@77colombo77 --- Very interesting....I don't know why. I don't control the encoding....YouTube does. I uploaded this video in the very same format that I do for all of the others. I have an iPhone and I can't play it either!
I tend to walk back and forth on this one. Depending on my mood, it's either genius or just over-produced crap. Either way, A Tramp Shining is one of those albums I keep going back to and find enjoyable. The thing is, I can never imagine hearing Jimmy Webb actually performing this song himself. Thanks for posting this.
Jim Webb first offerred the song to the Association, but they turned him down. Note that Harris sings the words as "MacArthur's Park", even though Webb pointed out to him that the lyrics were written as "MacArthur Park". Just like the case with the Beatles' "Hey Jude", radio jocks in 1968 loved playing this record, especially when they needed to pick up a ringing phone line, clear the newswire printer, or "answer the call of Nature".
I love this song, and Richard Harris' version is really quite stirring. Maybe it's not a "great" song in many senses, but it certainly is not a bad piece of music. Thanks for putting this one up, Mike and your always-interesting commentary.
One of the greatest songs of all time, period! To those who think it's the worst, remember, if you hit yourself on the head with a bottle, and you hear a hollow sound, it doesn't mean the bottle is empty.
I have always loved this song but I did notice you were playing a re-issue because the original was on ABC-Dunhill records. No matter though... great memories! Thanks once again!
@MusicMike2 i think i used to have a copy of this! ;) my father was General Manager for a small radio station near where we live from 1962 til about a year or so ago. when i and my brother and sister were kids in the 60's and 70's, Dad would bring home tons of vinyl the station couldn't use because it didn't fit the format. usually, alot of pop, R&B, jazz and some avant-garde stuff. this is where i heard Rare Earth for the first time, as well as The Plastic Ono Band! ha!!
Never liked Donna Summer (or any disco for that matter), but love the Richard Harris version. Andy Williams also did a good cover, albeit it was only the last five minutes of it.
I always thought it caught the feeling of the exact time of it's release-just after Bobby Kennedy's assassination and a couple of months after Dr. King's assassination-we all knew there really was no longer even the pretense of any real hope for change in the country-and that sadness resonates with this song, overly-dramatic, cliched lyrics and all.
Absurd, ridiculous, overblown nonsense...not to be taken seriously at all except as a great bit of AM Top 40 excess. Only a young, reckless man could have conceived of something like this, and Jimmy Webb was young enough not to worry about whether it was good or bad.Getting an actor like Harris to do this was also a stroke of genius, and led to the latters' 2nd career. (Note that the 45 Mike is holding is a 1st press Dunhill, not a Dunhill/ABC 2nd press, which is more common). Good one, Mike!
@jason75 This song came out in the 60's. Growing up with 70's radio, this was always played as SOLID GOLD amongst the big hits of the day. I rememeber listening to this song on hot Portland summer nights when they played longer tracks on AM Radio. This is a timeless classic. Thanks Mike for the post. "After all the loves of my life, You'll still be the one" is my favorite line. And yes, someone comes to mind.
I've always wondered what would happen if you put Jimmy Webb and Jim Steinman together on a song. That's about the only way anyone could ever possibly top this.
Music is nice. A lot of metaphors.
thatgirlsbathandbody 1 month ago
Jimmy Webb! I never knew he wrote this masterpiece. I do know he wrote many of Glen Campbell's hits.
wb5oxq 2 months ago
I've always like this song, maybe the lyrics don't make much sense, but I like the melody and Richard Harris's singing.
stow2 9 months ago
For me,very close to the best,and since 43 years.
sdeugdad 11 months ago
Like you say, it all depends. As far as I'm concerned, it was a masterpiece.
RamonaFromPomona 1 year ago
I'd like to give it a thumbs up but you have this encoded to prevent viewing on iPhone.
Why? Just an oversight?
77colombo77 1 year ago
@77colombo77 --- Very interesting....I don't know why. I don't control the encoding....YouTube does. I uploaded this video in the very same format that I do for all of the others. I have an iPhone and I can't play it either!
MusicMike2 1 year ago
Still one of my favorite songs and the lyric "And after all the loves of my life you'll still be the one"...says it ALL.
juliebabyjulie 1 year ago
Still one of my faves...
juliebabyjulie 1 year ago
I tend to walk back and forth on this one. Depending on my mood, it's either genius or just over-produced crap. Either way, A Tramp Shining is one of those albums I keep going back to and find enjoyable. The thing is, I can never imagine hearing Jimmy Webb actually performing this song himself. Thanks for posting this.
BognarRegis 1 year ago
The long playing print is a reissue.
SlimeTron5000 1 year ago
@SlimeTron5000 --- Yes, a greatest hits package on ABC from the 1970's.
MusicMike2 1 year ago
Jim Webb first offerred the song to the Association, but they turned him down. Note that Harris sings the words as "MacArthur's Park", even though Webb pointed out to him that the lyrics were written as "MacArthur Park". Just like the case with the Beatles' "Hey Jude", radio jocks in 1968 loved playing this record, especially when they needed to pick up a ringing phone line, clear the newswire printer, or "answer the call of Nature".
pgh45rpms 1 year ago
I love this song, and Richard Harris' version is really quite stirring. Maybe it's not a "great" song in many senses, but it certainly is not a bad piece of music. Thanks for putting this one up, Mike and your always-interesting commentary.
charlie8575 1 year ago
One of the greatest songs of all time, period! To those who think it's the worst, remember, if you hit yourself on the head with a bottle, and you hear a hollow sound, it doesn't mean the bottle is empty.
56richardcory 1 year ago 2
I have always loved this song but I did notice you were playing a re-issue because the original was on ABC-Dunhill records. No matter though... great memories! Thanks once again!
Rolland B. Heiss
rbheiss 1 year ago
@rbheiss ---- Rolland, good eye. It is a reissue....actually, a "greatest hits" LP called "At The Hop" that contains classic songs from ABC-Dunhill.
MusicMike2 1 year ago
@MusicMike2 i think i used to have a copy of this! ;) my father was General Manager for a small radio station near where we live from 1962 til about a year or so ago. when i and my brother and sister were kids in the 60's and 70's, Dad would bring home tons of vinyl the station couldn't use because it didn't fit the format. usually, alot of pop, R&B, jazz and some avant-garde stuff. this is where i heard Rare Earth for the first time, as well as The Plastic Ono Band! ha!!
snakehunter1964 3 months ago
Never liked Donna Summer (or any disco for that matter), but love the Richard Harris version. Andy Williams also did a good cover, albeit it was only the last five minutes of it.
Thanks for the great tunes, Mike.
BMP
christusvincit 1 year ago
Awesome song. A lot of artists have recorded this tune. The Four Tops did a
very nice version of it also.
kimstar75 1 year ago
I always thought it caught the feeling of the exact time of it's release-just after Bobby Kennedy's assassination and a couple of months after Dr. King's assassination-we all knew there really was no longer even the pretense of any real hope for change in the country-and that sadness resonates with this song, overly-dramatic, cliched lyrics and all.
petclark1 1 year ago
One of my favorite songs, either the Richard Harris or Donna Summer version. I love it! Thanks, Mike.
charlie8575 1 year ago
A great 60s' classic waiting for that disco sound to be invented to fully compliment it...
eli4777 1 year ago
Absurd, ridiculous, overblown nonsense...not to be taken seriously at all except as a great bit of AM Top 40 excess. Only a young, reckless man could have conceived of something like this, and Jimmy Webb was young enough not to worry about whether it was good or bad.Getting an actor like Harris to do this was also a stroke of genius, and led to the latters' 2nd career. (Note that the 45 Mike is holding is a 1st press Dunhill, not a Dunhill/ABC 2nd press, which is more common). Good one, Mike!
edwardmbishop 1 year ago
Thanks for posting this song. It brings back great memories of early summer 1968.
cruiser1947 1 year ago
An unsurpassable masterpiece of over-wrought kitsch. The best bad song ever. Impossible to either hate or love, I don't know, I'm so confused.
problem49 1 year ago 2
The music deserves better lyrics. Then it would be a better classic. Richard Harris did a fine job, and a fine album of Jimmy Webb songs.
TomHendricksMusea 1 year ago
Nice Post Mike
john6172 1 year ago
@jason75 This song came out in the 60's. Growing up with 70's radio, this was always played as SOLID GOLD amongst the big hits of the day. I rememeber listening to this song on hot Portland summer nights when they played longer tracks on AM Radio. This is a timeless classic. Thanks Mike for the post. "After all the loves of my life, You'll still be the one" is my favorite line. And yes, someone comes to mind.
tuneman45 1 year ago
He is a better actor then a singer..although this song came out in in the 70's
jason75 1 year ago
I've always wondered what would happen if you put Jimmy Webb and Jim Steinman together on a song. That's about the only way anyone could ever possibly top this.
chuckcollins 1 year ago
It brings back memories.... I never realized that it was a long song!!! A very popular song back then... Thanks for sharing...
KissMeQuk 1 year ago
Jimmy Webb is a genius!!
jrsn2cars 1 year ago
You're the best Mike!
77Fortran 1 year ago