My first time was when I was about 13 or 14 in the car with my father. This song just happened to play on the oldies station we were listening to. I remember my Dad went about half crazy when he heard it since it was a hard to find song. (This is the dark ages before youtube.) And because it was so bizarre and an unnatural thing to hear in southern Indiana I never heard it again until writing this post.
Initial reaction was "UGH!" probably because at that point in my life I was falling in love more every day with Clay Aiken and learning valuable lessons from Linkin Park through my headphones. Even back then though, the critic on the inside could not stand the way the singer would warble at the end of the chorus. That and, who writes a song about a cake?
This song has come in and out of my life like when I found out that the original Dumbledore (Richard Harris is famous for other things yes, but I play to my audience, kay?) is that awful warbler from my youth. There was also once a discussion about that song while I spent a time working as a barista. I remember just over hearing a brief discussion between customers about the chorus. That seems to be the only part that people even focus in on. I guess because it is truly bizarre.
And with good reason. It's a weird chorus. But the rest of the song, while it has it's weird lines now and again is actually pretty good.
"Spring was never waiting for us girl,
It ran one step ahead,
As we followed in the dance."
This is beautiful. And it in fact also sounds beautiful. You can hear it. Richard Harris is doing his acting thing well. I've learned to not mind that warble because it makes it feel more honest to me.
"I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees"
The imagery here is a little over the top at times, like when it comes to the birds, but the dress and the old men playing checkers. This song sounds like a painting at times. If you think of this song as a work of art it because a little less weird. If you visually presented with a stunning work of a green cake melting in the rain on a park bench, well that'd be something entirely different.
Also I guess I have to bring up Donna Summer's version. Her version continues with the lovely 60's psychedelic sound that I really enjoy most about this song. Also Summer does have a much more refined voice than Harris. However after the first verse and chorus she lets loose a cackle which kind of sent shivers down my spine. I'm not sure if this was a good thing or not.
The middle portion of this song, however, seems completely different. Even reads differently. Some artists who cover this song, will only do this portion. Even Liza Minnelli didn't have the guts to go for the cake. I wish she had actually. I love Liza's energy that she can bring to a song especially a character piece. In my head I can see her with arms outstretched bemoaning that she will never "have that recipe again!"
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
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 itI will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you
And wondering why"
Even Sammy Davis Jr went for the cake and Wayne Newton even Shatnerized it a bit to make it his own. Carrie Underwood did Summer's version on her alma mater American Idol. She went for the cake and she won that season. However, the BEST VERSION OF THIS SONG (in my very biased opinion) has to be by Waylon Jennings. I really think the steel guitars are what make it for me. And while I do cringe a little when he's trying to go for the climax of the chorus I really think that MacArthur park lends to this style the best out of all of them.
I'm sure many other people I know of have covered this song, in fact now I feel the need to do so. I guess all there is to this song is that it is utterly bizarre and beautiful at the same time. Which is true about a lot of things from that era I guess.
Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go bake a cake for Thanksgiving. I'm thinking green icing maybe...
