Why did the 'Add Some Music To Your Day' single fail and what if it had not?

[smile-holland]

Furthermore, why did it fail internationally? Cottonfields had been huge just a few months earlier. Was this song really unlikeable to many? I must profess my enjoyment of it. The vocals, the lyrics, the tasteful backing track and superb production (thank you Stephen Desper); they are all beautiful.

It charted, but not highly, was rapidly forgotten and the resulting Sunflower album bombed. The failure of Sunflower can largely be attributed to no hit single. What were the reasons behind Add Some Music To Your Day's failure to recapture the audiences?  

Don't forget that Cottonfields was indeed a huge hit in most countries all over the world... except for the U.S. And Add Some Music To Your Day - as far as I know - was only released on single in the U.S. and Canada, where it charted only briefly or not at all. In other countries the only single that was pulled from the Sunflower album was Tears In The Morning / It's About Time (Add Some Music, Slip On Through and Cool Cool Water weren't). With mixed success btw, but Tears In The Morning was a huge hit in The Netherlands.
So from that perspective it's not strange that Add Some Music failed as a single.

[Nicko1234]

Don't forget that Cottonfields was indeed a huge hit in most countries all over the world... except for the U.S. And Add Some Music To Your Day - as far as I know - was only released on single in the U.S. and Canada, where it charted only briefly or not at all. In other countries the only single that was pulled from the Sunflower album was Tears In The Morning / It's About Time (Add Some Music, Slip On Through and Cool Cool Water weren't). With mixed success btw, but Tears In The Morning was a huge hit in The Netherlands.
So from that perspective it's not strange that Add Some Music failed as a single.

Thanks for that info which I'd completely forgotten about. Shouldn't have forgotten really as Tears in the Morning has been included on several U.K. comps and was on the bonus disc for the 1993 box set.

[Cabinessenceking]

Furthermore, why did it fail internationally? Cottonfields had been huge just a few months earlier. Was this song really unlikeable to many? I must profess my enjoyment of it. The vocals, the lyrics, the tasteful backing track and superb production (thank you Stephen Desper); they are all beautiful.

It charted, but not highly, was rapidly forgotten and the resulting Sunflower album bombed. The failure of Sunflower can largely be attributed to no hit single. What were the reasons behind Add Some Music To Your Day's failure to recapture the audiences?  

Don't forget that Cottonfields was indeed a huge hit in most countries all over the world... except for the U.S. And Add Some Music To Your Day - as far as I know - was only released on single in the U.S. and Canada, where it charted only briefly or not at all. In other countries the only single that was pulled from the Sunflower album was Tears In The Morning / It's About Time (Add Some Music, Slip On Through and Cool Cool Water weren't). With mixed success btw, but Tears In The Morning was a huge hit in The Netherlands.
So from that perspective it's not strange that Add Some Music failed as a single.

I see. Thanks you for that info. Do you know why that decision was made? Was it made after ASMTYD failed in the US?

[smile-holland]

I see. Thanks you for that info. Do you know why that decision was made? Was it made after ASMTYD failed in the US?

Sorry, but I don't know what the reason was for sure. But it could have to do something with the way the first album and singles were distributed. In the U.S. it was on Brother/Reprise right away. But in most other countries both the Sunflower and Surf's Up album + the singles that were drawn from it were released on the Stateside label. So perhaps at first they were having trouble with the rights / distribution (is that the right word for it ?) outside the U.S.

Anyone else that knows?

[filledeplage]

Furthermore, why did it fail internationally? Cottonfields had been huge just a few months earlier. Was this song really unlikeable to many? I must profess my enjoyment of it. The vocals, the lyrics, the tasteful backing track and superb production (thank you Stephen Desper); they are all beautiful.

It charted, but not highly, was rapidly forgotten and the resulting Sunflower album bombed. The failure of Sunflower can largely be attributed to no hit single. What were the reasons behind Add Some Music To Your Day's failure to recapture the audiences?  

Don't forget that Cottonfields was indeed a huge hit in most countries all over the world... except for the U.S. And Add Some Music To Your Day - as far as I know - was only released on single in the U.S. and Canada, where it charted only briefly or not at all. In other countries the only single that was pulled from the Sunflower album was Tears In The Morning / It's About Time (Add Some Music, Slip On Through and Cool Cool Water weren't). With mixed success btw, but Tears In The Morning was a huge hit in The Netherlands.
So from that perspective it's not strange that Add Some Music failed as a single.

Cottonfields is a great song.  Here is the problem.  During that time, in the States, there were race riots and a critical new look at old art forms, which were construed as racially insensitive.  Lots of stuff, which had been very popular, became sort of taboo, and movies with a "Black Sambo" theme, or Disney's "Song of the South," or even very popular folk songs such as "Jimmy Crack Corn," were stricken from curricula.  

And, I remember playing "Jimmy Crack Corn" song, in my Kindergarten, ( because it was easy, and I was taking a class piano course) and my African American boss took me aside, and explained that the background of the song had underpinning of slavery themes (which I didn't know) and (it was still being used in teacher training curricula.)

It is not much different from the folk and fairy tales which had some sort of "metaphorical" violent theme, or subversive political message contained in many folk and fairy tales.  The rear view mirror is "20/20" - pun intended!  

And, Cottonfields came out as a single in 1969, we had MLK and RFK assassinations only a year earlier, and, even though Harry Belafonte had used it, earlier, in that era, it just didn't fly in the late 1960's.  Stuff could no longer be taken on face value.  It was technically "racially-neutral" but seemed to have a "connotation" in the States (not abroad) that was becoming "politically incorrect." I guess that might be why a song such as Disney Girls became more popular, as time went on, as standards for what is "right or wrong" became blurred.  

Cottonfields seemed to have no such negative connotation outside of the States, but had a "blurry" context by 1969.  Cotton was inextricably tied to slavery.   I'm glad they played it in C50, because it is a folk song, and apparently, now, under a more relaxed standard.

[shelter]

I understand why ASMTYD wasn't a hit. It's a cool, accessible song, but it's not very catchy. It took quite a while to grow on me. It doesn't even have a real chorus, it's basically made up of verses and middle eights.

[Matt H]

Try finding a stock copy of Child Of Winter these days.........not real easy!

Relatively easy though compared to the Cool Cool Water of Surf's Up 45, which are still on my wishlist...

I have never been able to find Cool Cool Water / Forever.  I have a promo of Cool Cool Water, but have never seen the stock copy.

[bgas]

Try finding a stock copy of Child Of Winter these days.........not real easy!

Relatively easy though compared to the Cool Cool Water of Surf's Up 45, which are still on my wishlist...

I have never been able to find Cool Cool Water / Forever.  I have a promo of Cool Cool Water, but have never seen the stock copy.

Heck, go here:    http://www.beachboys45.nl/   and you can "see" practically every stock AND promo from anywhere! 

[smile-holland]

Try finding a stock copy of Child Of Winter these days.........not real easy!

Relatively easy though compared to the Cool Cool Water of Surf's Up 45, which are still on my wishlist...

I have never been able to find Cool Cool Water / Forever.  I have a promo of Cool Cool Water, but have never seen the stock copy.

Heck, go here:    http://www.beachboys45.nl/   and you can "see" practically every stock AND promo from anywhere! 

or more specifically:
http://www.beachboys45.nl/USA-Regular-BrotherReprise70-75.htm
http://www.beachboys45.nl/USA-Regular-Reprise.htm

[Mikie]

Told this story before. In the Sumer of 1973 or '74 I went up to Sacramento to my favorite collectibles store. Behind the counter the owner had a new Breakaway single and a new Cotton Fields single. He told me he was holding them for me because he knew I didn't have them. The singles were only released a 3 or 4 years previously and were already deleted from Capitol's record catalog. Couldn't find them anywhere or even order them. You were lucky if you could find them in a used record store, much less a new one. This was before Goldmine had them advertized and they were harder to find. Anyway, the owner wanted $10.00 each for each single. I asked him why they were so darn expensive (10 bucks for singles was no chump change back then). But he knew their value. At the time much of their catalog was deleted and Breakaway was yet to be released anywhere until 1975 (on the Spirit of America greatest hits album).

[Bicyclerider]

Was it Reprise that made the decision to release Add Some Music as a single?  Because it was a bone headed idea, the song is nowhere near single caliber, it's an almost sleepy song.  Was it because the album was to be named Add Some Music?  And the single would promote the album?  Instead it had the opposite effect of scuttling the album name and forcing the change to Sunflower - which I agree is a far better name.

Maybe they thought Add Some Music was a folky, sappy song like Sweet Baby James which was a big hit for James Taylor - was that out at that time?

If you were a record exec and was looking at music trends in1969- 70 when heavy guitar music was in vogue, what would you pick as a single?  I'd pick Slip On Through, it's about time.  Or This Whole World withbonenof the Dennis songs on the flip.

[cablegeddon]

It's not catchy enought....it doesn't have the monster hook. There's no I'm thinking about good vibrations........there is no Wish they all could be California girls......hook....accessible yes but super catchy? No.

[EgoHanger1966]

If you were a record exec and was looking at music trends in1969- 70 when heavy guitar music was in vogue, what would you pick as a single?  I'd pick Slip On Through, it's about time.  Or This Whole World withbonenof the Dennis songs on the flip.

Something that gets lost in these discussions is that bubblegum and pop music were still very big during this time. I Think I Love You, Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes, Smile A Little Smile For Me......teen idols like Andy Kim and Bobby Sherman were still a big thing, Lou Christie made a comeback with I'm Gonna Make You Mine...none of this is rock fare. The Beach Boys didn't need a heavy single, they just needed a something solidly commercial with company promotion. I think Break Away should have done the trick - maybe a little too complicated vocally for the market. Add Some Music is a fine album track with a universal message, but I don't think it's single worthy.

[Mikie]

Told this story before. In the Sumer of 1973 or '74 I went up to Sacramento to my favorite collectibles store. Behind the counter the owner had a new Breakaway single and a new Cotton Fields single. He told me he was holding them for me because he knew I didn't have them. The singles were only released a 3 or 4 years previously and were already deleted from Capitol's record catalog. Couldn't find them anywhere or even order them. You were lucky if you could find them in a used record store, much less a new one. This was before Goldmine had them advertized and they were harder to find. Anyway, the owner wanted $10.00 each for each single. I asked him why they were so darn expensive (10 bucks for singles was no chump change back then). But he knew their value. At the time much of their catalog was deleted and Breakaway was yet to be released anywhere until 1975 (on the Spirit of America greatest hits album).

Agree with ALL of that.

Add Some Music single released February, 1970.  Sunflower album released August, 1970.  Good possibility it was released to promote the first inception of the album because it went through a few changes before release.

[Peter Reum]

Honestly, I don't think that there is a hit single in waiting on Sunflower....perhaps with the exception of Forever...

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

If you were a record exec and was looking at music trends in1969- 70 when heavy guitar music was in vogue, what would you pick as a single?  I

Something that gets lost in these discussions is that bubblegum and pop music were still very big during this time. I Think I Love You, Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes, Smile A Little Smile For Me......teen idols like Andy Kim and Bobby Sherman were still a big thing, Lou Christie made a comeback with I'm Gonna Make You Mine...none of this is rock fare.

Soulful Old Man Sunshine was recorded around this time, wasn't it? Could have been perfect...glad it wasn't on Sunflower, as that's a perfect, non "trying too hard for a hit" type lp. Maybe it would have worked to separate 'the hits' from the albums at this point. Of course, UK Stateside could always have tacked a reprocessed stereo version on teh start of 'surfs up'

[GhostyTMRS]

As others have mentioned, in the FM rock community The Beach Boys were written off as an embarrassment from the past.

You'd think it would have had more success on Top 40 AM radio where artists like Bobby Goldsboro thrived and there'd be less of an "oh, they're uncool" mentality but apparently it existed there too. I'm sure most of you have seen Fred Vail's story about this on the Brian Wilson Songwriter CD. He had a hard time getting that damn record played and tears up just telling the story. 

[Sound of Free]

Among the many "I wish" scenarios I have for the Beach Boys, I wish they had hooked up with Jack Rieley sooner, just after 20/20.

I could picture Rieley telling the boys not to waste two dynamite songs in Breakaway and Celebrate the News for a single Capitol had no incentive to promote. He could have had them give Capitol We're Together Again and a completed Walk on By and use Breakway and Celebrate to GET a record deal, as in "Brian is still writing great songs, and the other guys are finding their chops, like this one from Dennis."

Meanwhile he could have been rebuilding their "cool" cred with performances as hip venues with longer shows and no stage uniforms. So by the time Breakaway is the first single off Sunflower, the Boys are more hip, Breakaway becomes a hit and Sunflower, with Breakaway and Celebrate the News replacing Got to Know the Woman and either At My Window or Tears in the Morning, is recognized as a masterpiece and becomes a smash.

(And I know Sunflower went through many incarnations and may have played out much differently with Breakaway and Celebrate the News, but this is my alternate history and I'll play it out the way I want.  )

[DonnyL]

They could have had a bubblegum-type hit with 'Seasons in the Sun' or something else like 'Loop De Loop', but I think the band was trying to distance themselves from that scene and appeal to the hippies.

They could have gone through with that cartoon or done a guest spot on The Brady Bunch or something ... but that wasn't their direction at that time.

[Custom Machine]

I have never been able to find Cool Cool Water / Forever.  I have a promo of Cool Cool Water, but have never seen the stock copy.

Back in the day, I was able to buy stock copies of Cool Cool Water / Forever in Aug. 1971, April 1973, and Feb. 1974, all at the same record store in San Diego, which kept back-stock of well known artists.  But having no thoughts concerning future collectability, I wrote my name in large letters in ink on the labels, and etched the date of purchase on the inner grove area of the vinyl.  In looking at my purchase dates, it's apparent that prior to Aug. 1971 I was unaware that the single even existed.  

Anybody know in what parts of the US the brown steamboat Reprise 45's were released, as opposed to the yellow Brother/Reprise 45's?  Other than Add Some Music, which was not released on the yellow Brother/Reprise label, here on the west coast I never encountered those BBs singles on the brown Reprise label.  

[Cabinessenceking]

They could have had a bubblegum-type hit with 'Seasons in the Sun' or something else like 'Loop De Loop', but I think the band was trying to distance themselves from that scene and appeal to the hippies.

They could have gone through with that cartoon or done a guest spot on The Brady Bunch or something ... but that wasn't their direction at that time.

funny thing you mentioned that. why was 'Seasons In The Sun' withheld from being released on something suitable like 15BO or MIU?

[Nicko1234]

funny thing you mentioned that. why was 'Seasons In The Sun' withheld from being released on something suitable like 15BO or MIU?

It would have sounded out of place (or out of time at least) if they'd included it surely as it was recorded years earlier. Didn't Bruce say that it was too wimpy for The Beach Boys too? Like The Rolling Stones recording Tie a Yellow Ribbon.

[bgas]

funny thing you mentioned that. why was 'Seasons In The Sun' withheld from being released on something suitable like 15BO or MIU?

It would have sounded out of place (or out of time at least) if they'd included it surely as it was recorded years earlier. Didn't Bruce say that it was too wimpy for The Beach Boys too? Like The Rolling Stones recording Tie a Yellow Ribbon.

The Stones recorded Tie A Yellow Ribbon?  Man, that must be cool to listen to; what boot is that on?

[Nicko1234]

The Stones recorded Tie A Yellow Ribbon?  Man, that must be cool to listen to; what boot is that on?

The hypothetical one that Bruce was talking about.

[Mikie]

I have never been able to find Cool Cool Water / Forever.  I have a promo of Cool Cool Water, but have never seen the stock copy.

Back in the day, I was able to buy stock copies of Cool Cool Water / Forever in Aug. 1971, April 1973, and Feb. 1974, all at the same record store in San Diego, which kept back-stock of well known artists.  But having no thoughts concerning future collectability, I wrote my name in large letters in ink on the labels, and etched the date of purchase on the inner grove area of the vinyl.  In looking at my purchase dates, it's apparent that prior to Aug. 1971 I was unaware that the single even existed.  

DAMN IT!  How could you do that???   

That record store wasn't by chance "Blue Meanie Records" in San Diego, was it? I did some business with them way back when. And "Rockaway" in L.A. And "Music Man Murry". And the Capitol Records swap meat in L.A. And one other in Downey where I got my Surfin' on the 'X' label - can't remember the name now.