Van Dyke Parks "Heroes and Villains" on WNYC's Spinning On Air

[bearloads]

Simply AMAZING!!!

I LOVE Van Dyke Parks...

I can't believe I never heard anything of his before...this is one of the best String and Piano arrangements I have EVER HEARD>>>

KUDOS VDP Anoter Great ARTIST with PITTSBURGH INFLUENCES..MARVELOUS!!!

[alexandertarangerkin]

just got an idea, when smile was not released, VDP should have done his own version in 1968-70 after completing his Song Cycle album. Imagine an entire Smile album recorded in the same vein as Song Cycle, that would be something.

[AllenOption8]

Spectacular. Goes beyond the Beach Boys. Shows that not only a lyric writer, a true artist in every way and everyone in that room as well right in tune and time with one of the creators of this timeless classic. Bravo, Van Dyke Parks!

[desaf1nad0]

beautiful......

[gargh]

This is so cool! 

[Joshromig]

Goosebomps! What a great string arranger he is.

[thewordofgord]

wow! what a cool arrangement of this timeless classic! what daring! what panache!

wordofgord

[ContinoBricchio]

if you just listen to the music, Sufjan Stevens suddenly appears into the room...

what a genious, still sounds so fresh and unique.

[pandpinjapan]

He grew his brand of antebellum post-pop in the wake of the dust bowl created by the drug revolution. We let this sharecropper blow away in the wind.

[procol0616]

For those out there that don't believe in God....hey..,,,

, I think she was kind enough to give us VDP!!!

What a wonderful man of Music and Lyric.

Time to giddyup, dowahdiddyup!!

[tas6010]

Sounds as if it was lifted off the Song Cycle sessions back in '67!! Amazing.

[Polyphemus47]

Did anyone see which way my socks flew? I've just had them knocked off! I've been re-watching Twin Peaks, and the episode with Van Dyke had me searching for him on YT. I had NO idea this existed. Thank you SO much for posting!

[PetSounds3608]

Brian Wilson should have left the Beach Boys in 1967 and struck up a long lasting partnership with Van Dyke. I swear they could have outdone John and Paul. Brian's musicality and Van Dyke's artistry. I think by themselves, they both tend to be bland.

[mangoshakess]

@PetSounds3608 what the heck. I'm with you on them being together. But apart brian and van dyke are most definitely NOT "bland".

[FraterSoddi]

Van Dyke Parks is a one-of-a-kind American original.

[bdicat]

As co author of this song, Van had his own arrangement in mind and Brian his own.My love for Van lets me like both versions.

[yukichi99]

wonderful!

[sixtoeightfeet]

A very beautiful and interesting version of Heroes and Villains! I would also love to hear VDP do Orange Crate Art with this same sort of string-quartet / chamber music accompanyment (hint-hint).

[singercity40]

l o v e l y......

ed askew

[todddillingham1967]

genius

[bobbypennock]

I liked this arrangement very much!

[oldstuff]

Major kudos to Van Dyke for his work on "Smile", "Orange Crate Art" and "Song Cycle" as well as for being a genuinely nice and dignified bloke. However, I much prefer Brian's arrangement.

[chewyraccoon]

that's really great...

[baiNEKO]

Who's that cello player? ;}