Van Dyke's Cycle

After a four year or so break from getting my associates to getting my bachelors I decided I needed to get that bachelors. If I did not then It would not make any sense to me to be employable in the work force or for that matter for me to actually make something of myself. In the future. I wanted to continue being a smart, well educated person who had a great job I at least wanted to have the Bachelors of arts to springboard me to future heights. Little did I know that with the four year degree, a few years down the line that the great job would betray me and kick me in the ass. In the years getting that Bachelors I think I got some very good education in music, film, art and all the other disciplines that I was not very good at. I also got an education on life lessons and also learned to get new friends and people who continue to influence me and help me grow. The people don't need names, but I thank them everyday for being there through my tough times and my fun times.

When I was back at school I want to know more then I had already known about music. I went to the campus radio station to be with people who share the same interest in me. That interest of the love of music. Some people had great passion of wonderful great music and others had very little passion on the music that seemed important. They liked music, but not the stuff that engaged me from the time of my 13th birthday till the time I was was 27 when I did go back to college. I also will admit that some of the music I listened to needed more buffing up and the music I knew little or nothing about needed to be learned. I purposely went to the station for that education and also to the library and to the local and only devoted record store.



One day in my dorm I was going through my LP's. I wanted to see what I had to listen to and what I should focus on if I was up to do a radio show in the future. I had a knock at the door that afternoon. It was a new friend who's love of music was about the same as mine. He never saw my collection till this day, but he wanted to express his curiosity to see what I had. I was just looking at what had so I did not have to repeat something that the station had. Then this new friend stumbled upon my near mint copy of Pet Sounds. His wonder and astonishment was fixed on this item. He asked how I got a great copy of this album. I told him I just picked it up at the used record store I go to for dirt cheap. Then I asked the inquiry about Van Dyke Parks. I knew very little about him. I knew about his Brian Wilson collaboration, but that's all I knew.

He looked at me with a blank stare. I was serious and he being a Beach Boy fan he told me about his first album. The album is called Song Cycle and is log out of print and is wonderful and should be picked up. It's full of rich music and very diverse influence and should be heard. It's full of Americana and is to be one of the most expensive albums made at the time.

"Though his debut was largely snubbed by record buyers, Parks – whose ambivalence about his solo career nearly matched his ambitions in that regard – wouldn’t allow himself to be derailed outright. He poured considerable effort into nurturing the careers of other artists in the wake of his experience with Song Cycle, connecting worthy talents of his acquaintance with recording opportunities and eventually moving in-house at Warners to head the label’s newly conceived Audio-Visual Services department." (33 1/3 Blogspot)




With that being said, I got a present one day from my friend. He found one of the songs on file sharing program and put to a CD with other musical gems. Immediately I was transfixed on this song. The song "Donovan's Colours" is full of wonderful joy! It should be heard. I hope you can find the time to find something that is not part of any Psychedelic Rock or mainstream from the 60's, but something that just worth a very good listen and as much as it was a shock when I first heard it. If you mention this album in music circles you will be praised for your wonderful knowledge of something quite unique. Enjoy!!