Problem Child is criminally underrated

[Autotune]

Enough on Problem Child.

Let us now turn our attention to Daddy's Little Girl and make it a classic.

[mjforever]

You guys can thank me later ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvMmx5QBaqY

[Forshorn]

I watched it, then I watched "Make it Big." Downward spiral.

[Awesoman]

I'll say "Problem Child" is pretty criminal.  That's about it. 

[Craig Feldspar]

I dunno, I still think "Make it Big" and "Problem Child" are still miles ahead of anything from SIP. It's the Carl Wilson factor. Man even today I had to "Who wants to grow up/who wants responsibility... ooh ooh ooh" stuck in my head. Those oohs are soulful!  I mean Carl just had a way of making even a marginal song like Problem Child sound catchy. He should have had more leads on SIP. I do sincerely enjoy "Make It Big" though.  Its great for its style (big 80s). Not really a "Beach Boys" song though.

[Forshorn]

You could call this the "Terry Melcher" period. The late Mr. Melcher co-wrote most of their singles around this time, including "Kokomo." Nothing against him. Bruce & Terry are a hidden gem.

[mjforever]

When I originally posted this I included an MP3 of a live performance of Problem Child from Philadelphia 1990. I found ANOTHER live performance of the song from New Jersey of the same year. As soon as I get the album I will post it here, just not as an MP3.

This is the best Problem Child Appreciation Thread on the Internet!

[jeremylr]

Lately I've been scouring the Beach Boys' discography and creating my very own master playlist in iTunes of their songs that didn't appear on a BB's studio album. I have checked both iTunes and Amazon for a digital copy of Problem Child (either the single or album version) but have had no luck. Does anyone know when the song last appeared on a compilation or album? I'd love to obtain the best-sounding MP3 of Problem Child if anyone can help. Thanks.

[bgas]

Lately I've been scouring the Beach Boys' discography and creating my very own master playlist in iTunes of their songs that didn't appear on a BB's studio album. I have checked both iTunes and Amazon for a digital copy of Problem Child (either the single or album version) but have had no luck. Does anyone know when the song last appeared on a compilation or album? I'd love to obtain the best-sounding MP3 of Problem Child if anyone can help. Thanks.

Ask Mikie

[jeremylr]

I appreciate it, Bgas. My problem is now solved! Many, many thanks to Mikie as well.

[Mr. Wilson]

Problem Child .. ?  Oh my where is my pooper scooper..? And the guys in a couple of years didn't want to record the Wilson / Paley stuff but they record this song.. this is a real head scratcher..   

[joshferrell]

it would have been better with a "Nanny nanny boo boo, stick your head in doo doo" line..

[countyfair]

I'm a die hard, and I love "Problem Child."  It's one of my favorite leads from Carl and I love Mike's bass work. 

[Bill Ed]

I listened to it once with my eyes closed and rather enjoyed it.

I then made the mistake of watching while listening. It made me long for the days when a prefrontal lobotomy would have been the treatment of choice for the kid. 

[Eric Aniversario]

BTW, what do people think of their cover of Crocodile Rock?
The song, not video, which is horrid.

I like problem child, though I know it's definitely not a career highlight. But crocodile rock is a total embarrassment, and ranks with some of the worst stuff they've ever done as a group.

[The Shift]

BTW, what do people think of their cover of Crocodile Rock?
The song, not video, which is horrid.

I like problem child, though I know it's definitely not a career highlight. But crocodile rock is a total embarrassment, and ranks with some of the worst stuff they've ever done as a group.

Problem Child has grown on me enormously (and not just since my own problem kids arrived!) - it's catchy and fun, right up there with Rock and Roll to the Rescue.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Problem Child was always a guilty pleasure of mine - I've even got both the cassette single and CD promo!

On the comparisons to Rock n Roll to the Rescue... The RNRTTR video is the best this the boys did. hands down.

[Juice Brohnston]

Surprised that the child actor Michael Oliver, didn't grow up to be a guest drummer in the band...

[halblaineisgood]

.

[The 4th Wilson Bro.]

  We've really got some music snobs on this board  .  I mean, the Boys were obviously recording a song for the soundtrack of a cute little movie.  Don't think it's necessary that every song they ever performed had to rival Pet Sounds.  And whatever music they performed, if Carl Wilson had the lead, it was worth hearing, IMO.

[CenturyDeprived]

I'm a die hard, and I love "Problem Child."  It's one of my favorite leads from Carl and I love Mike's bass work. 

Agree on both counts... Make it Big rules too for those same reasons... and Crocodile Rock basically sucks.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I certainly wouldn't say it's 'criminally underrated'. But it's not as atrocious as some make out (although the 'na-na-na-na-na-na-oh yeah' bit is unspeakably embarrassing and the 'soon you'll be a king of hearts' line is even worse).

[chrs_mrgn]

It's pretty catchy and I love the music video

[Dancing Bear]

I can listen all the way through because it's the Beach Boys. If this was a Kenny Logins track from 1990 I'd have cut it off at the 20 seconds mark. At most.

[Jim V.]

I like it in that "it's so horrendously '80s" way. And Carl and Mike both sound pretty great. It really is a shame that Brian and the guys didn't make an album together from around '87 to '90. Cuz even though it would've sounded incredibly '80s, everybody was sounding pretty great.

And by the way, even Bruce is embarrassed by the "Problem Child" song. I remember reading an interview with him, and i'm pretty sure the question was "is there a song you wish you had never written?" and his answer was something like "yes, and that song is the title song to an unnamed movie."