Details on the new greatest hits albums and remasters

[TV Forces]

I loved this one:

[I. Spaceman]

Yeah, I couldn't believe it when they replaced the cover for that. Besides the three box sets, that was the best archival BB product of all.

[runnersdialzero]

The problem with a chronological approach (which is what the 93 boxed set had ) for the BBs, is it makes the band's decline from the 70s through the 90s abundantly and painfully clear. In the case of the Beatles, you're dealing with far fewer albums over a much smaller time scale. The two bands just do not compare in chronological terms. The only way such an approach would work for the BBs would be if you included BW solo material, which would paint a portrait of continued creative striving, if not necessarily growth.

If we're talking a best of, though, then the decline isn't nearly as apparent as on the 93 box set.

For one disc, true. Over two discs ... dicier.

Looking outside my own fanboyism, these feel like essentials to a best of from after Holland until the present:

"Rock & Roll Music"
"It's OK"
"Honkin' Down The Highway" (really good song, an exclusive single mix exists to give incentive for bigger fans to buy, and Love You really needs some representation)
"Good Timin"
"Goin' On"
"Getcha Back"
"Kokomo"
"That's Why God Made The Radio"
"Isn't It Time?"

Remix any as you see fit (thus making some of the the songs with iffier sound quality more palatable and giving the bigger fans further incentive to buy), and I really don't see any horribly embarrassing inclusions there. Most of these aren't Pet Sounds great or anything, but I'd put a lot of them on par with some of their bigger hits from the first few years.

[I. Spaceman]

As much as I dislike it, Come Go With Me is essential too, as a Top 20 hit.

[runnersdialzero]

As much as I dislike it, Come Go With Me is essential too, as a Top 20 hit.

Ah, slipped my mind. I always found that one inoffensive but also pretty uninteresting. But yeah, throw that one up there too and I still don't see anything that awful.

[I. Spaceman]

Even tho it didn't chart nationally, I would always put It's A Beautiful Day on any singles-oriented BB comp as well. Love that tune. Hell, I'd put Lady Lynda on as well, as a Top 10 UK smash.
Beach Boys Medley can suck it, tho.

[GuyOnTheBeach]

Even tho it didn't chart nationally, I would always put It's A Beautiful Day on any singles-oriented BB comp as well. Love that tune. Hell, I'd put Lady Lynda on as well, as a Top 10 UK smash.
Beach Boys Medley can suck it, tho.

Personally I think they should replace Kokomo with Lady Lynda when they get to the U.K, I can remember hearing Kokomo on the radio once in the 4 years I've been a Beach Boys fan (it performed badly in the charts over here too), whereas Lady Lynda is a regular on 'Oldies' stations and I've heard it a couple of times on regular stations too.

[Jim V.]

I like it that many "serious" rock fans still think of the band as a joke. It isn't as stifling talking about the band as it is to talk about The Beatles. It is inspiring to me that the band has got to where they are now in terms of perception, considering how tarnished the Beach Boys name was 25 years ago.

Honestly, usually where a person stands on The Beach Boys usually tells me about how serious of a "rock" fan they are. If they've never even heard of Pet Sounds, much less stuff like "Heroes And Villains" or "Surf's Up", then that tells me they are just your average hack. The kinda person that knows the entire Led Zeppelin canon but doesn't even know what Red Rose Speedway is.

[Jim V.]

The problem with a chronological approach (which is what the 93 boxed set had ) for the BBs, is it makes the band's decline from the 70s through the 90s abundantly and painfully clear. In the case of the Beatles, you're dealing with far fewer albums over a much smaller time scale. The two bands just do not compare in chronological terms. The only way such an approach would work for the BBs would be if you included BW solo material, which would paint a portrait of continued creative striving, if not necessarily growth.

If we're talking a best of, though, then the decline isn't nearly as apparent as on the 93 box set.

For one disc, true. Over two discs ... dicier.

Looking outside my own fanboyism, these feel like essentials to a best of from after Holland until the present:

"Rock & Roll Music"
"It's OK"
"Honkin' Down The Highway" (really good song, an exclusive single mix exists to give incentive for bigger fans to buy, and Love You really needs some representation)
"Good Timin"
"Goin' On"
"Getcha Back"
"Kokomo"
"That's Why God Made The Radio"
"Isn't It Time?"

Remix any as you see fit (thus making some of the the songs with iffier sound quality more palatable and giving the bigger fans further incentive to buy), and I really don't see any horribly embarrassing inclusions there. Most of these aren't Pet Sounds great or anything, but I'd put a lot of them on par with some of their bigger hits from the first few years.

I agree that they don't look totally horrible by following a chronological approach. No worse than a band like The Rolling Stones. Things like "Good Timin'", "Getcha Back", and "Isn't It Time" aren't anything to be embarrassed of. And I don't think anybody buying a Beach Boys comp expected them to keep their 1960s level of creativity up for their entire career.

[I. Spaceman]

I like it that many "serious" rock fans still think of the band as a joke. It isn't as stifling talking about the band as it is to talk about The Beatles. It is inspiring to me that the band has got to where they are now in terms of perception, considering how tarnished the Beach Boys name was 25 years ago.

Honestly, usually where a person stands on The Beach Boys usually tells me about how serious of a "rock" fan they are. If they've never even heard of Pet Sounds, much less stuff like "Heroes And Villains" or "Surf's Up", then that tells me they are just your average hack. The kinda person that knows the entire Led Zeppelin canon but doesn't even know what Red Rose Speedway is.

Agreed.

[metal flake paint]

Even tho it didn't chart nationally, I would always put It's A Beautiful Day on any singles-oriented BB comp as well. Love that tune. Hell, I'd put Lady Lynda on as well, as a Top 10 UK smash.
Beach Boys Medley can suck it, tho.

Personally I think they should replace Kokomo with Lady Lynda when they get to the U.K, I can remember hearing Kokomo on the radio once in the 4 years I've been a Beach Boys fan (it performed badly in the charts over here too), whereas Lady Lynda is a regular on 'Oldies' stations and I've heard it a couple of times on regular stations too.

I don't think Al would be too keen on performing that (unless they played the Little Lady re-write).

[Jim V.]

Maybe somebody already commented on this, but did anybody else "Barbara Ann" is not on the one disc Greatest Hits. Kinda crazy. I know it's not written by the band, but whether or not we like it, it's one of their most popular songs.

[monicker]

There are bad soundtrack contributions, bad solo projects, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.

Haaa.

I like it that many "serious" rock fans still think of the band as a joke.

I get what you mean, i’ve felt that before. It is pretty neat in a counterintuitive way.

The problem with a chronological approach (which is what the 93 boxed set had ) for the BBs, is it makes the band's decline from the 70s through the 90s abundantly and painfully clear. In the case of the Beatles, you're dealing with far fewer albums over a much smaller time scale. The two bands just do not compare in chronological terms. The only way such an approach would work for the BBs would be if you included BW solo material, which would paint a portrait of continued creative striving, if not necessarily growth.

That is a good point, i hadn’t considered that. But i also see RDZ’s point. The thing is, though, however you slice it, that is what happened to the quality of the band’s output. That's the reality, it's who they are. So what’s worse, the band’s decline becoming very apparent when the songs appear in chronological order, or having Kiss Me Baby sandwiched between the two TWGMTR singles, Getcha Back in between Wendy and TLGIOK, and other hot messes?

[Rocky Raccoon]

What would the perfect image be that represented the band's 50-year output?  They gotta pick something…

[joshferrell]

What would the perfect image be that represented the band's 50-year output?  They gotta pick something…

lol..yes..I LOVE it,,,,

[The Heartical Don]

What would the perfect image be that represented the band's 50-year output?  They gotta pick something…

lol..yes..I LOVE it,,,,

  genius!

[Billgoodman]

If anybody is interested, I work for a organisation that orders cd's from the distribution company and the discs are priced like this in the Netherlands:

50 big ones double disc: 16, 50 euro
Greatest hits one disc: 11 euro
All the remasters, mono/stereo: 11 euro

This is all before taxes and keep in mind your retailer wants to make some profit too. So in the shops you could probably see those remasters for like 15-20 euro's.

[GuyOnTheBeach]

Even tho it didn't chart nationally, I would always put It's A Beautiful Day on any singles-oriented BB comp as well. Love that tune. Hell, I'd put Lady Lynda on as well, as a Top 10 UK smash.
Beach Boys Medley can suck it, tho.

Personally I think they should replace Kokomo with Lady Lynda when they get to the U.K, I can remember hearing Kokomo on the radio once in the 4 years I've been a Beach Boys fan (it performed badly in the charts over here too), whereas Lady Lynda is a regular on 'Oldies' stations and I've heard it a couple of times on regular stations too.

I don't think Al would be too keen on performing that (unless they played the Little Lady re-write).

Good point, well let him sing Brian's "My Mary-Ann" from the Paley sessions to level the balance

[Cabinessenceking]

The problem with a chronological approach (which is what the 93 boxed set had ) for the BBs, is it makes the band's decline from the 70s through the 90s abundantly and painfully clear. In the case of the Beatles, you're dealing with far fewer albums over a much smaller time scale. The two bands just do not compare in chronological terms. The only way such an approach would work for the BBs would be if you included BW solo material, which would paint a portrait of continued creative striving, if not necessarily growth.

Smart Girls coming up ;]

[Jonathan Blum]

Why I'm not bothered by the surfboards, by me --

The surfboards-and-woodies thing is a worldwide icon representing that particular image of California -- the one the Beach Boys brought to the world.  The one that's actually in their songs, in a way that Beatle boots aren't.

The Beatles don't just get mop-tops on their discs because they created a whole batch of visual icons representing them -- from With The Beatles silhouettes all the way to Abbey Road, green apples and Sergeant Pepper suits, and even the Red/Blue covers after they broke up.  (All of which are present and correct on Anthology.) 

The Beach Boys?  They didn't create a stack of definitive album covers; there's only one instantly-recognizable icon associated with them...  but lord, what an icon.  One image that evokes a whole way of life.  That's worth celebrating it.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[tansen]

What would the perfect image be that represented the band's 50-year output?  They gotta pick something…

It was the mooooonster mash 

[tansen]

If anybody is interested, I work for a organisation that orders cd's from the distribution company and the discs are priced like this in the Netherlands:

50 big ones double disc: 16, 50 euro
Greatest hits one disc: 11 euro
All the remasters, mono/stereo: 11 euro

This is all before taxes and keep in mind your retailer wants to make some profit too. So in the shops you could probably see those remasters for like 15-20 euro's.

All though the U.S. prices will be lower. I already saw blowitoutahere list the remasters for $13 a piece.
http://www.blowitoutahere.com/search?q=beach+boys&mod=AP

[Alan Smith]

Even tho it didn't chart nationally, I would always put It's A Beautiful Day on any singles-oriented BB comp as well. Love that tune. Hell, I'd put Lady Lynda on as well, as a Top 10 UK smash.
Beach Boys Medley can suck it, tho.

Personally I think they should replace Kokomo with Lady Lynda when they get to the U.K, I can remember hearing Kokomo on the radio once in the 4 years I've been a Beach Boys fan (it performed badly in the charts over here too), whereas Lady Lynda is a regular on 'Oldies' stations and I've heard it a couple of times on regular stations too.

I don't think Al would be too keen on performing that (unless they played the Little Lady re-write).

Would Al be up for Lady Liberty? 

[Luke_Barshack]

The problem with a chronological approach (which is what the 93 boxed set had ) for the BBs, is it makes the band's decline from the 70s through the 90s abundantly and painfully clear. In the case of the Beatles, you're dealing with far fewer albums over a much smaller time scale. The two bands just do not compare in chronological terms. The only way such an approach would work for the BBs would be if you included BW solo material, which would paint a portrait of continued creative striving, if not necessarily growth.

If we're talking a best of, though, then the decline isn't nearly as apparent as on the 93 box set.

For one disc, true. Over two discs ... dicier.

How a single disc, in chronological comp could work, in my opinion:

Surfin' Safari
Surfin' USA
Surfer Girl
Be True to Your School
In My Room
Fun, Fun, Fun
I Get Around
Don't Worry Baby
When I Grow Up
The Warmth of the Sun
Help Me Ronda
California Girls
Barbara Ann
Sloop John B
Wouldn't it Be Nice
God Only Knows
Good Vibrations
Heroes and Villains
Wild Honey
Darlin'
Friends
Do it Again
Add Some Music
This Whole World
Long Promised Road
Surf's Up
Marcella
Sail On Sailor
Good TImin'
Kokomo
That's Why God Made the Radio

I agree, two or three discs may make the decline more obvious.

[Rocker]

What about, you know, just a photograph of the band?

This!

For example, a picture of the band today, and on the reverse side, a pic from 50 years ago.

C'mon Capitol geniuses, make it happen!

The backcover for "The warmth of the sun" was fantastic !