Adult Child

[Jay]

I've always been facinated with the Adult Child recordings. Is the lineup of songs that's circulating the actual album, as it was meant to be issued? Or is it just a bunch of songs from this time period put together? How  close did Adult Child actualy come to being released? 

[Andrew G. Doe]

I took this from the truly outstanding Bellagio 10452 site  :

'New Album'
projected release date unknown
recorded fall 1976 except * April 1965 (track), ** November 1969, + 1970, #January-May 1976
produced by Brian Wilson
My Diane - Marilyn Rovell - Hey Little Tomboy - Ruby Baby - You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Sherry She Needs Me* - Come Go With Me# - Mony Mony# - On Broadway# - Sea Cruise# - H.E.L.P Is On The Way+ - Games Two Can Play+ - When Girls Get Together**
(track sequence unknown)
 
Adult/Child
projected release date fall 1977
recorded  early 1977 except * 1970, **winter 1973, + January-May 1976
produced  by Brian Wilson except * The Beach Boys
Life Is For The Living - Hey Little Tomboy+ - Deep Purple - H.E.L.P. Is On The Way* - It's Over Now - Everybody Wants To Live: Shortenin' Bread** - Lines - On Broadway+ - Games Two Can Play* - It's Trying To Say - Still I Dream Of It
 
   Although Brian had found the 15 Big Ones sessions tedious, by fall 1976 his appetite for studio work had returned, so much so that by the year's end he'd completed two new albums. Brian Loves You was released in May 1977 after undergoing a minor change of title, but of 'New Album' little is known bar the title and tracks to be included. As indicated above, eight of the fourteen tracks had histories ranging from a few months - the 15 Big Ones outtakes - to several years (in the case of "Sherry…", an eleven year-old instrumental track overdubbed with a 1976 Brian vocal). The remainder are largely Brian solo recordings, ranging from the near-banal ("Marilyn Rovell") to the sublime ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"). For whatever reason, the album was never released (and here it should be noted that some BB historians hold that the title itself is highly suspect - it's possible that someone misunderstood Brian's reference to "a new album").
 
   Early the following year, Brian hit the studio again, the result being an album entitled (reportedly by Gene Landy) Adult/Child, yet another confection of new recordings and five tracks from the archive, four of which were recycled from 'New Album', the other being the 1973 American Spring recording of "Shortenin' Bread" (with Brian on bass vocal) completed by a Carl lead. Of the new material, four - "Life Is For The Living", "Deep Purple", "It's Over Now" & "Still I Dream Of It" - saw Brian reunited with Dick Reynolds, the arranger for the 1964 Christmas Album, who handled the role again here. The album was widely publicized as the next Beach Boys release, but fell foul of a serious group fall-out, centered on the 'big band' tracks: it's possible that Reprise also rejected the master. Of the titles not covered previously, "My Diane", "Come Go With Me" and "Hey Little Tomboy" were released on  M.I.U. Album[/i], "Come Go…" almost entirely re-recorded, the latter thankfully shorn of some embarrassing voice-overs in the middle eight. "Sea Cruise" appeared on Ten Years Of Harmony, "Shortenin' Bread" on L. A. (Light Album) (completely re-recorded, with Dennis on bass vocal) while the 1993 box included "Still I Dream Of It" and "It's Over Now".

[MBE]

I think it's better then Love You by a long shot. I've said that before actually lol.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I love all of the music Brian created in that 1976-77 period. It's honest, fascinating, and totally "Brian", in that adult/child kind of way. I can listen to it anytime.

That being said, I think Adult Child was too raw, too un-Beach Boys, and too "wince-inducing" for the general listening public, even more than Love You. Again, it was fascinating for a BB/BW nut like me to hear Brian crooning his way through "Deep Purple" and "Still I Dream Of It", but most listeners would've said, "What the hell is this?"

"Shortenin' Bread" and "On Broadway"? Weak. 'Hey Little Tomboy"? Sick. And throw in another track, "Games Two Can Play", from another era, that would've sounded totally out of place. As would've those big band arrangements; very strange for 1977.

The Beach Boys Love You (which I love) crossed the line and alienated a lot of fans who jumped on the Beach Boys' bandwagon in 1975-76. Adult Child would've driven them right over a cliff.

[Mahalo]

The Beach Boys Love You (which I love) crossed the line and alienated a lot of fans who jumped on the Beach Boys' bandwagon in 1975-76. Adult Child would've driven them right over a cliff.

Well said, I put Life is For the Living on a recent BB mix for a friend and she liked all 23 songs except that one. IMO, the Love You, A/C stuff rules....ESPECIALLY Hey Little Tomboy!!!!!! Too fun!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Wait...so that version of Shortenin' Bread dates from 1973, correct? Does that include Brian's  back-up vocals?

[Jay]

I took this from the truly outstanding Bellagio 10452 site  :

'New Album'
projected release date unknown
recorded fall 1976 except * April 1965 (track), ** November 1969, + 1970, #January-May 1976
produced by Brian Wilson
My Diane - Marilyn Rovell - Hey Little Tomboy - Ruby Baby - You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Sherry She Needs Me* - Come Go With Me# - Mony Mony# - On Broadway# - Sea Cruise# - H.E.L.P Is On The Way+ - Games Two Can Play+ - When Girls Get Together**
(track sequence unknown)
 
Adult/Child
projected release date fall 1977
recorded  early 1977 except * 1970, **winter 1973, + January-May 1976
produced  by Brian Wilson except * The Beach Boys
Life Is For The Living - Hey Little Tomboy+ - Deep Purple - H.E.L.P. Is On The Way* - It's Over Now - Everybody Wants To Live: Shortenin' Bread** - Lines - On Broadway+ - Games Two Can Play* - It's Trying To Say - Still I Dream Of It
 
   Although Brian had found the 15 Big Ones sessions tedious, by fall 1976 his appetite for studio work had returned, so much so that by the year's end he'd completed two new albums. Brian Loves You was released in May 1977 after undergoing a minor change of title, but of 'New Album' little is known bar the title and tracks to be included. As indicated above, eight of the fourteen tracks had histories ranging from a few months - the 15 Big Ones outtakes - to several years (in the case of "Sherry…", an eleven year-old instrumental track overdubbed with a 1976 Brian vocal). The remainder are largely Brian solo recordings, ranging from the near-banal ("Marilyn Rovell") to the sublime ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"). For whatever reason, the album was never released (and here it should be noted that some BB historians hold that the title itself is highly suspect - it's possible that someone misunderstood Brian's reference to "a new album").
 
   Early the following year, Brian hit the studio again, the result being an album entitled (reportedly by Gene Landy) Adult/Child, yet another confection of new recordings and five tracks from the archive, four of which were recycled from 'New Album', the other being the 1973 American Spring recording of "Shortenin' Bread" (with Brian on bass vocal) completed by a Carl lead. Of the new material, four - "Life Is For The Living", "Deep Purple", "It's Over Now" & "Still I Dream Of It" - saw Brian reunited with Dick Reynolds, the arranger for the 1964 Christmas Album, who handled the role again here. The album was widely publicized as the next Beach Boys release, but fell foul of a serious group fall-out, centered on the 'big band' tracks: it's possible that Reprise also rejected the master. Of the titles not covered previously, "My Diane", "Come Go With Me" and "Hey Little Tomboy" were released on  M.I.U. Album[/i], "Come Go…" almost entirely re-recorded, the latter thankfully shorn of some embarrassing voice-overs in the middle eight. "Sea Cruise" appeared on Ten Years Of Harmony, "Shortenin' Bread" on L. A. (Light Album) (completely re-recorded, with Dennis on bass vocal) while the 1993 box included "Still I Dream Of It" and "It's Over Now".

Yeah, that is a pretty nice website.  Thanks for the help and info. How close did this actually come to being released? I mean, was it a matter of months? Was Adult/Child ever mentioned in magazines of that time period?

[c-man]

It was mentioned in BBs fanzine like David Leaf's Pet Sounds...the full lineup was printed there.  I think it was intended to come out that summer.

[XY]

Another sign that ADULT/CHILD was meant to be is a late 1976 radio interview, where Brian mentioned that he's working on two new BB albums.

[MBE]

Wait...so that version of Shortenin' Bread dates from 1973, correct? Does that include Brian's  back-up vocals?

No Brian's voice is obviously in 1976 shape on that, but the backing track is from 1973.

[Smilin Ed H]

Damn.  I always liked On Broadway.

[MBE]

I love all of the music Brian created in that 1976-77 period. It's honest, fascinating, and totally "Brian", in that adult/child kind of way. I can listen to it anytime.

That being said, I think Adult Child was too raw, too un-Beach Boys, and too "wince-inducing" for the general listening public, even more than Love You. Again, it was fascinating for a BB/BW nut like me to hear Brian crooning his way through "Deep Purple" and "Still I Dream Of It", but most listeners would've said, "What the hell is this?"

"Shortenin' Bread" and "On Broadway"? Weak. 'Hey Little Tomboy"? Sick. And throw in another track, "Games Two Can Play", from another era, that would've sounded totally out of place. As would've those big band arrangements; very strange for 1977.

The Beach Boys Love You (which I love) crossed the line and alienated a lot of fans who jumped on the Beach Boys' bandwagon in 1975-76. Adult Child would've driven them right over a cliff.

Why I think it's better then Love You has to lie with Still I Dream Of It and It's Over Now. These two songs (perhaps along with Night Was So Young) are so far ahead of what Brian was doing otherwise. They are just classic songs and affecting performances plus Still I Dream Of It would have made a fair single if promoted correctly. The two Sunflower era outtakes were granted out of place but they are fantastic songs, and as quirky as Everybody Wants To Live is it's at least on key and catchy. Ok so On Broadway and Lines may be fairly mediocre, but as an album I think it is a much more mature work then anything they did in the late 70's with the exception of LA Light. You are right it wouldn't have sold much to the nostalgia crowd but I think it may have convinced others that Brian was getting back on track as a writer and producer.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Wait...so that version of Shortenin' Bread dates from 1973, correct? Does that include Brian's  back-up vocals?

That's what I thought.

No Brian's voice is obviously in 1976 shape on that, but the backing track is from 1973.

[Dancing Bear]

I really can't understand Adult/Child as an album. Someone buying it in 1977 would rightfully consider this a contract obligation where the band dumped some new stuff, leftovers and outtakes. Rough as it is, Love You at least sounded like an album, with the exception of the Good Time recycling.

Sure, MIU WAS a contract obligation where the band dumped some new stuff, leftovers and outtakes.

[Mr. Wilson]

What surprises me is.. If ya take the best cuts from New Album + Adult Child.. ya gotta fine record.. They never did that. And i like the big band arraingments.. 1st time i heard that stuff was 1983..I was not shocked by the change in sound.. I embraced it..Maybe im too easy on them..NOT..!!

[Sheriff John Stone]

....plus Still I Dream Of It would have made a fair single if promoted correctly.

Very good song, one of Brian's best from that period. But, I think the song would've suffered the same fate as all Brian-sung potential hit singles from 1976-2007. Unfortunately, with the voice Brian was left with post-1975, his lead vocals prevented a lot of songs from reaching their full potential. "Still I Dream Of It" is a good example of this. Now, if he gives the song to Carl to sing, now we're talking....

[TonyW]

....plus Still I Dream Of It would have made a fair single if promoted correctly.

Very good song, one of Brian's best from that period. But, I think the song would've suffered the same fate as all Brian-sung potential hit singles from 1976-2007. Unfortunately, with the voice Brian was left with post-1975, his lead vocals prevented a lot of songs from reaching their full potential. "Still I Dream Of It" is a good example of this. Now, if he gives the song to Carl to sing, now we're talking....

Still I Dream Of It - one of my all time favourite Brian songs - sadly the produced "big band" version for Adult Child does not do such a beautiful song justice - I love the Brian Demo version to be found on the Invasion Unlimited "In My Room" boot - that moment when Brian fails to reach the note on "dreamer" and he restarts just adds to the heartbreaking quality of the demo.

One of the great unexplained mysteries of the cosmos is why oh why did they use such a bad quality version on the IJWMFTT documentary when there are better quality demos doing the rounds on bootlegs??? Hell guys - if you no longer had the original tape of the demo then just rip off the bootleggers (Zappa style)!!

SIDOI stays #1 on my list of songs I'd like to hear Brian do in concert. For that matter given its poor exposure to the mass market a contemporary BW reworking might not go astray either.

[MBE]

....plus Still I Dream Of It would have made a fair single if promoted correctly.

Very good song, one of Brian's best from that period. But, I think the song would've suffered the same fate as all Brian-sung potential hit singles from 1976-2007. Unfortunately, with the voice Brian was left with post-1975, his lead vocals prevented a lot of songs from reaching their full potential. "Still I Dream Of It" is a good example of this. Now, if he gives the song to Carl to sing, now we're talking....

You know I do think his later voice made a lot of records suffer and yes it would have been better before, but somehow the rasp fits the Big Band stuff better then more traditional Beach Boys type things. At least to my ears.

[mikeyj]

....plus Still I Dream Of It would have made a fair single if promoted correctly.

Very good song, one of Brian's best from that period. But, I think the song would've suffered the same fate as all Brian-sung potential hit singles from 1976-2007. Unfortunately, with the voice Brian was left with post-1975, his lead vocals prevented a lot of songs from reaching their full potential. "Still I Dream Of It" is a good example of this. Now, if he gives the song to Carl to sing, now we're talking....

You know I do think his later voice made a lot of records suffer and yes it would have been better before, but somehow the rasp fits the Big Band stuff better then more traditional Beach Boys type things. At least to my ears.

Couldn't agree more. I can't imagine Brian singing in his younger and sweeter voice on Deep Purple, Still I Dream Of It etc.. It just wouldn't work.

[MBE]

Right Deep Purple is a good example. Brian could have sang the hell out of it before but the rasp works because of the type of track it is. Whereas I think the rasp on say Solor System ruins the song.

[James Hughes-Clarke]

I dunno...  I could hear a late-60's era Brian doing a 'Busy Doin Nothin' bossa-style rendition of 'Deep Purple'.

Hmmm, gives me an idea....

....plus Still I Dream Of It would have made a fair single if promoted correctly.

Very good song, one of Brian's best from that period. But, I think the song would've suffered the same fate as all Brian-sung potential hit singles from 1976-2007. Unfortunately, with the voice Brian was left with post-1975, his lead vocals prevented a lot of songs from reaching their full potential. "Still I Dream Of It" is a good example of this. Now, if he gives the song to Carl to sing, now we're talking....

You know I do think his later voice made a lot of records suffer and yes it would have been better before, but somehow the rasp fits the Big Band stuff better then more traditional Beach Boys type things. At least to my ears.

Couldn't agree more. I can't imagine Brian singing in his younger and sweeter voice on Deep Purple, Still I Dream Of It etc.. It just wouldn't work.

[markcharles75]

I was thinking about this period of songwriting in Brian's life and to me, it exemplifies what an artist Brian is. Why?  Well, think about it...the Beach Boys by 75/76 as we all know were back in a big way due to the success of Endless Summer and  the oldies route was the way it seemed to be heading.  With the band asking Brian back to produce/write new material, you would think Brian would lazily pump out some (albeit uninspired/mediocre) fun in the sun type songs.   Kind of like SIP songs circa 75/76.  But no!  He goes ahead and does some daring stuff...songs about cigarettes in the toilet, Johnny Carson, the Solar System etc...What balls. And these songs were not uninspired. We all know Brian feels the music.  So given his mental problems at the time, you would think he'd just go the easy route and write some surf/sun songs (forget It's Ok).   But for a couple of years there, he was on fire! Doing what he wanted to do.  And that is why I like this period of Brian the artist.  Because it is quirky, it is inspired and it is where his head was at and what he wanted to do.  Guts if you ask me and great hidden treasures.   

[Shane]

Agreed.  And I'd also like to point out that some of Brian's most complex songwriting also comes from this era.   While his arrangements may have become more simplified (ala Love You), the structures of many of his songs during this time bear some serious complexity.

[MBE]

Well I like some of this period but dislike other tracks he did. I think he was past his prime but he still had a lot of original ideas. I would like some of the tracks better if he hadn't lost his voice, but some songs like I Wanna Pick You Up really needed lyrical help as well. On the other hand the Big Band stuff to me is very inspired, and much fuller production wise too.

[Aegir]

I'm always very conflicted about I Wanna Pick You Up. Is it about caring for a child... or a metaphor for caring for your lover? If it's the former, I don't have any problem with the lyrics.