Let's Go Away for a While

[NHC]

And the other thing is that for all their natural talent, the fact is both Brian and Jan worked very hard at it.  Brian knew what he wanted, sure, he heard it in his head and put it on piano, but those out take transcriptions will remind us that it was darned hard work, tedious, annoying, hours on end, one measure at a time, in the studio to pull it off. God-given talent, a desire to create something so vital, and a lot of drive.

[Ana-Lu]

And considering how many people have suggested that in an alternate world Brian would have gone on to do film scores...

"In an alternate world" is the key phrase here.  In the present world, Brian's quirks would have prevented him from assimilating into the Hollywood assembly line system.  Many greater composers could only wish they were given as much time to compose a full film score as Brian was given to write and record a 3 and a half minute single. 

[the captain]

Many greater composers could only wish they were given as much time to compose a full film score as Brian was given to write and record a 3 and a half minute single. 

A-fucking-men.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Well, he could also do what a lot of the "vanity" film composers do and just dash off a few themes and then have their uncredited arranger/orchestrator fill everything out.

[the captain]

Well, he could also do what a lot of the "vanity" film composers do and just dash off a few themes and then have their uncredited arranger/orchestrator fill everything out.

The cynical me says "like Darian? or Andy Paley?"

[Ana-Lu]

Well, he could also do what a lot of the "vanity" film composers do and just dash off a few themes and then have their uncredited arranger/orchestrator fill everything out.

I said "greater," not "vanity."

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

To those of us not acquainted with the film-scoring scene (not that I'm really all that well acquainted with it, just enough, I guess), many "vanity" scorers are considered to be greats.  I'm thinking of one person in particular.

[Ana-Lu]

To those of us not acquainted with the film-scoring scene (not that I'm really all that well acquainted with it, just enough, I guess), many "vanity" scorers are considered to be greats.  I'm thinking of one person in particular.

I don't know who you're talking about.  And yes, there are no shortage of hacks working in Hollywood, now more than ever.

I'm talking about artists like, say, Bernard Herrmann, who had like 10 days to compose a score for a full length film, and they did it old skool, with pencil and paper, sitting at the dining room table with the TV on in the background, the dog barking, and kids screaming.   That's a far cry from having six months to record "Good Vibrations" and getting to hear it in its various stages along the way.  I'm not knocking Brian Wilson - I'm posting on this message board, after all.  I'm just saying that his temperament would have prevented him from having any kind of major career scoring films, regardless of his obvious skills. 

[Aegir]

Brian doesn't take 6 months to write every song he writes, however.

[Ana-Lu]

Brian doesn't take 6 months to write every song he writes, however.

"Surfin" took only five months.   

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

And God Only Knows took 20 minutes, Surf's Up an hour!

[Ana-Lu]

And God Only Knows took 20 minutes...

He spent twenty minutes getting the snare sound.  Who knows how long the vocals took.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

We've got totally off track here.

I don't even think Brian would make a good film scorer of any kind nor would he ever have, so I'm not sure how I ended up arguing for that...

The point was, within the pop vocabulary, the guy could write an instrumental.

[Ana-Lu]

Agree.  Frankly, think he could have been a great film composer if he had the right skill set to allow him to work within the Hollywood system. 

[Roger Ryan]

I'm talking about artists like, say, Bernard Herrmann, who had like 10 days to compose a score for a full length film, and they did it old skool, with pencil and paper, sitting at the dining room table with the TV on in the background, the dog barking, and kids screaming.   That's a far cry from having six months to record "Good Vibrations" and getting to hear it in its various stages along the way.  I'm not knocking Brian Wilson - I'm posting on this message board, after all.  I'm just saying that his temperament would have prevented him from having any kind of major career scoring films, regardless of his obvious skills. 

Actually, Herrmann didn't really have the temperament for a successful career as a film scorer either! He was supported by Welles initially, then by Hitchock who dumped him after ten years, and finally by Truffaut and Scorsese. But he had great difficulty simply getting along with producers, most of whom he thought were musically ignorant (Welles was the only exception he often said).

Brian would be much more easy-going, and I wonder if he'd think turning one of his "feels" into a music cue would save him the effort of having to write a whole song?! Back when Brian purchased his home in St. Charles, IL it was announced that there was screening room installed in the studio for potential soundtrack work.

[Steve Mayo]

reading this tread made me remember that somewhere in the house i have a 1970 era interview with brian where he states that he wants to score films and try to win an ocsar. what he wanted to branch out into. this was around the time of sunflower.

not sure if that was another of his putons but that is for another thread.... 

[onkster]

Strangest running-order placement of "Let's Go Away...": after "Soldier" at the end of Side Four of the hard-to-find Neil Young soundtrack to "Journey Through the Past".

Believe it or not, I heard it there before I ever got "Pet Sounds"!