Van Dyke Parks moved on from the Beach Boys' abortive SMiLE sessions to record his own solo debut, Song Cycle, an audacious and occasionally brilliant attempt to mount a fully orchestrated, classically minded work within the context of contemporary pop. As indicated by its title, Song Cycle is a thematically coherent work, one which attempts to embrace the breadth of American popular music; luegrass, agtime, show tunes -- nothing escapes Parks' radar, and the sheer eclecticism and individualism of his work is remarkable. Opening with "Vine Street," authored by Randy Newman (another pop composer with serious classical aspirations), the album is both forward-thinking and backward-minded, a collision of bygone musical styles with the progressive sensibilities of the late '60s; while occasionally overambitious and at times insufferably coy, it's nevertheless a one-of-a-kind record, the product of true inspiration.
so, what do you think?about what, the fact that you shaved? or what i didn't shave...what, can't you see it? now that you point it out, i do see a little something- you're growing a goatee? a van dyke, it's a common mis-characterization. daddy? why are you growing a beard? I just thought I'd try it- i've never had one like this before. do you like it? well, you could shave it off if you...
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Just saying. Finally, after years, I checked out "Song Cycle" by Van Dyke Parks and it was as if my head was a football and Van Dyke Parks kicked it right off my body to make the world's greatest field goal. Okay, so sport-related illustrations are not my thing, but this album is my thing.The music on this album has no rules. Like everyone here, I don't just love music, I am obsessed with it...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Vine Street |
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| 2 Palm Desert |
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| 3 Widow's Walk |
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| 4 Laurel Canyon Blvd |
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| 5 The All Golden |
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| 6 Van Dyke Parks |
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| 7 Public Domain |
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| 8 Donovan's Colours |
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| 9 The Attic |
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| 10 Laurel Canyon Blvd |
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| 11 By the People |
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| 12 Pot Pourri |
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 "Song Cycle")
