AI music video: MacArthur Park by Richard Harris

This music video for "MacArthur Park" by Richard Harris was created by feeding each line of the song into the Midjourney AI image generator. I then assembled the results into the video. The instrumental portions were created by using generally descriptive prompts of the song.

[@rbf100]

This version sung by Richard Harris is the best.

[@DavoZed23]

Donna Summer's various versions are dramatically better than this Harris one and her symphonic 17 minute version is a masterpiece. Sorry.

[@orionexplorer]

This has been probably my most favorite version of McArthur's Park, and the original version as well as far as I know. Actors were always mad that they could not make a hit song while musicians could make hit movies. Richard Harris broke that mold with this song. The other version I like is by Donna Summer, I remember it being released while I was in High School. Recently I found out that Jimmy Webb the songs writer wrote about things he had seen while with his girlfriend in McArthur's Park, yes, it is a real place located in Los Angeles, California.

[@elainestanton1376]

That's good another thing I did not know about this great song..

[@robertpearlman6089]

Jimmy Webb wrote this song about a woman he was in love with, and would take her to MacArthur Park in L.A.

[@cynthiagreske5957]

So that’s why it’s called MacArthur Park! I always wondered about that title. I have loved that song since I was in high school in 1968. It’s a fantastic song and the orchestra that played with him was excellent.. I wish I could’ve seen him seeing this live because it meant so much to me. And thanks Jimmy Webb for writing it.

[@michaelhodgson9095]

Hi, It's a bit sadder than that, he was deeply in love with a girl and they would meet for lunch in McCarthur Park, when she dumped him he was heartbroken & found out later she was getting married to someone else, IN McCarthur Park. Still in love with her, he went to the wedding &watched from a distance as she tied the knot 😢

[@gladegoodrich2297]

This song belongs to Richard Harris! No one else should be allowed to sing it.

[@danielhamilton1130]

Now its nice to share!

[@nickwerner7983]

What about Jurassic Park by Weird Al?

[@jltrem]

Agreed.

[@DavoZed23]

Nonsense

TRES JUSTE MERCI Béba MNG

[@taffyb4007]

A sumptuous recipe for body mind and soul....

[@robertandrew5768]

Well done. The best comment on this beautiful, haunting song I have ever heard. Many thanks .

[@barbaraprest783]

So wonderful - things don't have to make sense

[@tonysmolenski5766]

Good thing. They don’t make sense

[@carmeldelaney1086]

But It made sense to Jimmy Webb!

[@DugrozReports]

Lots of the things make sense if you think of them as "word pictures."

[@luishumbertovega3900]

Jimmy Webb was only 22 when he composed all the songs in that A Tramp Shinning album, made the arrangements and supervised the instruments recording in L.A. before sending the tapes to Richard Harris, who was in the U.K., to provide his vocals. That's comparable to Orson Welles creating his Citizen Kane masterpiece at age 25. Incredible !!!

[@user-xb2hh1tg5v]

Immortal song ❤️

[@Nastyfinger1444]

One of the best arrangements and songs of all-time.

[@gillhargrove6807]

always listening to this

[@WiredNow]

The pictures were a lot of fun to see even if they didn't match the "theme" of the song. Took a lot of work and creativity. Thanks so much for doing this! 😆

[@johnshields6852]

A young kid when this was a hit on the radio back in the day. AM only, no FM yet.lol

[@lanacain]

Great song

[@garygodden]

5:27 absolute classic ,the arrangement of the music ,a great voice , one of a kind , simply awesome , love it ❤❤❤❤

❤💛💙❤‍🩹

[@jamesgary2723]

Jimmy Webb also wrote another musical masterpiece, ‘Wichita Lineman’. His songs have such a timeless quality and appeal that move the soul to depths that very few songwriters can reach.

[@quickdrawmcgraw9881]

I experienced this song. Only then you can understand it.

[@fredbearison8865]

Right on!

[@fredbearison8865]

It has redeeming social significance .only if you are a baby boomer. Not in today's world

[@vivianamolinafigueroa5939]

Este tema produce una inmensa sensación de nostalgia ❤

[@aldocancino7705]

Profunda nostalgia... así es!

[@russelljoseph1138]

I always think it was a Donna summer original until i heard this version, now i can't remember when last i listened to Donna's version. While not taking credits from her i just love this one, it's self comforting in many ways, problems can't keep you down with this song. Thanks Richard and Donna.

[@alphaviewmagazine]

please, don't let this song stop. there is no equal.

[@jackiemcleod9716]

Flip the 45 and enjoy Didn't We? Beautiful too

[@likable72]

we used to play this in the 70’s even watched his movie a man called horse!

[@whatscookingresearch]

To fully understand the idioms on this song you must understand the early 1970s idioms. What is a striped pair of pants? A cotton dress the flows like waves. MacArthur park is a real place, it had some tables by the trees where people played chess. AI doesn't get it.

[@TheRoyalBavarian]

I loved this mysterious song when I was young but as experienced love and life I realized I lived it.

[@zelinalangford571]

Brought this song when l was 15 played it and played it

[@gladegoodrich2297]

Jimmy Webb might be be the greatest song writer of all time.

[@fmk353]

He may not be the absolute best, but he's a very short list of the best.

[@christinopessoa2145]

Clássico inesquecível!!!! Ganhou uma versão da divina e saudosa Donna Summer no final dos anos 70.

[@Errr717]

Pretty cool. The AI has some wild imagination but I supposed it's only envisioning just what each line means to it. This song is about the songwriter breaking up with his girlfriend and he's describing the images he's seeing as he walks through MacArthur Park in LA after the breakup.

😪

[@snedshill]

AI is called "Artificial" for a reason. Thinks "MacArthur Park" is a song about baking cakes. Just goes to show computers can be as ignorant as their programmers.

[@Gumshrud1]

that right, currently computers can't seem to be able to do abstract emotional reasoning. But they can count every quark and boson in the known universe. A few years back the city drained and removed a foot+ of sludge from the bottom of MacArthur Park reservoir, it is probably much cleaner now.

[@cynthiamadrid1430]

@@Gumshrud1 See

[@JohnShields-xx1yk]

I remember this on AM radio back in the day, such a beautiful song.

[@villcrs4110]

great job, glad you are aware of LLM and doing these things man, respect

[@wernermoons5307]

Perfect. Exactly what I've been seeing in my head all these years.

[@warwickbaker2915]

Thank you....

[@alankohn5577]

My MacArthur Park: First love 1968 Camp Hill Pa.

[@fmk353]

It's nearly impossible to define the brilliance of Jimmy Webb. His talent doesn't seem to have a ceiling.

[@falconinflight6235]

AI has no soul and could never understand.

[@frederickharper5206]

Awesome lyrics❤

[@kimnelson9910]

one of the first long hits of jimmy webb

[@howardcogswell6796]

The old men are playing CHESS.

[@GabrielCabrera-uv9rs]

Inolvidable

[@rallyden]

Brilliant!! Perfect piece of music for AI imagery.

[@SIB1963]

This is hilarious, like what might be created by a supersmart, ridiculously talented four-year-old. I'd like to see the video created by an AI that had the original lyrics along with an explanation of the symbolism.

[@philipmarq]

4:50 "The great break"

[@RickRussell-wq7cm]

Love this!

[@hombre1965]

Literal interpretations of symbolic lyrics are ridiculously hokey.

[@elainestanton1376]

I AGREE SO GOOD

[@josehermosilla4425]

Geniales divino

[@GabrielCabrera-uv9rs]

Me hace recordar mi primaria 😃

[@DugrozReports]

"Old men playing checkers...." -- shows chess. :)

[@auletjohnast03638]

🔵THEY COULD'VE USE A BETTER VIDEO WITH THIS SUPERB SONG INSTEAD OF THE AI WOKE VIDEO.🔴

[@valentinr.dominguez2892]

I am more familiar with the Donna Summers version. I still don't know what this song is about. Is it about an acid trip or some other drug experience? Does anyone know?

[@billpolakis7524]

It’s about lost love. This is the original version that became the number 2 song of 1968. Donna Summer’s 1978 disco version was the remake

[@stephencouldwell9874]

It was a song about the love of Jimmy Webb's life marrying another man, and he was watching the ceremony in a shed in McArthur Park. There was a cake but it started raining and as he watched through the window it gave the impression that the cake was melting. What's not to understand if you research 🙂

[@valentinr.dominguez2892]

@stephencouldwell9874 "What is not to understand..."? On its surface, some of the lyrics are not understandable. It didn't occur to me to research because some writers intentionally leave their work cryptic, and I thought that was the case here. I research all the time, but didn't consider to do so for the reason I provided above. It is a shame that you felt compelled to include that last sentence. Otherwise, it would have been a nice gesture.

[@alankohn5577]

Feelings aren't researched, they're experienced

[@robertandrew5768]

​@@stephencouldwell9874 Great comment, thank god someone understands the lyrics at last.

DEPUIS BIENTOT 55 ANS CETTE SUPERBE CHANSON ET SON UNIQUE INTERPRETRE ME HANTENT PLEASE QUI PEUT M.AIDER POUR LE TRANSLATE MERCI Béba

[@lilmsgs]

Jimmy Web wrote this, Brainiacs

[@Wilkins_Micawber]

Such profound lyrics. After all these years I still don’t get how this became such a standard. The music I have to agree is wonderful. Perhaps that’s the thing. Words are nothing. It’s about the music. Harris such a great actor. In Camelot, Murphy’s war, A Man for All Seasons, to his swan song in the Harry Potter series.

[@lanacain]

❤😊

[@jeancollins2009]

Always a great but, confusing song.

[@jltrem]

I love this recording. This video is idiotic.

[@zulmaazuaga406]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😊

[@alanreynolds5985]

Why is there a duck continuously quacking in this version and every other version that I listen to. So bloody annoying I have to turn it off.

[@markcollins2666]

Great... But nonsense rhymes! Like American Pie, Bohemian Rhapsody, people looking for deep meanings...None!!! The artists will admit as much themselves!

[@Gumshrud1]

also whiter shade of pale.

[@iolitelight]

The man who wrote this song has said it's about a break up and his memories of spending time in MacArthur Park with his ex. The cake is a metaphor for a something beautiful being ruined. Not a great metaphor but this song is not random.

[@teresadelacanal1065]

Makes sense to me, that's enough.

[@james-pierre7634]

The song is beautiful, the visuals are terrible.

[@barakophilia8505]

where in the lyrics does it say anything about big boobs?

[@PunchBuggyDreams]

Did someone say big boobs? Where? Where?

[@bobknobbe3561]

yeah AI botched it

[@OlymPigs2010]

.....Who Knew "AI" Is...Politically Correct.....Hmm...So Much for Imagination !

[@davidcamelot4908]

Well whatever yawns , where’s my coffee!?

[@quentincrisp6933]

Stick to your day job! 😂🤔