JIMMY & RICHARD
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A Thought for Today
We can never hope to get inside someone else's mind, so don't be too quick to judge what makes them turn.
RICHARD HARRIS
1930-2002
Hi Ken,
Could you run the March 27, 2000 Flight Plan again, in memory of Richard
Harris?
He will be greatly missed.
Thanks,
Ann
You're quite right, Ann, he
will be greatly missed, not just by you and me but, judging from the
mail I've received following his passing, a host of other regular
visitors to this web site.
Richard Harris was what one might call a "character". Not a character
actor, but a "character". Hell raiser deluxe, he was cut from the same
cloth as Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton and Oliver Reed and nothing he ever
did or said could be called boring. Given his reputation I think his
amazingly sensitive portrayal of King Arthur in "Camelot" was one of the
wonders of the celluloid world and I know the soundtrack has found a
special place in many hearts, my mother-in-law's included.
Reading some of his obituaries I was disappointed so little was made of
his recording career and association with Jimmy Webb. I suppose the
briefness of his singing career has something to do with that. Brief
though this career may have been he's left behind a terrific musical
legacy including a couple of memorable songs in the form
of "MacArthur Park" and "Didn't We".
In addition, few who heard his
recording of Kahil Gibran's "The Prophet" have ever forgotten it. A
wonderful talent, gone too soon. May he rest in peace.
Here's the Flight Plan you
requested, Ann.
JIMMY &
RICHARD
During my recent visit to Durban I spent some time with a
younger colleague examining his eclectic collection of MP3's - and an illuminating
experience it was, too.
I was gratified to find "Seasons in the Sun", albeit the Terry Jacks version,
which gave me the opportunity of putting the record straight, so to speak. I also found
the definitive teenager's anthem, Janis Ian's "At Seventeen", which brought back
some bitter-sweet memories for me.
So far I was impressed with this collection, but the occasion was about to take a sharp
turn downhill. We then came across a disco/rap/call it what you will version of
"MacArthur Park". Not wanting to be rude I commented that it was
"different" but I really preferred the original version by Richard Harris.
"Richard Harris?"
"Yup."
"He sang?"
"After a fashion - yes. He took it to the top of the charts in 1968."
At this point another colleague was called in to witness this unbelievable conversation.
"Richard Harris? 'A Man Called Horse' Richard Harris?"
"Well, I prefer to think of him as 'Camelot' Richard Harris, but yes, it's the same
guy."
There followed a brief pause for some incredulous laughter and the two drifted off muttering that
the old guy (me!) was, in addition to being prematurely gray, sliding into the first stages
of senility and obviously didn't know nearly as much about the music business as he
professed.
Ah well, time will allow them to see the error of their ways.
All of which brings me to the point of today's Flight Plan. We seldom feature the lyrics
of other songwriters here - Rod has enough of his own material to keep us going for
awhile, thank you very much! In fact the only time I can recall doing so was the time we
posted "Cycles" by Gayle Caldwell.
Rod has, however, recorded "MacArthur Park" and is on record as saying he's not
crazy about the beginning and end of the song, but loves the middle. Here then is the
"middle bit" of the Jimmy Webb classic, "MacArthur Park".
Hope it brings back some happy memories for you.
- Ken, Johannesburg, March 27 2000
If you have a favorite McKuen song, poem or
story you'd like to share drop me a line at
kenb@mckuen
and I'll make sure your letter appears right here one Wednesday soon.
- Ken, Johannesburg,
October 30
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