Carl's "The Grammy" - who won the Grammy?

[Aegir]

Is the song about Bruce?

[Eric Aniversario]

I always heard it was about Billy Joel.

[Fall Breaks]

On the Live from the Bottomline boot, I think Carl presents it as a song written about "someone we all know and we all love".

[Mr. Wilson]

Between 61 + 81 when did BB win a grammy?..  For music or artwork etc etc..I could be wrong but i dont think so....As far as song goes never cared for it much.

[Aegir]

Bruce won Song of the Year in 1977 for "I Write the Songs". He was the only Beach Boy with a Grammy until 2005 when Brian won a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow".

[Christian]

On the Live from the Bottomline boot, I think Carl presents it as a song written about "someone we all know and we all love".

".... somebody quite close to all of you guys (here in NY) .... He´s in Japan (right now), I think" = Billy Joel, touring Japan in April 1981

[Aegir]

Was Carl friends with Billy Joel?

[southbay]

Was Carl friends with Billy Joel?

Couldn't say if they were friends, but Billy has said that when he was the BB opening act, Carl was always very conscientious, making sure he (Billy) was treated right, had everything he needed, etc.  Called Carl a class act.  In the days following Carl's death, Billy was on tour and dedicated "Only the Good Die Young" to Carl.

[Fall Breaks]

On the Live from the Bottomline boot, I think Carl presents it as a song written about "someone we all know and we all love".

".... somebody quite close to all of you guys (here in NY) .... He´s in Japan (right now), I think" = Billy Joel, touring Japan in April 1981

I stand corrected.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Didn't the Beach Boys win a lifetime "honorary" Grammy or something like that?

[Aegir]

I looked it up and you're right, in 2001 they won the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award". But that doesn't really count.

[Jason]

They were nominated for Record of the Year in 1988, and even though it was for Kokomo it should have been a situation like what happened in 2001 when Steely Dan won, long after they were relevant. Sort of giving the Grammy to the artist who more needed it than deserved it. Needless to say, both Kokomo and that Steely Dan LP were nowhere near either band's best work.

[LostArt]

The Beach Boys were nominated for a Grammy in 1966 in the 'Best Contemporary (Rock & Roll) Recording' category for "Good Vibrations", but the song was beat out by "Winchester Cathedral" by The New Vaudeville Band.

[The Heartical Don]

The Beach Boys were nominated for a Grammy in 1966 in the 'Best Contemporary (Rock & Roll) Recording' category for "Good Vibrations", but the song was beat out by "Winchester Cathedral" by The New Vaudeville Band.

This strikes me as, um, weird creepy daring.

[LostArt]

What!?  You don't agree that Winchester Cathedral was a production masterpiece?  That's why it's held in such high regard today, often topping Rolling Stone's best songs of all time list.  Makes a simple little pop ditty like Good Vibrations look amateurish .  Oh Boh Dee Oh Doe, indeed.  

[Sheriff John Stone]

They were nominated for Record of the Year in 1988, and even though it was for Kokomo it should have been a situation like what happened in 2001 when Steely Dan won, long after they were relevant. Sort of giving the Grammy to the artist who more needed it than deserved it. Needless to say, both Kokomo and that Steely Dan LP were nowhere near either band's best work.

Kind of like Brian receiving a Grammy for the "instrumental" "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow".

[Aegir]

The vocals in that song are clearly used as instruments.

[Sheriff John Stone]

The vocals in that song are clearly used as instruments.

So, instead of crediting Brian, Jeff, Darian & Scott for "vocals", they should be credited as......woodwinds!

[Rocker]

Was Carl friends with Billy Joel?

Couldn't say if they were friends, but Billy has said that when he was the BB opening act, Carl was always very conscientious, making sure he (Billy) was treated right, had everything he needed, etc.  Called Carl a class act.  In the days following Carl's death, Billy was on tour and dedicated "Only the Good Die Young" to Carl.

Here's a live version from '98, unfortunately without dedication. No date posted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbPEwKZTT1M

[Wilsonista]

They were nominated for Record of the Year in 1988, and even though it was for Kokomo it should have been a situation like what happened in 2001 when Steely Dan won, long after they were relevant. Sort of giving the Grammy to the artist who more needed it than deserved it. Needless to say, both Kokomo and that Steely Dan LP were nowhere near either band's best work.

Kokomo lost out to Don't Worry Be Happy.  That's almost as bad as Winchester Cathedral bating out Good Vibrations. 

BTW, I think it wasn't until years later that they started giving the "sympathy" Grammys to the old farts. I remember seeing Clapton getting all  those Grammys for Unplugged and thinking "huh?"

[jeremylr]

Earlier in the thread, Billy Joel was mentioned.  Jerry Schilling, one of the Memphis Mafia, served as Billy Joel's tour manager in 1975 & 1976 during periods when he wasn't on the road with Elvis.  As a lot of you know, by 1977 Carl asked him to serve as the BB's tour manager.  This was due to Carl seeing Billy & Jerry together when Billy opened for the BB, so it's likely all three were friends. 

Jerry & Carl were especially close.  Myrna Smith, co-writer of The Grammy, was one of the Sweet Inspirations who backed Elvis from 1969--1977, & she was Jerry's wife.

 This goes off-topic, I know, but two weeks ago Jerry was interviewed on Sirius Elvis Radio, & he talked about his time with the BB for awhile, including Dennis singing "Young & Beautiful" from Jailhouse Rock at Elvis's gravesite,  Dennis's love for the Special Olympics, Brian meeting Elvis in the studio in 1975, & other interesting stories.

[Jay]

To pull this topic even further into off topic territory, I would LOVE to hear a Dennis Wilson version of Young and Beautiful.

[joe_blow]

Billy's dedication to Carl would have been either on February 6 at the Corestates Center in Philadelphia or February 9 at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island New York. I'm searching through some of my libbray to see if I can find either of these.

[jeremylr]

Same here, Jay.  I wonder if Dennis ever sang Young & Beautiful in the studio or in concert.

[Emdeeh]

Billy's dedication to Carl would have been either on February 6 at the Corestates Center in Philadelphia or February 9 at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island New York.

News of Carl's passing didn't become public until Feb. 7, so I suspect it's the 9th show.