LISTEN TO THE LAST SONG, ON THE ISLAND, & I'M FEELING SAD!! BBC RADIO

[Ray Lawlor]

Indeed, AGD. It's easily read as a song about a troubled romantic relationship. I do think, though, in this case the multiple readings make it stronger. Who really wants an explicit account of backstage contention?

There is another possible interpretation that the listener could draw as well.  It could easily be a song about the process of grieving, of losing someone.  You always hear people say when someone close to them passes, that "if only I could speak to that person one last time, what would I say to them...what would they say to me".  There is certainly elements of that in "The Last Song".

Actually the song is about The Beach Boys, especially his late brothers Dennis and Carl

Interesting - that makes a lot more sense than it being specifically about the aftermath of the C50 tour... which is what we've been led to believe.

"Brian Wilson says he turned to a series of guest collaborators, many of them young female pop stars, to help jump start his muse after the Beach Boys‘ 2012 reunion tour came to an abrupt halt. In fact, Lana Del Rey ended up singing a song that deals directly with the issue, called ‘Last Song.’" (ultimateclassicrock.com)

"As for Lana? She worked with Brian on a track called “Last Song,” which will serve as the album’s centerpiece. There’s a version with Wilson on lead vocals, and an alternate one with Del Rey as the primary vocalist. Wilson wrote the song about his sadness over the Beach Boys’ breakup." (mtv.com)

"Now, according to those close to him, his Lana Del Rey collaboration will be the song to remember, as it recounts Wilson’s sadness about the Beach Boys‘ dissolution.

“The song recounts his sadness about the Beach Boys' dissolution. "It started out being about lost love," says co-producer Joe Thomas. "But after the tour fell apart it became more about a missed opportunity for Brian and the guys to ride into the sunset together."(rollingstone.com)

To be more explicit than my short post above ; it is about the Beach Boys, the pain of the loss of singing with his brothers and the loss of his group after C50. Joe Thomas articulated it far better than I did. In future I will try and expand more .

[Andrew G. Doe]

Just listened again. Most splendid. The CD will be better still.

[Pretty Funky]

Sounds like a good enough explanation to me Ray. Lets face it, the Beach Boys breaking up as such can't just be pinned to one period.

[Andrew G. Doe]

1967... 1977... 1998...

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Only gets better with more listens. As with TWGMTR, listen in your car for the best experience... ENJOY! IT'S JUST MUSIC!

[rab2591]

Only gets better with more listens. As with TWGMTR, listen in your car for the best experience... ENJOY! IT'S JUST MUSIC!

Hell yeah!

[Wirestone]

1967... 1977... 1998...

1983 ... 2012 ...

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Last Song is really great, not sure if I like it more than Summer's Gone, though.  I'm not sure what I would replace it with, but I could do with out all of the "la la las."  Does anyone else think Brian's vocal sounds odd on the last word of the song?  I've never heard it sound like that before. 

On the Island is decent enough.  Not much to say other than that.

[EgoHanger1966]

Last Song made me (and continues to make me) emotional as the song intensifies. I have never been one for Joe Thomas' production style, but it doesn't impede the song here one bit. I can understand complaints about Runaway Dancer...guests vocals on a Brian album...other stuff...but this? Listen again. It's beautiful, it's magnificent, it's wonderful, it's Brian giving his listeners exactly what they have been clamoring for. Listen again - it's Brian giving his heart to you the only way he knows how. There is so much love for this man and his music, his soul and his being on this board. Listen again, dammit.

[Wylson]

The ending is really nice. I find most of the song a bit cheesy - like someone said earlier it's a bit more Bruce Johnston than Brian Wilson (or Dennis Wilson). Nice vocal though. I definitely prefer Southern California and Summer's Gone as direct comparisons though.

[18thofMay]

Brilliant work! A great song.

[Capitol Punishment]

The Last Song is good but I am let down by the production. I think Summer's Gone is a better finale than this song, though this isn't bad. Touching lyrics though.

[the captain]

it's a bit more Bruce Johnston than Brian Wilson (or Dennis Wilson).

While I certainly understand what's meant by this, the thing is, it's not. Because it's all Brian (maybe with cowriters) and no Bruce. So really it's maybe just that it's not what some people want out of Brian. (What's new...) But it is Brian. That's who's responsible.

[SinisterSmile]

It's a good song, I like it, but I feel like I'd like it better if the production was different.

That's seems to be my biggest complaint for NPP.

[rab2591]

it's a bit more Bruce Johnston than Brian Wilson (or Dennis Wilson).

While I certainly understand what's meant by this, the thing is, it's not. Because it's all Brian (maybe with cowriters) and no Bruce. So really it's maybe just that it's not what some people want out of Brian. (What's new...) But it is Brian. That's who's responsible.

Exactly, Luther. As Ray has said, this is Brian after working his ass off for months upon months in the studio, tinkering and perfecting an album I'm sure he is hoping his fans will enjoy. This is Brian Wilson being Brian Wilson.

There's a lot of pessimism about this track...a lot of pessimism about many of the NPP songs in general. I kinda hope people will leave their preconceived notions behind, and as Kyler said: Listen again, dammit. Peek through the layers, listen deeply into these tracks - listen for those low harmonica notes during the chorus of Sail Away, or the sporadic guitar noodling in On The Island, or that beautiful organ playing in the background during Last Song. There are large specks of Brian's genius all over these tracks.

I'm sure that some of these songs aren't everyone's cup of tea (based on the sample of 'Don't Worry' I really don't think I'll like that one too much), but just remember that there is a sensitive, living, breathing soul on the other side of those speakers you're listening to. From what I hear, he put his heart into this record and even if we may not like some of the tracks, just remember that Brian wrote, recorded, produced, helped mix this album with the intention of spreading a little joy into the world.

[elnombre]

I'm Feeling Sad was just played. Only caught the last minute but it sounded good. Should be on iPlayer soon, approx 1 hr 18 mins into the stream.

[runnersdialzero]

IT'S JUST MUSIC!

DON'T TRIVIALIZE STUFF

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I'm Feeling Sad was just played. Only caught the last minute but it sounded good. Should be on iPlayer soon, approx 1 hr 18 mins into the stream.

YES I WANTED THIS OH LORD.

Edit: Very cool song, it's literally "Busy Doin Nothin" Lyrically. Another homerun here, I love the accordions.

[GoodVibrations33]

I'm Feeling Sad was just played. Only caught the last minute but it sounded good. Should be on iPlayer soon, approx 1 hr 18 mins into the stream.

YES I WANTED THIS OH LORD.

Edit: Very cool song, it's literally "Busy Doin Nothin" Lyrically. Another homerun here, I love the accordions.

Added the link to the original post for everyone's convenience:

I'm Feeling Sad (1:18:00 into the program):  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05nsb9x  

Also, if anyone's looking for anything NPP related that has been released/aired thus far I've been keeping this list updated too:  http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,20185.msg506888.html#msg506888.  It looks like Amazon.com took down their samples, now you can only listen to the samples of RD or TRT.

[NickandthePassions]

I'm Feeling Sad is my favorite on the album so far.

[doc smiley]

I'm Feeling Sad ... wonderful falsetto, Busy Doing Nothing part 2 perhaps, but it also sounds like a track from the suite.
 

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Another great song, definitely getting a Busy Doin Nothin vibe as well.  The one part at 1:19:52 is killing me, though.  He's SO close to hitting the classic BW falsetto.  I guess I'll have to do that for him when I'm singing along. 

[Summertime Blooz]

'I'm Feeling Sad' Sounds pretty good. Had to hit the replay button a few times for this one.  The chorus reminds me of  'Kiss Me Baby' (anybody else hear it?), which is a good thing to be reminded of. Daft lyrics though (so what else is new). Can anyone say if this is taken from "The Life Suite"? The ba-da-ba vocals are similar to what was on TWGMTR. I like this Album Of The Week stuff. Keep it coming BBC!

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Is that Brian singing "Sad when you're not at home. Sad cause I'm all alone."

[ForHerCryingSoul]

Is that Brian singing "Sad when you're not at home. Sad cause I'm all alone."

Sounds like Matt to me.