Chinatown

Album: All These Hellos (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This sweeping romantic number about two lovers planning a rendezvous features orchestrations from Van Dyke Parks and was written by Goffin and songwriting partner Billy Harvey, who was originally supposed to sing on the tune until Rufus Wainwright was brought on board. Goffin told Songfacts how the song came together:

    "That song started off with a bouncy beat on a Wurlitzer electric keyboard. The chords were almost random. I liked the title 'Chinatown' and we were riffing on the lyric from there, but then it was lunchtime and we were hungry and only a few miles away from Chinatown [in LA] so we drove there for Chinese food. After we went back to the song and all the images poured out.

    On another day we thought we'd try to play the song slower and with all the chord changes it had a dark meditative landscape with just piano, guitar and vocals. It was never in our minds that it would turn into the sweeping orchestral romance that Van Dyke Parks brought to it. Van Dyke loved the song and took it those heights.

    I told him I loved what he'd done with Rufus Wainwright and then we asked Rufus if he would duet on it with me. Billy is a big Rufus fan and he kids me about getting replaced by him. You know, it's a brag to get a song you wrote sung by Rufus, even if he did kick you off the duet."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Don Felder

Don FelderSongwriter Interviews

Don breaks down "Hotel California" and other songs he wrote as a member of the Eagles. Now we know where the "warm smell of colitas" came from.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.