Among the hundreds of artists he's worked with include Phil Ochs, Tim Buckley, Haruomi Hosono, The Byrds, Rufus Wainwright, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, U2, Joanna Newsom, Inara George, Keith Moon, Frank Zappa, Harpers Bizarre, Little Feat, Ringo Starr, Silverchair, and Skrillex.
In addition to producing, Parks has released seven studio albums of his own recordings: Song Cycle, Discover America, Clang of the Yankee Reaper, Jump!, Tokyo Rose, Songs Cycled, and with Brian Wilson, Orange Crate Art. He has also released a live album, Moonlighting: Live at the Ash Grove. His first official release was the 1966 single Number Nine, a modernized version of Beethoven's 9th backed with Do What You Wanta.
Parks has also established himself in film scores, and over the years has directed, arranged, produced, and composed soundtracks for a great number of motion pictures and television shows.
During his childhood, Parks became extremely fond of old-style American music, most notably the sounds of Tin Pan Alley. This interest in Depression-era songwriting would correlate heavily with his artistic goals and interests during the 1960s and beyond. He was also deeply affected by musicians Spike Jones and Les Paul, which led him to develop an interest with studio experimentation in the form of pop music.
Be Careful
Van Dyke Parks Lyrics
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Son you're growing fine I'm very proud to see
Soon a man you'll be with all the zest for life
But your greatest test will be to choose a wife
Be careful son be careful
All that glitters isn't gold
Be careful son be careful
You must watch them twice
That is my advice
You'll find they're nice from far but far from nice
Marriage is not a sport, it is no game to play
Once they have you caught, it's hard to get away
Behind every great man there's a woman, that's true
But she has a hand in every downfall too
Every lady is a woman though nature's act
But every woman is not a lady and that is a fact
To comprehend the difference it will take a lot
For they both pretend to be what they are not
The lyrics of Van Dyke Parks's song, Be Careful, are a father's advice to his son who is growing up and becoming a man. He warns his son that while it's great to be young and free, he needs to be careful when it comes to choosing a wife. His father reminds him that not everything that glitters is gold, meaning not everyone is who they appear to be.
The father further advises his son that he must watch those around him, those who are young and old, twice before making any rash decisions. He cautions him that people may seem nice from far, but they can actually be far from nice. Marriage should not be taken lightly; it's not a sport or a game to play. Once someone gets caught, it can be tough to get away.
Behind every successful man, there's a woman, but the father notes that the woman also has a hand in every downfall. The father explains that every lady is a woman by nature, but being a lady is not the same as being a woman. To understand the difference, it takes a lot of observation and paying attention to discern between the two.
Overall, the father's words of advice are to tread carefully and make sure to choose a partner wisely to avoid any pitfalls.
Line by Line Meaning
At the age of nine my father said to me
My father spoke to me when I was nine years old
Son you're growing fine I'm very proud to see
He praised me for my growth and said he was proud of me
Soon a man you'll be with all the zest for life
He predicted that I would soon become a man with a lot of enthusiasm for life
But your greatest test will be to choose a wife
He warned me that my greatest challenge in life would be to select a wife
Be careful son be careful
He urged me to be careful and cautious
All that glitters isn't gold
Appearances can be deceiving
Be careful son be careful
He repeated his warning to be careful and cautious
Movin' round toward the young and the old
I should be wary of both young and old women
You must watch them twice
I should observe and evaluate them carefully
That is my advice
This is the counsel he gave to me
You'll find they're nice from far but far from nice
It's easy to be fooled by their initial appearances, but they might not be nice people deep down
Marriage is not a sport, it is no game to play
Marriage is not something to be taken lightly or treated as a game
Once they have you caught, it's hard to get away
If I make a wrong choice, it would be difficult to leave the relationship
Behind every great man there's a woman, that's true
There is often a supportive wife behind every successful man
But she has a hand in every downfall too
However, if things go wrong, she could also be responsible for his failure
Every lady is a woman though nature's act
Every woman is biologically female
But every woman is not a lady and that is a fact
However, not all women behave in a manner that can be described as ladylike
To comprehend the difference it will take a lot
It would require a lot of effort to understand the distinction between a lady and a woman
For they both pretend to be what they are not
Both ladies and women pretend to be something that they are not at times, so it can be hard to tell the difference
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DURRIE PARKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind