The Smiley Smile Message Board

I think I have the other decades covered, but I feel like I must be missing some great material from the 90s. It's a very confusing era.

What's the deal with Sweet Insanity? Can I buy it? Or outtakes from it? Any tracks you recommend? I really like Love You and a few tracks from BW88 so I'm sure I'm missing something in those sessions...

And what about the "left over" sessions from that album? Like this one- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iSvmqhF-Hw

I've heard IJWMFTT and like it, though I prefer big production from Brian. Like Love and Mercy and There's So Many.

Is there anything good from Imagination?

If it's helpful here's my list of favorite BW/BB tracks. Let me know if you think I'm missing anything!! :)

Be True To Your School
The Warmth Of The Sun
I Get Around
Little Deuce Coupe
Keep An Eye On Summer
Don't Worry Baby
Help Me, Rhonda
Dance, Dance, Dance
Good to My Baby
Please Let Me Wonder
She Knows Me Too Well
In The Back Of My Mind
The Little Girl I Once Knew
California Girls
[All of Pet Sounds]
[All of Smile/Sessions]
The Whole World
Our Sweet Love
All I Wanna Do
Time to Get Alone
A Day in the Life of a Tree
Til I Die
Roller Skating Child
Honkin Down The Highway
Ding Dang
The Night Was So Young
I'll Be He's Nice
Let's Put Our Hearts Together
I Wanna Pick You Up
Airplane
My Diane
Love And Mercy
Melt Away
There's So Many
Midnight's Another Day
Summertime
From There To Back Again
That's Why God Made The Radio
Summer's Gone
This Beautiful Day
Somewhere Quiet
Our Special Love
Sail Away
One Kind of Love
The Last Song

Sweet Insanity is usually found easily enough online (if you know where to look) but much of it isn't worth the effort. Imagination is good but it's heavy on the adult contemporary side of things, and that's not usually what people associate with Brian. You could also try and track down what's known as "the Paley sessions;" some of it is great, some is meh.

Orange Crate Art is a bore, though. Avoid it.

If you like Brian's "big productions", here's some stuff you might dig:

"Don't Let Her Know She's an Angel"
"The Spirit of Rock & Roll"
"Country Feelin'"
 from Sweet Insanity (the rest of the songs are in the BW88 style, but can get a little too over the top for me)

"Chain Reaction of Love"
"This Song Wants to Sleep With You Tonight"
"Dancin' the Nights Away" (a Beach Boys outtake!)
"This Could Be The Night"
 from the Paley sessions

and with Imagination... it really depends on how much you can stand the production. I can't.

Welcome back "the real beach boy"! ;D

 :lol Ignore that comment, it's great!  Buy it now.

And great to see The Real Beach Boy back.

Horses for courses. :)

Thanks for the welcome, guys.

Some stuff to get you started:

Concert Tonight - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mGgZlcon8g
Rainbow Eyes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0rYrFkiMjk
Sweets for My Sweet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv7VokqxTSo
This Could Be The Night - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZaVHqDDyKI
This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iSvmqhF-Hw  (this version is slightly faster, for some reason)
Gettin' In Over My Head - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhDc0mXlbLs
You're Still A Mystery - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH7J0m53CVw
Chain Reaction Of Love - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_DjKX9zvXI
California - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zqxm3PgrZA (not a Brian song, but he sings all the backing vocals)
Orange Crate Art - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qbQcmK72bo
In My Moondreams - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95Ab0jxbMrw
Monday Without You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ0K-XsNiIo (with Carnie and Wendy)
Everything I Need - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPXleBlUjSM (cover version by Jeff Foskett, with Brian singing a few lines)
Your Imagination - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJPCp1W7se8
South American - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqJ5f-v7OQM
Rodney On The ROQ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzBNmMmNpYo (I don't think this is from the 90s, but still a great track)

You have a nice selection of favorites, but opinions of Brian's 90s music (as well as his other solo work, even this month's) vary (as you can already see). You really have to listen for yourself.  :)

But what's your rush? Part of the fun of being a new Brian Wilson or Beach Boys fan is exploring their catalog. It's not as if there are thousands of songs to wade through. You can't easily purchase unreleased material, but what YouTube doesn't have can usually be found by spending a few minutes with Google.

Orange Crate Art is terrific.  DO include it Larry. :hat

South American, vocals only Imagination, Bells of Madness.  Wonderful tracks that hook me in like all his great stuff.  Original Soul Searchin' too.

I would definitely include it, as well as the Wilson/Paley Sessions (and more). For example:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5ToKRUARz4

But let's not forget the journey! Wouldn't it be great to be able to begin again with Surfin' Safari?  :)

yah, Brian's got some real gems from the '90s. Here's some of my favs:

from Sweet Insanity: Rainbow Eyes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0rYrFkiMjk Let's Stick Together https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ODIRDJZbWQ Love Ya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT2QNg98QYs

from the Paley Sessions: My Maryanne https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7aq20b_-o Dancin' the Night Away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgJLQeWdHTs

from Imagination: Happy Days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zjRRNo9IDM

Search these down:

This Could Be The Night
Belles Of Madness
Country Feelin’
Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight (alt. fast version)
Black Widow/Let’s Do It Again
He Couldn't Get His Poor Old Body To Move
Spirit Of Rock & Roll
Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel
One For The Boys (acapella version)
Daddy's Little Girl
Goodnight Irene
Let’s Go To Heaven In My Car
Doin’ Time On Planet Earth/Being With The One You Love
I Sleep Alone
Walking Down The Path Of Life
Everything I Need (early version)
Walkin’ The Line (w/ Terrence Trent D’Arby)
Love & Mercy (with the extra verse)
I’m Into Something Good  (w/Carole King)
In The Back Of My Mind ‘75
The entire Paley Sessions (release the mofo!)
A few Usher Sessions
Sweet Insanity (Some of it)

There's an instrumental version ?

Yes; a must have.

Good.  Somebody's reading my posts.

Both the Sweet Insanity and Paley sessions are long overdue an official release.

Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel is good, but the production and arrangement on Sweet Insanity are awful, as they are on the released version on GIOMH.

The original Everything I Need from the Paley sessions is probably my favourite 1990s Brian song.

Anyone have the original Soul Searchin? Can´t seem to find anywhere... imo the MiC mix is a little heavy on BGV´s jumping out all over the place

-

I think the lyrics for this kinda suck, but I love the melody and the music!  Didn't Brian write this for a woman to sing?  I don't think it was ever released.  Here is Brian performing it on VH1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an5WiAzee-w

Is it this version that you`re referring to?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QnS_d0Tk_o

Not from the Paley sessions. Co-written with Tony Asher in '96 and produced by Brian alone in a reunion with members of the Wrecking Crew.

Fascinating era. Get the official releases -- OCA and Imagination both have good stuff on them, even though the production is here and there.

OCA may seem to mostly be Parks, but Brian arranged all of his vocals on the album without credit, so he's a major part of that record.

Imagination, a couple of suspect AC numbers aside, has some great BW-led tracks. It's about a third Thomas, a third Wilson, and a third both.

Stars and Stripes is mostly bad, but "Caroline, No" is awesome.

The unreleased stuff is uneven. Sweet Insanity and Paley sessions are both forced at times, although in different ways. Each have fine moments, and Brian really digs into some of the tunes.

Finally, don't forget The Wilsons from 1997. Carnie and Wendy are on the cover, but Brian appears on four songs. He sings backing on the Carole King-written lead single, "Monday Without You," co-writes two new songs, and revamps "Til I Die." He sings on all of them and co-produces two. Let's put it this way -- he's on the album as much as he was some BB material, or Spring!

Everything above plus:

Gettin' In Over My Head (In the correct speed): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhDc0mXlbLs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhDc0mXlbLs)
Must Be a Miracle (In the correct speed): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF7GfqhLgF8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF7GfqhLgF8)
Market Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j49jOsjVrcA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j49jOsjVrcA)
Christmas Time (I think this counts): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUrt5SdqHgo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUrt5SdqHgo)
Where Has Love Been: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhczI0qpyW0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhczI0qpyW0)


Will add more of the Paley Sessions in the correct speed with readjusted EQ on my YouTube Channel (MarioSonicCouncil).  I will keep posting here.  There's some good stuff from Wilson and Paley

Christmas Time dates from the mid-80s Usher sessions, I believe ...

My fault.  I still think it's has a very good melody.

Does anyone have the Love and Mercy extra verse version?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4QeAo6kIkg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4QeAo6kIkg)

This is the only video where the extra verse exists I believe.  Otherwise, I think it was cut.

Of course!

"I was praying to a god who just doesn't seem to hear
Oh, the blessings we need the most are what we all fear
Love and mercy is what we need tonight"

One of the most popular versions of this was when Brian sang it at the Malibu Clinic for the kids in 1988. By all accounts, it brought the house down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZylusEw-68 At 24:50, Brian sings Love & Mercy. This version features the extra verse.

Hi all,

Imagination
Oragne Crate Art

Oh yeah!  Forgot about that.  I like In My Car also.

Thanks for the links y'all.

Definitely check out "Cry" off of Imagination and anything from the Paley Sessions boot.

Where is this???  Never heard of it.

It's a demo for the BW 88 album. I prefer it over the released version.

Come Back Brian - Vigotone VT-125
Brian Wilson Sessions - CEDREM Sound Lab *

* Here you'll also find demos for:

One For The Boys (alternate vocal arrangement)
There's So Many (Up In The Sky)
Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight (alternate lyrics)
Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long (alternate lyrics)
Walkin' The Line
First version of Sweet Insanity

Totally with ya there. From my first exposure to "Don't Let Her Know..." I thought it was just a crappy, overly sentimental piece of dreck. But then I heard a demo (albeit a bit sped-up by our own Bily Castillo if I'm correct) and it hit me what a beautiful little tune Brian had there. I'm unsure if a good studio recording could be done, but I wouldn't mind it if Brian ever gave it another shot.

Has anyone mentioned "This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight" ?

Also, the thread is for nineties gems, which kinda limits the released material to:

"Country Feelin's" [1991]
"Fantasy Is Reality/Bells Of Madness" [1994]
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times [1995]
"Sweets For My Sweet" [1995]
"This Could Be The Night" [1995]
"This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight" [1995 - UK]
Orange Crate Art [1995]
"Joy To The World" [1997]
"This Isn't Love" [1997]
Imagination [1998]

Iffn you include guest spots, then add:

"In A Heartbeat" [1992 - Ringo]
"In My Moondreams" [1995- Andy Paley]
"California" [1996 - Belinda Carlisle]
"Monday Without You" [1997 - The Wilsons]
"Miracle" [ditto]
"'Til I Die" [ditto]
"Everything I Need" [ditto]
"Without Understanding" [1998 - Ringo]
"In My Room" [1998 - Tammy Wynette]

(yes, left a few out - don't consider them "gems"  :) )

Thanks for the correction. In any case, one of my favourite post-70s Brian songs. The version released on the Wilsons album sounds totally bland though (to my ears anyway).

I can understand people thinking Joe Thomas`s version is bland but, personally, I would say this is one of those songs where his `professional` production style worked. Brian`s production sounds very much like a demo to me.

Plus, I think in this period Brian was almost learning how to sing again. He sounds very childlike on this and several other songs from the period.

I agree with the earlier posters that The Wilsons CD is worth a listen though. 3 interesting songs featuring Brian and the rather pointless, to me, Til I Die cover which I believe was entirely Joe Thomas`s idea. Plus some cool songs featuring only Carnie and Wendy.

It sounds very sparse but in a good sense (as far as I'm concerned); kind of Friends-like. Brian's singing may not be top notch but at least he's not slurring (IIRC).

Brian Wilson and Brian Setzer "LDC"..IMO it's not great but it's a hidden gem that is hard to find, also it sounds like they are having fun with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mpcKEag3bg

I was very aware of the release dates, but decided to throw some 80's stuff in there anyway 'cause I like 'em. Gotta help the OP out, who might not be aware of those other goodies. I also left out "Desert Drive", "In My Moondreams", and "You're Still A Mystery", and 3 or 4 off of the "Imagination" album, which are essential listening."This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight" is OK........

Agreed, very memorable hook that to the best of my knowledge has never been reused by BW. There's some good stuff on those Usher sessions buried beneath the period production and sometimes inane lyrics.

Thanks, especially for the upgraded "Must Be a Miracle"!

Nobody has specifically referred to this other one, so I will: "Lay Down Burden". The best song on Imagination.

Thank you! This is a very cool list! I really appreciate it!

Thanks to everyone who responded there is so much in this thread to dig through :) :D

Not quite 1990 but this has some of his bvs from his solo years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls31FT-gvLo

Obviously sped up.  Irritatingly so.  And how about that falseto?  Ouch!!! :o

Not sped up. Brian arranged all his bvs on the fly (and blew Linda's mind doing it). One of his better guest spots.

"Brian came into the studio and sang 15 parts for 'Adios'! I was just flabbergasted. Brian's really a vocal orchestrator. There isn't anybody else in pop music with that kind of talent. He just comes in and puts the parts down, one right after another - real close, intricate harmony parts. I was astounded."

OCA is a very nice album overall.    I like Summer in Monterey and Palm Tree and Moon.    But I have to say that Brian sounds like Mickey Mouse with a sore throat on the title cut.     I would love for Brian and VDP get a re do on that.   It is a really fine song with great sentiment and imagery otherwise.   Easy on the falsetto there Brian.  :)