Jimmy Webb, one of Americas best song writers wrote MacArthur Park, it is a semi-autobiographical song based on a period in his life when he lost a great love. It is filled with symbolism. At the time he lived near MacArthur Park in LA and he and his love used to go there. In the song he is returning there alone after his love has gone, replaying in his mind where they went, what they did, mourning the loss of the relationship and wondering if he will ever love anyone as much or if this was the love of his life. People tend to take "someone left the cake out in the rain" too literally, it is just symbolic of something wonderful and sweet that has been destroyed because of neglect. The lyrics can be overly romantic and overwrought but it captures the way that the loss of love can be blown completely out of proportion by the person involved. Glen Campbell does a great interpretation of this song as well. I happen to like it, Bungle in the Jungle and Roxanne as well, which is a song about prostitution and a friend, perhaps a lover, telling her that she doesn,t have to do it anymore. You should hear it when Sting does it solo at the Secret Policemans Ball for Amnesty International, it,s fantastic! I was going to let this pass but I couldn,t. I guess it,s different strokes for different folks and by the way The Police always used a reggae rhythm along with bands like The Clash.
