre which originated in the mid-1960s in the United Kingdom and United States...
, and experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
rock and pop. The release was Parks' debut album, and was produced by future Dreamworks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
co-founder Lenny Waronker
Lenny Waronker
Lenny Waronker is a record producer for Warner Bros. Records.-Career:He produced recording sessions for Nancy Sinatra, The Everly Brothers, Van Dyke Parks, The Beau Brummels, Harpers Bizarre, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, Arlo Guthrie, Maria Muldaur, Gordon Lightfoot, Rickie Lee Jones, James Taylor, ...
.
The album's material explores unconventional song structures, and reflects an American Gothic trip. Song Cycle also features three cover songs: Randy Newman
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
's "Vine Street", Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
's "Colours", and the traditional "Nearer My God to Thee" (listed on the album as "Van Dyke Parks").
The subjects of many songs, on the other hand, are Southern California locales, including Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Laurel Canyon Boulevard is a major street in the city of Los Angeles, California. It starts off at Polk Street in Sylmar in the northern San Fernando Valley near the junction of the San Diego and the Golden State ) freeways. Laurel Canyon Boulevard bypasses the city of San Fernando to the west,...
, Vine Street
Vine Street
Vine is a street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California that runs north-south from Melrose Avenue up past Hollywood Boulevard. The intersection of Hollywood and Vine was once a symbol of Hollywood itself...
, Silver Lake Boulevard, and Palm Desert. The lyrics on Song Cycle also reflect Parks' history working in both the film
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
and music industries of Southern California.
Background
Following his work as the lyricist on The Beach BoysThe Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
' ill-fated Smile album, Parks was signed as a recording artist by Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. The album was backed by producer Lenny Waronker, who placed Parks' musical freedom over budgetary constraints. It was one of the most expensive albums ever produced up to this time. The album made early use of an eight-track
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
professional reel-to-reel recorder at a time when most studios were still limited to four-track machines.
Track listing
- All tracks composed by Van Dyke Parks, except where indicated
- "Vine Street" (Randy NewmanRandy NewmanRandall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
) – 3:40 - "Palm Desert" – 3:07
- "Widow's Walk" – 3:13
- "Laurel Canyon Blvd" – 0:28
- "The All Golden" – 3:46
- "Van Dyke Parks" (public domainPublic domainWorks are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
) – 0:57 - "Public Domain" – 2:34
- "Donovan's Colours" (Donovan LeitchDonovanDonovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
) – 3:38 - "The Attic" – 2:56
- "Laurel Canyon Blvd" – 1:19
- "By the People" – 5:53
- "Pot Pourri" – 1:08
A Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
edition added an extra song, "The Eagle and Me" by Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
and Yip Harburg
Yip Harburg
Edgar Yipsel Harburg , known as E.Y. Harburg or Yip Harburg, was an American popular song lyricist who worked with many well-known composers...
, to the end of the album.
Note: the song "Van Dyke Parks" above (credited as 'public domain') is actually an interpretation of "Nearer, My God, to Thee
Nearer, My God, to Thee
"Nearer, My God, to Thee" is a 19th century Christian hymn by Sarah Flower Adams, based loosely on Genesis 28:11–19, the story of Jacob's dream. Genesis 28:11–12 can be translated as follows: "So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the...
", traditionally assumed to have been the last song played by the band on the deck of the Titanic, dubbed over battlefield recordings of Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Reception
Although it received good reviews upon release, Song Cycle sold slowly, and took at least three years to pay for the original studio sessions. In response to the poor sales of the record after its release (despite some rave critical reviews), Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
ran full page newspaper and magazine advertisements that said they "lost $35,509 on 'the album of the year' (dammit)." The ad said that those who actually purchased the album had likely worn their copies out by playing it over and over, and suggested that listeners send in worn out copies to Warner Bros. in return for two new copies, including one "to educate a friend with."
In the years since its release, it has gained status as a cult album. Many musicians cite the album as an influence, including producer and songwriter Jim O'Rourke
Jim O'Rourke (musician)
Jim O'Rourke is an Irish-American musician and record producer. He was long associated with the Chicago experimental and improv scene...
. O'Rourke worked with Parks and harpist Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom is an American harpist, pianist and singer-songwriter from Nevada City, California.- Early life :Newsom grew up in the small town of Nevada City, California...
on Newsom's record Ys
Ys (album)
Ys is the second album by Joanna Newsom. It was released by Drag City on November 14, 2006 to widespread critical acclaim. The album was named after the city of Ys, which according to myth was built on the coast of Brittany and later swallowed by the ocean...
. Joanna Newsom sought out the partnership with Van Dyke Parks after listening to Song Cycle.
In July 2010, Continuum published a book in their 33 series about Song Cycle, written by Richard Henderson.