Did the Beatles ever sing MacArthur park?

Answer 1

No- it was only released in April 1968, and The Beatles never did a recorded version of it. Cover versions have been done by the actor Richard Harris, Waylon Jennings and Donna Summer, but if The Beatles ever DID do a version of it, it would have been during an unofficial and unrecorded jamming session, probably satirically meant, as the song's lyrics are so ridiculous!

Answer 2

The first person to record "MacArthur Park" was Richard Harris, and despite its length (top 40 radio at that time preferred songs that were 3 minutes or less), it was a HUGE hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard charts in 1968. Written by Jimmy Webb, it was also covered successfully by Donna Summer, whose disco version went to #1 in 1978. To my knowledge, the Beatles never sang a version of it. And in fairness to MacArthur Park, keep in mind that it was released in the midst of the psychedelic era, when lots of songs had strangely metaphorical lyrics. While critics loved to hate on the song and call it bombastic or overly emotional, it was very well-received by young adult listeners, who found its lyrics expressed what it felt like to lose the person you thought was the love of your life. Agreed, the song hasn't aged well. But in its era, it touched a chord in many top-40 listeners.