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.
Out Of Love
Van Dyke Parks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The moon in all its splendor swings into sight
Puts up a fight puts out a porch light
And soon we both just surrender to its might
Part out of fright part out of love light
Part out of love
Soon you and I are just a memory
And you and I a thought that came to me
A mason jar a star out in the night
Bug in a jug huggin the love light
Just you and I to chase a Milky Way
What can I say we're out of love light
We're out of love
The moon in all its splendor swings out of sight
Put up a fight put out a porch light
And soon we both just surrender to its might
Part out of fright part out of love light
Part out of love
In Van Dyke Parks' song Out Of Love, he begins by referencing the moon and its splendor which symbolizes a sense of romanticism and wonder. The lyrics "puts up a fight, puts out a porch light" describes the way the moon overpowers all other light sources, including the porch light, highlighting the idea of the moon being the strongest source of light in the darkness. This sets the scene for a romantic encounter between two people who then "surrender to its might," both out of fear and out of a desire within them for each other.
As the song progresses, the lyrics "caught up in some cicadae symphony," refer to the cicadae's loud mating call in the night which can be compared to the couple's deepening love. The next line, "You and I a thought that came to me," seems to suggest that Parks views the relationship between him and the other person as a fleeting moment that he may never forget. The mason jar and star imagery brings an innocent touch to the poem, describing the couple as they hug and share their love light. The last verse recalls the beginning of the song, where the moon swings out of sight and both parties surrender, but this time emphasizing the loss of love, as they are now "out of love light."
Overall, the lyrics of Out Of Love present the idea of being lost in the moment of falling in and out of love, much like the moon and its splendor that shines brightly then vanishes in phases. Parks beautifully portrays the bittersweet feelings of love and loss in this song.
Line by Line Meaning
The moon in all its splendor swings into sight
The bright and beautiful moon comes into view
Puts up a fight puts out a porch light
It competes with the light from a porch lamp
And soon we both just surrender to its might
We give in to the power and beauty of the moon
Part out of fright part out of love light
We are partly afraid and partly in awe of the moon's light
Part out of love
Our fascination and affection for the moon continues
Soon you and I are just a memory
Our time together is fleeting and will soon be a memory
Caught up in some cicadae symphony
We are immersed in the sound of cicadas singing
And you and I a thought that came to me
We are simply a passing thought that I had
A mason jar a star out in the night
We are like a star captured in a jar, shining in the night
Bug in a jug huggin the love light
We are like a bug in a jar, enjoying the warmth and beauty of the night
Just you and I to chase a Milky Way
We have each other to share in the wonder and adventure of chasing the Milky Way
What can I say we're out of love light
Sadly, our time in the spotlight of love has come to an end
We're out of love
Our love has faded away
The moon in all its splendor swings out of sight
The moon disappears from view, taking with it the magic of the night
Put up a fight put out a porch light
The moon once again competes with the light from a porch lamp
And soon we both just surrender to its might
Once again we submit to the power and beauty of the moon
Part out of fright part out of love light
Our fear and awe of the moon is still present, along with our admiration
Part out of love
We still hold on to some love and fascination for the moon
Contributed by Nathaniel W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.