Song Cycle (album)

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Professional reviews
Song Cycle

Studio album by Van Dyke Parks
Released	1968
Genre	Baroque pop Psychedelic pop
Label	Warner Bros. Records
Producer(s)	Lenny Waronker
All Music Guide link
Van Dyke Parks chronology
none	Song Cycle (1968)	Discover America (1972)

Song Cycle is an 1968 album by Van Dyke Parks, known for its high ambition, gigantic budget (it is still reputedly the most expensive album ever made allowing for inflation)^{[citation needed]}, and subsequent low sales. The title is a reference to the genre of the Song Cycle. The album's material is sprawling (with few real traditional 'songs'), and musically reflects a diverse range of Americana. The album was backed by producer Lenny Waronker, who placed Parks' musical freedom over budgetry constraints. The album made early use of eight track recording.

In response to the poor sales of the record after its release (despite some rave critical reviews), Warner Bros. Records ran full page advertisements suggesting that they "lost $35,509 on 'the album of the year' (damnit)", suggesting listeners send in their copies of Song Cycle to Warner Bros. Records in return for a brand new copy, and a second; "one to educate a friend with".

The album is a personal favourite of experimental musician Jim O'Rourke.^[1]

[edit] Track listing

"Vine Street" (Randy Newman) – 3:40
"Palm Desert" (Van Dyke Parks) – 3:07
"Widow's Walk" (Van Dyke Parks) – 3:13
"Laurel Canyon Blvd" (Van Dyke Parks) – 0:28
"The All Golden" (Van Dyke Parks) – 3:46
"Van Dyke Parks" (Public domain) – 0:57
"Public Domain" (Van Dyke Parks) – 2:34
"Donovan's Colours" (Donovan Leitch) – 3:38
"The Attic" (Van Dyke Parks) – 2:56
"Laurel Canyon" Blvd (Van Dyke Parks) – 1:19
"By the People" (Van Dyke Parks) – 5:53
"Pot Pourri" (Van Dyke Parks) – 1:08

A Rykodisc edition added an extra song "The Eagle and Me" 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.