Song Cycle (album)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Song Cycle | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
| Studio album by Van Dyke Parks | |||||
| Released | November 1968 | ||||
| Genre | Baroque pop Psychedelic pop |
||||
| Label | Warner Bros. Records | ||||
| Producer | Lenny Waronker | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
|
|||||
| Van Dyke Parks chronology | |||||
|
|||||
Song Cycle is a 1968 album by Van Dyke Parks, known for its high ambition, gigantic budget for the era (it is still one of the most expensive albums ever made allowing for inflation[1]), 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 budgetary 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.[2]
[edit] Track listing
All tracks composed by Van Dyke Parks; except where indicated
- "Vine Street" (Randy Newman) – 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 domain) – 0:57
- "Public Domain" – 2:34
- "Donovan's Colours" (Donovan Leitch) – 3:38
- "The Attic" – 2:56
- "Laurel Canyon Blvd" – 1:19
- "By the People" – 5:53
- "Pot Pourri" – 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.
