'Do It Again' vs. 'It's OK' - Which Is Better?

[The Heartical Don]

My favourite is 'It's OK'. Although 'Do It Again' alwas has been praised for it's lovely return to the then (1968) seemingly bygone days of surf and fun, its production does not really appeal to me. It sounds a bit muffled. It is wistful, as if the guys are saying goodbye to their youth in reality.

'It's OK' is so good IMHO because it's made by grown men nearing that age where one inevitably begins to face mortality (in my view); and the result is that it is so sprawling exactly for that reason: what the heck, I am past 30, and I'd better find some joy in that strange thing we call 'life'! It is wonderfully exuberant, and Dennis' hoarse 'Find A Ride' only adds to all the excitement.

So for me: 'It's OK' wins. And you?

[metal flake paint]

"Do It Again" for me. I particularly like of the contrast of the"middle eight" (for want of a better term) which slowly builds to a crescendo ("out of siiiiight" , "been so LONNNNGGGG", "bom, bom, bom, bom, bom") and "Come and do it, baby" sung a half-tone down leading to the fadeout. Really inventive vocal arrangement-wise. The processed drum intro, chugging rhythm and growling sax don't hurt the song's chances either!

[The Shift]

Do It Again has the more iconic touches - the killer base/drum beat intro and the "hey now" chant backing vocals.

Appreciate what you say about the production and agree that that muffled element is there. Just crying out for a 2010 remix/remaster, eh!??

In fact, if this hadn't been written and recorded until 2010, it'd probably be regarded as a modern classic and indication that the BBs were, however unlikely it might seem, back on form and full of self-parody.

It's Okay might be a lighter weight product but you're right it's fun too, and that Dennis line is top.

Of the two though, DIA has the iconic timelessness that elevate above IOk, to me.

[The Heartical Don]

Do It Again has the more iconic touches - the killer base/drum beat intro and the "hey now" chant backing vocals.

Appreciate what you say about the production and agree that that muffled element is there. Just crying out for a 2010 remix/remaster, eh!??

In fact, if this hadn't been written and recorded until 2010, it'd probably be regarded as a modern classic and indication that the BBs were, however unlikely it might seem, back on form and full of self-parody.

It's Okay might be a lighter weight product but you're right it's fun too, and that Dennis line is top.

Of the two though, DIA has the iconic timelessness that elevate above IOk, to me.

Nice call. Yup, DIA is more elaborate in its composition, it puts quite a lot of different touches in such a brief time. Not for nothing did Air nick the drum intro for 'Moon Safari' (was that Crazy Boy?).

[A Million Units In Jan!]

And why is the 'woodshop' sound effects in the song? I always wondered what the point of adding that was....

[The Heartical Don]

And why is the 'woodshop' sound effects in the song? I always wondered what the point of adding that was....

Wasn't that in 'All I Want To Do'? Or am I finally getting Korsakov's?

[buddhahat]

And why is the 'woodshop' sound effects in the song? I always wondered what the point of adding that was....

I think Mr Desper answered this in another thread. Sorry can't remember! It was during the time they were going through the smile tapes and they either put it in there for fun, or it was a financial thing - trying to use up stuff they'd paid for studio time. I'm sure someone else can remember the reaosn much better than I can.

[The Heartical Don]

And why is the 'woodshop' sound effects in the song? I always wondered what the point of adding that was....

I think Mr Desper answered this in another thread. Sorry can't remember! It was during the time they were going through the smile tapes and they either put it in there for fun, or it was a financial thing - trying to use up stuff they'd paid for studio time. I'm sure someone else can remember the reaosn much better than I can.

What I like about this: the story put this way sounds so utterly off-hand and mundane. Yet, who'd a thunk that thousands of people the world over would discuss that tiny drill-and-hammer bit to death 42 years later? Amazing...

[A Million Units In Jan!]

And why is the 'woodshop' sound effects in the song? I always wondered what the point of adding that was....

I think Mr Desper answered this in another thread. Sorry can't remember! It was during the time they were going through the smile tapes and they either put it in there for fun, or it was a financial thing - trying to use up stuff they'd paid for studio time. I'm sure someone else can remember the reaosn much better than I can.

Yeah, because, you know-they couldn't actually put out the album that the woodshop sounds were actually intended for, so they put them on the fade to a song reminiscing about a time when the band had been relevant....

[grillo]

I'm with the Don on this one. It's OK (especially the slightly faster mix) has a lot more energy than DIA plus the Dennis tag really makes it for me. I find DIA kinda sluggish, the chorus just isn't happening and, if not for the bridge, I'd never listen to it.

[PongHit]

No contest!  "Do It Again" wins easily — by a landslide!!

[Dancing Bear]

Do It Again is easily the best and most interesting composition. But if I were in a car going to the beach, and wanted some really hot track to blast out of my speakers, I may choose It's Ok.

[slothrop]

"It's OK"--love the bass vocals, hand claps, and those weird sax lines weaving everywhere. Mike's lyrics are pretty good too.

[The Heartical Don]

"It's OK"--love the bass vocals, hand claps, and those weird sax lines weaving everywhere. Mike's lyrics are pretty good too.

Right. And where I find Mike's singing on 'Everyone's In Love' too sickly sweet, I just love them in 'It's OK'. The enthusiasm is palpable.

[Exapno Mapcase]

Do It Again - by such a distance it's laughable. Mike and Brian didn't just come up with a nostalgic song for the good old days of youth - albeit probably not theirs - the nostalgic lyrics are undercut by music that emotes a sense of loss.  Deceptively 'simple' but great song.

It's Okay has fairly sh*t lyrics and a fun feel.  Maybe if you compared it to Keepin' the Summer Alive...

[The Heartical Don]

Do It Again - by such a distance it's laughable. Mike and Brian didn't just come up with a nostalgic song for the good old days of youth - albeit probably not theirs - the nostalgic lyrics are undercut by music that emotes a sense of loss.  Deceptively 'simple' but great song.

It's Okay has fairly merda lyrics and a fun feel.  Maybe if you compared it to Keepin' the Summer Alive...

You deserve a fatwah issued against you for this obnoxious and sacrilegious post!  

[Andrew G. Doe]

"It's OK" is a 70's BB classic.

"Do It Again" is a BB classic, period.

And that makes all the difference to me.

[smile-holland]

And why is the 'woodshop' sound effects in the song? I always wondered what the point of adding that was....

Wasn't that in 'All I Want To Do'? Or am I finally getting Korsakov's?

Nope, that was more like Dennis "wood job"...

(hm, a mod shouldn't write this, but this one was too easy...    )

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I always thought "It's OK" was just too short.  By the time I'm  just into it, it ends.

Agree with AGD - "DIA" is a BB classic.

[Jason]

Do It Again is indeed a classic in every sense of the word. The studio version is taken a bit too slow but that's just nitpicking. When they began playing it in concert again in 1971-72, Carl upped the tempo and put a lot of guitar muscle behind it. Carl was good at doing that with Brian's productions. In the studio they were meticulously constructed. In the live arena, Carl was able to rock them out a bit more. He did it wonderfully with California Girls as well. I take the studio and live versions of Do It Again on their own terms. Either way, it's a gold standard.

It's OK had the bad luck of being the second single taken from 15 Big Ones. Rock And Roll Music, while certainly in tune with the nostalgia thing, was a bit of a backtrack even then. It's OK, if released in the summer of 1976, had the potential to be the hit. Of course, we all know how that went. As far as the band's later attempts at summertime nostalgia, It's OK is head and shoulders above them all except possibly Kokomo, which, like it or not, has attained the status of a classic song. I don't necessarily disagree with its status. It was the right song at the right time by the right band. It's OK should have been a smash by any standard. Still, even a top 30 placing wasn't too shabby. And it's also one of their best concert rockers. It was kind of hesitant when it was done in the late 1970s, but when it came back in 1982 as the opener, it was done much better. Michael and Bruce used it as the opener in 2000 for a while, around the same time they started playing Heroes and Villains for the first time since Carl died. In 2005 it was used in a medley after California Girls during the opening set. It's been in the set on and off since then, and they pull it off well.

[Steve Mayo]

"do it again" gets my vote....

[runnersdialzero]

I always thought "It's OK" was just too short.  By the time I'm  just into it, it ends.

Really? I always thought it was one verse and chorus too long for its own good.

As for the question, I really find it tough to answer, basically because of everything that's been said in the thread already.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I agree with most of what Richard Head said...

They are soooo close. I was gonna pick "Do It Again" because it rocks live (the Knebworth track is my favorite on that album), but "It's OK" rocked live, too. Did you ever notice on the 1976 TV Special, they reversed the "gotta go to it, gotta go through it, gotta get with it..." part.

I think the tag on "It's OK" could've been expanded/extended slightly; I like the tag on the Almost Summer soundtrack version. I was never crazy about Mike's lead on "Do It Again"; he sounds half asleep or lazy; but I love how he goes "nasal" on the live versions. I like the lyrics to "Do It Again"; they're a bit too wordy on "It's OK".

The "gotta go to it..." part, along with the handclaps, and, what is it, a little organ riff, is genius; that's Brian's sound, he patented it. It makes you feel good. Marilyn is all over that high part BTW. If "It's OK" would've been released three months earlier, at the beginning of summer, it mighta had a chance.

"Do It Again" is played on oldies radio stations and sounds cool. One of Brian & Mike's best collaborations, the kind I'm sure Mike expected to be sharing for many years to come.

I keep rambling here because I can't decide. OK, "Do It Again" by a hair...

[BillA]

I agree that the production in 'Do It Again' is muddied - I still prefer it to 'It's OK'.

'It's OK' is the best song on 15BO - I have always wondered why they didn't release it first - but there is nothing spectacular or memeorabl;e about it.  It could have just as easy been done by First Class.

I prefer 'Keepin the Summer Alive' to 'It's OK".  It just rocks better.

[doc smiley]

A fan of "Its OK" here...
but I feel that the Celebration version of the song had slightly catchier backing vocals. (imho)

Do It Again is a classic

so I give the nod to DIA, but no diss to Its OK