Song Cycle (album)
Song Cycle is the first solo album by American musician Van Dyke Parks. The album was released on the record label Warner Bros. 1968. It was produced by Leonard Waronker and arranged by Van Dyke Parks.
Background
1967 Van Dyke Parks had taken together with the Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys the decision to write the greatest rock album of all time. They worked some time at the concept album Smile. Van Dyke this should write the lyrics, Brian Wilson compose the music. As the Beach Boys, however, parks severely criticized texts, parted the two unfinished things. It was not until 2004, the plant has been brought under the title Brian Wilson presents Smile on the market. Parks had been working up to this point as a studio musician, composer, songwriter and music producer for Warner Bros.. Since the Smile project had failed, he wanted to bring his own album on the market. When Warner Bros. Park was highly regarded due to his skills and he was fitted with a contract for an album. His friend Leonard Waronker, creative head of Warner Bros. wanted to produce this album personally. He equipped park with all the liberties of this album on from what but it was very unusual for the late 1960s. Parks went promptly to work. Almost simultaneously to the recordings produced an album by Randy Newman Park.
Genesis
Newman was also the Van Dyke Parks the title of Vine Street for his solo album ceded. Parks used this title to open his solo album. In the contrary to the listening habits of the pop and rock audience arranged and orchestrated pieces came Parks concern for validity, songwriters to help former times to their right, among other things; so, for example, by the songs of Van Dyke Parks and Public Domain. The Public Domain song he wrote to himself the title of Van Dyke Parks, the Public Domain attributed, ie the tantiemenlosen freely accessible songs. As a continuous, but very encrypted topic, the history of popular culture in America make up.
When the album came on the market, it has been compared by critics with the greatest masterpieces and praised to the skies. At least the music experts were sure that Parks had created something lasting with this album. The audience, however, ignored the album. This fact made the promotion department of Warner Brothers for witty full-page ads in the music press advantage; so made , for example, an advertising text with the title line on "How we made a loss of $ 35,509.50 with the album of the year ( damn) ". After the album is still not sold - as well as that produced by Parks album of Randy Newman - both albums by Warner Bros. were eventually given away. When purchasing a Song Cycle album gave a second for a needy friend add free.
Very few consumers could start with parks thin voice, its elaborate orchestration, the unusual arrangements and the very complex texts something. Over the years, however, this album rose to the tip and is now experiencing for over 35 years, re-releases.
In 2005, the album by British music critics was voted " Coolest album of all time ", which might mean getting this title.