Little Saint Nick and The Man with All the Toys - which version do you prefer?

[SufferingFools]

Beach Boys version or Brian Wilson version?

I think the Beach Boys' Little Saint Nick (single version) takes the prize for me.  The melody is really suited to Mike Love's voice.

As for The Man with All the Toys, I think Brian's solo version is so brilliant it makes the original sound like a demo.  The only thing I miss is Brian on falsetto, which can always give me chills. 

[Mikie]

I prefer the original single version of "Little Saint Nick" in stereo.  And I like the alternate version of it on Ultimate Christmas.

I also prefer the original version of "Man With All The Toys" in stereo. Even though the track is a little sparse, Brian's falsetto (and the harmonies) is what makes the song.

[Wirestone]

Ditto on Brian's revision of "The Man With All the Toys" -- it's massively superior to the original.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Agreed. IMO, What I Really Want for Christmas is Brian's most ambitious solo song outside of Smile. It sounds so much like a "Pet Sounds Christmas song" and it's utterly brilliant.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I think Brian's Xmas album is appalling and the original TMWATT is vastly superior to his remake.

[Mike's Beard]

As with most things in life, the original is best.

[Robbie Mac]

As with most things in life, the original is best.

The original MWATT sounds like a half-written song with a hurriedly-finished track. At least Brian's version restructures it to hide the original song's shortcomings.

[filledeplage]

Beach Boys version or Brian Wilson version?

I think the Beach Boys' Little Saint Nick (single version) takes the prize for me.  The melody is really suited to Mike Love's voice.

As for The Man with All the Toys, I think Brian's solo version is so brilliant it makes the original sound like a demo.  The only thing I miss is Brian on falsetto, which can always give me chills. 

Bravo to you! Single Saint Nick rocks as well as The Man with all The Toys! I used that one for my pre-K kids one year.  The school secretary rolled her eyes as she asked me if that was a "real song?" I just whipped out the sheet music.  Another eye roll! The kids learned it to the old LP/cassette tape.  Easy now on iPhone or some mp3 format.  

And, Little Saint Nick is great for the kids using the rhythm band stuff, like rhythm sticks, bells, and tambourine, for those who are in early childhood education.  They can march to it, and it is awesome when they run into the class and announce they heard it in the grocery store or some big box store, during the holiday season.  

Ultimate Christmas is a keeper for all of this.  

[Rocker]

As with most things in life, the original is best.

The original MWATT sounds like a half-written song with a hurriedly-finished track. At least Brian's version restructures it to hide the original song's shortcomings.

I agree with this.
I also think that Brian's lead on his solo "Little Saint Nick" is strong.

But nothing can match the Beach Boys blend.

[Mikie]

The school secretary rolled her eyes as she asked me if that was a "real song?" I just whipped out the sheet music.  Another eye roll!

The secretary is the "Woman With All The Toys".

[shelter]

As for The Man with All the Toys, I think Brian's solo version is so brilliant it makes the original sound like a demo.

I agree.

I like Brian's christmas album. I like the way it's arranged and Brian's "old" voice suits that type of material perfectly.

[filledeplage]

The school secretary rolled her eyes as she asked me if that was a "real song?" I just whipped out the sheet music.  Another eye roll!

The secretary is the "Woman With All The Toys".

 

[RangeRoverA1]

I prefer the original single version of "Little Saint Nick" in stereo.  And I like the alternate version of it on Ultimate Christmas.

I also prefer the original version of "Man With All The Toys" in stereo. Even though the track is a little sparse, Brian's falsetto (and the harmonies) is what makes the song.

Glad to see another fan of stereo. For some reason, people go at lengths about mono's advantages. For the record, I like every one of those versions, Brian's TMWATT is a lot of fun! Don't forget Little Saint Nick sans sleigh-bells.

[Micha]

I like Brian's christmas album a lot, but nothing beats the real BBs in the 1960s.

However, the four songs the band recorded for the 1964 christmas album are great in songwriting, but definitely underproduced.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Just on the subject of the Christmas songs themselves, Merry Christmas, Baby could be an absolute classic if it wasn't for the lackluster chorus. The verses rock and it builds to something great, but the chorus falls SO flat.