Salt Lake City?

[Newguy562]

Do any of you guys like that song? I've never seen it posted on here or really mentioned. (maybe once at the most)
Did the wrecking crew work on this song or add anything? or was it just the boys?

[rn57]

One of the greatest instrumental backings ever in a BBs track, spearheaded by the legendary Plas Johnson on sax. (Johnson's best known playing is the elegant soloing on the original Pink Panther theme, but on SLC he blows more in the fashion of King Curtis or Illinois Jacquet.)  Remarkably, since it concerns a city with a historically low African-American population, it's one of their songs closest to a classic R&B style.

 It would have been great if they'd played all of it in Provo, but then that town has a rivalry with SLC going - sort of like Eugene vs Portland in Oregon - so maybe it's best for them to wait till they're in SLC itself. (Which Brian, in 1960s interviews, used to claim was his favorite town in America.)

[Newguy562]

One of the greatest instrumental backings ever in a BBs track, spearheaded by the legendary Plas Johnson on sax. (Johnson's best known playing is the elegant soloing on the original Pink Panther theme, but on SLC he blows more in the fashion of King Curtis or Illinois Jacquet.)  Remarkably, since it concerns a city with a historically low African-American population, it's one of their songs closest to a classic R&B style.

 It would have been great if they'd played all of it in Provo, but then that town has a rivalry with SLC going - sort of like Eugene vs Portland in Oregon - so maybe it's best for them to wait till they're in SLC itself. (Which Brian, in 1960s interviews, used to claim was his favorite town in America.)

Why is it his favorite town? and I've heard mike love boasting about salt lake city before in one interview..
I love the backing instrumental as well..It has one of my favorite outros too "we'll be coming soon"..so the weakest songs from summer days and summer nights...have to be "Amusement Park U.S.A." or "The Girl from New York City"

[rn57]

Well...it has to be remembered Brian used to say SLC was his favorite town around the time he wrote that song.  Later on, in the days when he was pouring a whole container of instant coffee into a cup and drinking it (among other stuff), he may have felt differently...because SLC's not a town to nurture a caffeine jones. (An Ecstacy jones was a different story, at least in the '90s.)

[Jon Stebbins]

Salt Lake City and Utah in general was one of the Beach Boys hottest popularity areas in the U.S. and one of their most loyal fan-bases. They played dozens of sold out concerts there in the '60's and even when their popularity was fading in L.A. and N.Y... SLC crowds still screamed for them like it was 1964.

[Camus]

.so the weakest songs from summer days and summer nights...have to be "Amusement Park U.S.A." or "The Girl from New York City"

Which just goes to show how strong all the tracks on the album are.  I'd love to hear a stereo remix of The Girl from New York City.

[Newguy562]

.so the weakest songs from summer days and summer nights...have to be "Amusement Park U.S.A." or "The Girl from New York City"

Which just goes to show how strong all the tracks on the album are.  I'd love to hear a stereo remix of The Girl from New York City.

so you like both of those songs? 

[Mikie]

There was even a promo single made of 'Salt Lake City' to promote the song on the Summer Days album.  It was courtesy of the local Salt Lake City stores in 1965.  

http://www.beachboys45.nl/USA-Regular-Capitol%20promotional%20releases.htm

One of my favorite "Stack-o-Tracks tracks. The sessions tracking where Brian tells the musicians "When Hal goes Bom Bom Bom everybody hits, OK? For the fade." That whole tracking session is interesting to listen to. Check out Sea Of Tunes Vol. 9. Good stuff!  Love the finished song in stereo - nice and wide.

[18thofMay]

I love it!

[Danimalist]

Couldn't agree more on the amazing backing track. Just goes to show how expert musicianship, stunning background vocals and masterful production can overcome silly lyrics any time. This one could be about sand paper and I'd still love it!

[MyGlove]

.so the weakest songs from summer days and summer nights...have to be "Amusement Park U.S.A." or "The Girl from New York City"

Which just goes to show how strong all the tracks on the album are.  I'd love to hear a stereo remix of The Girl from New York City.

so you like both of those songs? 

I personally love both of those songs too. The reason I think APUSA is considered weak is because it sounds a bit dated. Carnival music. Very prominent organ sound that hasn't really been very big in rock music since that time. But the arrangement and sound of it are really out there. Creative and actually a bit psychadelic. Sounds like pure madness. Plus I mean what would expect a song about Amusement Parks and Carnivals to sound like? A carnival of course

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Salt Lake City, Amusement Parks, and Girl from NYC are all great examples of the unique variety that the SDSN album ended up having.  Probably why Summer Days usually is my favorite Beach Boys album.  I can't think of any other album with such stylistic range.  The singing is the usual high standard, but I feel like there's more abandon in the vocals than before, foreshadowing singing we would hear later, in the late 60s and into the 70s.

[Aegir]

Girl from New York City is sooooooooo good. such an underrated song. the arrangement is really rockin' and so is Bruce's falsetto in the chorus.

[Cabinessenceking]

Musically it's very good. On the other hand I hate the pointless lyrics and message of the song. Why would I want to go to SLC? There is a reason america forced the whacky mormons into the desert.

I found it hilarious when BW was talking about Rolling Stones album Between The Buttons, and compared their kickass rock to his kickass song Salt Lake City, whcih is one of the lamest, tamest pop songs one can find. Maybe BW never realised what rock was apart from Shortenin' Bread.

[I. Spaceman]

Amazing song, one of my favorites, actually. Love the lyrics.
Salt Lake City is more rock and roll than much of Between The Buttons. Yesterday's Papers? Who's Been Sleeping Here? She Smiled Sweetly? Something Happened To Me Yesterday? Cool Calm And Collected?

[Newguy562]

Musically it's very good. On the other hand I hate the pointless lyrics and message of the song. Why would I want to go to SLC? There is a reason america forced the whacky mormons into the desert.

I found it hilarious when BW was talking about Rolling Stones album Between The Buttons, and compared their kickass rock to his kickass song Salt Lake City, whcih is one of the lamest, tamest pop songs one can find. Maybe BW never realised what rock was apart from Shortenin' Bread.

i'm not sure where i heard this or seen this at but it was once said that marcella was his version of a rolling stones song
and SLC sounds like it could go perfectly with between the buttons lol jk between the buttons is the most english sounding rolling stones album ..gotta love it..

[Shady]

For years I thought I read they were paid to do this song by a radio station in Salt Lake 

[Newguy562]

For years I thought I read they were paid to do this song by a radio station in Salt Lake 

now that sounds believable  lol

[pixletwin]

Can't we start a new thread discussing track by track all the albums, beginning with Surfin' Safari? These one off threads are getting really annoying.

[Ron]

Do any of you guys like that song? I've never seen it posted on here or really mentioned. (maybe once at the most)
Did the wrecking crew work on this song or add anything? or was it just the boys?

In my opinion it's one of their best tracks.  If you turn this one up to the point that you can feel it, it rocks harder than about anything ever recorded.  THATS A FACT

[Ron]

For years I thought I read they were paid to do this song by a radio station in Salt Lake 

Lots of Mormons in Utah who probably didn't like their children listening to Rock & Roll, but were alright with them listening to those good fine young men "The Beach Boys".  So it was probably one of the few Rock & Roll acts that their parents allowed them to listen to, hence the massive love for them in Salt Lake City.

On the other side of it, it could have actually been that being raised straight-edge like that they gravitated (the kids) more towards bands they perceived as being straight-edge. 

So the boys squeaky clean image either appealed to the kids, or their parents, or both. 

It must have been palpatible or whatever that word is, to get them to actually write a song about it.

[Ron]

Can't we start a new thread discussing track by track all the albums, beginning with Surfin' Safari? These one off threads are getting really annoying.

Can't we just not read threads that are really annoying?

[pixletwin]

Can't we start a new thread discussing track by track all the albums, beginning with Surfin' Safari? These one off threads are getting really annoying.

Can't we just not read threads that are really annoying?

If you like the board to resemble spam, by all means feast away.

[Sheriff John Stone]

.so the weakest songs from summer days and summer nights...have to be "Amusement Park U.S.A." or "The Girl from New York City"

Which just goes to show how strong all the tracks on the album are.  I'd love to hear a stereo remix of The Girl from New York City.

so you like both of those songs? 

I personally love both of those songs too. The reason I think APUSA is considered weak is because it sounds a bit dated. Carnival music. Very prominent organ sound that hasn't really been very big in rock music since that time. But the arrangement and sound of it are really out there. Creative and actually a bit psychadelic. Sounds like pure madness. Plus I mean what would expect a song about Amusement Parks and Carnivals to sound like? A carnival of course

Agreed about psychedelic hint in Amusement.

Yes, and "Amusement Parks U.S.A."  might also be the most INTENSE two minutes of any Beach Boys song. 

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Love Salt Lake, Girl From New York AND Amusement Parks. Not as big on I'm Bugged at My Old Man.