What did the beach boys do better than the beatles?

[feelintheflows]

Just curious on your thoughts

[GoogaMooga]

Beatles had two great musicians, Paul and Ringo

Beach Boys had longevity, better songs

Beach Boys had Dennis, how cool is that

[rickymyfataar]

My two all time favourite bands are The Beatles & The Beach Boys. But to me The Beatles never made me as happy or as sad as Beach Boys music could. Listening to Pets Sounds makes me so emotional and often leads me to cry,Sgt Pepper is a perfect album but I don't really have a very deep emotional connection to it.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

They didn't have Brian Wilson.

[guitarfool2002]

They didn't have Brian Wilson.

Bingo. 

[guitarfool2002]

Copied my reply from the Gallagher thread 'cause I'm lazy...

I'd also suggest based on the reality of the situations and history that Brian had what none of the others had in that he was a truly self-contained artist when he was cutting those classic Beach Boys records from 63-67. He wrote, performed, produced, AND arranged those records. All of them. None of the others including Bacharach can stake such a claim. Bacharach couldn't and didn't sing. Spector hired Jack Nitschke to arrange the charts which gave them that signature sound with all those instruments packed together, as well as relying on hired gun writers like Barry and Greenwich. Lennon couldn't produce or arrange and had George Martin to do that work. George Martin didn't write pop songs or sing. The list goes on and on.

I wonder if there is or has been any artist in that era who had the success of Brian Wilson especially in the Capitol years who wore all those hats and did all those roles in making the records. If Noel realized that, maybe he'd rethink the comments unless as I suggested he's just playing up his persona as a grumpy curmudgeon commentator akin to the Andy Rooney of the rock world or something.

I think this may be one reason of many why Sir George Martin AND Sir Paul McCartney were and are such admirers of Brian Wilson. Both men obviously know what it takes to cut hit records, not just hit records but ones that last and help shape a culture more or less around the sounds of those records that become legendary hits. As they say, it ain't easy.

And here was a guy *with only one good ear* in Los Angeles cranking out hit after hit, pretty much as a self contained operation. Writing, arranging, producing, and performing. The Beatles were not that. And they knew what went into making the kind of music Brian was making in the 60's.

I think that's pretty much it, what OSD said. They did not have Brian Wilson. Take George Martin out of the mix, and those records would not have been the same, in some cases nowhere near as impactful or advanced in a musical sense. They would have been damn fine pop/rock records, but the band may be remembered today more like Manfred Mann or the DC5...solid bands, great players, good songs, had classic hits...but without the magic elements that a good producer and arranger adds.

[Lonely Summer]

Beatles had two great musicians, Paul and Ringo

Beach Boys had longevity, better songs

Beach Boys had Dennis, how cool is that

Uh, okay. George Harrison is on my list of great guitar players. So is Carl Wilson.
Both groups had great songs, but the Beatles body of work is more consistent - primarily because the broke up in 1970. The Beach Boys had MIU and SIP. If the Fab Four had stayed together, they would have put out a few stinkers, too. Individually, they gave us such "gems" (ha ha) as Electronic Sound, Sometime in New York City, Ringo the 4th, and Off the Ground.
The Beatles had John, how cool is that?

[grapejuicesnake]

Brian Wilson is an inspiration in a way that none of the Beatles are.  Also the Beatles stopped in 1970, but the Beach Boys continued with at least some good work.  "Band on the Run, "My Sweet Lord" and "Imagine" are the only post-Beatle memorable stuff their members did.

[Wata]

You guys forget one thing that's definite: Harmony.

Plus, both Brian and Paul write quirky songs, but Brian is clearly better at them.

[Wata]

Brian Wilson is an inspiration in a way that none of the Beatles are.  Also the Beatles stopped in 1970, but the Beach Boys continued with at least some good work.  "Band on the Run, "My Sweet Lord" and "Imagine" are the only post-Beatle memorable stuff their members did.

I disagree. The sum of the solo works by the Beatles easily excels the sum of Beach Boys in 1970 onwards. They've made about ten absolutely great albums and numerous great songs, on the other hand The Beach Boys & each of the members have made only a few such classic albums.

Still, I love the Beach Boys more

PS. I agree that "Brian Wilson is an inspiration in a way that none of the Beatles are".

[KDS]

The one thing The Beach Boys did better than The Beatles - Christmas music. 

[KDS]

Im a huge Beach Boys fan, but I think its unfair to compare ANY band to The Beatles.

There are bands Im a bigger fan of, but nobody compares. 

[GoogaMooga]

Beatles had two great musicians, Paul and Ringo

Beach Boys had longevity, better songs

Beach Boys had Dennis, how cool is that

Uh, okay. George Harrison is on my list of great guitar players. So is Carl Wilson.
Both groups had great songs, but the Beatles body of work is more consistent - primarily because the broke up in 1970. The Beach Boys had MIU and SIP. If the Fab Four had stayed together, they would have put out a few stinkers, too. Individually, they gave us such "gems" (ha ha) as Electronic Sound, Sometime in New York City, Ringo the 4th, and Off the Ground.
The Beatles had John, how cool is that?

But Paul and Ringo are just about the best at their respective instruments, Ringo certainly is. I wouldn't put George and Carl near the top. Beatles had one up on BB there. BB had several perfect albums, Beatles only one: AHDN.

For cool, I'd say Stuart Sutcliffe was cooler than John. John became rather uncool in his solo years; he was best in the Hamburg days when he was the leader of the band. Dennis is cooler than Stu and John, combined.

[JK]

The Beach Boys did spirituality better than The Beatles.

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

Music

[Hickory Violet Part IV]

Music

Beat me to it, O'Driscoll.

[feelintheflows]

Brian's songwriting chops
Dennis's bad boy sex appeal
Carl's voice
Mike's spirituality

[Michael Edward Osbourne]

Music

Exactly. And they were better singers too.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Im a huge Beach Boys fan, but I think its unfair to compare ANY band to The Beatles.

There are bands Im a bigger fan of, but nobody compares. 

Say what?? 

[Michael Edward Osbourne]

The one thing The Beach Boys did better than The Beatles - Christmas music.  

That too! I find Beatle xmas music dreadful.

[DonnyL]

Everything?

[B.E.]

Everything?

Nothing? ... Maybe somewhere in between?

It's interesting to think about, but I disagree with most that has been written in this thread. Dennis was cooler, because John was less cool at times? Dennis had his uncool moments (or years) too. Drop George Martin from the Beatles equation? Okay, are we dropping the wrecking crew too? To say Brian did more for the BBs than any individual Beatle did for the Beatles doesn't speak to what one group did better than the other. The only memorable solo Beatle songs are 'Band On The Run', 'My Sweet Lord', and 'Imagine'? Gee, shall we apply this strict standard to the BBs later material? Christmas music? We can do this all day, the BBs were better at everything the Beatles didn't attempt to do, and the Beatles were better at things the BBs didn't attempt. Mike is more spiritual than George? How many 'My Sweet Lord's did he write?

Sorry if that sounds harsh. Just didn't seem balanced enough for me.

[Jim V.]

Everything?

Nothing? ... Maybe somewhere in between?

It's interesting to think about, but I disagree with most that has been written in this thread. Dennis was cooler, because John was less cool at times? Dennis had his uncool moments (or years) too. Drop George Martin from the Beatles equation? Okay, are we dropping the wrecking crew too? To say Brian did more for the BBs than any individual Beatle did for the Beatles doesn't speak to what one group did better than the other. The only memorable solo Beatle songs are 'Band On The Run', 'My Sweet Lord', and 'Imagine'? Gee, shall we apply this strict standard to the BBs later material? Christmas music? We can do this all day, the BBs were better at everything the Beatles didn't attempt to do, and the Beatles were better at things the BBs didn't attempt. Mike is more spiritual than George? How many 'My Sweet Lord's did he write?

Sorry if that sounds harsh. Just didn't seem balanced enough for me.

I'm with ya for the most part B.E.

And once again, why the need in our Beach Boys fan circles to always compare to The Beatles? They are both freaking amazing gifts to my life and that's all I know.

[B.E.]

... They are both freaking amazing gifts to my life and that's all I know.

Absolutely. My two favorite bands and it's not even close. I listen to them both every single day.

[guitarfool2002]

I agree the comparisons usually turn into pissing matches but there is a fascinating discussion bubbling underneath all of that regarding what made the bands different, specific to music and what they could each bring to the table. I love them both, I gave up trying to rank them or pit them against each other in a "who's better" kind of way a long time ago. But there is a great discussion to be had just the same as long as it doesn't turn into a rivalry, which it never was even among the bands at the height of their popularity.