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.

Valley to Pray
Van Dyke Parks Lyrics

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Adapted by Doc Watson, Additional adaptation by John Pilla and Arlo Guthrie
Co-produced by Van Dyke Parks

I went down in the valley to pray
Learnin' about the good old way
And who would wear the starry crown
Oh Lord, show me the way

Oh Brother, let's go down
Come on down, don't you want to go down
Oh Brother, lets go down
Down in the valley to pray

As I went walkin in the valley to pray
Learnin' about the good old way
And who would wear the starry crown
Oh Lord, show me the way

Oh Father, let's go down
Come on down, don't you want to go down
Oh Father, lets go down
Down in the valley to pray

I went out walkin' on the mountain to pray
Learnin' about the good old way
I went up on the mountain and I just had to say
Oh Lord, show me the way

Oh Sister, let's go down
Come on down, don't you want to go down
Oh Sister, lets go down
Down in the valley to pray

As I went down in the valley to pray
Studyin' about the good old way
And who will wear the starry crown
Oh Lord, show me the way

Oh, let's go down
Come on down, don't you want to go down

Oh, let's go down
Down in the valley to pray

Overall Meaning

"Valley to Pray" is a song that talks about a religious experience of the singer. The song begins with the singer saying that they went down in the valley to pray to learn about the good old way and to seek guidance from the Lord. The repetition of the words "oh Lord, show me the way" emphasizes the singer's sincerity and commitment to understanding their faith.

In the following verses, the singer mentions their family members - brother, father, and sister - inviting them to go down in the valley to pray together. This emphasis on community and togetherness amplifies the idea of the shared religious experience, where individuals come together to learn and seek guidance from their faith.

The song ends with the repetition of "let's go down", reminding listeners of the importance of regularly seeking guidance, studying their faith, and reflecting on the good old way.

Overall, "Valley to Pray" is a beautiful song that emphasizes the importance of community and seeking guidance from faith. It encourages listeners to come together, learn, and reflect on their beliefs to better understand the world around them.

Line by Line Meaning

I went down in the valley to pray
I walked down to the valley to pray

Learnin' about the good old way
Trying to understand the path that was once walked on

And who would wear the starry crown
Wondering who would achieve the highest praise

Oh Lord, show me the way
Asking the divine to guide the path

Oh Brother, let's go down
Suggesting to the sibling to come with for a prayer

Come on down, don't you want to go down
Encouraging the sibling for a joint prayer session

Oh Father, let's go down
Asking the father to join for a prayer session

Oh Sister, let's go down
Asking the sister to join for a prayer session

I went out walkin' on the mountain to pray
Hiking to the mountains for a prayer

I went up on the mountain and I just had to say
Upon reaching the top, felt the need to speak

Oh, let's go down
Calling out for everyone to join