Donna Summer - MacArthur Park [Suite] (Casablanca Records 1977)

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• published: 09 Apr 2012
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"MacArthur Park" is a song by Jimmy Webb in 1968, originally composed as part of an intended cantata. Richard Harris was the second to record it. Other covers include Donna Summer's disco arrangement from 1978 and Waylon Jennings's version recorded in 1969. Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton, and Woody Herman all performed big-band jazz arrangements. "MacArthur Park" utilized flowery lyrics and metaphors (most famously, love being likened to a cake left out in the rain) that were considered by media such as the Los Angeles Times to be "polarizing" and "loopy." The inspiration for "MacArthur Park" was the relationship and breakup between Webb and Susan Ronstadt, a cousin of singer Linda Ronstadt. MacArthur Park was where the two occasionally met for lunch and spent their most enjoyable times together. In 1978, "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer was number one on the American pop music sales charts for three weeks. "MacArthur Park Suite stayed at number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart for five weeks in 1978. (LYRICS) Spring was never waiting for us, dear, it ran one step ahead, as we followed in the dance. Between the parted pages, we were pressed, In love's hot, fevered iron like a striped pair of pants. MacArthur's 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 that I can take it 'cause it took so long to bake it, And I'll never have that recipe again, Again! Aha! I recall the yellow cotton dress, foaming like a wave, on the ground beneath your knees. The birds, like tender babies in your hands and the old men playing Chinese checkers by the trees. MacArthur's 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 that I can take it 'cause it took so long to bake it, And I'll never have that recipe again, Again! Aha! There will be another song for me and I will sing it. They'll be another dream for me, someone will bring it. I will drink the wine while it is warm and never let you catch me looking at the sun yea, and after all the loves 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 use it. I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it. I will have the things that I desire and my passion flow like rivers from the sky. Oh and after all the loves of my life, yea, after all the loves of my life you'll still be the one and I'll ask myself why yea! MacArthur's 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 that I can take it 'cause it took so long to bake it, And I'll never have that recipe again, Again! You're one of a kind, I gotta have ya, well you're one of a kind, I need to have ya! Right from the start you tore me apart, you took the best part of my heart, Aah! Body and soul, you took me out of control. You stole the best part of my heart, Aah! Ooh! You're one of a kind, you've got magic. I know you're one of a kind, baby you're static. Right from the start you tore me apart, you took the best part of my heart, Aah! Body and soul, you took me out of control. You stole the best part of my heart, Aah! Ooh! Right from the start you tore me apart, you took the best part of my heart, Aah! Body and soul, you took me out of control. You stole the best part of my heart, Aah! Ooh! Baby please (baby please) please don't take your love from me (please don't take your love from me) I am yours for ever more (ever more) 'til eternity. Silently (so silently) listen to the words I say (listen to the words I say) I'm not talking just for play (just for play) listen to me please (won't you listen to me). Heaven knows it's not the way it should be and heaven knows it's not the way it could be and don't you know there's no need to leave! Heaven knows I never wanna leave you, heaven knows I only wanna please you, don't you know love is what I need! Down inside (down inside) don't get caught with foolish pride (don't get caught with foolish pride) blow the other things aside (things aside) it's only you and me (you and me, you and)believe in us (believe in us) we were always meant to be (always meant to be) me for you and you for me (you for me) 'til eternity ('til eternity). Heaven knows it's not the way it should be and heaven knows it's not the way it could be and don't you know there's no need to leave! Heaven knows I only want to love you and heaven knows I never wanna loose you, don't you know love is meant to be! Heaven knows it's not the way it should be and it's not your style so stop with the pretending so come on down and hear me when I cry! MacArthur's 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 that I can take it 'cause it took so long to bake it, And I'll never have that recipe again, Again!