The Smiley Smile Message Board

If I bumped into VDP this often in real life he'd think I was stalking him.

Do you find yourself listening to records, only to find out VDP either arranged/produced/plays on it/wrote some of it/did the artwork/contributes liners/is present somehow? Mention it here, and chronicle the hardest working man in showbusiness' more obscure work. Two recent examples...

Apparently he arranged this Dillard & Clark song I was feeling today, was playing it a tonne and went to tweet it only to find out. It's called Why Not Your Baby http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TQ6PYS2Q0I

Two days ago, I dl'ed a tribute to Kurt Weill produced by Hal Willner (cos his Disney one was amazing), and guess who contributes a tonne of orchestral pieces to it? Van Dyke Sodding Parks!

Or does this just happen to me?

VDP did a sting arrangement for the title track to Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn's 2006 solo album the Miracle Mile (Lou Reed made a cameo on his most recent record)...arrangements on Joanna Newsom's Vs, Sam Phillips' Martinis and Bikinis, Silverchair "Them Crooked Vultures", Summer in Paradise, etc.

Over the past few years Jan Jansen and I put together an extensive discography "Works For Other Artists" on www.vandykeparks.com (http://www.vandykeparks.com), but since his Bananastan label went into operation, this site is defunct.  "Works For Other Artits" had about roughly 150 entries, just a little list of names here:
The Adult Net, America, Laurie Anderson, Fiona Apple, Ersi Arvizu, Skip Battyn, The Beach Boys, The Beau Brummels, Bonnie Bramlett, Beckley- Lamm- Wilson, Eric Benet, Frank Black & The Catholics, Archie Blue, Kp Boardman, Denny Brooks, Brothers Figaro, Tim Buckley, Suzanne Biurgy, T-Bone Burnett, Byrds, Jorge Calderin& Jennifer Warnes, Hamilton Camp, Peter Case, Cher, Vic Chesnut, Chills, Chocolate Genius, Gene Clark, Clark&Dillard, Clare & TheReasons, Jimmy Cliff, Natalie Cole, Judy Collins, Ry Cooder, Kathy Dalton, Debi Derryberry, Sonia Dada, DBs, Freek De Jonge, Divinyls, Esso trinidad Steelband, Everly bros., Five Easy Pieces, Jodie Foster, Kinky Friedman, Ruthann (Friedman), Brian Gari, Gale Garnett, Mary Gauthier, Gentle Soul, Lowell George, Inara George, Eliza Gilkyson, Greenwood Country Singers, Arlo Guthrie, Happy End, Harpers Bizarre, Jesse Harris & The Fernadinos, Goldie Hawn, Joe Henry, Kevin hearn, Dan Hicks, Kristian Hoffman, Howdy Moon, Indio, Peter Ivers, Ted Jacobs, Flaco Jimenez, Leo Kottke, Nicolette Larson, Terrea Lea, Doug Legacy, Gordon Lightfoot, Graham Lindsey, Little Feat, manhattan Transfer, Marley's Ghost, Dino Martin, Ricci Martin, Vince Martin, Hirth Martinez, Ian Matthews, Arthur McCuller, Maria McKee, Shannon McNally, Medicine, Terry Melcher, Carli Munoz, Mike Murphy, Natalie Merchant, The Mighty Sparrow, Mojo Men, Keith Moon, Geoff Muldour, Randy Newman, Joanna Newsom, Aaron Neville, Harry Nilsson, Phil Ochs, Pahinui Bros., John Phillips, Sam Phillips, Steve Poltz, Joel Raffael Band, Bonnie raitt, Stan Ridgeway, Robi Draco Rosa, Biff Rose, Dick Rosmini, Susan Saint James, Scissor Sisters, Mark Sebastian, Vonda Shepard, Shortwave Set, Silverchair, Carly Simon, Six Pence None The Richer, Ringo Starr, Frank Stallone, Syd Straw, Matthew Sweet, Susanna Hoffs, The Thrills, Linda Thompson, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Tret Fure, Tony Trishka, U2, Sal Valentino, Rufus wainwright, Laudon Wainwright, Jenifer Warnes, Danny Wilde & The Rembrandts, Victoria Williams, Brian Wilson, Steve Young....

Yeah, I miss that list - If there's any chance you PM me it or something I'd be much obliged.  :)


Another cool thing I forgot - He is listed as 'Tail Gunner' and provides a 'good zen koan or two' (Are you out there, Bill) on 'Feats Don't Fail Me Now' by Little Feat.

Just tried to post it to you via PM, but the list is probably messed up because it isn't correctly formatted. Try to reconvert it to Microsoft WORD and see what happens. Is it working? Cheers Gerhard

or as "morale booster" on "Roger Nichols and The Small Circle of Friends" album

He was in The Mothers Of Invention for a short amount of time in 1966.

Worked fine, thank you very much!  ;D

No way! I have to hear this!!

And I thought, "I have a list like that saved somewhere, why not post it here , in case there's one other person that wants to see" ( not certain this is the same as referenced): 

Listing last modified on:
23rd January 2007 Artist Title Year Catalogue Number Van Dyke Parks involvement :

Addrisi Brothers Never My Love - The Lost Album Sessions 2001 Varese Vintage 066250 backing vocals
The Adult Net The Honey Tangle 1989 Fontana 838125-2 string arrangement on So Sad
Laurie Anderson Life On A String 2001 Nonesuch 7559795392 string arrangement on Dark Angel
Fiona Apple Tidal 1996 Sony 483750-2 string arrangement on Never Is A Promise
Archie Blue New Day Comin' 1981 Red Dog RD-8104 production; background vocals on several tracks; kalimaba on one track, accordion on one track; marimba on one track; credits include: "radar: Van Dyke Parks"
The Beach Boys Smile ----- Capitol (S)T-2580; never released co-writer (w/Brian Wilson) of Heroes And Villains, Do You Like Worms, Cabinessence, Surf's Up, Vegetables, Wonderful
Smiley Smile 1967 Brother ST 9001 co-writer (w/Brian Wilson) of
Heroes And Villains, Vegatables, Wonderful and (w/Brian Wilson and Mike Love) of She's Goin' Bald (songs from Smile-era)
20/20 1969 Capitol SKAO-133 co-writer (w/Brian Wilson) of Cabinessence (song from Smile-era)
Surf's Up 1971 Brother Reprise MS 6453 (US); Stateside SLS 10313 (UK) co-writer of title track (from Smile era); backing vocals on A Day In The Life Of A Tree
Holland 1973 Brother-Reprise MS 2118 co-wrote Sail On Sailor (also played and arranged on album?)
Come To The Sunshine 1975 recording not released writer of Come To The Sunshine [VDP confirmed a recording was made during the early-mid 70s. A copy probably exists somewhere in the Beach Boys tape vaults.]
Summer In Paradise 1992 Brother Entertainment BBR 727-2 accordions; additional keyboards
The Beau Brummels Triangle 1967 Warner Bros. WS 1692 (US) keyboards on Magic Hollow
Beckley, Lamm, Wilson Like A Brother 2000 Transparent Music 500022 accordion on Watching The Time (recorded 1996)
Eric Benet Hurricane 2004 Reprise arrangements, conductor
Frank Black & The Catholics Show Me Your Tears 2003 Spin Art (US) / Cooking Vinyl piano, accordion on
Denny Brooks same 1969 Warner Bros. WS-1822 writer of liner notes; played and/or arranged on that album
Brothers Figaro Gypsy Beat 1988 Geffen CD 2-24295 string arrangements

Tim Buckley same 1966 Elektra 42010 (UK) keyboards; arrangements
T-Bone Burnett Criminal Under My Own Hat 1992 Columbia CD-45213 accordion on It's Not Too Late; piano on I Can Explain Everything
The Buena Vista Social Club ???? 19?? ???? arrangement(s) (mentioned in official Warner Bros bio.)
Suzanne Buirgy The View From Here 2003 Attune accordion
The Byrds Fifth Dimension 1966 Columbia CS 9349 keyboards
Hamilton Camp Here's To You 1967 Warner Bros. WS 1737 keyboards
Peter Case same 1986 Geffen GEFD-24482 keyboards on Pair Of Brown Shoes; arrangement on Small Town Spree
The Charlatans Charlatans 1969 Phillips PHS-600-309 writer of High Coin
Eliza Carthy Angels & Cigarettes 2000 Warner Bros. arrangements
Cher Stars 1975 WB BS 2850 steel drum arrangement on The Bigger They Come...
Vic Chessnut Ghetto Bells 2004 New West string arrangements, piano, organ, accordion

The Chills Soft Bomb 1992 Flying Nun D30782 (NZ); Slash (US) string arrangment on Water Wolves
Chocolate Genius Black Yankee Rock 2004 Commotion accordion
Gene Clark With The Gosdin Brothers 1966 Columbia CS 9418 piano
Jimmy Cliff Follow My Mind 1976 Reprise MS-2218 keyboards on L.A. recorded tracks
Natalie Cole cf. soundtrack album to the movie Scrooged * * additionally there are also arrangement(s) mentioned in official Warner Bros bio
Judy Collins Who Knows Where The Time Goes 1968 Elektra EKS-74033 (US/UK) piano on Someday Soon; electric piano on Pretty Polly

Ry Cooder same 1970 Reprise RS-6402 production (w/ Lenny Waronker); piano; arrangement of One Meat Ball
Into the Purple Valley 1972 Reprise MS-2052 piano on Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All
Crossroads (ST) 1986 Warner Bros. 925399-1 (UK) piano on See You In Hell, Blind Boy
Get Rhythm 1987 Reprise 2-25639 piano
Johnny Handsome (ST) 1989 Warner Bros. 925996-2 horn arrangements
Trespass (ST) 1992 Warner Bros. CD 25399 piano on Party Lights
Music By Ry Cooder 1995 Warner Bros. 9362 45987 piano
Primary Colours (ST) 1998 MCA 11775 piano
Sheryl Crow (unreleased) ----- (unreleased) string arrangement(s)
Kathy Dalton Amazing 1973 DiscReet DS-2168; Warner Bros. 2168 piano on Pour Your Wine and At The Tropicana; horn-arrangement on At The Tropicana
Boogie Bands And One Night Stands 1974 DiscReet DS 2208 piano; vocals
Debi Derryberry What A Way To Play 2006 4River accordion
Jackie DeShannon High Coin 1964 Liberty Rec. (45) wrote and arranged High Coin
Me About You 1968 Imperial LP-9386 (LP-12386) writer of High Coin
The Divinyls same 1991 Virgin 86185 string arrangement on Love School
The dB's Sound Of Music 1987 IRS IRSD-42055 synthesizer on Never Before And Never Again; piano on Working For Somebody Else

Freek De Jonge Gemeen Goed 1997 De Roje Hel/EMI Holland 8 57514 2 (NL) Rocking Chair co-written by Parks (Freek De Jonge is a Dutch comedian/musician)

The Everly Brothers Roots 1968 Warner Bros. WS 1752 keyboards
???? 19?? ???? arrangement(s) (mentioned in official Warner Bros bio.)
The Esso Trinidad Tripoli Steelband same 1971 Warner Brothers WS-1917 production (though not mentioned on cover of the first edition); wrote Come To The Sunshine; writer of liner notes
The Fault Line Did You Hear About The End Of The World / High Coin 19?? RCA 47-9771 writer of High Coin; no further involvement in recording [label scan]
Five Easy Pieces same 1998 MCA 11721 unknown
Kinky Friedman / Kinky Friedman And The Texas Jewboys Laso From El Paso 1976 Epic PE 34303/4 keyboards (also played in touring backing band)
Under The Double Ego 1983 Sunrise 41200 co-writer of The Take-It-Easy Trailer Park
Old Testaments And New Revelations 1992 Fruit Of The Tune 777 Homo Erectus, Asshole From El Paso and Wild Man From Borneo recorded live (circa 1975) with Van Dyke Parks on piano
Ruthan Friedman 7"Carry On (Glittering Dancer) 1969 ? executive production (reissued as a bonus track on CD Constant Companion in 2006)
Brian Gari Brian Sings Wilson 2002 Original Cast Records liner notes
Gale Garnett Sings About Flying & Rainbows & Love And Other Groovy Things 1967 RCA LPM/LSP-3747 harpsichord
The Gentle Soul Gentle Soul 1968 Epic BN-26374 harpsichord

Lowell George Thanks I'll Eat It Here 1979 Warner Bros. 2-3194 backing vocals; co-writer of Cheek To Cheek (w/ L. George and Martin F. Kibbee)
Eliza Gilkyson Song Of Songs 1993 ???? arranged and/or played
Redemption Road 1997 Silver Wave 397 (CD) arrangement, accordion on Prayer 2000
Tony Gilkyson 2006 Goodbye Guitar Rolling Sea accordion
Grateful Dead ???? 19?? ???? keyboards
Arlo Guthrie Running Down The Road 1969 Reprise RS-6346 production
Washington Country 1970 Reprise RS 6411 co-production on Valley To Pray
Harpers Bizarre Anything Goes 1967 Warner Bros. WS 1716 (US/UK) wrote and played piano on High Coin
Feelin' Groovy 1967 Warner Bros. W 1693 wrote and played piano on Come To The Sunshine
Feelin' Groovy: The Best Of 1997 Warner Bros. 9 46261-2 (CD) wrote and played piano on Come to the Sunshine and High Coin; played piano on Anything Goes
Happy End same 1970 URC URL-1015 (Japanese Release) production
Jesse Harris & The Ferdinandos While The Music Lasts 2004 Verve/Forecast accordion, string arrangements
Goldie Hawn Pitta Patta/ Pitta Patta 1972 Reprise 1126 (7") musical director [cover artwork and label scan]
Goldie 1972 Reprise MS 2061 credited under "special thanks"
Joe Henry Murder Of Crows 1989 A&M 25021-5210-2 string arrangements
Kevin Hearn Miracle Mile 2006 Celery Music string arrangements
Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks Selected Shorts 2004 Surfdog accordion
Kristian Hoffman & 2002 Eggbert string and horn arrangements on Revert to Type
Peter Ivers Nivana Peter 1985 Warner Bros. 25213 keyboards [arrangement(s) for Peter Ivers mentioned in official Warner Bros bio.]
Indio Big Harvest 1989 A&M accordion
Ted Jacobs The Days Gone By - Songs Of The American Poets, Vol. 1 2000 Rhino 79971 accordion
Jan & Dean Vegetables 1967 White Whale 261 (7") Vegetables written by Brian Wilson & Van Dyke Parks; [contrary to a circulating rumour the backing track is not the track recorded during the sessions for the Beach Boys' unreleased album Smile, but a recording by The Laughing Gravy]
Rick Jarrard High Coin / Time's Tomorrow 196? Chattahoochee 700 writer of High Coin; contrary to rumours no further involvement of Parks in the recording of that version [label scan]
Flaco Jimenez Flaco's Amigos 1988 Arhoolie CD-3027 piano
Leo Kottke Peculiaroso 1991 Private Music 01005-82111-2 accordion; string arrangements
Nicolette Larson In The Nick Of Time 1979 Warner Bros. 3370 (US); Warner Bros. 56750 (UK) piano on Trouble
Terra Lea Conversations Of The Heart ca. 1966 Matchbox Records MRSA-1 piano, organ and harpsichord; pictured as 'the piano player' on the back cover
Roberta Lee Come To The Sunshine / Big Mamou 19?? Montclare Records 1342 (7") writer of Come To The Sunshine
Doug Legacy XMas On The Range 1986 Some Punkins L-19074 (7") player and/or arranger
Hey You 1988 Some Punkins SP-2001 player and/or arranger
Gordon Lightfoot If You Could Read My Mind [rereleased as Sit Down Young Stranger] 1970 Reprise 2037 (US); Reprise 44091 (UK) harmonium on Cobwebs and Dust
Songbook (Box Set) 1998 Rhino 75802 (CD box set) harmonium on Cobwebs and Dust
Graham Lindsey 2006 Hell Under The Skullbones Sonic Rendezvous accordion

Little Feat Feats Don't Fail Me Now 1974 Warner Bros. WS-2784 (co-?)production of Spanish Moon; credited as "tail gunner"
Hoy-Hoy 1981 Warner Bros. 2-3538 writer of liner notes; played on some of the songs included in this compilation album
The Best Of Little Feat: As Time Goes By 1994 Warner Bros. 32247 production
Ain't Had Enough Fun 1995 Zoo 11097-2 accordion on Ain't Had Enough Fun
Manhattan Transfer Offbeat Of Avenues 1991 Columbia CK-47079 co-writer, vocal-arrangement on Blue Serenade
???? 200* ???? arrangements on three tracks
The Marketts Sun Power 196? Liberty/World Pacific WP-1870/ WPS-21870 includes instrumental version of Come To The Sunshine written by Parks
Marley's Ghost Spooked 2006 production, piano, grand piano, electric piano, wurlitzer, hammond organ ,chimes, marimba, liner notes
Dino Martin Sitting In Limbo / Sitting In Limbo (instr.) 1972 Reprise 1129 (promo 7") production (w/ Fred Myrow)
Ricci Martin Beached 1977 Epic 34834 synthesizer
Vince Martin same 1973 Capitol ST-11181 marimba on Leaving Song
Ian Matthews Walking A Changing Line 1988 Windham Hill 371070-2 synthesizer, synthesizer-arrangement, piano on Only A Mation
Arnold McCuller You Can't Go Back 1999 Passion Music/Passion Jazz CD PJA 7 accordion on Emily
Medicine The Buried Life 1993 American Recordings ARBCD 5 arrangement on Live It Down
Terry Melcher Royal Flush 1976 RCA-Equinox BEL1 0948 piano
Nathalie Merchant Motherland 2001 Elektra/Asylum accordion
Mighty Sparrow Hot And Sweet 1974 Warner Bros. BS-2771 production (w/Andrew Wickham)
The Mojo Men Sit Down I Think I Love You 1967 Reprise 0539 (7") arrangement and keyboards
Me About You 1967 Reprise 0580 arrangement (w/ Nick de Caro)
Whatever Happened To Happy 1967 Reprise 0617 (7") arranged and played on A-side
Sit Down It's The Mojo Men 19?? Sundazed SC11032 arrangement and keyboards on one track: Sit Down, I Think I Love You (first rel. 1967
Howdy Moon same 1974 A&M SP-3628 piano

Keith Moon Two Sides Of The Moon 1974 MCA Track 2136 credits on innersleeve include: "Our special thanks to (...) and Van Dyke, along with the other unsung heroes who aided in the completion of this project."; official Warner Bros. bio of VDP says that he played and arranged for Keith Moon
Geoff Muldaur Password 2000 Hightone HCD-8125 accordion; pump organ
Carli Munoz Maverick 2004 PPersonal Q Lo5 unknown
Mike "Sport" Murphy Uncle 2004 Kill Rock Stars recitation on one track; also contains a cover version of Clang Of the Yankee Reaper

Randy Newman The Beehive State (diff. mix) 1968 Reprise 0692 (7") production (w/ Lenny Waronker)
same 1968 Reprise RS-6286 (US/UK) production (w/ Lenny Waronker)
Guilty: 30 Years Of Randy Newman 1998 Rhino R2 75665 (CD box set) co-production of The Goat (rec. 1968)
Aaron Neville Warm Your Heart 1991 A&M 75021-5354-2 choral-arrangement on Lousiana 1927

Joanna Newsom Ys 2006 DDrag City arrangements, orchestration, co-production, conducting, accordion
Roger Nichols & The Small circle Of Friends same 1968 A&M unspecified credit
Harry Nilsson Duit On Mon Dei 1975 RCA APL1 0817 (US); RCA RS 1008 (UK) played and/or arranged; credited as Maestro Van Dyke Parks: Music Coordinator
Sandman 1976 RCA APL1-1031 (US) keyboards
...That's The Way It Is 1976 RCA APL1-1119 (US); RCA RS 1062 (UK) keyboards
Flash Harry 1980 Mercury 6302-022 (UK) keyboards; co-writer of Cheek To Cheek (w/ L. George and M. F. Kibbee) and Best Move (w/M. Hazlewood, H. Nilsson)
Popeye (Soundtrack) 1980 Broadwalk SW-36880 arranged and conducted by VDP; sleeve credits further say: "Basic tracks recorded on location in Malta by: The Falcons: Ray Cooder, Doug Dillard, Harry Nillson, Van Dyke Parks, Klaus Voormann and featuring The Mysterious Karsten at the organ".
Everybody's Talkin': The Very Best Of 2005 RCA liner notes
Tom Northcott Best Of Tom Northcott 1969 WB WS-1859 arranged and/or played [VDP's credits probably are from two singles recorded by Northcott: Sunny Goodge Street (WB 7051, rec. 1967) and 1941 (WB 7160, rec 1968)]
Phil Ochs Tape From California 1968 A&M SP 4148 (US); A&M AMLS 919 (UK) keyboards
Greatest Hits 1970 A&M SP-3125 production (w/ Andrew Wickham)
The War Is Over The Best Of Phil Ochs 1988 A&M 5215 (CD) production (w/ Andrew Wickham) [tracks prev. released on Greatest Hits]
Farewells & Fantasies Collection 1997 Rhino 73518 (CD) production (w/ Andrew Wickham) [tracks prev. released on Greatest Hits]
Pahinui Brothers Pahinui Bros. 1992 Private Music 01005 82098-2 D-5 synthesizer on Jealous Guy; piano on Waimanalo Blues
Sam Phillips The Indescribable Wow 1988 Virgin 90919-2 co-arrangement on What Do I Do
Cruel Inventions 1991 Virgin 211375 string arrangements; chamberlain
Martinis & Bikinis 1994 Virgin 39438 string arrangement on Baby I Can't Please You; player (no specific info available)
Fan Dance 2001 Nonesuch arrangements, harpsichord
Steve Poltz One Left Shoe 1998 Mercury 314 536 941-2 credited as backing musician (no track info)
Joel Raffael Band Woodeye: Songs Of Woody Guthrie 2003 Nine Yards accordion
Bonnie Raitt Takin' My Time 1973 Warner Bros. WS-2729 (US); Warner Bros. 46261 (UK) piano, backing-vocals on Wah She Do Go
Paul Revere And The Raiders ??? 196? ??? arragments and/or session player
Stan Ridgway Mosquitos 1989 Geffen 2-24216 string arrangement on Heat Takes A Walk
Linda Ronstadt ??? 19?? ???? arrangement(s) (mentioned in official Warner Bros bio.)
Robi Draco Rosa Come Me Acuerdo 2004 Sony string arrangements
Mad Love 2004 Sony string arrangements
Biff Rose Children Of Light 1969 Tetragrammaton T-116 moog synthesizer on Ain't No Great Day
Mark Sebastian Bleeker Street 19?? TYO YDCD-0017 co-production w/ Mark Sebastian and synthesizer harp on The Calm Before The Storm
Scissor Sisters Ta-Dah 2006 Universal/Motown string arrangements
Vonda Shepard It's Good Eve 1996 VRA 85003 accordion

Silverchair Diorama 2002 Atlantic vocal arrangement, piano, marimbas, accordion on Darknes 'Til Dawn
Carly Simon Another Passenger 1976 Elektra 7E-1064 vocal arrangement, piano, marimbas, accordion on Darknes 'Til Dawn
Film Noir 1997 Arista DS 07822-1984-2 arrangements and orchestra conductor on You Won't Forget Me, Ev'rytime We Say Good-Bye and Don't Smoke In Bed
Sixpence None The Richer Divine Discontent 2002 Reprise/Squint string arrangement
Soldier String Quartet Inspect For Damaged Gods Mulatta 2004 credited: 'collaboration'

The Sounds Of Our Times Music Of The Flower Children Capitol T 2817 196? includes an instrumental cover version of Come To The Sunshine (written by Van Dyke Parks)
Bruce Springsteen (unreleased) ----- (unreleased) string arrangement(s)
Frank Stallone A Case Of You/ Sea Song 1980 Scotti Brothers (Warners) K11613 (UK) arrangement(s) on at least one song
Ringo Starr Rotogravure 1976 Atlantic SD 18193 ? pictured on sleeve among the participating musicians but not credited for playing)
Stop And Smell The Roses 1981 Broadwalk ??? (LP); The Right Stuff T2-29676 arrangements for Drumming Is My Madnees, Stop And Take The Time To Smell The Roses, Back Off Boogaloo (not credited on CD)
Vertical Man 1998 Mercury 314 558 400-2 (US) member of background choir on La De Da
Ringorama 2003 Koch accordion
Syd Straw Surprise 1989 Virgin 9 1266-2 co-production and piano on Hard Times; piano on Sphinx
Meryl Streep ??? 19?? ???? arrangement(s) (mentioned in official Warner Bros bio.)
Matthew Sweet Living Things 2004 Rcam organ, piano, electric harpsichord, marxophone
Matthew Sweet & Susanne Hoffs Under The Covers, Vol.1 2006 Shout! Factory organ, piano, harpsichord, liner notes
Tango Argentino ??? 19?? ???? arrangement(s) (mentioned in official Warner Bros bio.)
Linda Thompson Fashionably Late 2002 Rounder piano, hammond organ
Three Dog Night ??? 19?? ???? arrangement(s) (mentioned in official Warner Bros bio.)
The Thrills Let's Bottle Bohemia 2004 Virgin string arrangements, conductor, accordion
Toad The Wet Sprocket Coil 1997 Sony CK 67862 string arrangement on Little Buddha
Tony Trischka World Turning 1993 Rounder cd0294 piano; vocals; lyrics to Ladies Of Refinement
Tret Fure Catalina 1973 UNI 40029 (7") arranged and/or played on A-side
same 1973 UNI 73141 arranged and/or played
U2 Rattle And Hum 1988 Island 422-842299-2 orchestration/arrangement on All I Want Is You and Unchained Melody
Best Of 1980-1990 1998 Island 524613 string arrangements
Sal Valentino Alligator Man / An Added Attraction 1969 Warner Bros. 7268 arrangement, production (w/ Lenny Waronker) - both on A-side
Friends And Lovers/ Friends And Lovers 1969 WB 7289 (promo 7") prduction (w/ Lenny waronker); same song on A- and B-side
Various Artists Alamo Bay (ST) 1985 Slash 25311-1 ?
Lost In The Stars - The Music Of Kurt Weill 1985 A&M 395-104-1; A&M 395-104-2 (both D) performs In No Man's Land, Johnny Johnson Medley, Johnny's Speech (last track on CD only)
Scrooged ST 19?? A&M Records No. D28Y3299 (J) producer of Christmas Song by Natalie Cole
Stay Awake 1988 A & M 393 918-1 credit as associate producer; co-producer of When You Wish Upon A Star (Ringo Starr; special guest: Hern Alpert) and Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da (Harry Nillson)
Geronimo (ST) 1993 Columbia CK-57760 writer, conductor, orchestration and arrangement of The Governor's Ball: Get Off The Track/ Danza / Battle Cry Of Freedom
The Night Before Christmas 1993 Rabbit Ears ??? features music (arranged? written?) by Van Dyke Parks
Melrose Place: The Music (ST) 1994 Giant 924577 synthesizer
Out On The Rolling Sea 1995 Hokey Pokey 2004 includes VDP's 1969 single release Out On The Rolling Sea (Where Jesus Speaks To Me)
Wouldn't It Be Nice - A Jazz Portrait of Brian Wilson 1997 Capitol 33092 credited for photography (!)
Nuggets - Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 1998 Rhino 75466 (CD box set) Sit Down I Think I Love You by The Mojo Men features VDP on keyboards; arranged one song; tracks by Paul Revere and the Raiders may also feature VDP as player/ arranger
Pearls In The Snow - The Songs Of Kinky Friedman 1998 Kinkajou 669291181821 credits include: "thanks to:(...)Van Dyke Parks(...)" (VDP's involvement is not further specified)
Rock'n'Roll Doctor: A Tribute To Lowell George 1998 CMC International 86242 accordion, piano, arrangement, production on Trouble (performed by Inara George)
Palm Desert 1999 Emigre ECD017 consists of four versions of Palm Desert (original version by Van Dyke Parks; interpretations by Itchy Pet, Honey Barbara and Elliott Peter Earls; the CD was released with a book of photographs and essays inspired by that song [jump to book review] .
Joshua Tree 2001 Emigre>/td> CD (accompanying a book) features Joshua Tree Suite (orchestral piece by VDP)
Shining Bright: Songs Of Mike & Lal Waterson 2002 Topic accordion, hammond organ
The Company 2003 Sony Classical / Sony Music Soundtrack contributed one track: Blue Snake & Zebras
Stormy Weather: The Music Of Harold Arlen 2003 Sony arrangements, conducting
Golden Slumbers: A Father's Love Rendezwouz 2005 accordion on Loudon Wainwright's Daughter
Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanties 2006 Topic contributes the song Greenland Whale Fisheries
Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs Of Warren Zeavon 2004 Artemis/Rykodisc string arrangements

Loudon Wainwright III. So Damn Happy 2003 Sanctuary piano
Rufus Wainwright same 1998 Dreamworks drd 50039 co-production, string arrangements and conductor on Millbrook and Baby; string arrangement and conductor on Foolish Love
Want 2 2004 Dreamworks string arrangement on Little Sister
Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat 1987 BMG Cypress 258 418 arrangement for A Singer Must Die (w/ Bill Ginn); synthesizer and accordion on Came So Far For Beauty
The Hunter 1992 Private 261974 accordion, arrangement on Lights Of Louisianne
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band Part One 1967 Reprise R6247/RS6247 writer of High Coin
Victoria Williams Happy Come Home 1987 Geffen GEFD 24140 string arrangements on three tracks
Loose 1994 Mammoth 92430 accordion, string/horn/woodwinds arrangements on Polish Those Shoes; string arrangement on What A Wonderful World
Water to Drink 2000 Atlantic 83361-2 string arrangements on Young At Heart and Until The Real Thing Comes Along
Danny Wilde and the Rembrandts Spin This! 1998 Elektra/Asylum 62059 arrangements; conductor
Mike Wilhelm same ???? Last Call ??? writer of High Coin [Wilhelm was a member of the Charlatans, who also released a version of that song in 1969]
Steve Young Switchblades Of Love 1993 Watermelon 1016 accordion on Angel Of Lyon and Silverlake
Primal Young 1999 Shock CTX121CD accordion on Jig, Scotland Is A Land and Little Birdie (jump to Billboard review)

Essentially, that list makes it look like Van Dyke Parks joined the musicians union in 1965 and didn't have a day off for a decade!

A list of collaborations as well as full discog details will be added here http://bananastan.com/vdp.html (http://bananastan.com/vdp.html) shortly.

And now you can add Skrillex to the list!
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/10/van-dyke-parks-talks-early-arrangements-skrillex-collaboration-.html

Anyone know what happened with this??

On Skrillexs new album there is a 7 minute long orchestral composition by it says nothing about Van Dyke Parks. Can anyone here with connections with VDPs ask him about it??

Can't help you there - does it sound particularly like his work?

Did find this though - dude digs the silverchair record too, it seems https://www.facebook.com/skrillex/posts/169113303169040

No, it really doesn't sound like Parks at all....it sounds uninspired and way too synthy.

The title of the song is: Skrillex orchestral Suite by Varien. So Varien must be a composer or something.

Upon second thought, Skrillex is in a upcoming movie called 'Regeneration' (I think) and that may be what Van Dyke Parks was called in for. I don't know. Ugh, I'd just really love to hear what they came up with!

*thanks for looking for info though!

I love this so much:

http://www.amazon.com/Arrangements-1-Van-Dyke-Parks/dp/B0059889OW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327661031&sr=8-1


Anyone know what Part II will have or when it's due?

Nothing's been announced, but I hope it's sold well enough to consider a volume two - dude's got a tonne of stuff from the 60's and 70's alone!

Just listened to Ringo Starr's new album (yes, I'm one of those Beatles completists that has to hear all the solo work). Anyway, it wasn't much although the song with Van Dyke Parks ("Samba") was kind of catchy. Worth a listen on Spotify.

How's that coming...?

Since www.vandykeparks.com was handed over to www.bananastan.com all the stuff that was on it (and some people invested quite a lot of their time into it - e.g. Jan Jansen and myself) seems to have gone. I've stopped sending them updates for the collaborations section, because nobody seemed to care to put it on.

You can always put it on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Dyke_Parks_discography

So at the risk of sounding unhip, what did VDP actually contribute to "Follow That Bird".  From recollection there is a song on there that sounds like a complete take off of "Busy Doing Nothing".  I believe the song is called "Easy Goin' Day"  Is that a Parks tune?

That definitely does sound like him trying to make another "Singin' in the Rain" with steel drums

According to AllMusic.com, VDP is co-crdited with composing all the songs:  http://www.allmusic.com/album/follow-that-bird-mw0000607531

No songwriting credits on the CD reissue, which only says arrangements by VDP and Lennie Niehaus. By the way VDP gets a thank you on the "Club Paradise" Soundtrack album. What for? Jimmy Cliff and The Mighty Sparrow are on it, maybe that's why. Anyone any info?

according to the Library Of Congress, VDP co-wrote "Club Paradise" : http://www.loc.gov/item/jots.200159302
also Wikipedia has music for the film by the same two:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Paradise, as does: http://www.answers.com/topic/club-paradise-1

Here's his IMDb file, which pretty well covers his filmography career:  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0663026

IMDb is quite thorough when it comes to Van Dyke's movie/TV work....though for some reason the site's compilers still won't list his appearance on one of The Honeymooners's "lost episodes."

There are a couple of things from VDP's child-actor days I wouldn't mind seeing. One was a show where he played the young friend of a broken-down circus clown; the clown was played by none other than Henry Hull, who made his indelible mark in "Werewolves Of London" back in the '30s.   In another show, Van Dyke appeared alongside Robert Preston, soon to star in "The Music Man," and.... baseball's Leo Durocher. I'd really like to see at least a photo of them together.

Then, too, I wouldn't mind seeing what IMDb says is Van Dyke's first role after his child-actor days - a film that went by two titles, "Coming Attractions" and its earlier name, "Loose Shoes." It was made in 1977, but didn't get released until 1980, primarily because Bill Murray was in the cast and had become a star by then.  Van Dyke plays "Indian #2" in it - apparently, as in Native American.

 Others in that film include Kinky Friedman, Buddy Hackett, onetime Munchkin Billy Curtis, Warhol star/Jim Morrison buddy Tom Baker, Sid Haig, Karen Lamm, the Turtles's Mark Volman (playing a biker), Betty Thomas from Hill St Blues, Misty Rowe from Hee-Haw....and Susan Tyrrell.  A sure bet that no other movie has all these people in it.

One thing that IMDb notably omits is from 1968. Early that year, Les Crane briefly had a second nationally broadcast talk show, some years after ABC cancelled his first one. It was syndicated. One of the programs was a discussion of "the future of popular music," and the guests were Lalo Schifrin who wrote the Mission: Impossible theme....Jack Good of Shindig fame....Andy Wickham....and Van Dyke. 

Alas, it is very doubtful that show was preserved in video or audio form. It would have been done on videotape, but in those days such shows were routinely taped over for economy purposes, and anyway Crane was never known as one who took much interest in keeping his work on the permanent record.  For example, the very first US TV appearance by the Stones was on his show in '64 when it was locally broadcast in New York....but apparently no one bothered to preserve it. Not long after that, he interviewed Dylan, who also performed three songs....and that exists only in audio form because a fan taped it off the air.

One thing I'd like to know more about is Van Dyke's very extensive work for the stage.  There are a few odds and ends I know about, such as his providing incidental music for an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's play Mann ist Mann which was staged in upstate New York with Bill Murray in 1986....and a production of Jump! in North Carolina in the 1980s, which I seem to recall reading did involve a fully staged presentation rather than the concert-style approach used when he performed it in NYC and LA in '84....but I'll write about that in another post sometime.

Van Dyke did a gorgeous soundtrack for a PBS Special on Norman Rockwell. I had it on cassette somewhere....

The special, Norman Rockwell: An American Portrait, is also currently available on DVD thru Amazon and other places.

One VDP-related TV show somewhat harder to find is a 1990 production, originally aired as Mother Goose's Rock 'n Rhyme, and later marketed as Shelley Duvall's Rock 'n Rhymeland.  In its original form it was 95 minutes long; the later version that carried Ms Duvall's name was 77 minutes and can be seen entire at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs-MqMELk40

The show is obviously aimed at people who were fans of Pee Wee's Playhouse in the 1980s - the almost immediate appearance of the Del Rubio Triplets being one such indication, not to mention the sets and costumes - and has a pretty wild cast, as its Wikipedia and IMDB entries show. 

Students of Classic Hair Metal will have a fun time spotting some less-remembered musicians of the period, who appear uncredited.  But for SS'ers the show's big selling point is that Van Dyke plays the Minister of Merriment, right-hand man to Old King Cole, who is played by none other than Little Richard.

In the shorter version seen at Youtube Van Dyke, in yellow garb and wearing a tricorn hat, shows up at the 30 minute mark for about three minutes, standing behind the Rev. Mr. Penniman, but doesn't speak.  In the 95 minute cut, he does have dialogue.

 If you do some hunting in your local Goodwill or Salvation Army store, you might be able to find a VHS of the longer version - it's out of print and goes for pretty high dollar on Amazon.  Both versions are on one DVD sold at eBay for $16 - I don't know the degree of its legitimacy.

Anyway, the rest of the movie is worth watching, if only for taking a trip back into the last year of the BC (Before Cobain) era.  Pia Zadora plays Little Miss Muffett - it's pretty remarkable to think that this film is probably the main reason that anybody in America under the age of thirty has ever heard of her.  (That is, prior to her arrest in Vegas last weekend.)

 ZZ Top have a fun running gag.  In the best Marx Brothers/Story Of Mankind tradition, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel show up - but not together.  There are also amusing references to the "Stargate" sequence of 2001, and the title of Robin Williams' first comedy LP.

Plus, the late, great Jean Stapleton in the title role - kinda dressed like SCTV's Edith Prickley for some reason. 

For years, "All I Want Is You" by U2 has been my wife's and my song. It was only about two years ago, while reading the liner notes for "Rattle and Hum" that I learned that the haunting, gorgeous string arrangement was done by Van Dyke Parks.