Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA) is a… Read Full Bio ↴Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA) is an American composer, arranger, producer, instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, author, and actor based in Pasadena, California. Parks is perhaps best known for his collaborations with musician Brian Wilson, and especially for his lyrical contributions to The Beach Boys' legendary Smile album.

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.

Come Along
Van Dyke Parks Lyrics

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Kibbee-Parks

Come along! Come along! Come on along!
I just may be goin' your way
and I won't take yoh no
I gotta giddyup and go
On the road wid de show if I may say so
Row to hoe rodeo Oh here we go

Where they say de lovelies do play
Maybe sooner or late
That's de time to go straight and to confabulate. Come along!
Don't be callin' me brother. You too hard on my hide
I gots to get hold of a halter friend
And then I really need a saddle to ride
Gots me indisposition. You who pardon my pride
It seem to me like an imposition friend
If you must really need a saddle to ride.
In disspell of the Southern moonlight and thee charm of the women and wine
Might as well just surrender tonight to remember this wonderful time of your life you must leave all your worry behind.
Don't worry! Don't worry! Not to worry!
As they say "the pleasure is mine"
Gonna hit de road Jack
Lazy-lay yousef back
Let's leave Gawgia behind for Carolina
Climb aboard! Climb aboard! Climb on aboard!
I'll wake you when it's time to dine
Fella you can feel free to take a vantage on me
I'm a true and trustee. Don't worry!
You dressed up for de party tonight holdin' hopin' that she would be there
You look smart for de party alright
A delightful and debonaire hare on a night that is right for some devil-may-care
Come along! Come along! Come on along!
I just may be goin' your way
Maybe sonner or late

To the gals we go straight
Just to confabulate. Come along!

Overall Meaning

The song "Come Along" by Van Dyke Parks is a cheerful and upbeat tune inviting the listener to join in on a journey. The lyrics suggest an adventurous road trip where the singer may or may not be going in the same direction as the listener. The lyrics are replete with vivid imagery, clever wordplay, and playful use of dialect. The singer explains that he must leave behind any worries, obligations, and distractions to fully embrace this new experience. The song encourages the listener to relax, let go, and join in on the fun. The lyrics also hint at the possibility of a romantic encounter, as the singer references the charm of Southern moonlight, women, and wine. The overall tone of the song is lighthearted and carefree, with a sense of excitement and anticipation for the journey ahead.

Line by Line Meaning

Come along! Come along! Come on along!
Let's go, together!

I just may be goin' your way
I might be headed in the same direction as you.

and I won't take yoh no
I won't say no to you.

I gotta giddyup and go
I need to hurry up and leave.

On the road wid de show if I may say so
I'm traveling with a show, if I may say so myself.

Row to hoe rodeo Oh here we go
I have a lot of work to do, I'm ready to get started!

Where they say de lovelies do play
I'm going where the beautiful people hang out.

Maybe sooner or late
Perhaps sooner or later.

That's de time to go straight and to confabulate. Come along!
It's time to get serious and have a conversation. Let's go!

Don't be callin' me brother. You too hard on my hide
Don't call me brother, you're being too critical.

I gots to get hold of a halter friend
I need to get control of the situation.

And then I really need a saddle to ride
And then I need a way to move forward.

Gots me indisposition. You who pardon my pride
I'm feeling unwell. Please excuse my pride.

It seem to me like an imposition friend
It seems to me like you're imposing on me, friend.

If you must really need a saddle to ride.
If you truly need help moving forward.

In disspell of the Southern moonlight and thee charm of the women and wine
Despite the allure of the Southern moonlight, women, and wine.

Might as well just surrender tonight to remember this wonderful time of your life you must leave all your worry behind.
You might as well let go and enjoy tonight, and forget your worries.

Don't worry! Don't worry! Not to worry!
Don't worry, everything is okay!

As they say "the pleasure is mine"
As they say, it's my pleasure to be here with you.

Gonna hit de road Jack
I'm going to leave now.

Lazy-lay yousef back
Just relax and let go!

Let's leave Gawgia behind for Carolina
Let's move on from Georgia and head to Carolina.

Climb aboard! Climb aboard! Climb on aboard!
Get on board with me!

I'll wake you when it's time to dine
I'll make sure to wake you up for dinner.

Fella you can feel free to take a vantage on me
You can rely on me, buddy.

I'm a true and trustee. Don't worry!
I'm trustworthy, don't worry about a thing!

You dressed up for de party tonight holdin' hopin' that she would be there
You got dressed up for the party tonight, hoping that she would be there.

You look smart for de party alright
You look good for the party.

A delightful and debonaire hare on a night that is right for some devil-may-care
A charming and sophisticated guy on a night where anything goes.