The middle section of Richard Harris's definitive version of MacArthur Park became my anthem when I bought the single in 1968. The song is loved by millions of people. Harris said, "it is the story of my life." Here,  in a section from my upcoming book Richard Harris Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven, he talks about the battle he had with c composer Jimmy Webb who, according to Harris, didn't want him to record the song. This is not how Webb tells the tale, I hasten to add. Then again, my book shows that they both have vastly different memories of their relationship.

The middle section of Richard Harris's definitive version of MacArthur Park became my anthem when I bought the single in 1968. The song is loved by millions of people. Harris said, "it is the story of my life." Here, in a section from my upcoming book Richard Harris Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven, he talks about the battle he had with c composer Jimmy Webb who, according to Harris, didn't want him to record the song. This is not how Webb tells the tale, I hasten to add. Then again, my book shows that they both have vastly different memories of their relationship.

The middle section of Richard Harris's definitive version of MacArthur Park became my anthem when I bought the single in 1968. The song is loved by millions of people. Harris said, "it is the story of my life." Here,&nbsp; in a section from my upcoming book Richard Harris Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven, he talks about the battle he had with c composer Jimmy Webb who, according to Harris, didn't want him to record the song. This is not how Webb tells the tale, I hasten to add. Then again, my book shows that they both have vastly different memories of their relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Richard Harris and his battle with Jimmy Webb to record MacArthur Park

Joe Jackson is a journalist, interviewer, author and IMRO-Award nominated radio presenter/producer. He has interviewed roughly 1,400 people in the world of the arts, politics, and entertainment for all major media outlets in Ireland, including RTE Radio 1, The Sunday Independent, The Irish Times, and Hot Press. His articles have been published globally in magazines such as Vox, Rolling Stone, and Snoozer. His radio shows include The Years Go Pop, 26 one-hour documentaries a 26 on the history of popular culture, People Get Ready, 52 one-hour documentaries on the greatest music acts of the 20th century, and Under The Influence, which was nominated for a 'Best Music series' award. In 2018, his documentary about Elvis Presley, Conversations about the King, was nominated for an IMRO Award in the 'Best Music Documentary' category.

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Richard Harris and his battle with Jimmy Webb to record MacArthur Park

Richard Harris and his battle with Jimmy Webb to record MacArthur Park

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