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http://web.musicaficionado.com/main.html#!/article/Mike_Love_s_12_Most_Underrated_Beach_Boys_Songs_by_chriswillman? (http://web.musicaficionado.com/main.html#!/article/Mike_Love_s_12_Most_Underrated_Beach_Boys_Songs_by_chriswillman?)

Unfortunately, Summer of Love did not make the list.

But really? Pisces Brothers? That's not even a Beach Boys recording!

Pisces Brothers needs more of an official release let a lone not even being a beach boys song. If a song is not released besides for what Youtube (Not even a itunes exclusive bonus track)? how can a song even become popular or even be considered underrated! (Besides for the big bad bootleggers that BRI hates so much) You need to give it a release before you can say or find out if it does become "underrated"!

And The Lord's Prayer was never on 'The Beach Boys' Christmas Album'. It was a single only until 20 years later. and the was finally on some rarer compilations! At least this one was released  bu So again it could have been much more popular with proper releases! It is a great song by the boys!

Otherwise nice list!!

I think The Warmth Of The Sun is pretty well known so I don't know about it being underrated. I vastly prefer Al's single version of Cottonfields to the album version. It's not even a contest.

Underrated?  By whom?  Folks who know Best of the Beach Boys Vol 1 and Endless Summer?  This is an odd list at best.  I agree with a few of Mike's assertions.   Let's see... ... ...

Underrated?
1.  Ballad of Ole Betsy...great tune, great vocals, cute twist...I've loved it for 53 years and counting.
2.  Kiss Me Baby...Not a hit.  It should have been.  One of the group's best songs ever.
3.  All I Wanna Do.  One of however many songs there are on THAT perfect album...which OH-SO SADLY yielded NO true hits.
4.  All This is That.  A highlight from So Tough.

Properly rated...
1.  The Lord's Prayer.  Nicely done.
2.  Warmth of the Sun.  I think universally that Beach Boys fans worldwide agree that this is a fantastic song and one of the groups' most shining moments.  So how, then, is it underrated?  It isn't.
3.  Wild Honey.  The first single release from the album and most welcome after Smiley Smile.  Yet it stalled?  Why?  Maybe that WAILING theremin was just a little too abrasive?  I thought it was.
4.  Darlin'.   A big hit where I lived.  One of their middle of the pack songs.  Rated properly as well.

OVER-rated
1.  Cotton Fields.  The British HIT single version is better.
2.  It's OK.  Too much of a throwback.  One of the 'better' songs on a really weak album...so it gets more credit than it deserves.  There's a reason why it barely edged into the top 30...#29 wasn't it?

Severely OVERRATED
1.  Summer in Paradise.  The title track from 1 turd of an l.p.  Sorry Mike there was only enough lightening in that specific bottle for Kokomo...and maybe Somewhere Near Japan.  This one is just dreck.
2.  Pieces Brother.  What's this?  The ONLY relative still speaking to you?  THIS is why you don't release solo albums.  If this is your best...YOU'RE in trouble.  No wait.  You have BRIAN'S songs Mr. Ingrate.

Pretty good picks by Mike except for Summer In Paradise and Pisces Brothers. A lot more mellow than I would expect. Wild Honey is a pretty rowdy song live but the studio version is more on the odd side. It's a much better live song, especially the early 70's version with Blondie on lead. 

Kinda surprised he didn't mention "Big Sur"...I think that's the best song he ever wrote on his own, it is a legit classic.

I think it's funny how the only "modern" artist Mike seems to know (probably because Bruce also had a time when he mentioned him) is Bruno Mars.   :lol What's that about, man?   :-D

Anyway, Mike of course wrote some very good lyrics. But is he aware of that? Everytime I hear or read an interview and he quotes some of his lyrics, it's mostly those kind of lyrics that you by all means couldn't be very proud of. I mean... It's OK (on the "The warmth of the sun" podcast he even calls them "philosophical"), really? Same goes of course for others that aren't mentioned here. California Girls, Be True To Your School etc. Why not citing the ones with really good Mike-lyrics? Big Sur for example, Pacific Ocean Blue (I know, not a Beach Boys song) or even some of the songs that actually are on that list? But what the heck...  ;D Thanks for the link!

I think the number one choice for me is Oh Darlin' on Keeping The Summer Alive

This is a beautifully written Brian track from start to end....verse and chorus have the classic brian 4-1 5-1 movements and there are 2 bridges! they're both fantastic. 

And on top of that, a wonderful lead vocal from Carl. and mike sings a nice lead on the bridge

To me this is an all-time great beach boys song, and i believe if the exact same track was on an album like Sunflower it would be regarded as so.

Before TWGMTR i might have even called this the last great beach boys song????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXUKhZMt-ns

Oh Darling is kind of a MOR radio type of song, nothing exceptional lyrically and vocally.  A lot of Bruce on the background vocals.

I like "Oh Darling!" very much. The released version unfortunately is ruined by terrible production+ arrangement and mediocre and dull singing. Lyrics also are quite shabby.


The early demo version with Brian singing shows though, that the song had potential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H02cP3UHUXU



EDIT:

I'm surprised btw that Mike doesn't mention that "Darlin'" was featured on the Big Bang Theory. Normally he always brings up this kind of stuff.

I agree with most of this list. 'Ballad of Ol' Betsy' is a great choice. Actually, the entirety of the Little Deuce Coupe album is very underrated - the harmonies on that album are out of this world.

'It's Ok' is criminally underrated. I used to dislike/skip this song because I thought the lyrics were cheese. The first time I played it all the way through I was floored by that outro. Undeniably catchy and I've listened to it regularly for a while now.

'Summer in Paradise' - kinda. The MiC Live version is really catchy and listenable compared to the wretched SiP album version.

I don't at all agree with 'Pisces Brothers', but I get he's trying to promote the book and the story behind that song helps the promotion (also probably why 'Warmth of the Sun' was on that list - has an interesting story behind it, but it's most certainly not underrated).

'Kiss Me Baby' - it really is underrated. Brian's falsetto, those harmonies, and the lyrics. Also, how the beginning intro shows back up throughout the song.

It's nice to see Mike delving into these songs, thanks for posting!

Yes I enjoy the demo too. Any idea what year that was recorded?

Regarding “Oh, Darlin’” the alternate version that circulates isn’t really a “demo” per se; it’s the same backing track and partial backing vocals heard on the released version. It just has Brian singing most of Carl’s lead (with Carl still harmonizing in spots), and Mike’s lead missing on the bridge.

Back to the released song/recording, I think it’s a pretty strong and slightly unique composition, hampered by plodding and clunky production. If they had stripped it back more, and removed the horns or whatever those are, it would be better. I’ve always loved the bridge on the song with the weirdly dissonant backing vocals. Very rare for them to do something that off-kilter in that later era.

Let's see... (disclaimer: all IMHO of course).

Ballad of Ole Betsy: yes, beautiful and underrated.
The Lord's Prayer: good and a bit underrated.
Wamth of the Sun: not underrated. Great song, recognised as such.
Kiss Me Baby: don't dig it very much, probably rated right.
Wild Honey: great song, not underrated as everybody seems to love it!
Darlin': in my opinion, overrated instead. Doesn't do much for me.
Cottonfields: pleasant, great delivery by Al, but not a mastepiece. Rated about right.
All I Wanna Do: too bland. If anything, overrated.
All This Is That: even blander. Probably it's because I don't care much for Vedic philosophy, but may be the most OVERrated song in BB canon. Sorry.
It's Ok: well... it's ok, I guess. Rated right?
Summer in Paradise: yes, underrated. The live version in MiC is a blast.
Pisces Brothers: ugh. Wish he had let that one out. Fat chance, I know.

I actually like the horns...overall i dont mind the production nearly as much as most others. And I think they did a nice job on the vocals as well...especially mike's bridge.

I also feel obliged to post this...one of my favorite bb live recordings of all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLqvRpN_bSE&t=3m35s

we know KTSA album producer Bruce Johnston termed OH, DARLIN' the most "almost-Brian-Wilson-produced" song on the album (per the KTSA original release video), and judging by that early/demo version of the song we certainly have proof

Affirmative. But I'm biased coz I like songs about California.

No landlocked Big Sur?

I thought it was a pretty good list, I believe he's coming from the view of the casual fan, lots of these are under-rated or unknown to the casual fan.  But Pisces Brother or whatever the hell it is called isn't really a BB's tune, should not have been included.