"Best Friends" By The Beach Boys

[Dunderhead]

Friends is already very clearly inspired by Sgt. Pepper's and Magical Mystery Tour. With A Little Help seems unnecessary because it just retreads the same ground already covered on the title track.

Passing By seems like a pretty clear nod to Flying.

Anna Lee, The Healer is solidly in the vein of stupid Paul McCartney "character" songs like Lovely Rita.

Songs like Be Here in The Morning and When a Man Needs a Woman share the sort of hokey optimism of When I'm 64 or Getting Better.

I've just never been able to shake the feeling that Friends was the most Sgt. Peppers/Beatles inspired Brian ever did.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

To me, Friends is one of those BB albums, such as Holland, All Summer Long or Wild Honey, which has a consistent feel throughout, rather than just being a collection of songs (see Surf's Up, 20/20), and messing with the tracklisting only messes with the flow. I think the album is nigh on perfect from Meant For You up until Diamond Head (what a great song title that is!); had the album ended with We're Together Again than it would've brought the 'friends' theme of the opening tracks full circle and made for an even more well-rounded album, although as it is TM doesn't bother me as much as it does some people (personally i think it's another of Brian's 'jokes' - ending such a peaceful album with such a noisy track is similar to the way he followed the blissful Wind Chimes fade with the blaring Gettin' Hungry).

[Dunderhead]

I think if the band would have released the '67 Hawaii concert instead of Wild Honey, some of those tracks could have gotten fit onto Friends.

Be Still is one song that I've never really been sold on. It's not great writing, the melody isn't particularly memorable, and the lyrics lack sufficient focus or meaningful direction. Some fans see it is being a pretty little throw away, but I don't really think it's all that pretty honestly.

The pairing of Be Here In The Mornin' and When A Man Needs A Woman feels a little monotonous, and both songs suffer when you're forced to listen to them one after the other.

I don't really think Friends is perfect. It's close. But it's not quite there.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I think if the band would have released the '67 Hawaii concert instead of Wild Honey, some of those tracks could have gotten fit onto Friends.

Be Still is one song that I've never really been sold on. It's not great writing, the melody isn't particularly memorable, and the lyrics lack sufficient focus or meaningful direction. Some fans see it is being a pretty little throw away, but I don't really think it's all that pretty honestly.
The pairing of Be Here In The Mornin' and When A Man Needs A Woman feels a little monotonous, and both songs suffer when you're forced to listen to them one after the other.

I don't really think Friends is perfect. It's close. But it's not quite there.

What you're missing re Be Still is the absolutely beautiful singing by Dennis. When he sings 'now is the time, life begins' - heavenly!

[Mark H]

Remove Trancendental Meditation, replace with I Went To Sleep.

Job Done!

[Aegir]

the only thing I would do is replace Be Still with A Time to Live in Dreams.

[The Dumb Angel]

My 'Best Friends' album:

Side A:

1) Meant For You
2) Friends
3) I Went To Sleep
4) Be Here in the Mornin'
5) We're Together Again
6) Wake the World
7) Diamond Head

Side B:

1) Passing By
2) Time To Get Alone (Hawthorne version)
3) Busy Doin' Nothin'
4) When a Man Needs a Woman
5) Little Bird
6) Old Folks at Home/Ol' Man River
7) Break Away (Demo version)

[JanBerryFarm]

My 14 year old son thinks SURFS UP is a lot better than PET SOUNDS, but I haven't exposed him to FRIENDS as of yet.

(and yes, he's musically astute - for his age, that is - musical family, and all that)