Jankowski studied at the Berlin Music Conservatory and played jazz in Germany in the 1950s, serving as bandleader for singer Caterina Valente. Jankowski's fame as a composer of easy listening pop peaked in 1965 with his tune Eine Schwarzwaldfahrt, released in English as "A Walk in the Black Forest". The tune became a pop hit, reaching #1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, #12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 , and #3 in the UK. Jankowski went on to score a string of successful albums, but moved on in the 1970s to concentrate more on jazz, including covers of pop and rock hits. 1989-1994 Jankowski composed and performed Easy Listening Production Music for Sonoton, Germany.
Discography
Traumklang und Rhythmus (1965; Mercury Records)
Encore (1965; Mercury Records)
The Genius of Jankowski (1965; Mercury Records) US #18
More Genius of Jankowski (1966; Mercury Records) US #65
Sing mit Horst (1966; Mercury Records)
Still More Genius of Jankowski (1967; Mercury Records) US #107
The Horst Jankowski Scene (1967; Mercury Records)
And We Got Love (1967; Mercury Records)
So What's New? (1968; Mercury Records)
Play Some More, lieber Horst (1968; Mercury Records)
The Many Moods of Jankowski (1968; Mercury Records)
Piano Affairs (1968; Mercury Records)
Jankowski Plays Jankowski (1969; Mercury Records)
Jankowski Meets Beethoven (1969, Mercury Records)
A Walk in the Evergreens (1969; Mercury Records)
Piano on the Rocks (1970; Mercury Records)
Jankowskingsize – For Nightpeople Only (1970; MPS)
Jankowskinetik (1970; MSP)
Jankowskeynotes (1970; MPS)
Follow Me (1972; Intercord)
International (1973; Intercord)
Jankowskyline (1973; Intercord)
Jankowski's Classic Explosion (1979; EMI)
The Best of Mr. Black Forest (1989; Sonoton / Intersound)
Piano Interlude (1994; Sonoton / Intersound)
Black Forest Explosion! (1997; Motor Music)
Eine Schwarzwaldfahrt (1998; Mercury Records)
Jankowskinetik (2003; Universal)
Jankowskeynotes (2004; Universal)
MacArthur Park
Horst Jankowski Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance
Between the parted pages and were pressed
In love's hot, fevered iron
Like a striped pair of pants
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took too long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
I still see the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
And the birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
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!
There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
You'll still be the one
I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers and the sky
And after all the loves of my life
After all the love of my life
You still be the one
You keep wondering wanna know why
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
It took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
Oh, no
The lyrics of Horst Jankowski's song "MacArthur Park" showcases the highs and lows of a romantic relationship. The opening lines speak of how, just like how spring never waits for anyone, love too, has a tendency to be unpredictable and run one step ahead. The following lines paint a vivid picture of the couple in love, who find themselves lost in the tangle of love's hot, fevered iron, much like a "striped pair of pants".
The chorus of the song, "MacArthur Park is melting in the dark, all the sweet, green icing flowing down", is metaphorical and describes how love can wilt and ultimately crumble even if the couple is passionately in love. The analogy to cake left out in the rain is symbolic of how love could be sweet but, if not nurtured and taken care of, will melt and eventually, go stale. The lyrics suggest the singer is confused and upset, lamenting the fact that, just like the cake, his relationship has been ruined, and he will never have that recipe, or love again.
The concluding verses of the song suggest hope and a new beginning as the singer believes that there will be another song and another dream, and he will live his life with passion and attain his heart's desires. The song ends with him reiterating that, after all the loves of his life, the one person he truly loves will always be the one. Overall, the song tells the story of a relationship's rise, fall, and the hope for a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
Spring was never waiting for us, girl
Spring never waited for us, it was always ahead of us, as we followed in the dance, and between the parted pages of the book, we were pressed in love's hot, fevered iron, just like a pair of striped pants.
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
MacArthur's Park is losing its glory in darkness and all the sweet green icing is flowing down. Someone carelessly left the cake out in the rain, and I don't think I can take it anymore. It took too long to bake it, and I'll never have that recipe again.
I still see the yellow cotton dress
I still remember the yellow cotton dress you wore, foaming like a wave on the ground around your knees, and the birds that seemed like tender babies in your hands. I can't forget the old men that were playing checkers by the trees.
There will be another song for me
There will always be another song for me that I'll sing. Someone will bring another dream to me. I'll drink the wine while it is warm and never let you catch me looking at the sun. And after all the loves of my life, you'll still be the one.
I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will take control of my life and use it to my advantage. I'll win the worship in their eyes and eventually lose it. I'll have everything that I desire, and my passion will flow like rivers and the sky. And after all the loves of my life, you'll still be the one. You keep wondering, wanna know why?
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
MacArthur's Park is still losing its glory in darkness, and all the sweet green icing is still flowing down. Someone carelessly left the cake out in the rain, and I can't take it anymore. It took too long to bake it, and I'll never have that recipe again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMMY WEBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind