"Brian's Back"

[alf wiedersehen]

I greatly dislike this song.

[bossaroo]

and for good reason.

[ThyRavenAscend]

Mike's self-referential lyrics are terrible as always.  If his friends really cared about him, they would tell him to stop lol.  But I s'pose it's difficult to get a guy to stop writing self-referential lyrics when he constantly wears a hat bearing his band's logo or his own last name.

Now, I'm no scholar of Beach Boys history and the riff that transpired between Brian & Mike, but there are things about this song that just seem so genuine of Mike.  I generally don't have as warm of feelings toward Mike as I do Brian, but he's human like the rest of us, and I have to believer that he's sincere in some capacity in this song.  I LOVE the lyrics that show that their relationship goes all the way back to their childhood...because they're family.

[Nicko1234]

Mike's self-referential lyrics are terrible as always.  If his friends really cared about him, they would tell him to stop lol.  But I s'pose it's difficult to get a guy to stop writing self-referential lyrics when he constantly wears a hat bearing his band's logo or his own last name.

Now, I'm no scholar of Beach Boys history and the riff that transpired between Brian & Mike, but there are things about this song that just seem so genuine of Mike.  I generally don't have as warm of feelings toward Mike as I do Brian, but he's human like the rest of us, and I have to believer that he's sincere in some capacity in this song.  I LOVE the lyrics that show that their relationship goes all the way back to their childhood...because they're family.

Mike has never written a riff in his life! 

[Dancing Bear]

A nice tune. I do believe the lyrics are heartfelt and genuine, but they also kill the song comercially. Maybe it could have been an 'almost summer' level hit with more generic lyrics.

[ThyRavenAscend]

Mike's self-referential lyrics are terrible as always.  If his friends really cared about him, they would tell him to stop lol.  But I s'pose it's difficult to get a guy to stop writing self-referential lyrics when he constantly wears a hat bearing his band's logo or his own last name.

Now, I'm no scholar of Beach Boys history and the riff that transpired between Brian & Mike, but there are things about this song that just seem so genuine of Mike.  I generally don't have as warm of feelings toward Mike as I do Brian, but he's human like the rest of us, and I have to believer that he's sincere in some capacity in this song.  I LOVE the lyrics that show that their relationship goes all the way back to their childhood...because they're family.

Mike has never written a riff in his life! 

Hah! 

[CenturyDeprived]

I know some people may think it's crazy, but I think Carl's swooning vocal at the end (doing the "You Still Believe in Me" melody) tops Brian's vocal of this same exact part on the original from Pet Sounds. By a lot, actually.

As absolutely great as Brian's is, Carl's just has that insane "Carl" thing about it that gives me chills. No foolin'. I've actually replayed that end part of the song quite a bit, I think it's *that* good. Almost tells me Carl was reallllly trying hard there (not that he didn't typically try hard to deliver good vocals anyway) in order to pay the utmost respect to one of the absolute holiest moments in the BB catalog ("You Still Believe in Me").

It's so weird because the song Brian's Back itself is so kinda overall "meh" - well meaning and ok musically/ lyrically in places (I think Mike was being very sincere and some of it works), but really super unbearably, unspeakably cheesy and/or straight up BAD in other parts... and then all of a sudden at the very end of the song, out pops one of my favorite moments in the whole BBs catalog.

It's such a giant WTF moment, and an example of what someone once posted on this board about no other band besides these guys having the juxtaposition of musical moments that could be considered "lard", juxtaposed with unspeakably sublime shimmering beauty.
It's surreal, really.

[Gregg]

I know some people may think it's crazy, but I think Carl's swooning vocal at the end (doing the "You Still Believe in Me" melody) tops Brian's vocal of this same exact part on the original from Pet Sounds. By a lot, actually.

As absolutely great as Brian's is, Carl's just has that insane "Carl" thing about it that gives me chills. No foolin'. I've actually replayed that end part of the song quite a bit, I think it's *that* good. Almost tells me Carl was reallllly trying hard there (not that he didn't typically try hard to deliver good vocals anyway) in order to pay the utmost respect to one of the absolute holiest moments in the BB catalog ("You Still Believe in Me").

It's so weird because the song Brian's Back itself is so kinda overall "meh" - well meaning and ok musically/ lyrically in places (I think Mike was being very sincere and some of it works), but really super unbearably, unspeakably cheesy and/or straight up BAD in other parts... and then all of a sudden at the very end of the song, out pops one of my favorite moments in the whole BBs catalog.

It's such a giant WTF moment, and an example of what someone once posted on this board about no other band besides these guys having the juxtaposition of musical moments that could be considered "lard", juxtaposed with unspeakably sublime shimmering beauty.
It's surreal, really.

Wow! Very well said and my sentiments exactly! Carl's vocal at the end, for me, is also one of those BB moments of "unspeakably sublime shimmering beauty". "Juxtaposed" was also a word that kept coming to mind when I was writing that earlier post. Carl's vocal is just way WAY too good for that song.

The other thing you touched on is the difference between Brian's and Carl's falsetto voice. The thing that has always amazed me about Carl's falsetto is the fact that there is no clear discernible break between his full voice and his falsetto. His falsetto sounds pretty much like his full voice, at least when he wants it to - like the end of this song. And while Brian could easliy and smoothly transition to falsetto, you can clearly hear the difference. His falsetto voice has that distinctive reedy whiny quality. I love both, of course, but the way Carl was able to make his falsetto sound like an extension of his full voice has always amazed me.

[Ron]

I just cant get past that cheerleader line..  ugggh.  It really turns me off.  So corny.

Carl does have a nice vocal though.

"Not to mention ol' Pet Sounds..." is the one that really makes me wince. Structurally. Contextually. Everything about it...lol.


But, that's just me.

I know, man.  It's not just you, it's god awful.  I like Mike and I even like his songwriting sometimes but he should have spent some more time touching up lines like that.  It's hard to gracefully pat yourself on the back though by name dropping all of your songs you recorded.  He should have just left the song titles out and kept talking about how cool Brian was behind the scenes.  The best part is when he talks about them sitting on their grandma's lap singing Danny Boy. 

[Smilin Ed H]

Mike's grasp of lyric writing largely leaves the room (if not the planet) in the early-mid 70s. There is some good stuff out there, but there's a sharp decline. Mind you, there's  sharp decline in song quality too.

[punkinhead]

It's Mike at his best! You know how much he loves the old formula and using old song titles and lyrics in songs...it's one of the few that isn't a recall to surfing/cars songs in a cheesy way (ie Kona Coast/Some of Your Love/Summer in Paradise/etc)...perhaps the lyrics reference old days and old dodge ramblers, but the style is definately better than retreading oldies. And sure, he does recall YSBIM, which was over ten years old, but it's a great vocal and reference to ol' Pet Sounds...how many Mike retreading songs does that?

[clack]

Mike's grasp of lyric writing largely leaves the room (if not the planet) in the early-mid 70s. There is some good stuff out there, but there's a sharp decline. Mind you, there's  sharp decline in song quality too.

Mike was never a craftsman -- I get the impression that he would just dash his lyrics off, even the good, early ones. That's what gave the 1963-65 lyrics their fresh, casual energy.

When Mike hit his 30s, he understandably lost touch with youth culture, which up to then had provided his main subject. He had to fall back to writing about nostalgia or the Maharishi. 'Brian's Back' is not about Brian being away and now coming back, or even Brian never really being away at all -- it's just another excuse to reference songs of the glory years, just another nostalgia song.

But what an interesting song Mike could have written: "I started a garage band with my cousin, then it turned out he was this musical genius. At the height of our great success, he grew mentally ill and afterwards the band seemed washed-up. It was a scary time for all of us. Now, we have hope that Brian is back to become our musical leader once more."

Instead, the only really personal touch we get from Mike is Danny Boy and grandpa's knee. But then Mike has never been a writer of personal, confessional lyrics.

[Andrew G. Doe]

But then Mike has never been a writer of personal, confessional lyrics.

Guess you've never heard "Kiss me, Baby".

[Freddie French-Pounce]

I greatly dislike Carl's vocal here. I have no idea why. It just doesn't feel right. Mike's vocal is great because he sounds like a little kid.

[jet without wings]

Simply, I like the song,. A little syrupy but heartfelt, the lyrics work and Carl and Mikes vocals compliment each other. I don't think it ever could have been commercial and considering the disarray and disharmony the late 70's would bring the boys it was probably good it was never released at that time.

Jet without wings

[Robbie Mac]

But then Mike has never been a writer of personal, confessional lyrics.

Guess you've never heard "Kiss me, Baby".

But how much of that was input from Brian (by that,  I mean translating Brian's thoughts in lyric form) as opposed to Mike opening himself writing about himself, which I am assuming is what clack means.

[Orange Crate Art]

I don't like the song. But I must say that Carl sounds great on it.

[Ron]

I greatly dislike Carl's vocal here. I have no idea why. It just doesn't feel right.

At least 1 person in the world agrees with me.  THANK YOU FREDDIE, MY SOULMATE (not in a gay way... although there's nothing wrong wtih that)