Where were you when you first heard "MacArthur Park?"

[Giuseppe Zangara]

Let's discuss this masterpiece.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

Also, please, do not discuss "Weird" Al Yankovic in this thread; I will, however, allow talk of the Donna Summer cover of the Webb-penned song.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

For starters, I cannot recall when I first heard this song. What I can tell you is this song is superior to the Beatles' "Hey Jude," as far as seven minute ballads that did well on the Billboard charts in 1968 go.

[Henry Spencer]

Like many culturally stunted children of my generation, I first heard this song on The Simpsons.

[PLAGIARISM!]

Don't know this one, which Simpsons episode is it in?

[Slayer]

I first became aware of the song's existence in a series of Dave Barry columns about the worst songs ever, but I didn't know what the song itself sounded like until I heard the version by (that guy Inc doesn't want mentioned in this thread)

[Giuseppe Zangara]

I am now certain that Canadian sketch comedy show SCTV was responsible for my first exposure to this classic. I am presently searching youtube in hopes of finding the skit I recall seeing it in (the existence of which I was reminded thanks to wikipedia); I will update if found!

[King Kamala]

Back in '99 or '00, I read an article online about actors singing and they mentioned the song. I downloaded it off Napster (those were the days) and...er that was it.

[Guest Eagle Man]

There were three schools by my old house, (K-2, 3-5, 6-8), and I would refer to their accompanying playgrounds by the school's name, instead of their proper names, so I'd always ask to go to Betsy Ross Park, Annie Sullivan Park, or MacArthur Park. Whenever I said the third one, my dad would always say "MacArthur Park is melting in the dark!", and I tolerated this strange behavior for a few years before asking just how a park could melt, anyway. He said it was an old song, and that he would play it for me on the record player in the basement. This was so cool to me, because I never got to touch the record player. I didn't think the song was very good, but I was really into Real McCoy at the time. I still don't think it's that great. Dave Barry was right.

[Giuseppe Zangara]

Like Dave Barry is an arbiter of taste.

[Slayer]

The columns (and book based on said columns) were based on reader input, so really it's "Like Dave Barry readers are arbiters of taste"

[Giuseppe Zangara]

Well, that's worse, obv.

[River City Rocker]

I believe I was in a corner bar during karaoke night when I first heard this classic.

[Henry Spencer]

Don't know this one, which Simpsons episode is it in?

 

The one where Lisa is entered into a beauty pageant. One of the girls performs the song on a tabla.

[spiny norman]

I recall one evening when I was about eight or nine, my father was driving the car with me in the passanger seat, the radio playing. This song began, and my father laughed and said "This here's pretty much the worst song ever".

 

So I listened to it for the first time then. Far from the worst song ever.

 

Given the love my father has for Avril Lavigne, no - he is not really an arbiter of taste either.

[King Kamala]

Given the love my father has for Avril Lavigne, no - he is not really an arbiter of taste either.

 

 

And I thought my dad's love for Joss Stone was bad!

 

 

According to wikipedia, besides being recorded by Waylon Jennings, Glen Campbell, The Four Tops, Sammy Davis Jr and Liza Minelli. Why there are two (There doesn't even need to be one!) country covers of "MacArthur Park" is beyond me.

[godthedog]

what kind of dumb shit would lose his recipe right after he put so much time into baking the cake? didn't he think, at some point during this long and arduous baking process, "wow, i should probably put this recipe in a safe place somewhere"? seriously.

[muzz]

I heard this again driving home from work the other night. As a kid, I never paid attention to the lyrics, I just tried to ignore the entire song, but now that I listen, they are just... confusing and infuriating.

[King Kamala]

I downloaded this song thanks to this thread since I haven't heard it in three or four years. I must say- it's far from the worst song ever recorded. For an overblown, cheesy pop record- it's quite enjoyable.