Can’t Take It With You

Greetings, Zoo Freaks! Your hippie DJs at THE ZOO are spinning a classic for you tonight with "Can’t Take It With You" by The Alan Parsons Project from their 1978 album Pyramid. This track is a gem with some cool trivia behind it. Did you know that Alan Parsons himself played all the instruments on the early version demo of this song? That’s right, the man stepped out from his usual producer role to lay down every note, showcasing his multi-instrumental chops. This tidbit comes from the album’s expanded edition notes, giving us a peek into the creative process at Abbey Road Studios. The song’s vibe, with its reflective lyrics and smooth prog-pop flow, fits the album’s loose concept around the pyramids of Giza, poking fun at the 1970s craze for pyramid power. It’s got that signature Parsons polish, with Lenny Zakatek’s soulful vocals carrying the tune.

Another juicy bit about "Can’t Take It With You" is its place in the Pyramid recording sessions. The 2008 remaster included a 1:45 demo of the track, revealing how Parsons and his collaborator Eric Woolfson shaped its early form. The song’s message, about the fleeting nature of material wealth, resonates with the album’s broader themes of impermanence, inspired by the ancient pyramids. Fans on The Alan Parsons Project’s Facebook page often rave about how this track’s lush production and philosophical lyrics make it a standout, with some calling it an underrated classic in the band’s catalog. If you dig into the 2024 Super Deluxe Box Set of Pyramid, you’ll find a rough mix of the song among 67 bonus tracks, offering a raw glimpse into its evolution.

Let’s talk about how The Alan Parsons Project came to be. Alan Parsons, born in London in 1948, started as an audio engineer with a knack for capturing pristine sound. His big break came at 18 when he landed a gig at Abbey Road Studios, working as a tape operator on The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Let It Be. By his early 20s, he was engineering Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, a game-changer that cemented his rep for sonic excellence. Parsons teamed up with Eric Woolfson, a songwriter and pianist, in 1974 after meeting at Abbey Road. Woolfson, who’d been crafting a concept album based on Edgar Allan Poe, saw potential in blending his compositions with Parsons’ production wizardry. The result was the 1976 debut Tales of Mystery and Imagination, kicking off a 15-year run of concept albums blending prog rock, pop, and orchestral elements.

The duo behind The Alan Parsons Project wasn’t a band in the traditional sense but a revolving cast of top-tier session musicians like Ian Bairnson on guitar and David Paton on bass, with Parsons and Woolfson as the creative core. Their focus on studio perfection over live gigs set them apart, and albums like Pyramid and Eye in the Sky became hits, especially in North America. Parsons’ engineering roots and Woolfson’s knack for catchy, thematic songs made their sound instantly recognizable. After the Project ended in 1990, Parsons kept rocking with solo work and the Alan Parsons Live Project, while Woolfson turned to musical theater until his passing in 2009.

Zoo Freaks, you can dive deeper into The Alan Parsons Project at their official website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X. For Alan Parsons’ solo ventures, check out alanparsons.com. Fans are buzzing in communities like the Alan Parsons Project Fan Group on Facebook, where Zoo Freaks can swap stories and geek out over tracks like "Can’t Take It With You." There’s also Prog Archives, a fan-favorite site for dissecting the band’s discography. Keep it groovy, and stay tuned for more vibes from THE ZOO!