MacArthur Park
Jimmy Webb
| PROFILE | |
| Songwriter | Jimmy Webb |
| Year Written | 1967 |
| About MacArthur Park | |
| “MacArthur Park” was originally intended by Jimmy Webb to be part of a cantata, which was eventually titled “MacArthur Park Suite.” Essentially, the song is about a breakup between Webb and his girlfriend; the two of them used to spend a lot of time hanging out in MacArthur Park. Webb says that the lyrics were meant to be symbolic about the end of a love affair. Someone left a cake out in the rain. | |
Lyrics
Spring was never waiting for us, girl, it ran one step ahead as we followed in the dance,
Between the parted pages that were pressed,
A love hot fevered like a striped pair of pants,
MacArthur 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 I could take it, ’cause it took so long to bake it,
And I’ll never have that recipe again, oh no!
I still see the yellow cotton dress foaming like a wave upon the ground.
Around your knees, and the birds like tender babies in your hands,
And the old men playing checkers by the trees.
There will be another song for me, for I will sing it.
There would be another dream for me, someone will bring it.
Oh, I will drink the wine while it is warm,
And never let you catch me looking at the sun.
But after all the loves of my life, after all the loves, you’ll still be the one.
I would 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 all the things that I desire, and my passions flow like rivers in the sky,
And after the loves of my life, after all the loves of my life,
You’ll still gonna be the one.
MacArthur 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 I can take it, cause it took so long to bake it,
And I’ll never have that recipe again, oh no, oh no!
Session / Album Information
1969
“MacArthur Park” was recorded on October 7, 1969 and released the following year on the album Tony Sings The Great Hits of Today! It was arranged by Peter Matz.
This recording released on:
- 1970: Columbia LP 12″: CS 9980 — Tony Sings The Great Hits Of Today!
- 2011: Disc #39 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK38) Tony Sings The Great Hits of Today!