Mike, Al and Bruce

[Magic Transistor Radio]

For some reason I never really thought of this until a couple days ago. Did you realise that the only Beach Boys to write smash hit songs without Brian were Mike (Kokamo), Al (Lady Lynda) and Bruce (I Write the Songs)?! The more aristic minded ones never did unless you want to count Dennis as co-writer for 'You Are So Beautiful'.

I guess it goes to show that pop charts mean didly squat! Michael Jackson outsold the superior U2, NSync outsold the superior Radiohead, (I am pretty sure, I haven't researched).

But it still irritates me that Dennis and Carl never had smash hit success.

[Mark H.]

Bach had more to do with Lady Lynda than Al.  Where was that a hit?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

It was a smash hit in a few countries including England I believe. It didn't fair so well in the US

[Magic Transistor Radio]

http://www.mountvernonandfairway.de/charts.htm

Here are some charts. I guess it was only a hit on the British charts where it reached #6

[Rocker]

Bach had more to do with Lady Lynda than Al.  Where was that a hit?

I believe only the intro is from Bach's work, the rest of the song is original.

[c-man]

Bach had more to do with Lady Lynda than Al.  Where was that a hit?

I believe only the intro is from Back's work, the rest of the song is original.

Indeed.  And I beleive the intro was shaved off for the single-edit. 

OK, the outro is also Bach's. 

[PongHit]

Mike only wrote lyrics for "Kokomo," right?  Not the music...  It's officially credited to (in this order): John Phillips, Mike Love, Terry Melcher, and Scott McKenzie.

[the captain]

Bach had more to do with Lady Lynda than Al.  Where was that a hit?

I believe only the intro is from Back's work, the rest of the song is original.

The vocal melody is based on the Bach melody. It just isn't a direct quote anymore. Write out the notes sometime from the Bach piece and the vocal and compare them.

[c-man]

Mike only wrote lyrics for "Kokomo," right?  Not the music...  It's officially credited to (in this order): John Phillips, Mike Love, Terry Melcher, and Scott McKenzie.

Mike wrote the music (and words) for the Intro/chorus hook ("Aruba, Jamaica", etc.).  He also changed the tempo of the whole piece to make it upbeat.  Terry wrote the part of the chorus that Carl sings.  I don't know what McKenzie contributed, but reportedly he was John Phillip's cowriter  on the original version. 

[Mark H.]

But it still irritates me that Dennis and Carl never had smash hit success.

It irritates me more that I never had a smash hit.

I think Dennis has certainly received more critical acclaim than Mike, Al, or Bruce and deservedly so.   Carl's voice clearly made up for any lack of songwriting success.  To put it another way, I'd rather sing like Carl than write like Mike, Al, or Bruce any day of the week.

Frankly I find Lady Lynda a bit creepy...I like Santa Anna Winds better (why the narration at the begining?)

[the captain]

.I like Santa Anna Winds better (why the narration at the begining?)

Because Al was (and is) the Master of Cheese.

[Dancing Bear]

Bach had more to do with Lady Lynda than Al.  Where was that a hit?

I believe only the intro is from Back's work, the rest of the song is original.

The vocal melody is based on the Bach melody. It just isn't a direct quote anymore. Write out the notes sometime from the Bach piece and the vocal and compare them.

Indeed, but I think that without the intro and outro we'd never have known that Al had based its chord progressions on the Bach piece. In fact, I think the direct Bach quote cheapens the track. The slight difference between a nice little song and a kitschfest.

[the captain]

I disagree: its more than the progression. The melody is more than a slight resemblance--it's like a skeleton of the Bach melody. We would know. But you are right that the more direct bits cheapen it even more. As I just said, Al is the Master of Cheese.

[Dancing Bear]

I disagree: its more than the progression. The melody is more than a slight resemblance--it's like a skeleton of the Bach melody. We would know.

Luther, we agree on that (see, two times in one day  ). The notes Al sings ARE a variation of the Bach notes. My question is, would anyone link Lady Lynda with the Bach piece if the intro hadn't given it away?

Of course, it would have been mentioned by Al in a interview somewhere, or to a fan in a backstage chat, or to a book author, and we'd know it anyway.

[the captain]

My question is, would anyone link Lady Lynda with the Bach piece if the intro hadn't given it away?

I think without question, anyone familiar with the Bach piece (which is almost everyone) would catch it. And Beach Boys fans, hell, they find similarities in EVERYTHING. If they can make All Dressed Up For School into Marcella, they can find the Bach in Lady Lynda.

But really, what is up with people agreeing with me today? Maybe I'm not being my normal surly self!

[Sheriff John Stone]

Yeah, I've noticed a kinder, gentler Luther lately. Are you sick or something?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Winds of Change is a great song until Al decided to over due the "Won't last forever..." round. One or two too many forevers in there.

Even if Mike wasn't the main creative force of Kokamo, and Al basically added words to a Bach piece, they still received credit on hit songs without Brian.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Winds of Change is a great song until Al decided to over due the "Won't last forever..." round. One or two too many forevers in there.

Maybe so - but he didn't write it. 

[shelter]

For some reason I never really thought of this until a couple days ago. Did you realise that the only Beach Boys to write smash hit songs without Brian were Mike (Kokamo), Al (Lady Lynda) and Bruce (I Write the Songs)?! The more aristic minded ones never did unless you want to count Dennis as co-writer for 'You Are So Beautiful'.

"Forever" was a hit for Jesse & the Rippers, wasn't it? 

[the captain]

For some reason I never really thought of this until a couple days ago. Did you realise that the only Beach Boys to write smash hit songs without Brian were Mike (Kokamo), Al (Lady Lynda) and Bruce (I Write the Songs)?! The more aristic minded ones never did unless you want to count Dennis as co-writer for 'You Are So Beautiful'.

"Forever" was a hit for Jesse & the Rippers, wasn't it? 

Maybe for girls age 8-12. And possibly their moms.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Winds of Change is a great song until Al decided to over due the "Won't last forever..." round. One or two too many forevers in there.

Maybe so - but he didn't write it. 

Oopsy

[Magic Transistor Radio]

For some reason I never really thought of this until a couple days ago. Did you realise that the only Beach Boys to write smash hit songs without Brian were Mike (Kokamo), Al (Lady Lynda) and Bruce (I Write the Songs)?! The more aristic minded ones never did unless you want to count Dennis as co-writer for 'You Are So Beautiful'.

"Forever" was a hit for Jesse & the Rippers, wasn't it? 

I don't know. Maybe somebody could check that for us. I know that somehow 'Forever' is a farely well know song, even to casual BB fans. Didn't Stamos play it on Full House?

[the captain]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hv1fRVEa6y0

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gVleVKhvdR4&mode=related&search=

[adamghost]

I didn't find this out until recently (and was surprised), but I think "Lady Lynda" did make the top 40 in America on the A/C chart, even though it didn't chart on the pop chart.

Al's songwriting has tended to be derivative, but you can make a good case for his commercial sense relative to the other guys in the band.  Besides "Lynda," he was responsible as producer and main driving force for two of the band's biggest post '60s hits:  "Cottonfields" in 1970 and "Come Go With Me" in 1981, and even "California Saga" made the singles charts briefly in '73.

[pendletone]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hv1fRVEa6y0

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gVleVKhvdR4&mode=related&search=