Did Brian bring his falsetto back in mid-70s?

[Smile4ever]

During the "Brian's Back" era did Brian sing falsetto? I haven't been able to tell if that's Jardine on the records, or Wilson attempting it himself. I've assumed it is actually Brian. Obviously it was not used nearly as much as in the mid-60s, nor was it done as effectively. Somehow I haven't found the answer elsewhere so I may as well ask you folks. Was Brian back on falsetto?

(A few song examples include "It's OK" and "The Night Was So Young.")

[Mayoman]

I know it's an 80s song, but is Brian on falsetto on "Getcha Back"?

[Sheriff John Stone]

The beginning and ending of "In The Still Of The Night" and a portion of "Airplane". I don't know if it's technically falsetto, but he sings pretty high on "Solar System", too. And, while it's after the "Brian's Back" campaign, Brian's vocal on "She's Got Rhythm" is about as high as it gets. Finally, he hits it pretty good at the end of "Winds Of Change" with the "won't last forever" part.

[Wirestone]

Yes, that is Brian on falsetto on his comeback sides from the mid- to late 70s.

He's also on falsetto on Getcha Back.

[zachrwolfe]

‍

[urbanite]

AGD pretty much made the record that it is J. Foskett on Getcha Back and not BW. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Dunno about that but Brian definitely was on Where I belong.

[RiC]

AGD pretty much made the record that it is J. Foskett on Getcha Back and not BW. 

What's the truth behind this? Doesn't sound like Foskett at all.

[Wirestone]

AGD pretty much made the record that it is J. Foskett on Getcha Back and not BW. 

Don't think so ...

I'm sure he'll correct me if that's not the case. Foskett is, IIRC, on BB85, but everyone was quite insistent at the time that BW was doing falsetto on Getcha Back. He's looped or possibly sped up or pitch corrected in some way, and definitely sounding strained, but it's him.

For that matter, BW sings falsettos all over Orange Crate Art and Imagination (not as high, but still up there).

[RiC]

Is it Brian doing the high parts in R&R music? I mean the parts that were lifted up from the mix in the made in california version.

[Andrew G. Doe]

AGD pretty much made the record that it is J. Foskett on Getcha Back and not BW. 

Not just me, but that's what I've been hearing for quite a while now.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Ric, As the high parts sound the same tone-wise as the high part on Johnny Rivers's Help Me Rhonda from 1975, I'd say most likely yes.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

AGD pretty much made the record that it is J. Foskett on Getcha Back and not BW. 

Not just me, but that's what I've been hearing for quite a while now.

Really? I'm surprised as if you slow it down half a step it *really* sounds like BW.  Not out of the realm of possibility though as Brian can definitely be heard elsewhere in the vocal blend on the same part.

[startBBtoday]

Yeah, I've always thought it sounded like a strained 80s Brian on that 'Getcha Back' falsetto. If it was Jeff in '85, wouldn't it be a little cleaner?

Is it possible it's Brian on the "ahh ahhhh ahhh ahhh ahh ahhh" and Jeff on the "ooooooo oohhh"? Because I could see that.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

The 'whaaa oooh' is definitely Brian. The real high part is 'manipulated' a bit...maybe BW and Foskett were blended...?

[Fall Breaks]

Contemporary and later (2012) live versions of Getcha Back sung by Foskett sound nothing like the studio version. Where did I read that Brian worked real hard on it, "did it for his good friend Terry Melcher" and not only doubletracked it, but eighttimestracked it?

[Phoenix]

I remember that same discussion.

[c-man]

It's Brian on "Getcha Back", no doubt in my mind. Even though I remember hearing it on the radio back in '85, on some national countdown show where the host said it was not Brian Wilson but rather Bruce Johnston on the high part!  Of course it's not Bruce. Contemporary reports from producer Steve Levine and others detail how Brian didn't wanna do it, but Terry virtually "forced" him to. Evidence from the actual track sheets also points to Brian...the track sheets for other songs from this album list "Jeff" vocal tracks, but "Getcha Back" does not...that song has numerous tracks marked as "Brian" vocals, including one labeled as "Brian", another labeled as "Brian hi part in solo" and two labeled as "B/vox Brian key change end chorus hi", and none labeled as Jeff. A few are labeled "Mike", and two each are labeled "Carl", "Al", and "Bruce and Terry", with a handful labeled generically as "chorus", "block oohs", etc., but none are labeled as "Jeff". Perhaps Jeff is present with the others on the generically labeled tracks, but if he were soloing or doubling Brian on the high falsetto line, I think he would be doing so on a track or tracks designated as such.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Don'tcha love it when documentation casts severe doubt on what someone told you was a fact ? 

[Sheriff John Stone]

Is it Brian doing the high parts in R&R music? I mean the parts that were lifted up from the mix in the made in california version.

I also hear Marilyn Wilson on a few 15 Big Ones tracks helping out with some high parts.

[Matt H]

For what it is worth, Foskett's website lists Getcha Back as him on it:

http://www.new-surf.com/foskett/vocals_jf.html

Kind of interesting that it is the only song from Beach Boys 85 that he lists.

[Fall Breaks]

It's Brian on "Getcha Back", no doubt in my mind. Even though I remember hearing it on the radio back in '85, on some national countdown show where the host said it was not Brian Wilson but rather Bruce Johnston on the high part!  Of course it's not Bruce. Contemporary reports from producer Steve Levine and others detail how Brian didn't wanna do it, but Terry virtually "forced" him to. Evidence from the actual track sheets also points to Brian...the track sheets for other songs from this album list "Jeff" vocal tracks, but "Getcha Back" does not...that song has numerous tracks marked as "Brian" vocals, including one labeled as "Brian", another labeled as "Brian hi part in solo" and two labeled as "B/vox Brian key change end chorus hi", and none labeled as Jeff. A few are labeled "Mike", and two each are labeled "Carl", "Al", and "Bruce and Terry", with a handful labeled generically as "chorus", "block oohs", etc., but none are labeled as "Jeff". Perhaps Jeff is present with the others on the generically labeled tracks, but if he were soloing or doubling Brian on the high falsetto line, I think he would be doing so on a track or tracks designated as such.

This is why I love this board. Thank you.

[Watch a Cave]

Brian also hits a nice falsetto on Sherry She Needs Me from this time period.


Definitely Brian on Getcha back..  Jeff doesn't have the patented whine that Brian has.

[SMiLE Brian]

Didn't somebody once say Jeff was shadowing BW's falsetto on Getcha Back?

[Andrew G. Doe]