Readers' 20 Worst Lyrics Ever: No. 7
- Posted by Spinner Readers
- Comments (224)
"Someone left the cake
Out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long
To bake it
And I'll never have that
recipe again -- oh no!"
--Richard Harris' 'MacArthur Park'
(lyrics by Jimmy Webb)
Who in the hell leaves the cake out in the rain? --Sharon Clower, Normal, Ill.
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Reader Comments(1 of 12)
moshat 2-03-2008
As far as the putting the cake outside, before central air or refridgerators cakes pies and other things were put on windowsills or porches so that they could cool. And the line about not having the recipe again?? Some cooks just add some of this some of that. My grandma had to make an apple pie and measure each step of the way to give me her "recipe". The recipe is representative of the girl he wont get back. Childrens song?? No, just very old.
sohowat 2-14-2008
Since we are spaced and trying to find a connection in these stupid lyrics, let me add this which kind of flows along the same logic: There is always an idiot in these blogs who calls everyone else idiots.
sohowat 2-14-2008
This song never failed to make me reach for the volume control or the power switch as quickly as I could. The lyrics, melody and artist are just ridiculous and wrong. Made me want to throw my radio out in the rain. The only other songs I might compare to it are the foreign language songs "Dominique" by The Singing Nun (was there never but one?) and "Sukiyaki" by the unforgettable Kyu Sakamoto. To my utter amazement, both of these 1963 gems reached No. 1. "Sukiyaki" was even covered by Taste of Honey in 1981. "MacArthur Park" climbed all the way to No. 2 in May 1968 before mercifully falling out of hearing. Just awful.
Billat 2-14-2008
The Donna Summer version was so sexy I didn't even pay much attention to the lyrics.
Skippygddsat 2-18-2008
People, think of the times. I always heard it was about drugs.
chiripaenfluxat 3-01-2008
I couldn't care less about the lyrics. This song has SO much music in it, that it reminds me of a time when songs where about music composing and not just music constructing after a commercial template. Nowadays, 80% of the songs on the radio are cheesy and "thought-Provoking-wannabe" lines over the dumbest rhythms sections ever.
feliciaat 4-11-2008
Bob, i kind of understand your point, but seriously, i am sure there is a better way of describing how one loses his/her love without those kind of lyrics.
feliciaat 4-11-2008
I couldn't care less about the lyrics. This song has SO much music in it, that it reminds me of a time when songs where about music composing and not just music constructing after a commercial template. Nowadays, 80% of the songs on the radio are cheesy and "thought-Provoking-wannabe" lines over the dumbest rhythms sections ever.
chiripaenflux at 3:19AM on Mar 1st 2008
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so true... that is why i listen to the artists i want to listen to on CD's and the iPod. most of them are formed in the 80's and 90's. almost every artist/band sounds almost exactly like the previous one. i think that they lost the meaning of creativity.
Nickat 5-13-2008
Hey guys, if you want lyrics you can understand... Barney and Telletubbies are still on during the day for the simple minded folk...
Ron Reedat 6-01-2008
Hey, Donna Summer left it out there first.
Dat 6-18-2008
You know, its surprising. It doesn't occur so much with this lyric, but mostly with the others. People choose lyrics that fit in their songs, but then take them out of context and then add some stupid comment about them. Like this one. We are shown part of the song, and the caption is 'Who leaves cake in the rain?' what kind of stupid caption is that? Instead of criticizing the meaning of the lyric, they criticize the actual lyric, and interpret it literally. I mean, you could at least put a little more thought into the critiques. Like say, 'aligning cake with love is a bit of a far reach, isn't it?' instead of taking it literally.
Wolfng3at 6-29-2008
Ah, metaphors. If you take it lliterally, I suppose it's a pretty silly concept.
I still love this song though!
Byohazardat 7-01-2008
Dude, I dont care if its stupid. I like the simplicity of these lyrics lmao.
elleat 7-25-2008
i'm sorry but this line never fails to amuse me xDD
Dickheadat 10-18-2008
This song was written by a guy named Jim Webb. Richard Harris only sang it & anybody who equates a cake melting in the rain to a lost love needs serious help. Too much medication or not enough.
cybergrazat 10-21-2008
The entire song is written metaphorically regarding a lost love due to neglect. Keep in mind that the period in which it was written (the '60's)is replete with similar song lyrics. "Strawberry Fields", "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", etc. In addition, "American Pie" (1971)by Don McLean is a very good example of the use of symbolism to tell a story of rock and roll.
Liteninat 12-13-2008
Jimmy webb also wrote ' Galveston ' about a guy in Nam Remembering H'is sweetheart "I clean my gun and dream of Galveston .
Maiaat 12-18-2008
If this song was about losing a loved one, why didn't he write it about a loved one instead of a cake?
I'm not trying to be critical, I'm genuinely curious. ^^,
Plus, we truly don't know what's going through peoples minds when they write these songs... or if anything's going through them at all...
schytzodonnieat 12-31-2008
Agreed. Quite stupid.
glory25420at 6-04-2009
Beautiful song, interesting metaphor. It isn't meant to be literal, dummies!