Music Box Symphonies

Back in 1999 I went to see Van Dyke Parks at Queen Elizabeth Hall. I must say that I had no idea what to expect. From pictures I’d seen of his time with The Beach Boys during my Smile obsession days (beaten out of me by Brian Wilson’s voice on his solo recording of the album) I was expecting a studious librarian type.

Having heard such songs as Ode to Tobago and Sweet Trinidad my friend Simon was expecting a calypso prince.

What we got was the shortest, campest gentlemen from the American South since Elmer Fudd.

All I had of his work in those days was a Best Of comprising selections from his first three solo albums, Randy Newman’s debut album that he worked as producer and arranger on and various Smile bootlegs that featured his lyrics. I was pretty shocked that I’d managed to find that much.

It was before the re-issues of Song Cycle, Discover America and Clang of the Yankee Reaper and before his triumphant production work on Rufus Wainwright’s first album that, due to taking something like two years to finish, almost ended Rufus’s career just as it was beginning. Still, he had him back on his third album so I guess he must have been happy with the results. Take a listen to a Rufus album and then listen to Song Cycle and I think you’ll agree that there is something of a kinship there.

I was just looking through the set-list of that gig and I remember that at the time I think the only song I knew was Sailin’ Shoes and despite how good the whole gig was (including a great support slot from The High Llamas) I remember I was disappointed there was no Vine Street or Clang of the Yankee Reaper or Ode to Tobago... or anything really.

The whole gig was just so strange and unlikely that I still have to remind myself that I was there.

In this spirit, I’ve now seen that apparently the second encore he did on the evening was his version of Donovan’s Colours and that’s what prompted this post. You see, I can’t remember if I stayed for the second encore, but I’ve a terrible feeling I didn’t as I’m sure I’d remember if I had seen him do Colours. Not only is it the centrepiece of Song Cycle, but it’s also one of the greatest cover versions of all time. It’s one of those VDP songs which sound like it should start playing when you open a music box; all clanks, chimes, ticks and clunks.

Here is that song along with the original Beach Boys version of Wonderful with arguably VDPs greatest lyric, and Joshua Tree Suite Pt 1 which I found on a Marina Record compilation cd and reminds me a lot of the stuff he’s done with Joanna Newsom lately.

Van Dyke Parks - Colours

The Beach Boys - Wonderful

Van Dyke Parks - Joshua Tree Suite Pt 1


Ricky Stardust