Released in 1968, this album was apparently the biggest flop in musical history. Its budget of $48,302 made it the most expensive album ever recorded. The Warner bosses weren't worried, they knew it was going to be the biggest thing since Sgt Pepper and probably bigger. They were just a little off the mark. A short while after it was released, Warner Bros. came clean and published several full page ads in magazines like Rollingstone, stating exactly how much money they had lost on Song Cycle, but said it was because of an ignorant public. Apparently the world just wasn't ready for Van Dyke Parks to go solo. Warner then claimed that the few people who had bought it, loved it so much that they'd worn out their copy. Thus they offered that if those enlightened enough to have purchased the album would send 1 cent to Warner Bros. along with their copy of Song Cycle, they would receive two copies of Song Cycle; one for them, and one for an unenlightened friend. This also failed to move "units". Has anyone actually heard this, this, this "thing"?

P.S. Look out! There's black gold rolling in the hold!

Jeebers, there's one you don't see much. I vaguely remember hearing it only once, probably early '69, chemically impaired- it sounded yellow. And someone in the room was begging the guy playing it take it off and put on Winds of Change.

Actually it's one of my favorite 60's albums and it tremendously influenced what became the indie pop genre.

Brilliant, simply brilliant!

Well, maybe not that brilliant, but I do like it. It's not one of those psychedelic 60s sounding albums that made so much of a comeback in the 90s. It's more of a charmer. More of a Broadway musical sound, but gentler, not bombastic at all. Makes you smile a lot. If you're familiar with Harry Nilsson, that's a good comparison. Kind of a dated sound. Some of it does sound a bit like the goofier parts of his sometime partner Brian Wilson's Smile, but it does have its own feel.

The one to get is the 1999 Rykodisc International RCD 10452 remaster which is only available outside of the US (I ordered my copy from a UK source), but is definitely worth seeking out if you like this music, both for the much improved sound quality and the addition of the wonderful "The Eagle And Me" single which isn't on the original.

so... van dyke parks is touring in september. has anyone seen him play? what could i expect?

Jesus, I don't even remember this thread, much less posting in it. I was still in Las Vegas.

I downloaded it after reading the thread. Its been on my ipod since. It has some wonderful moments on it.

I need to remember to check this out.

I feel like this was posted originally around the same time that "Smile" came out from Brian Wilson, which featured VDP. That certainly was the reason I checked this out. I enjoyed Smile, and wanted to hear what he did solo.

I've seen him a few times but it was always him as part of someone else's band or sitting in with someone else for a few songs. I remember he played with Loudon Wainwright and Joe Henry and I'm pretty sure I've seen him with some others. I've never seen him play his own material though so I can't help other than to tell you he has white hair and a mustache, is a little chubby and can play accordion. I know that doesn't help much though.

I bought Song Cycle years ago but it never made much of an impression on me. I kept it though and plan on revisiting it as some point. For whatever its worth, his follow-up to that album has a similar reputation but I didn't like Song Cycle enough to dig deeper.

i don't know how i missed this the first time. anyway, Song Cycle does have it's moments. actually, so does Jump and Orange Crate Art (collab with Brian Wilson).