'Song Cycle' by Van Dyke Parks: the Poll

Maybe, but early Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson is obv. more pertinent

Wonder if the 2012 US release is the same mastering as this Japanese mini-LP-sleeve version I got me a couple years back. The Ryko release was poor and needed re-doing, that I can tell you.

It has absolutely nothing in common with Syd Barrett or Skip Spence, why were they even mentioned?

because Matt P said "it's musical theater but it's also schizophrenia". I don't think that's a good explanation for Song Cycle's strangeness because there are famous albums made by actual schizophrenics that are a lot more accessible. Those albums also all have childlike elements and sing-songy parts, almost as if those guys were trying to find something comforting as an escape from mental illness. I think Song Cycle is a lot more unrelentingly unsettling. I guess it has some good old timey americana bits, but the creepiness seeps in pretty quickly and that "tripping at the county fair" aspect is always present.

Don't know enough about Sondheim 'cos his music's never seemed that interesting to me.

thought about FPing u for this

I don't know Sondheim's work that well so the comparison may be off. But they both strike me as being known for witty and literate lyrics and I think they both write pretty "out" melodies. Also that through-composed feeling is common to both I think.

anyone read the 33 1/3 book on this? apparently VDP himself had good things to say about it...
anyway, the "southern california" aspect of this i mentioned had more to do w/ lyrics then music.

The book is great - strongly recommended!

The Ryko release was poor and needed re-doing, that I can tell you.

Perhaps with some of his earlier singles added.

Still can't make my mind up what to vote for here. I know it isn't pop music as such but I find (most of) the songs on this album incredibly catchy.

This might be an expected response, but I loooooove the way every little motif on this record is repurposed, inverted, transformed. The foreshadowing of "what's up Laurel Canyon" part that recurs in full song-length format later on. "The All Golden" has, just after "Off the record..." a reprise of the fanfare from the "Hollywood" line in "Palm Desert". Those are the two most obvious examples, and every time I listen closely to this record I hear more and more overlapping of themes and ideas in this gorgeous Gordian spaghetti heap.

Also I've said this elsewhere but afaic the biggest inspiration for this record is not "Mississippi" or "L.A." or drugs or Beach Boys but

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10pqluMwgXQ

I know it isn't pop music as such but I find (most of) the songs on this album incredibly catchy.

Agreeing with myself here, but I played it for the first time in ages yesterday and found myself singing along with every track. Torn between "The All Golden", which seems to be a favourite here, and "The Attic" but then every second of "Donovan's Colours" is perfect.

I'm another person who's never been able to "get" this album, and i love Discover America

Love this album. Like a surreal vaudeville play set underwater, although I have difficulty separating the tracks from each other. It's very much a set piece.

Which is the song that starts 'That's a tape/That we made/But I'm sad that we would never make the grade/That was me/Third guitar/I wonder where the others are' - cos that's a great little verse.

That's "Vine Street", the opener written by Randy Newman. I believe Nilsson also covered it on his "Nilsson sings Newman" album.

I've tried and tried and cannot get my head around "Song cycle". It just seems to be too much happening at once for me. I will persist and probably one day it will click and everything will make sense, but until then it's like a puzzle I can't do but I'm intrigued enough to carry on with.

Incidentally, "Song cycle" fans should check out "High coin" by Harpers Bizarre, written and arranged and produced by VDP it's like a trial run for the album. Also didn't know until the other day that Van Dyke's brother Carson wrote "Somethinl stupid".

That should be "Somethin' stupid", damn shift key.

aha, so that's not even Parks's own song? He had a habit of opening with covers (and often wholesale samples) of other peoples' songs didn't he?

I believe Nilsson also covered it on his "Nilsson sings Newman" album.

Opening track... again!

yeah i've sort of wondered about those two versions (with the different opening fake outs, both great). no fake out on the newman demo though...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH5shyFIpl0

I think I'm right in saying the VDP version has extra lyrics too, compared to the Nilsson version that is

I thought that opening bit was just what the lyrics say, an old demo he made with a band he was in.

This is my favorite Van Dyke Parks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UvwaB6Bx60

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQqH3fgh7Cw

surprised no one here has mentioned By the People yet...so many awesome moments and a great way to close out the record.....the circular fiddle/viola? part at the end! the bass balalaikas in the choral breaks in the beginning......aaaaaaagaassha!

pedal steel in palm desert is so nice

your age will most probably carry away the letters enveloped in carrion

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Why didn't I notice this poll? Such a great album, would probably have voted "Vine Street"...

By the People: 0 ?

That first video upthread, he looks so much like my dad it seems intentional

It is!

Blimey!

on the second day god made song cycle

i was just thinking about the logistics of a halloween cover band or something doing Song Cycle and like.......would that band fit in any room. you would need like 50 instruments. some of which only appear for a couple bars

the percussion section alone may take up the whole stage

"dreams are still born (stillborn) in hollywood" is one of my favorite lines ever.

me too