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.
Cowboy
Van Dyke Parks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Once there was a forest where they hid there in the rain
Cowboy bowboy cowboy
Wanderin' Wahini under locks of raven hair
Beads of inspiration Hopin' he would not forget just where
Heyup cowboy!
Up above the canopy in the highest branches of a tree
I forgot to mention it was nineteen forty-one
Zeros kept a-comin' like to blanket out the sun
Cowboy cowboy
So they lay suspended dreaming of some kind of god
With their limbs akimbo and extended to the mind of God
Cowboy
And the night without regret says it's time to let your hair down low
There they lay in silhouette he would say I'd stay yet have to go
King Kamehameha met with Captain Cook uopn the shore
Lookin' at all the cattle asked him "What the hell are these for?"
Cowboy cowboy cowboy
Gone now is the forest and the lovers of the trees
Now there is a chorus playing golf who say in Japanese
Kau-boi
The song "Cowboy" by Van Dyke Parks is full of vivid imagery and references to Hawaiian history and culture. The lyrics describe a paniolo cowboy in a sugar cane field who falls in love with a wahini, and they dream of a future together despite the looming threat of the Japanese invasion in 1941. The song incorporates elements of Hawaiian music, including the use of the word "kau-boi" for cowboy and a reference to King Kamehameha meeting Captain Cook.
The first verse sets the scene with the image of a lone cowboy in a field of sugar cane, which is a staple crop in Hawaii. The second line refers to a forest where the cowboy and his lover used to hide, hinting at a time when Hawaii was still heavily forested before it was cleared for agriculture and development. The repeated chorus of "cowboy, bowboy, cowboy" adds an almost chant-like quality to the song.
The second verse introduces the wahini, who has "locks of raven hair" and "beads of inspiration." The cowboy is clearly taken with her and hopes she won't forget where they come from. The next lines describe a romantic interlude between the two lovers, who climb up into the highest branches of a tree to be alone. The line "one day you'll belong to me" suggests a hopeful future for their relationship, even as war looms on the horizon.
Line by Line Meaning
Paniolo cowboy in a field of sugar cane
A cowboy is seen in a sugar cane field.
Once there was a forest where they hid there in the rain
There used to be a forest where the cowboy and his lover would take shelter from the rain.
Cowboy bowboy cowboy
The cowboy is addressed, repeating his name playfully.
Wanderin' Wahini under locks of raven hair
The cowboy's lover, a wandering wahini, has dark hair.
Beads of inspiration Hopin' he would not forget just where
She wears beads hoping the cowboy will remember where they first met.
Heyup cowboy!
The cowboy is addressed again with enthusiasm.
Up above the canopy in the highest branches of a tree
The couple finds a spot high up in a tree.
He would take her longingly and say "One day you'll belong to me"
The cowboy would embrace her and tell her that she would belong to him someday.
I forgot to mention it was nineteen forty-one
The setting is during World War II in 1941.
Zeros kept a-comin' like to blanket out the sun
The war planes were flying overhead, blocking out the sun like a blanket.
Cowboy cowboy
The cowboy is addressed again.
So they lay suspended dreaming of some kind of god
They lay suspended, dreaming of a higher power.
With their limbs akimbo and extended to the mind of God
They have their arms and legs spread open towards the sky, reaching out to a spiritual entity.
Cowboy
The cowboy is addressed again.
And the night without regret says it's time to let your hair down low
The night urges them to let their hair down and relax without regrets.
There they lay in silhouette he would say I'd stay yet have to go
They lay in a shadowy outline, and the cowboy says he would want to stay but must leave.
King Kamehameha met with Captain Cook uopn the shore
Hawaiian king Kamehameha met with Captain Cook by the shore.
Lookin' at all the cattle asked him "What the hell are these for?"
The king was confused about the purpose of the cows brought to the island.
Cowboy cowboy cowboy
The cowboy is addressed again, possibly comparing him with the cowboys who brought the cows to the island.
Gone now is the forest and the lovers of the trees
The forest they used to hide in is now gone, and the couple is no longer together.
Now there is a chorus playing golf who say in Japanese
Now there are people playing golf, and they say 'Kau-boi' (cowboy in Japanese).
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BJOERK GUDMUNDSDOTTIR, BRAGI OLAFSSON, EINAR BENEDIKTSSON, SIGTRYGGUR BALDURSSON, THOR ELDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind