1970: The Beach Boys vs. The Beatles

[Wata]

Hey guys, here's the last one.

One album (Sunflower) and one non-album single (Cotton Fields)

vs. One album (Let It Be), one non-album B-side (You Know My Name)

Now, which band's output do you prefer in 1970? Make sure you go only by your own preference and consider only the released stuff listed above.

Look forward to your opinions & discussions  

[pixletwin]

The Beach Boys won this year for me. Let It Be is a mixed bag for an album with some really weak moments while Sundlower is one of The Beach Boys finest. No contest.

[KDS]

Im giving The Beatles the edge by a hair.

As much as I like Sunflower, and its one of the Boys' most consistent albums, I think the high points of Let It Be are a little higher.  And the low points of Let It Be are really just two brief throwaway tracks. 

[Lee Marshall]

This is easy...Let It Be was such a lack-lustre, poorly conceived hodge-podge that even the Beatles tossed it into the 'in basket' and went back and provided Abbey Road as a last great statement.  Did McCartney take over because the others just no longer really cared?  Looked and sounded like it.  NO HEART.  NO SOUL.  The Beatles were toast by the end of 1969.  Sunflower wipes the floor with Let it Be as its competition.  A sensational album versus one of the Beatles worst.  Only Yellow Submarine is less as an album.  And then to let Phil come in and produce it into a mindless mix of mediocrity?  Well...Beach Boys by a LANDSLIDE.  Sunflower is one of the Beach Boys 3 best albums ever.  So clearly a winner that one would have to be blind-drunk and passed right out under the table in order to miss it.

[RangeRoverA1]

Well let's see, ha - Sunflower's got the worst of the bunch song "Tears In The Morning" which hilariously lately fans shifted to REALLY liking. Copycats.

BUT, Sunflower's got the best of the bunch too - "At My Window" & "Cool Cool Water".

In Let It Be, I dislike "Across The Universe" but it's not AS bad as "Tears". Except this song, John's contributions - who I generally didn't like reading things about him, seeing interviews, hearing solo material etc. - here in LIB seem rather passable than in previous albums (White Album, anybody?).

Paul's songs shine like they do usually; really cool tracks "Get Back" et al but, as Add Some rightly said, Spector shouldn't be producer. In fact, should quit it really & do sth. else instead. There's variety different occupations, you know.

Bottom line? Beach Boys win.

[KDS]

Well let's see, ha - Sunflower's got the worst of the bunch song "Tears In The Morning" which hilariously lately fans shifted to REALLY liking. Copycats.

Copycats??   I've always liked Tears in the Morning. 

[Gabo]

The Beatles. Too many classics, even if Let It Be wasn't a proper album.

I think Sunflower sounds really good, thanks to Desper, but a lot of the material is basically just pretty crap.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Was just listening to the Mothers Live At The Fillmore East (1971). They do a song called "Tears Began to Fall" which sounds very much like a parody of "Tears In The Morning". Go to YouTube and see what you think. 

[Gabo]

Was just listening to the Mothers Live At The Fillmore East (1971). They do a song called "Tears Began to Fall" which sounds very much like a parody of "Tears In The Morning". Go to YouTube and see what you think. 

probably not. not sappy enough.

[Lonely Summer]

I voted what I was damn sure of - The Beach Boys! Sunflower is my favorite BB album, tied with Wild Honey. Let it Be is better than its reputation, but it's no match for the BB's best.

[rab2591]

Compared to their other albums Let It Be is pretty lackluster; though it still has some phenomenal material on it...including one of my favorite songs ‘Across The Universe’. Given the comments I’ve read here and elsewhere I seem to be one of the few who like Spector’s work on this album.

Sunflower is a sonic masterpiece marred by some fairly mediocre material. ‘Tears In The Morning’ - good lord if this isn’t the sappiest song this band ever released; when I hear this I kinda think of that scene in The Godfather where Vito Corleone is telling Johnny Fontane to “act like a man!”. Brian’s music has the ability to take you to some emotionally dark places, but he doesn’t literally repeatedly tell you “this morning I cried and cried and then I cried some more” (unless it’s a badass cover of drip drop).

‘Got To Know The Woman’ - I would actually like this song if the title weren’t repeated 537 times in the span of 2 1/2 minutes.

Okay, all my negativity is out of the way. ‘Slip On Through’, this song so much deserved to be popular as hell and it kills me that I don’t hear it on classic rock stations. ‘This Whole World’ - one of the most beautiful pocket symphonies this band ever recorded. ‘Deidre’ and ‘All I Wanna Do’ are flat out phenomenal in terms of how they were mixed/produced (not to mention their top notch songwriting). ‘Forever’ is simple and beautiful and ‘Our Sweet Love’ has such an incredible string section (that can be heard very well in the ‘string/vocal-only’ track on MiC). ‘It’s About Time’ has those kickass drums - I think I heard a boot of these drums isolated and it is mind blowing. ‘Cool Cool Water’ ending the album is as perfect of an outro as you can get.

That warm and ethereal Beach Boys sound is all over Sunflower and makes this an easy choice for me: Beach Boys.

[KDS]

Compared to their other albums Let It Be is pretty lackluster; though it still has some phenomenal material on it...including one of my favorite songs ‘Across The Universe’. Given the comments I’ve read here and elsewhere I seem to be one of the few who like Spector’s work on this album.

I actually like Spector's work on Let It Be also, and I never really understood the hate.   I prefer it compared to the versions on Let It Be.....Naked.   

I also never understood the slagging Let It Be gets.   Maybe it's because we're talking about a band with so much great material, but Let It Be would be a masterpiece for many other bands.   I think the only negatives are Dig It and Maggie Mae, and neither sticks around long enough to detract from the album. 

Sunflower is one of my favorite BB albums, but if you really sit and break it down track by track, like you said, there are some weaker moments.   And frankly, I never got the attraction for Cool Cool Water.  The intro is great, but once you get past that, it's a pretty run of the mill track, and very anticlimactic album closer.   

Sunflower does have an overall vibe and consistency that's often lacking on BB albums though. 

[NateRuvin]

This was the easiest choice for me. Sunflower is my favorite Beach Boys album. This Whole World, Deirdre, All I Wanna Do, Forever, At My Window, are all some of my favorite songs. In fact, All I Wanna Do is the best song I've ever heard.

[KDS]

28-3 huh? 

I hope The Beach Boys are better at protecting big leads than the Atlanta Falcons. 

[rab2591]

Compared to their other albums Let It Be is pretty lackluster; though it still has some phenomenal material on it...including one of my favorite songs ‘Across The Universe’. Given the comments I’ve read here and elsewhere I seem to be one of the few who like Spector’s work on this album.

I actually like Spector's work on Let It Be also, and I never really understood the hate.   I prefer it compared to the versions on Let It Be.....Naked.   

I also never understood the slagging Let It Be gets.   Maybe it's because we're talking about a band with so much great material, but Let It Be would be a masterpiece for many other bands.   I think the only negatives are Dig It and Maggie Mae, and neither sticks around long enough to detract from the album. 

Sunflower is one of my favorite BB albums, but if you really sit and break it down track by track, like you said, there are some weaker moments.   And frankly, I never got the attraction for Cool Cool Water.  The intro is great, but once you get past that, it's a pretty run of the mill track, and very anticlimactic album closer.   

Sunflower does have an overall vibe and consistency that's often lacking on BB albums though. 

Yeah, I think opinions about Let It Be are usually made with their other albums in mind. This may be an odd way to look at it; but if The Rolling Stones had released the same album, you’re right, it would be considered a masterpiece from them.

Back to Sunflower, ‘Cool Cool Water’ is nothing grandiose, true. But that’s what makes it a great closer. It’s just a chill rolling track that sets the album to a close. I see it kinda how I see Pet Sounds ending: it doesn’t end with a loud bang, but with a really chill sigh. It’s the best way to end an album that is full of top notch tracks.

[KDS]

Compared to their other albums Let It Be is pretty lackluster; though it still has some phenomenal material on it...including one of my favorite songs ‘Across The Universe’. Given the comments I’ve read here and elsewhere I seem to be one of the few who like Spector’s work on this album.

I actually like Spector's work on Let It Be also, and I never really understood the hate.   I prefer it compared to the versions on Let It Be.....Naked.   

I also never understood the slagging Let It Be gets.   Maybe it's because we're talking about a band with so much great material, but Let It Be would be a masterpiece for many other bands.   I think the only negatives are Dig It and Maggie Mae, and neither sticks around long enough to detract from the album. 

Sunflower is one of my favorite BB albums, but if you really sit and break it down track by track, like you said, there are some weaker moments.   And frankly, I never got the attraction for Cool Cool Water.  The intro is great, but once you get past that, it's a pretty run of the mill track, and very anticlimactic album closer.   

Sunflower does have an overall vibe and consistency that's often lacking on BB albums though. 

Yeah, I think opinions about Let It Be are usually made with their other albums in mind. This may be an odd way to look at it; but if The Rolling Stones had released the same album, you’re right, it would be considered a masterpiece from them.

Back to Sunflower, ‘Cool Cool Water’ is nothing grandiose, true. But that’s what makes it a great closer. It’s just a chill rolling track that sets the album to a close. I see it kinda how I see Pet Sounds ending: it doesn’t end with a loud bang, but with a really chill sigh. It’s the best way to end an album that is full of top notch tracks.

I guess so, but I think I tend to prefer Caroline No to CCW because it's much shorter, whereas CCW tends to plod a bit IMO. 

[rab2591]

28-3 huh? 

I hope The Beach Boys are better at protecting big leads than the Atlanta Falcons. 

The best game of football I’ve ever seen. I’m not even a Pats fan, but that was some phenomenal playing.

And yeah, regarding CCW, I can see why you’d think it’s a bit too long.

[NOLA BB Fan]

Let it Be is a good album, better than I had remembered it hearing it many years ago. It could have been a great album IMO but there were too many misfires. I Me Mine is a good song but the chorus seems to have been an afterthought. The Long and Winding Road is one of Paul's greatest compositions but, holy moly, is way too overproduced on this album.
I don't know how some of the other songs got on except to take up space.
I really do like Get Back and Across the Universe. The version of Let it Be is okay.

I just prefer Sunflower. This Whole World and All I Wanna Do are on my nightly music listening before bed list. I just ignore Tears in the Morning.

[KDS]

28-3 huh? 

I hope The Beach Boys are better at protecting big leads than the Atlanta Falcons. 

The best game of football I’ve ever seen. I’m not even a Pats fan, but that was some phenomenal playing.

And yeah, regarding CCW, I can see why you’d think it’s a bit too long.

I actually thought this years's Super Bowl was better.   Until the Patriots mounted their comeback, it looked like it was going to be a blow out. 

I have a shorter version of CCW on the Warmth of the Sun comp, but they chop off the intro, which is the best part. 

[RangeRoverA1]

Copycats??   I've always liked Tears in the Morning. 

OK. Everybody except you.

Btw, I see many say Let It Be is "overproduced", not "Phil Spector is bad producer". Interesting.

[KDS]

Copycats??   I've always liked Tears in the Morning. 

OK. Everybody except you.

Btw, I see many say Let It Be is "overproduced", not "Phil Spector is bad producer". Interesting.

I think that's because Phil Spector is a very well respected producer.   But, many don't seem to care for his work on Let It Be, including Paul McCartney. 

[RangeRoverA1]

I think that's because Phil Spector is a very well respected producer.

Respected for what? His wall of sound is very samey in songs I listened to, popular & least well-known.

[KDS]

I think that's because Phil Spector is a very well respected producer.

Respected for what? His wall of sound is very samey in songs I listened to, popular & least well-known.

To each their own, but those Wall of Sound songs are very highly regarded.  Songs like Be My Baby are revered as essential classics.  He's also credited with producing one of the great Christmas albums of the modern pop era. 

[RangeRoverA1]

To each their own, but those Wall of Sound songs are very highly regarded.  Songs like Be My Baby are revered as essential classics.  He's also credited with producing one of the great Christmas albums of the modern pop era. 

I didn't hear anything special in these revered classics. As I said, Spector's wall of sound is very samey. If you think it's creative when you hear it - good. I don't.

[KDS]

To each their own, but those Wall of Sound songs are very highly regarded.  Songs like Be My Baby are revered as essential classics.  He's also credited with producing one of the great Christmas albums of the modern pop era. 

I didn't hear anything special in these revered classics. As I said, Spector's wall of sound is very samey. If you think it's creative when you hear it - good. I don't.

Fair enough.   Like I said, to each their own.   But, his production style was very innovative for the time, and very influential to Brian Wilson.