In 1992 Dave Barry solicited reader's choices for worst song ever and received an overwhelming flood of over 10,000 responses. There was one clear "winner" — MacArthur Park, which nevertheless topped the charts twice (1968 and 1978) and has been covered on more than 50 albums!
but in defense:
But Barry and other detractors are just plain wrong. This is the inner cry of a young Okie kid lost in Los Angeles with a heart full of sorrows and a head full of acid. He has been crushed by love, but he vows to rise again, though he knows his loss always will cause him pain.
Also, the author's defense:
All very edifying, Jimmy, - but the question that really needs to be asked here is, what are the lyrics to MacArthur Park about? I mean, "Someone left the cake out in the rain/I don't think that I can make it cos' it took too long to bake it and I'll never have that recipe again" - what's going on there? "I always think that whatever is art, need not and should not be explained, as someone once said. "But I'll tell you: MacArthur Park is clearly about a love affair ending, and the person singing it is using the cake and the rain as a metaphor for that. OK, it may be far out there, and a bit incomprehensible, but that is what I was trying to get at. I suppose the whole thing was that I wrote the song at a time in the late 1960s when surrealistic lyrics were the order of the day. It was written around about the same time as Strawberry Fields, so it probably seems a bigger deal now than it was back then. Still, the lyrics never stopped Richard Harris, Frank Sinatra, Donna Summer and any number of trash garage bands from doing it - and who else can say that about one of their songs"?
[link]
Tusk.
eta...
Nutty, you hadn't even heard the Donna Summer cover of it?
Donna Summer had the 1978 hit with it, right?
this is my desktop at the moment.
I'm not sure if I've ever heard it myself.
Okay this site has just sucked away a large portion of my day. She's a snippy blog-owner, but even if you throw away 50% as lighting, it sure beats awfulplasticsurgery.com hands down.
Also, I sat next to QPB and got a mini-recap of the Lost shindig.
Every time I see QPB, I think of Quality Paperback Books. I just can't help myself. It's a thing.
Briefly I considered putting up a picture of the Lost party security team
The laptop wallpaper is Sharpe, looking cocky, next to a cannon.
I
so
want each of these. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to do much with my work computer. Fortunately, I downloaded WebShots
before
that edict, so while I am no longer allowed to download pictures, I have a ton already on my computer. Since I had express permission for those, I'm considering them grandmothered in.
I got a nice note from my boss about the thing today:
I went to the AWC presentation today. You're a "natural" for this sort of thing, Allyson.
Recent House Votes:
Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act - Vote Passed (272-162, 1 Not Voting) [link]
This House bill would permanently repeal the estate tax.
Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act - Vote Passed (302-126, 7 Not Voting) [link]
The House gave final approval to this bill intended to make it harder for people who declare bankruptcy to get out of paying their debts.
Donna Summer had the 1978 hit with it, right?
I think so. The timing is right.
Every time I see QPB, I think of Quality Paperback Books.
We who read QPB as Quality Paperback Books are many. Do not be discouraged.
