The Definitive Vocal Credits Thread...

[Andrew G. Doe]

"The Lord's Prayer" was released Christmastime, 1963, the "B" side to the "Little Saint Nick" single.  I do not know precisely when it was recorded.

Same day as the 2nd version of the A side - 10/20/63.

[John 2]

I'm satisfied that this harmony analysis is right, so I'll change it accordingly. If anyone has anything to contribute to this friendly "argument" then feel free. I shan't be doing CATP: ST just yet, but soon...

Edit: Whoops, I can't edit it, since it was under my previous screen name. I'll work something out...!

[John]

Yay, I have my old username back. It was pretty simple actually, but I guess I'm simpler.

I'll alter those accapella credits, sign in as John 2, delete the Sunflower and Surf's Up posts, but copy them first and post them here under this username, so everything is consistant (except of course, the order of the posts, discussing them) Ah well.

[John]

Right, now these have been posted again, under my original username, that will make it easier to split them off later. They're also improved slightly too, so if anyone is saving these, it'd probably be useful to you to replace the previous versions with these ones.

[linusoli]

I think that it's Bruce singing the title of "All I Wanna Do" in the bridge
I'd give Brian a backup for "Celebrate the News" - "there's been a change" in close harmony
And finally, although it sounds like he may be compounded with other voices, Bruce is definitely in there for the bridge of Take a Load Off Your Feet...it sounds like his more timid falsetto, and the final solo "glass" is unmistakeable.

[adamghost]

I think that it's Bruce singing the title of "All I Wanna Do" in the bridge
I'd give Brian a backup for "Celebrate the News" - "there's been a change" in close harmony
And finally, although it sounds like he may be compounded with other voices, Bruce is definitely in there for the bridge of Take a Load Off Your Feet...it sounds like his more timid falsetto, and the final solo "glass" is unmistakeable.

He might be in there.  I couldn't tell if there were two or three people in there and there were a few places where it sounded like he might be.  I could see it being Brian-Al-Bruce but I don't think the prominent voice is Bruce.  I think you're probably right about "glass," though...although with the effects on it it could be any of them.

I'm dubious about "Celebrate the News" having Brian singing "there's been a change."   We dissected that song pretty thoroughly for the live record.  The main vocal is two parts, which was Dennis & Dennis or Dennis & Carl (I don't remember which and I can't tell for sure on the crappy speakers on my computer, they sounded very similar in the upper register in '69), and that carried through that part.  The second time a third part is added there, but it's lower, not higher, so even if it was Brian (and I don't think it was) on the third part, I don't think that'd merit a featured vocal.  The high harmony there is whoever's singing high harmony all the way through the song (Dennis or Carl), and it's not Brian.

[MBE]

Celebrate The News Dennis sings the "There's been a change part" as seen on the Mike Douglas show. Brian counterpoints Mike's Bad Luck with the "No More" part though I think either Carl, Al, or Bruce doubles him. The part with Brian I am certain on is the oo oo ah part.

[adamghost]

Celebrate The News Dennis sings the "There's been a change part" as seen on the Mike Douglas show. Brian counterpoints Mike's Bad Luck with the "No More" part though I think either Carl, Al, or Bruce doubles him. The part with Brian I am certain on is the oo oo ah part.

There are two vocal parts on "there's been a change," and throughout the rest of the lead vocal, which I think is what Linus is talking about when he thinks he hears Brian on the vocal. on the "change" harmony.  No question Dennis sings the bottom part, the question is who's singing the other.  I was saying it was either double-tracked Dennis, or Dennis and Carl, but not Brian.

I think the "no more" may actually be Carl, but I'd have to listen.  Definitely one or the other.

Heck, I should just listen.  Hang on...

As to the harmony to the lead vocal (right channel), it's hard to tell for sure.  At first I thought it was Dennis singing very like Carl, but the phrasing and the curl at the end of the phrase are identical to Carl's.  And I am pretty sure the "hello" at the top of the track, right channel, is Carl.  I thought I'd heard Dennis' tonality on that vocal track, but since Dennis seems to be doubling the low part in that channel as well, I think that may be what I'm hearing.

I think all in all that second part is Carl.  It sounds to me like there's two Dennis vocals on the low part and one Carl on the high, with two voices in the right channel.  If you listen to the second "change" line on the headphones, where Dennis' double comes apart a little, you can hear this most clearly. 

More evidence for Carl being the second voice is the last part ("listen to the voices..."), where there are two people singing in the right channel.  There's a different effect on this part, but I think based on the panning and the number of voices there (two) it's the same track as the earlier right channel lead vocal.  Not only does the second part sound more like Carl than Dennis, but more importantly, it does sound like two people singing together and responding to one another rather than one guy overdubbing to himself. 

Also, I'd sort of expect if it was double Dennis on the one track, they'd not have it panned in exactly the same place, although that's just an opinion.  They could have bounced two tracks to one and then panned it far right.  But all in all, I'd bet on one track for a Dennis-Carl vocal duet panned hard right and another track for Dennis' main vocal which is more center.

I think I'd advocate for giving Carl co-lead vocal credit with Dennis on this one.

I realize this will be controversial, but I'm pretty sure the "no more" is Carl, not Brian.  Just a very subtle difference in the timbre.  I realize it sounds very like a Brian part and not a Carl part, but I'm pretty sure it's Carl.  I think the top part on the "I've got news for you" part might be Brian, though it could also be Carl or someone else trying to sound like Brian.  I'm a little suspicious of the heavy vibrato on "you" -- it's a little ostentatious for Brian; that kind of vibrato is much more Carl's thing.  But I just don't know.

I think Alan Boyd told me at some point that there are female backup vocalists at the end of the track that are not members of the Beach Boys or the immediate family.  I have to say that's what it sounds like (not necessarily the "oohs" but there seem to be other backups further back in the mix under the obvious parts).

[John]

I agree with you that that's Carl, but I don't know if you'd term it a lead, rather than a harmony vocal. How 'bout a footnote?
The "hello" at the beginning sounds like Brian, a little, I think.

[linusoli]

The "hello" at the beginning sounds like Brian, a little, I think.

Agreed. If it's Carl, it's a funny reversal of the "Please Let Me Wonder" situation.

[adamghost]

The "hello" at the beginning sounds like Brian, a little, I think.

Agreed. If it's Carl, it's a funny reversal of the "Please Let Me Wonder" situation.

Really?  It doesn't sound like Brian at all to me.  Weird.

[MBE]

All I can say for certain is that Brian's voice is felt on this track especally on the unison "I've Got News For You" part and the ooh ah at the end. Besides listen to how rich the vocal blend is. Play I Can Hear Music then Celebrate and you can hear how Brian's presense enhansed everything.

[John]

The "hello" at the beginning sounds like Brian, a little, I think.

Agreed. If it's Carl, it's a funny reversal of the "Please Let Me Wonder" situation.

Really?  It doesn't sound like Brian at all to me.  Weird.

I wouldn't bet the rent on it or anything, but after listening to it, if I had to attribute a Wilson brother to it, it'd be the young Bri.

[adamghost]

Weird.  That voice sounds like Carl to me.  Ears aside, it's panned far right, which indicates it would probably be either Carl and Dennis, since that's where their "dual track" is.  All the other vocal tracks are panned on the other side or in the middle.  There'd be no particular reason to have that voice on there and pan it to the other side later.  Not that it matters.  Whoever it was clearly wanted to say hello to us.

I'm not sure what you mean by the "unison" part...there's the first line that Dennis sings alone (with a possible faint double from Carl), and then it splits into a harmony.  I agree that the falsetto on top of the "I've got news for you" stack overall SOUNDS like Brian is in there.  I always assumed he was from the sound of the track, just as you do.  But just analyzing that high vocal part on its own, I got just a wee bit suspicious from a few quirks of delivery that it was Carl doing a Brian imitation.  Overall, though, judging by the tone of it (and the fact that I think I hear Carl singing further down in the stack in that channel) I agree it's probably Brian.

[Uncomfortable Seat]

how about Al for all those falsetto parts?

[MBE]

I think Al, Brian, and Carl all are heard doing falsetto at the end with Brian on top. The girl singers seem to join about 30 seconds before the fade.

[John]

I added Carl on CTN as a footnote and "prominent harmony"; is everyone cool with that?

[adamghost]

It's fine with me.  My only rationale for Carl as co-lead vocal is that the harmony carries through the entire song.  But there are two Dennis and one Carl, so whatever is cool from my perspective.

[John]

Cool. Are we up to date, or is there anything outstanding?

[adamghost]

That's it, right?

I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts on "Mess of Help."  The lead vocal to that is...curious.

[Jonas]

now someone has to go back all 39 pages and collect everything together and add it to the Smiley Smile library.

[Mahalo]

Has I Wasn't Made For These Times been discussed......if this has, please direct me towards the pg #, if not could someone please tell me the BV's???

[Emdeeh]

I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts on "Mess of Help."  The lead vocal to that is...curious.

I hear it as two Carls doubletracked, one in his harder rocking voice and the other in an exceptionally gritty voice, plus one Blondie.

[pixletwin]

Has I Wasn't Made For These Times been discussed......if this has, please direct me towards the pg #, if not could someone please tell me the BV's???

brian on every voice. Noone else.

[Guy]

Aren't the "Spanish"  vocals during the chorus sung by all or some of the Beach Boys?