"San Miguel"

[CenturyDeprived]

Anyone else think this is one of the more under-appreciated songs in the band's cannon?
I can't think of a cooler-sounding guitar solo on any other BBs track (who plays it?)
Surprising that this song was rejected as an album track. It just has this rad progressive late-60s sound that they really should have explored further.

I was really bummed this wasn't included on MIC, because it's begging for a remastering.

And does anyone know any more info behind Dennis' attempted re-recording of the song in the late 70s?  I'm assuming the re-recording was at that point intended to be a solo track...

[mikeddonn]

I used to really like this song, now I don't as much.   I do still think it's a cool guitar solo and I like the rest of the track.  I don't know why I don't love it as much as I used to.  However, I heard an alternate unreleased mix recently and it sounded a lot better.  Very enjoyable!

[Sound of Free]

I love the song and I've said it before, this definitely should have been broken out for 15 Big Ones. The bad needed original material and even though it was seven years old by then, I doubt many people had heard it. It fit the "fun in the sun" theme people were looking for after Endless Summer and is a terrific song. It could have been the second single instead of It's OK.

I wish they had dumped some of the covers on 15 Big Ones to put out San Miguel and Soulful Old Man Sunshine (with one quick vocal fix from Carl, obviously) to dump some of the lesser covers. It might have even been the time for Al to get Loop De Loop done, too.

15 Big Ones went top 10, but it wasn't the true comeback album the needed because of all the covers.

[joe_blow]

I regularly throw this into various mixes on the ipod I play when getting together with friends. Funny, if I put a well know hit on, they kind of cringe or think of the Full House type Beach Boys. San Miguel seems to fit well amongst a lot of other progressive songs by "cool" artists.

[Alan Smith]

Fantastic production with lots going on and great instrumental layers - there's bags of energy pushing this song along. 

Carl's vocal is pretty cool and must have been a good workout for him.  Also love how the vocal kicks off the song and we're away.

I was also suprised to see this and Sea Cruise didn't make MIC - while SM was on Good Vibes box, they're both a couple of items that snuck out on the long deleted Ten Years of Harmony comp, and deserve a broader audience.

I think Ed Carter handles the lead, happy to be corrected.

[Rotat]

I have no idea why "Sea Cruise" wasn't on 15 Big Ones. That is an awesome cover. Dennis sounds great, lots of energy, love that cool sounding organ that comes in.. I'll never understand why that one is so obscure.

I also love "Mony Mony".. They really could have edited the tracklisting of 15 Big Ones at least, if they insisted on doing covers.

[Dudd]

Love San Miguel. I think it would have fit on any of their albums 20/20 - Surf's Up.

I wish they'd at least put Short Skirts on 15BO. That's one sassy track.

[Jon Stebbins]

Anyone else think this is one of the more under-appreciated songs in the band's cannon?
I can't think of a cooler-sounding guitar solo on any other BBs track (who plays it?)

I know that the great James Burton played on the session, can't confirm if he's the soloist...perhaps C-man would know.

[CenturyDeprived]

Anyone else think this is one of the more under-appreciated songs in the band's cannon?
I can't think of a cooler-sounding guitar solo on any other BBs track (who plays it?)

I know that the great James Burton played on the session, can't confirm if he's the soloist...perhaps C-man would know.

Jon - do you know anything about how/why Dennis' unfinished late 70s (?) remake came about? It's got some different chord changes than the original, which IMO don't benefit the song. It's tough to top the original when you nail it the first time around.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I agree that San Miguel would've been a great song to release. Would have fit well on 20/20 or Sunflower. Problem is, Dennis didn't want to. As for 15 Big Ones, that is interesting, since Suzie Cincinnati was on there. This might have made a good come back album at the time

Soulful Old Man Sunshine
Celebrate the News
Suzie Cincinnati
San Miguel
Loop De Loop
Breakaway
Wouldn't it Be Nice to Live Again
Good Timin
Back Home
Had to Phone Ya
That Same Song
Winter Symphony
Everyones in Love With You
California Feelin

[Jon Stebbins]

Anyone else think this is one of the more under-appreciated songs in the band's cannon?
I can't think of a cooler-sounding guitar solo on any other BBs track (who plays it?)

I know that the great James Burton played on the session, can't confirm if he's the soloist...perhaps C-man would know.

Jon - do you know anything about how/why Dennis' unfinished late 70s (?) remake came about? It's got some different chord changes than the original, which IMO don't benefit the song. It's tough to top the original when you nail it the first time around.

Sorry I don't know anything about it.

[Will C.]

I think sometimes "Time For Bed" gets incorrectly labeled as a San Miguel remake, or am I wrong here?

She was tall and slanky...

[Will C.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_wUq9AaTgM

[Alan Smith]

I think sometimes "Time For Bed" gets incorrectly labeled as a San Miguel remake, or am I wrong here?

She was tall and slanky...

Time For Bed has been booted as San Miguel remake; Time for Bed and contains the "modulations" from the original San Miguel.

See here: http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,16693.msg413991.html#msg413991

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Much as I like At My Window, I always think San Miguel would have fitted on Sunflower (in its place) superbly.

Firstly, because after four romantic/ballad-type songs in a row, the album would've really benefited at that point from something of a kick up the arse, which San Miguel would've duly provided.

Also, the opening of San Miguel - with that great clack-ditty-clack-ditty-clack sound (what is that?) - works perfectly following on from Our Sweet Love's long single-note fade. Sequence it and see.

It's just another great Dennis song, that really, really, really should not have been left off an album.

[Rotat]

Also, the opening of San Miguel - with that great clack-ditty-clack-ditty-clack sound (what is that?) -

I believe those are castanets‎.. Used on "Be My Baby" and other Phil Spector produced hits.

Speaking of, San Miguel sounds very Spectorish to me. I agree it is top quality and shouldn't have been left off an album. Actually I think it may have even had hit potential.

[startBBtoday]

Also, the opening of San Miguel - with that great clack-ditty-clack-ditty-clack sound (what is that?) -

I believe those are castanets‎.. Used on "Be My Baby" and other Phil Spector produced hits.

Speaking of, San Miguel sounds very Spectorish to me. I agree it is top quality and shouldn't have been left off an album. Actually I think it may have even had hit potential.

The castanets might make it sound too mid-60s to be a hit in 1969/1970. I think it would have made a great B-side to Cottonfields, however.

I love San Miguel. Mostly because it sounds so different than anything Dennis ever wrote afterwards. I think it could have been a hit by the Endless Summer Beach Boys revival. Sounds a bit "oldies" but has the modern guitar solo that could have been spruced up to fit the period better.

It ranks up with WIBNTLA as the best songs the group didn't formally release until well after it's composition/recording.

[The Shift]

Always linked San Miguel in my mind with Just Got My Pay, another Add Some Music outtake (maybe the two were bootlegged together once upon a time…)

Anyways, I Just Got My Pay is terrific IMO.  Surprised it rarely ever gets a mention …

[startBBtoday]

Always linked San Miguel in my mind with Just Got My Pay, another Add Some Music outtake (maybe the two were bootlegged together once upon a time…)

Anyways, I Just Got My Pay is terrific IMO.  Surprised it rarely ever gets a mention …

I love I Just Got My Pay. I wish the drums were higher in the mix on the released version, though.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Always linked San Miguel in my mind with Just Got My Pay, another Add Some Music outtake (maybe the two were bootlegged together once upon a time…)

Something like that - when the band dropped by at WPLJ in New York on 2/19/71 for an hour long interview, they had an acetate with them of current works in progress (or just completed) and they played "San Miguel", "I Just Got My Pay", "Good Time" and  an incomplete version of "'Til I Die". Fortunately, someone had their cassette recorder to hand. One of my very earliest "collectors" tapes. 

I'm guessing this was the full acetate (assembled and cut 9/1/70, and labelled "2nd Warner Brothers LP": titles as per tape box label):

Loop De Loop
Susie Cincinnati
San Miguel
H.E.L.P. (as in "... Is On The Way")
Take A Load Off Your Feet
Carnival
I Just Got My Pay
Good Time
Big Sur
My Lady (= "Fallin' In Love")
When Girls Get Together
Lookin' At Tomorrow
How Deep Is The Ocean Surf's Up (= 'Til I Die minus Brian's lead)

This acetate was, of course, the source for the so-called Landlocked boots of later years.

[Micha]

Anyways, I Just Got My Pay is terrific IMO.  Surprised it rarely ever gets a mention …

I think it's 1,000% better than "Marcella", but most people love "Marcella", so they don't rate "I Just Got My Pay" any higher than, say, "All Dressed Up For School"...

[Please delete my account]

Anyways, I Just Got My Pay is terrific IMO.  Surprised it rarely ever gets a mention …

I think it's 1,000% better than "Marcella", but most people love "Marcella", so they don't rate "I Just Got My Pay" any higher than, say, "All Dressed Up For School"...

All Dressed Up For School > I Just Got My Pay > Marcella.
In my opinion.
The first idea is usually the best.