Jimmy Webb, who wrote MacArthur Park and many other hits including Galveston, Didn't We, All I Know, Up Up & Away, Wichita Lineman, The Yard Went On Forever and The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, never forgave Richard Harris for changing "MacArthur Park" to "MacArthur's Park." The song reached #2 on the Hot 100 in July 1968, behind Herb Alpert's This Guy's In Love With You.
In November 1967, Webb offered MacArthur Park to the Association, whose hits included Along Comes Mary, Cherish, Windy and Never My Love They were recording songs for a new album (Birthday). Dayton "Bones" Howe, their producer, liked the song but none of the band members liked it, mostly because of its seven-minute length. They claimed they would have to drop two shorter songs to make room for MacArthur Park on the album. Picky, picky, picky! They turned it down.