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.
White Chrysanthemum
Van Dyke Parks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The rector turned his face from Mother Nature back to God
Therefore in the shadow of the valley we are truly truly blessed
We now return our brother to the sod
Poor old Ned who worked the line six days a week
Yes poor old Ned words come to mind you start to speak
And when it's said the rain is falling you recall how
Then they brought him home to that old bosky dell
He knew so very well
And laid him down for succor simply in a box of southern pine
This was past the oxbow of the river where we
Used to fish a spell
And wish that rising sun would ever shine
And sing crying time and sing crying time and sing crying time
And sing crying time and sing crying time and sing crying time
Old Ned was a veteran and better an the best in forty-one
When blue Hawaii glistened like a diamond lights the sun
That said when the Nissan plant was built down by the run
He knew his life had only just begun
Poor old Ned a child tugs on a tattered sleeve
Yes poor old Ned and piled back in they start to leave
And poor old Ned will bring into that night one white
Chrysanthemum his kingdom come
And sing crying time and sing crying time and sing crying time
And sing crying time and sing crying time and sing crying time
Van Dyke Parks's song White Chrysanthemum speaks to the cycle of life, loss, and mourning. The lyrics reveal a complicated relationship with nature and religion. At the start of the song, the rector is described as being "somewhat overwhelmed by the enormous dimensions of her lovely breast." This line suggests that the rector is distracted by earthly pleasures instead of focusing his attention on God. However, as the song continues, it becomes clear that the rector is grappling with the reality of death and mortality. The lyrics "Therefore in the shadow of the valley we are truly truly blessed / We now return our brother to the sod" emphasize the finality of death and the belief that a person's soul will return to the earth.
The song then shifts to the story of Old Ned, a veteran who has passed away. This section of the song suggests that Old Ned was a man who lived a full life. The lyrics "Old Ned was a veteran and better an the best in forty-one / When blue Hawaii glistened like a diamond lights the sun / That said when the Nissan plant was built down by the run / He knew his life had only just begun" highlight Old Ned's accomplishments and how much he cared about his community. However, despite his contributions, Old Ned has now passed away, and the people around him must come to terms with their grief. The lyrics "Poor old Ned a child tugs on a tattered sleeve / Yes poor old Ned and piled back in they start to leave / And poor old Ned will bring into that night one white / Chrysanthemum his kingdom come" speak to the funeral procession and how Old Ned's legacy lives on.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhat overwhelmed by the enormous dimensions of her lovely breast
The rector is distracted by the physical appearance of a woman's body.
The rector turned his face from Mother Nature back to God
The rector is religious and chooses to focus on his belief in God instead of nature.
Therefore in the shadow of the valley we are truly truly blessed
Despite being in a valley, the singer feels blessed and fortunate.
We now return our brother to the sod
Someone has died and is being buried in the ground.
Poor old Ned who worked the line six days a week
Ned is a hard worker who likely has a blue-collar job.
Yes poor old Ned words come to mind you start to speak
Ned's name brings about thoughts and memories for the singer.
And when it's said the rain is falling you recall how
The rain reminds the singer of something related to Ned.
Poor old Ned is surely dead
Ned has passed away.
Then they brought him home to that old bosky dell
Ned's body is being taken to a familiar, wooded area.
He knew so very well
The wooded area was familiar to Ned before he passed away.
And laid him down for succor simply in a box of southern pine
Ned's body is placed in a simple wooden box made of southern pine.
This was past the oxbow of the river where we
Ned's burial location is past a particular part of the river.
Used to fish a spell
The singer and Ned used to fish in this location.
And wish that rising sun would ever shine
The singer recalls waiting for the sunrise while fishing with Ned.
Old Ned was a veteran and better an the best in forty-one
Ned is a veteran, and the singer expresses admiration for his service abilities.
When blue Hawaii glistened like a diamond lights the sun
The artist describes a time when Hawaii was scenic and vibrant.
That said when the Nissan plant was built down by the run
A Nissan plant was built in a nearby area.
He knew his life had only just begun
Ned felt like there was more to his life than just work and routine.
Poor old Ned a child tugs on a tattered sleeve
Even though Ned has passed away, people still remember him.
Yes poor old Ned and piled back in they start to leave
People are saying goodbye and leaving the area.
And poor old Ned will bring into that night one white
Ned's funeral will have one white chrysanthemum to represent him.
Chrysanthemum his kingdom come
The white chrysanthemum represents Ned's final rest and peace.
And sing crying time and sing crying time and sing crying time
This is a chant to symbolize mourning and grief.
And sing crying time and sing crying time and sing crying time
This is a chant to symbolize mourning and grief.
And sing crying time and sing crying time and sing crying time
This is a chant to symbolize mourning and grief.
Contributed by Audrey T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.