MacArthur's Park - Brand New Lyrics 9/15/12

[Tom Hendricks]

MacARTHUR'S PARK ( Brand New Lyrics)

Look to left field and outside the box for this one - Remember that long, dramatic and classic song by the great songwriter, Jimmy Webb, from the 60's, called MacArthur's Park? Well I think most people will agree that the tune is GREAT but the lyrics are... well... at the very least, hard to make sense of. So I'm writing new lyrics. Sing along with them and compare them with the original. Below the lyrics, are three great versions of the song with the original lyrics. They are by Richard Harris, who made it a hit, Jimmy Webb, who composed it, and Glenn Campbell with a great guitar middle.

If you like the way the original is - you will always have that version. But here is an alternate for those who would like to hear a different take on the music..
I tried to keep the general tone and mystery of the original, but at the same time, make it more concrete with all the lines holding together to support the overall bittersweet , love lost ,theme of the music.

MY VERSION

Time was never waiting for us girl. It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance.

Between it's numbered pages
Was pressed a day I'll not forget,
of found then lost romance.

MacArthur's Park is melting in to dark
All the sweet green icing fading away.
Someone left this moment in the rain
I don't think that I can save it 'cause it took so long to make it
And It'll never be this perfect again, oh, no

I recall the clinging cotton dress, soaked by all the rain
As I held you close to me
Old men playing checkers in the park
and the young birds singing songs, in the trees.

MacArthur's Park is melting in to dark
All the sweet green icing slipping away.
Someone left this moment in the rain
I don't think that I can save it 'cause it took so long to make it
And I'll never have this recipe again, oh, no

There will be another song for me
And I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Somehow I'll reach it

I will live my life up to the brim
And never linger under any setting sun.

And after all the days 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 live it
I once won the worship in your eyes then somehow lost it.
I will have the things that I desire
through my memories that I still have left to me.

And after all the heartache and strife
Oh, after all the heartache and strife
I'll be thinking of you - the love of my life.

MacArthur's park is melting in to dark
All the sweet green icing flowing down.
Someone left this moment in the rain
I don't think that I can save it 'cause it took so long to make it
And It'll never be this perfect again, oh, no - oh no!

---------------------------------------------------

Richard Harris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WHx0B90FUc&feature=related

Jimmy Webb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73v1RqRPKGk&feature=related

Glenn Campbell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8NsYUPp2LM&feature=related

Tom Hendricks
(editor of the 19 year old zine Musea)

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