How This Legendary Singer-Songwriter's '60s Classic Became a #1 Dance Hit — and a 'Seinfeld' Plot Lineoriginally appeared onParade. As one of the most prolific and beloved songwriters in music history,Jimmy Webbis responsible for such classic hits as "Wichita Lineman," "Up, Up and Away" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" — but he initially had a tough time finding a singer for one of his most famous tunes, "MacArthur Park." Inspired by a painful breakup, Webb initially offered "MacArthur Park" to The Association, a group known for hits like "Cherish" and "Windy." Unfortunately, with its complex arrangement and unconventional lyrics, the song wasn't exactly what the pop stars were looking for. Then, in the summer of 1967, Webb met actorRichard Harris, who'd recently starred in the movie adaptation of the musicalCamelot...and was interested in recording an album of his own. Included on Harris' 1968 albumA Tramp Shining, "MacArthur Park" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In an interview withSongfactsyears later — and following the death of Harris in 2002 — Webb praised theHarry Potterstar for his performance on the track. "He brought a great kind of theatrical dignity to 'MacArthur Park' and to those songs," Webb said, adding, "And if he missed a note or he didn't carry it off particularly well as a singer, he had the actor's ability to step his way through the lyric and to speak some of the lines and basically to carry it off." As it turned out, the Harris version of "MacArthur Park" was only the beginning, as the tune's legacy would live on in more ways than one. In 1978, it was back on the charts — this time hitting number one — as a disco song byDonna Summer, who was looking for a song that would show off her vocal abilities, according toStereogum. Jimmy Webb's MacArthur Park became a classic after the Richard Harris #2 hit (May 1968) and then the later a #1 hit by Donna Summer. Over the years, pop culture references have popped up - like this one in Seinfeld.#MacArthurPark#popculturepic.twitter.com/FFabCzEcsh — Jimmy Webb (@realjimmywebb)May 15, 2020 In the years since, fans haven't forgotten about "MacArthur Park" or the sad story it tells. The unforgettable lyrics even inspired a classicSeinfeldplot line about George (Jason Alexander) and a traumatic childhood memory involving him breaking a statue while singing the part about a cake being left out in the rain. The song also got theWeird Altreatment in 1993 with the parody "Jurassic Park" — further solidifying its place in the pop culture landscape for generations to come. Related: Legendary Singer-Songwriter, 78, Plays What Bob Dylan Called the 'Best Song Ever Written' in 'Brilliant' New Video How This Legendary Singer-Songwriter's '60s Classic Became a #1 Dance Hit — and a 'Seinfeld' Plot Linefirst appeared on Parade on Aug 8, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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