The Smiley Smile Message Board

So after reading the super interesting thread about the Paley sessions, I started wondering again about the song "You're Still A Mystery" and how Brian's lead vocal from 1995 got replaced by a newer vocal from (I think) 1999.

Now the question is, why was this done? Was the lead vocal actually done for a solo cut of the same song, kinda like how he kept the Paley track and then redid the bridge of "Soul Searchin'" for GIOMH? Maybe he was gonna do the same with "You're Still A Mystery"? I just can't see it being possible that whatever intention there was for recording in 1999, that it was gonna have Carl, Mike, Al, Bruce and Matt on there.

Anyways, anybody know what was up with this?

I don't think anyone has proffered a firm a answer on this.

What we know is that the team working on MIC, most notably Mark Linett, apparently had *no idea* when compiling MIC in 2012 that Brian had re-cut the vocal in 1999.

We also know that the likelihood of the session having any aim towards a "Beach Boys" product were about as unlikely as can be. They certainly weren't near making *new* music together, as Al and Mike in particular were at major legal/interpersonal odds at the time, and Brian was as estranged from Al as he was from Mike.

There were also no *imminent* BB archival releases where YSAM could have landed in 1999/2000. "Endless Harmony Soundtrack" had come out in 1998. "Hawhorne, CA" came out in 2001 and was planned originally as a freebie bonus disc in 2000. It's not impossible someone could have planned YSAM for "Hawthorne", but as Linett was heavily involved in "Hawthorne" yet knew nothing of Brian's lead vocal overdub session would tend to discount that. 

With the idea being that they wouldn't have the "Imagination" era outtakes and works-in-progress at any quick disposal, was there thought given in 1999, post-Joe Thomas (in the wake of lawsuits being filed regarding Thomas), to resurrecting the "Paley" material for the next solo Brian album? Brian *was* reconnecting more with Paley around this timej. Paley of course joined the touring band in 2001 and around that same time was doing some "new" sessions with Brian; but I'm not sure when that "era" began. October of 1999 maybe is too early; I'm not sure.

In that era, they certainly didn't have an aversion to wiping the BB vocals off of that stuff and making it a Brian solo track; that is indeed what they did with the 2004 version of "Soul Searchin'."

I think "She's Still a Mystery" (Lovin' Spoonful) would have been a good song for the BB's to cover.

I can actually imagine Mike Love circa 1969-71 singing the verses on that. Carl could have sung it really nicely, too. Al Jardine's voice would have sounded good on John Sebastian's Red Eye Express.

I seem to be in the minority, but I very much prefer Brian's original lead. I'm glad to have a high quality version, but to me this vocal just sounds bored, sluggish, and completely un-interested.
I wish that had either kept the original or had Brian record a new one again. Brian has sounded (increasingly, in my opinion) amazing since 2004's Smile and I think he could've really knocked this one out of the ballpark had he recorded it off the heels of That"s Why God Made The Radio.

:bw

After relistening to both versions, I'm actually gonna have to say I prefer the 1999 version, but the 1995 vocal definitely has its charms, with that kinds weird nasal mid '90s sound Brian's voice had. I'm personally both versions are available for us to listen to.

However, I do agree with you that since BWPS (but moreso since TWGMTR) his vocals have gotten better and better.

I prefer Brian's original 1995 lead. The 1999 lead does sound more sluggish, bored, and overly-processed.

Not to mention it kind of semi-kills the novelty of having Brian and the band "reunited" in the studio for the song; Brian's later '99 vocal was of course recorded after Carl died.

Who is singing the "it's happening again ..." section of You're Still a Mystery?  It doesn't sound like any of the Beach Boys to me.

Could it be Andy Paley's voice?

That's Matt Jardine and Brian.

It's indeed strange that Brian re-recorded his vocals. If it wasn't just for fun I guess he had an idea of releasing a Beach Boys abum and use some songs that featured Carl (which at this time were still quite fresh recordings). After all, Brian did hold songs like "Summer's gone" back for a last Beach Boys album - which would become TWGMTR - when he could've released them on a solo album. So something was on his mind even after Carl's death.

Wow - I wouldn't have guessed Matt and Brian for "it's happening again ..." .

Wasn't there a "lead vocal re-do" by Brian for Gettin' In Over My Head (the song), as well as You're Still a Mystery? 

It's Matt and Carl, not Brian. Brian recorded a vocal track for that part but it isn't used in the mix.

Yet another BB song that did not deserve its fate of languishing in a vault for nearly 20 years 'til the MIC box. They still had the goods in '95 to deliver a creditable album if everyone had been on the same page.

They still had the goods in 2012...

I don't know of any indication that Brian cut a new lead on top of the original 1995-ish Paley version of "Gettin' in Over My Head." It's certainly inside the realm of possibilities considering he did it with "Mystery" in 1999.

We do know he re-cut the song from scratch, or at least started to, during the "Imagination" era with Joe Thomas, as that circa 1997-98 Joe Thomas backing track was used as the basis for the version on his 2004 solo "Gettin' In Over My Head" album.

Worth noting is that several of the original 1995-ish Paley versions, including both "Gettin' In Over My Head" and "You're Still a Mystery", are posted on Brian's website. There's over a disc's worth of rare Brian solo stuff spread out on the website that was posted in the last couple years. Would be the nice beginning of a solo rarities boxed set.

I've just been thinking the same thing!  😏

Didn't know that. Thank you for clearing that up!

Thanks for the info.  I now understand that Brian cut a new version of GIOMH (the song) for the album of the same name.  So, there was not a lead vocal re-do over a common backing track, as there was for You're Still a Mystery.   Previously, I was comparing the GIOMH album track to the original (booted/BW web site) version of the song from the Paley sessions.