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.
Dreaming of Paris
Van Dyke Parks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We had the girl and the boy
And love was never a toy
Just like that old rusty ford we restored out in back
It made that clickety-clack
Our new old house by the track
At her window was a touch of lavender lace
Too many rainbows to chase
Right through the cracks of the paint
Come the tracks of the train
Scatter like diamonds of rain
Down our old blacktop two lane
Hold back time
Don't talk about tomorrow
Tell that old clock on the wall
He'll just have to call it a day
Hold back time
When we're in each other's arms
We're in each other's arms
So hold back time
With that old country hymn spinning round in her brain
She kept her fancy for play
More than for fortune and fame
Now when we feel every wheel spinnin' steel on that track
We shake the dust off the sack
In our old house by the track
Hold back time
Don't talk about tomorrow
Tell that old clock on the wall
He'll just have to call it a day
Hold back time
When we're in each other's arms
We're in each other's arms
So hold back time
Time
Hold Back Time by Van Dyke Parks is a song that takes us on an introspective journey through the singer's memories of a joy-filled past with a special someone. The lyrics speak of the simplicity and purity of their love, which was never treated as a game but something more valuable than anything else. The line "We painted inside and out with just a gallon of joy" suggests that they were able to derive happiness from the simpler things in life, such as painting their home together. The metaphorical description of their restored rusty old Ford makes us relive an era where we didn't need so much of everything and anything, and where true love was not only sought but deeply treasured.
The song also paints a poignant image of a beautiful love story that transcends time, space, and obstacles just like a beautiful rainbow. Despite the hardships of life, their love managed to scatter through the tracks replicating diamonds of rain. The singer remembers her face, and the old house by the track where they both lived happily together. The twist in the song comes when the singer asks time to hold back so that they can relive the moments spent together. Towards the end of the song, the singer calls for their partner to hold back time and to relive moments spent together. The song has an aura of melancholy that is enhanced by the slow, bluesy melody which makes the listener feel as though they too have lost someone very important to them long ago.
Line by Line Meaning
We painted inside and out with just a gallon of joy
We painted every inch of our house with happiness and contentment, using only a small amount of it.
We had the girl and the boy
We were lucky to have both a daughter and a son.
And love was never a toy
Our love was never a frivolous thing, we always cherished and respected it.
Just like that old rusty ford we restored out in back
Just like the old and rusty car that we restored on our property.
It made that clickety-clack
It made that sweet and nostalgic sound.
Our new old house by the track
Our newly bought old house that was located near the train track.
At her window was a touch of lavender lace
There was a beautiful touch of lavender lace on her window.
I remember her face
I still remember her beautiful face clearly.
Too many rainbows to chase
There were so many opportunities and possibilities that we had to chase.
Right through the cracks of the paint
It seeped right through the tiny cracks of the paint on our walls.
Come the tracks of the train
Then came the tracks of the train, reminding us of its constant presence in our lives.
Scatter like diamonds of rain
The raindrops outside were sparkling and beautiful, almost like diamonds.
Down our old blacktop two lane
Down the old, familiar road we used to take.
Hold back time
Let's try to prevent the passage of time.
Don't talk about tomorrow
Don't bring up something uncertain or unpredictable like the next day.
Tell that old clock on the wall
Talk to that old, ticking clock on the wall.
He'll just have to call it a day
Time will have to come to an end at some point, there's nothing to be done about it.
When we're in each other's arms
We love holding and being near each other.
We're in each other's arms
We're lovingly holding each other close.
So hold back time
Let's try to prevent the passage of time once again.
With that old country hymn spinning round in her brain
With that old song stuck in her head, the one that she always loved.
She kept her fancy for play
She always held onto her creative and playful side.
More than for fortune and fame
She valued play and creativity more than any amount of fame or wealth.
Now when we feel every wheel spinnin' steel on that track
Now, every time we hear the train coming, we feel the wheels turning and the steel grinding together.
We shake the dust off the sack
We get up and start moving, shaking off any dust and getting ready to go.
In our old house by the track
In our lovely old home that was situated so close to the train track.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: VAN DYKE PARKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David C Kendall
Although an acquired taste, Van Dyke Parks is a master of style, and a virtuoso music arranger. I JUST LOVE THIS GUY...... Homework...explore all his records, and start with 'The Clang of the Yankee Reaper'....move on to 'Tokyo Rose'
Cade Kozle Kozlowski
I would recommend listening to Song Cycle BEFORE you listen to this.
Beaky free
I recommend this album with tape echo. it's like he never missed a beat.