I actually really like the disco version of "Here Comes the Night."

[Rocky Raccoon]

I don't know what it is about it.  The concept of it is so ridiculous, it shouldn't work at all but it sounds awesome.  I would even say I like it better than the Wild Honey version.  Call me crazy but there's just something about it.

And Carl's vocal is absolutely awesome but I guess that goes without saying.

[Al Jardine: Pick Up Artist]

Get out. Now. Don't come back.

[Myk Luhv]

You do? I'm sorry to hear that.

[Paulos]

I think I've listened to disco HCTN all the way through only once, normally if listening to L.A. I skip it after a few minutes.

[Smilin Ed H]

We'll chip in for some decent medical care.

[Sheriff John Stone]

We've been over this topic a hundred times, but, hey, it's a slow Saturday morning....

A lot of people hate it, but you'll find that a lot see some merit in it. I find some enjoyment in it. I appreciate the uniqueness of the track, and the vocals were well done. There wasn't anything like it before (in the BB world) and there wasn't anything like it again. The "bandwagon jumping" didn't bother me as much as others.

What is usually the consensus is that 11 minutes of "Here Comes The Night" wasn't necessary for L.A. Light Album. We could tolerate maybe 4 minutes of it, but not 1/3 of the album! This was another one of those Bruce Johnston ideas that will always leave me scratching my head. He had to know that it was going to be controversial just recording a disco song in the first place. So, what was he thinking? "Hey, many, many people aren't going to like this track, so let's give them 11 minutes of it..." What is he, a sadomasochist?

[oldsurferdude]

Bruth is just plain insipid.

[runnersdialzero]

He should have just went all out and did the entire Wild Honey album in disco format. Then Smiley Smile (he already had Mike's "HAWN-GREH, HAWN-GREH, MAH KAHNA WOHMUNNN" arrangement), then Smile, then Pet Sounds.

[I. Spaceman]

I like it. There are much, much worse things in the BB discography. I like the strings and backing vocals a lot.

[Mike's Beard]

I like it but 11 minutes for the song is waaaaay too long!! I changed it for the shorter single version on my mp3 player ages ago and I find it works much better for the album.

[urbanite]

FWIW, Carl Wilson's vocal is horrible on that song.

[runnersdialzero]

FWIW, Carl Wilson's vocal is horrible on that song.

Can't say I agree. It's about the only redeeming thing about this version and probably a couple dozen other songs in their catalog after 1978 or so.

[Aegir]

yeah, Carl's lead vocal might be my least favorite part of Here Comes the Night disco. Sounds like he's on the toilet, constipated.

and I guess I'm the minority but I don't skip tracks when I'm listening to an album so I've probably listened to this every time I've listened to LA in full, which is at least 20 times.

[modestmaus]

'The Beach Boys dabbling in disco/dance music' might have been quite alright, maybe even rather enjoyable, if they had worked with Giorgio Moroder.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

HCTN: Disco version always makes me think of a pair of tiny white shorts, but I still love it, and it creates a (lengthy but) perfect landing pad for Baby Blue.....

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Agree that Carl's voice the only vaguely redeeming feature. I hate to think how many listeners must have given up on the album/switched off when HCTN reared it's ugly head and thus missed out on the beautiful Baby Blue, which relly doesn't deserve to be sat alongside such a terrible track. And of course the original HCTN is a stonkingly good track and doesn't deserve the inevitable rep tarnishing caused by the crappy disco remake.

[oldsurferdude]

Was the original ever performed live back in the day? I saw them several times between 67-69  and don't recall them playing it.

[Myk Luhv]

Why do people like "Baby Blue" so much? I think "Love Surrounds Me" is a better song...

[adamghost]

I religiously jump on every pro-disco HCTN thread to volunteer that I, personally, love it.  And so I am.

[CarlTheVoice]

I do quite like this song too! It always makes me dance around when it comes on!

[GuyOnTheBeach]

I think the track has it's merits, it's certainly one of the better examples of Disco that I can think of (eg. The Bee Gees are one of my favourite bands, but that Disco period they done I just can't bare)

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Why do people like "Baby Blue" so much? I think "Love Surrounds Me" is a better song...

Maybe it's because it feels a bit like Dennis coming in and kicking everyone's ass after 11 minutes of HCTH: Disco.

[rogerlancelot]

I always skip MIU to listen to LA. Sometimes I'll play "My Dianne" but the rest of it blows chunks in my opinion. LA however is some of the best "wimp rock" these ears have ever heard. I'll take 11 minutes of disco over whatever MIU is supposed to be (a facsimile of the earlier years perhaps?).

[The Shift]

HCTN '79 (LP) is a wonderful aural experience -  I've said before that I'd love to hear this track remixed for proper beefy surround sound – maybe Mr Desper could create a quad mix for us? – bouncing off the walls.

It might not be the Beach Boys a lot of folks wanted to hear then, but the track is pretty incredible.

Aesthetically, the 45 edit perhaps packs just about as much as most folk need into a shorter space of time but I don't hit the <<ff>> button when the LP track comes on, I just immerse myself in it.

[gsmile]

I love the disco Here Comes the Night.  Great groove (dig those deep synth stabs in the intro).  Wonderful vocals, dare I say it, the richest of their post Sunflower years.  The "dit-di=dit" segment is a later career vocal triumph.