I think these types of parodies are far funnier when they are not as obvious. As a fan, I love this stuff and find clips like Eddie Van Halen Shreds to be hysterical. The Bad Lip Reading series is great too. This Beach Boys clip is just a little too much for me, though.

"Al said on Twitter that he said Lady London by mistake".  Which was the most plausible explanation all along.  Plus he's old.

We sure be hurtin' for good new topics on this board, huh?

If there was an alternate version of this terrific song by Al, I would love to hear it. That was the only intent of this thread - to discover new and/or unreleased music by my favorite band, or members of said band.

Fall Breaks and Back To Winter over Mrs. O'Leary's Cow was a huge revelation for me. It was a piece of the puzzle that was right in front of us and it fit perfectly. Also made sense as many of the SMiLE songs were salvaged for other albums. I thought it was brilliant.

Man that song changes names alot! Now we are on the fourth title for the song! Lady London!!!!

Haha, I had heard that it was performed as Little Lady or something but never heard that version. He should just change the spelling from "Lynda" to "Linda" and say he is singing it about some random girl along the lines of Rhonda, Wendy or Barbara Ann.

Thank you Debbie KL; I did not notice this part of the response at first:

I saw, on his or Mary Ann's FB page (I forget which) that he said it by accident and he must have been thinking about the future UK dates.  I suggested that a really good iteration of that might be a good idea on this tour.

In this interview with Al Jardine, the interview asks Al who he thinks is the best songwriter between him and Brian.

A: He wins, hands down. I have written some songs that are very close to his heart that he really appreciates. A couple of them that have pulled him out of a few scrapes.

He likes the one I did based on Bach. The bridge is one of his favorite musical moments. Of course he has only written some of the best bridges in the world. For me that’s quite a compliment. There are just certain things that he sees differently than most of us.

For me that was very special, that bridge. It’s called “Lady London.” That’s the name of the song.

Of course, he is referring to the song originally recorded as "Lady Lynda" then "Lady Liberty" (which was unlistenable for me as it lost all of its beauty and became tacky). Is there a third iteration of this song? I have not been able to find Lady London mentioned anywhere else. Does Al change the name of the song if they are touring London? Lady Lynda is far and away one of my favorite Al penned songs so I am curious.

If Brian's "handlers" are interested in Brian's well being AND they are keeping Brian away from Mike, doesn't that say something about the Brian/Mike relationship being bad for Brian? This never gets addressed.

There may very well be some truth to Mike being Brian's favorite collaborator. But I have many leather jackets and I choose one that is the right one for me at any given point. I rarely wear my favorite one. It is broken in and comfortable but does not fit with today's styles and does not make the statement I want it to make. Favorite does not equal best.

In the many iterations of the Pet Sounds music, is it possible that Mike did sing on (almost) all of the songs in some manner, but just not all of the released ones? Kind of the way Carol played bass on certain versions of certain songs, but not always the versions that the public is familiar with? I have a hard time believing Mike was featured on Caroline No though, unless that is him barking at the train. 

Tony Asher. Van Dyke Parks wrote colorful lyrics, but Tony Asher wrote lyrics that I could identify with.

Hahaha. Dennis (about Charles Manson) "He's dumb in some ways..." I love it.

Jeez, you guys all act like Mike just stood around and occasionally hit a tambourine out of rhythm while the other guys sang and played instruments. I don't think that is fair to him because in reality, it was not like that at all. Mike also made some hand gestures from time to time.

For the good of the Beach Boys  band, if you could either bring Carl back or bring Dennis back, who would you choose and why? Assume that each is in the same condition as just before they passed. Carl no longer has cancer and has an amazing voice and solid leadership skills. Dennis is no longer self-destructive and is writing and arranging some terrific material.

In "I Can Hear Music" there is a nearly inaudible shout(?) buried under the part where Carl sings "the sounds of the city baby, seem to disappear." It happens at the same time later. I always wondered if this was left on there intentionally.

Bruce's voice seemed to be so unmistakably there to me right from the start, which is why I posted that. I do not feel that TWGMTR sounded like a wall of Brians and Jeff's. I have always thought that no matter how good any band can replicate the vocal harmonies of the Beach Boys, it will never sound as good as having Brian, Dennis, Carl, Al, Mike and Bruce singing them. Same exact notes, but a different sound somehow. Jeff does a stellar job filling in as far as I am concerned. Having Mike, Al and Bruce in the mix just sounds right, and I am one from the camp that loves the entire "That's Why God Made the Radio" album. Even the "Mike songs" and "The Private Life of Bill and Sue".

Mike should do everything in his power to get Charles Manson out of jail, in the studio and up on stage. That way he can have someone who writes better songs than he can, and he can have someone on stage that is hated more than he is. Win-win.



Just kidding, I actually think Mike is pretty cool and gets a worse rap than he deserves most of the time. And Manson is despicable.

Is Bruce not on "Think About The Days"?

Life Is For The Living in a commercial for a gym or protein shake or something like that!!

Haha, I can see this, easily.

Slip On Through a cappella. Mike's part (?) is really cool and barely audible on Sunflower. Kind of a droning harmony but it sounds so cool.

I wish people would not apply today's standards of music and knowledge of the Beach Boys that was unavailable back then to judge Concert. The song selections were goofy but fun and the energy was fantastic. I love the album for what it is and the boys sounded like they were having a blast.

 When I first bought this album, I though that because of the title, there would be some surfing songs and I was quite eager to hear them. Imagine my disappointment as a youngster. But as an adult? I love this album. I am surprised about the comments about certain songs on Surf's Up. Everyone seems to want another Pet Sounds, SMiLE or Love You - or at least a thematic album.

The way I look at it, Brian has always had a quirky sense of humor and I take that into account listening to the Beach Boys albums. It is such a contrast to his much more common serious and somber lyrics. I love the fact that the Beach Boys were not afraid to take chances and will drop a goofy song into an album. Although the track order can help an album, it never really bothered me on this album. Besides, what is everyone complaining about? Nowadays, in this digital age, you can make whatever album you'd like using whatever songs or version of songs you want.

I think the Surf's Up album sounds amazing on vinyl, just the way it is. Mike likes doing rockers, so we get Student Demonstration Time. Sure it is dated, but at the time it was quite topical as the Kent State massacre was in 1970. The siren sound can get annoying but the song was meant to be grating in it's delivery.

Don't Go Near The Water - Love it. Toothpaste and soap can make our oceans a bubble bath, so let's avoid an ecological aftermath. People hate this?

Long Promised Road - A great Carl song and quite optimistic. I think he liked changing the mood from dark and brooding to hopeful. He also did it in The Trader, for example.

Take A Load Off Your Feet - intentionally funny. "But when you go to sit down in your chair, something else has got to put you there." Then of course, the outro where it sounds like they are holding their noses while singing about feet. Hilarious!

Disney Girls - One of the Bruce songs that I really like. "Now I'll fill your hands with kisses and a tootsie roll..." I love Hershey Kisses and Tootsie Rolls so what's there not to like here? Plus, my name is Rick and hearing it in a Beach Boys song when I was a kid was quite cool. Still is, actually. LOL.

Student Demonstration Time - Loud. Obnoxious. Dated. A perfect Mike Love vehicle! I like the music, Mike's bullhorn delivery and the harmonies. At the time it was topical though and a serious message.

Feel Flows - A little to long and flutey for me, but that 8-note keyboard progression that is repeated twice (right before the "encasing, all-embracing wreath of repose" always gives me goosebumps for some reason. Love that part! Again, Carl's voice is perfect and the harmonies are beautiful.

Lookin' At Tomorrow - This is the only song I do not care for on this album, but I do appreciate the chance to hear it.

A Day In The Life Of A Tree - Not one that I would play as an introduction for someone who has never heard the Beach Boys before. First few listens, I found it cringe-worthy, even as a kid. Later, when you consider the metaphor, it becomes a whole new song, and it adds a level of melancholy on top of the existing sad theme. Kind of like I'm Bugged At My Old Man did for me. Using humor to hide behind some very real pain.

Til' I Die - A brilliant Brian song. He was always ahead of himself. He was singing about the future in the early songs  like When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) and by the time he caught up with that, he was already looking much further towards the end of his life or in this case how insignificant a single life can feel.

Surf's Up - Columnated ruins domino. I have no idea what it means, but dammit it sounds great. I like the way the song was completed. The average listener would not even notice Carl and Brian sang lead - I used to assume it was the same singer all the way through - it is just we superfans that can tell the difference. The sparseness of parts of the arrangement set a perfect mood for the lyrics.

The one original composition on it was the closer, "Add Some Love To Your Day."

So, it seems the "Love" puns run in the family. She does look just like Mike too. A full album of harp music is too much for me.

No, of course not. They have so many styles of music that they never get stale. Quite the opposite, actually. Their material is comfortingly nostalgic and familiar. Their harmonies are soothing and therapeutic. I think most of us here start chomping at the bit to hear MORE Beach Boys material.

Thanks to alternate mixes, instrument only, vocal only and some amazing material where Stephen Desper offers a fresh listening experience for us on his site, I never get sick of the Beach Boys.

Whether the bicycle bell "fits" or not is not important. Brian's musicians are recreating the song virtually note-for-note and that includes all the sounds. I would feel like something is missing if it wasn't there. I think that Brian was such a perfectionist, if the bell bothered him that much he would re-record the whole session and get it the way he wanted it. 

Mistake or not, it adds to the song in a way I cannot explain.

I'm Bugged At My Old Man was funny until I found out more about Brian's upbringing. Then it was really sad. I do like the live version with the 3 Wilson brothers though.

1. Always loved Barbara Ann. When I heard it on the radio, I turned it up. When I got the Party! album I gained a new appreciation for it just by hearing it in context. The false start and the extended ending sounded like the boys were having so much fun. Of course, back then, I did not know it was ‘staged’. Once I found that Dean Torrence doubled Brian’s part, I can clearly make out his falsetto in the mix. The harmonies for this song are surprisingly full. I still like the song because people immediately start singing along. You do not need to know many words to do this.

2. People say that Blondie and Ricky added so much energy to the group, but the In Concert album sounds slow and plodding sometimes compared to the Beach Boys Concert and Live In London. I do not care for CATP much except for a few songs like You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone, Marcella, All This Is That and Cuddle Up – my wife’s favorite Beach Boys song.

3. Never liked Rock n Roll Music, but love It’s OK. Susie Cincinnati too. Susie Cincinnati has goofy lyrics but the love the chord progression coming out of the solo just prior to the “She’ll always pick you up” part. The guitar solo starts out sounding all over the place, then comes together as the notes descend, but end perfectly one step higher than the previous verse. Love how that was done. And the background gets stronger each verse which adds an intensity to the song. Love Al’s voice here too.

4. I love how Carl can take lead vocals on such goofy songs as Shortenin’ Bread and put so much passion and energy into them. Almost like he is not a grown-up singing a kids song.
 
5. People complain that the SMiLE album does not have many songs that are humorous, but I find myself smiling for so many reasons when I listen to the original recordings. Something does not have to be funny to make me smile. The harmonies do it.

6. I don’t like when Jeff Foskett (or anyone else) sings lead vocals on songs like Don’t Worry Baby or Why Do Fools Fall In Love. Jeff has a great voice and I like the way he blends with Brian so it sounds as if Brian hit some high notes but I would like to see the Beach Boys sing their own songs.

7. People complain that some Beach Boys albums are inconsistent, but nobody ever said an album had to be consistent.

8. I love “Chasin’ The Sky”

9. The piano bit in SMiLE is the most disturbing, haunting piece of music I have heard. I love it and it would be right at home in a horror film rather than an album called SMiLE.

10. People who hate the early 60’s Beach Boys surfing and car songs usually do not understand or realize the aspects of the songs that are brilliant, like unexpected chord changes or key changes. Often when you hear a chord progression get to a certain point, you anticipate a resolution with the next chord and Brian almost always has an interesting twist that makes the song unique and fresh.

11. The word “over-rated” is over-rated on this board.

12. Rio Grande sounds amazing with headphones and the chant section gives me goosebumps

13. I think that the vocal blends from the early albums until the 70’s were far superior to anything after. What they did in the SMiLE vocals montage is nothing short of breathtaking. Once the vocals were recorded separately or enhanced with ProTools and AutoTune they went from warm and beautiful to colder and more sterile. They still sound good and their voices are amazing together, but it is not the same.

14. Bruce adds slightly more than zero to the shows. He was a gifted songwriter, keyboard player and singer, who sits around and claps his hands a lot now.

15. Mike’s Rockin’ The Man In The Boat is both voyeuristically creepy and hysterical at the same time. Humming and strumming indeed. Imagine if they added to the current setlist.

16. I like Help Me Rhonda more than Help Me Ronda but would have preferred the short instrumental introduction on the single version. When I first heard the single version, I thought the guitar solo sounded out of place, but have grown used to it. Never cared for the fade-outs and fade-ins of the album version. Glad they did not use the “wah, wah, wah, wah, wah” version. Brian’s falsetto is amazing but he was right to leave it off.

All I Want To Do - Dennis' ending cracks me up
I'd Love Just Once To See You - Brian's ending cracks me up
Solar System - If Mars had life on it, I might find my wife on it. Classic.

Inappropriately funny:
Hey Little Tomboy
Roller Skating Child
Lazy Lizzie

Honorable mentions:
She's Going Bald is funny but for the wrong reasons. Mostly silly.
Ballad of Ole' Betsy - "surprise twist" at the ending
Everybody Want's To Live - those first lines "A cigarette butt when you throw it in the water goes phssssst. But the trick, but the trick is you shouldn't laugh." WTF?

This also recently appeared on mikelove.com , but doesn't appear to be available for purchase, yet:

Actually, the hat looks like a poor Photoshop job. If that is the quality of the merchandise, then they can keep it. Geez, at least make the text straight on the hat.