Santa Ana/My Solution songs

[thomasogg]

Hey, i gotta great alternate version of 'Santa Ana Winds' on a bootleg tape, otherwise full of Landlocked/Add Some Music era songs.. It's nothing like the awful, over-produced version they released on 'Keepin' The Summer Alive'. It's very much acustic-led, with a great turn by Carl on the fade. Does anyone know from where this stems? Was it originally recorded around the time of 'Landlocked'? Also, got a song called 'My Solution' on there as well. If anyone not heard this then track it down forthwith! It's great fun, got the Boys pretending to be mad scientists..

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

 

[MBE]

My Solution is from the 1970 era, but the early Santa Ana is from the 1978 LA Light sessions.

[Andrew G. Doe]

"My Solution" was recorded late October 1970 (and again in fall 1980). "SAW" first saw tape summer 1978.

[the captain]

Also, got a song called 'My Solution' on there as well. If anyone not heard this then track it down forthwith! It's great fun, got the Boys pretending to be mad scientists..

As you probably noticed, My Solution also turned into BW's Happy Days, from is Imagination album.

[Fun Is In]

I haven't heard "My Solution" yet but have known the story.

Is it of a quality that it's ever likely to see legitimate release?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Future rarities/bonus track material.

[MBE]

I think it's funny. May work on Halloween.

[thomasogg]

Yeh, but has anyone else actually heard, or does anyone else own, this version of Santa Ana Winds that i'm talking about? I really don't think it's from the late '70s, it's so contrary to the sorta stuff that they were doing around then (in that it's tasteful, restrained and, well, good). Also, it seems to almost be part of what was maybe a 'California Saga' dry-run, in that it forms a quite obvious trilogy, at least on the recording that i have, alongside the original, melodic 'Big Sur' and another song that i don't even know the name of (though i can tell you it features the fantastic lyric: Oh it's been so long since i have had a woman's breast to lay my head on'). Anyway, it's on a tape of tracks all of which are from the Sunflower/Surf's Up period and i'm pretty sure i dates from then too. Having said that, i can find no evidence in any of my BB books to support this.. But as i asked, has anyone else actually heard this version, it really is fantastically good!! When Carl sings 'I'm crying deep inside' over the fade, it's one of those moments on the B Boys can do u know. So much better, and so different, than the released version...!!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I really don't think it's from the late '70s,

But it is...

[thomasogg]

What's your source for this? You seem very certain. Have u heard the version i'm refering too? Simply owing to there having aged, the BB's sounded different in the late '70s, on this take however they, or at least certainly Al, who sings lead, still sound decidedly young?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Yeh, but has anyone else actually heard, or does anyone else own, this version of Santa Ana Winds that i'm talking about? I really don't think it's from the late '70s, it's so contrary to the sorta stuff that they were doing around then (in that it's tasteful, restrained and, well, good). Also, it seems to almost be part of what was maybe a 'California Saga' dry-run, in that it forms a quite obvious trilogy, at least on the recording that i have, alongside the original, melodic 'Big Sur' and another song that i don't even know the name of (though i can tell you it features the fantastic lyric: Oh it's been so long since i have had a woman's breast to lay my head on'). Anyway, it's on a tape of tracks all of which are from the Sunflower/Surf's Up period and i'm pretty sure i dates from then too. Having said that, i can find no evidence in any of my BB books to support this.. But as i asked, has anyone else actually heard this version, it really is fantastically good!! When Carl sings 'I'm crying deep inside' over the fade, it's one of those moments on the B Boys can do u know. So much better, and so different, than the released version...!!

Yes, I've had a tape of it since 1983 - the basic track was recorded in August 1978 at Criteria in Florida during the LA sessions. This is documented fact.  Recorded at roughly the same time as "Looking Down The Coast/Monterey", which lyric you quoted. Bootleggers very often have no clue as to when something was recorded.

"When Carl sings 'I'm crying deep inside' over the fade..."

Actually, he's singing "Baby you light this fire deep inside" alternately with "Burning bright with desire deep inside" - just like he does on the KTSA version - because  the latter uses the original basic track.

[Andrew G. Doe]

What's your source for this? You seem very certain. Have u heard the version i'm refering too? Simply owing to there having aged, the BB's sounded different in the late '70s, on this take however they, or at least certainly Al, who sings lead, still sound decidedly young?

What is the point of asking a question when you obviously don't want to hear the correct answer ?

My sources are Brad Elliott's discography... speaking to people who were there at the time... and the tape box notation as relayed by someone who's seen it and who I trust implicitly.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Anyway, it's on a tape of tracks all of which are from the Sunflower/Surf's Up period and i'm pretty sure i dates from then too. Having said that, i can find no evidence in any of my BB books to support this..

Ummm... and does this tell you anything ? Hmmmmmm ?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

What's your source for this? You seem very certain. Have u heard the version i'm refering too?

Well let's see...besides Andrew... (who knows pretty much everything there is to know), the person who sent me the copy (who will remain nameless but is certainly someone who would know), Bruce Johnston in an online chat from 1999....you're right.I have no sources.

[HeyJude]

Yeh, but has anyone else actually heard, or does anyone else own, this version of Santa Ana Winds that i'm talking about? I really don't think it's from the late '70s, it's so contrary to the sorta stuff that they were doing around then (in that it's tasteful, restrained and, well, good). Also, it seems to almost be part of what was maybe a 'California Saga' dry-run, in that it forms a quite obvious trilogy, at least on the recording that i have, alongside the original, melodic 'Big Sur' and another song that i don't even know the name of (though i can tell you it features the fantastic lyric: Oh it's been so long since i have had a woman's breast to lay my head on'). Anyway, it's on a tape of tracks all of which are from the Sunflower/Surf's Up period and i'm pretty sure i dates from then too. Having said that, i can find no evidence in any of my BB books to support this.. But as i asked, has anyone else actually heard this version, it really is fantastically good!! When Carl sings 'I'm crying deep inside' over the fade, it's one of those moments on the B Boys can do u know. So much better, and so different, than the released version...!!

AGD already touched on this, but the earlier, alternate version of "Santa Ana Winds" was indeed recorded in 1978 during the "LA (Light Album)" sessions. Further, the eventual version released on "KTSA" used the same basic track. So for instance, that Carl bit at the end can be heard on both versions.

Some of the things common to both versions are pretty much all of the backing vocals, the harmonica bit in the middle, and some other elements of the basic track. The main differences are of course re-written lyrics and thus a re-recorded lead vocal, and the stripping away of the drums.

You called the original version "acoustic-led", but I'd say that the eventual released version on KTSA has more of an emphasis on the acoustic guitars because the drums have been stripped away. The only thing that's really big about the production is the string arrangement, and I think it works pretty well for the track. I think the early version is quite interesting, but I think the version on KTSA sounds much better, with better lyrics as well. The only thing I don't like about the KTSA version is the little spoken intro.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Agree about the released version being superior... but ya gotta love any song that namechecks the grunnion fish !

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I like both versions. I wish both had been released, a la Help Me Ronda/Rhonda.

[thomasogg]

Really, that's what he's singing over the fade..? That rather spoils it,  i'd always thought it was a really emotional line. Anyway, thanks for the three replies in succession, each one getting increasingly sarcastic and smart-arsey. I'd just thought it was odd that it'd popped up on a tape containing material exclusively from another period that's all.. How annoying that they'd had such a great track, performed in the tradition BB style (or at least the late '60s style anyway), and then they slapped a loada bad 80s production techniques and a cheesy Al intro onto the thing.. Unreleased version far better if u ask me. Am glad to hear the title for that other song though. Until now i'd not known what it was called.. It's not all that great, lyrics are much better than the actual song itself (usually with the BB it's the opposite way round). So, any idea who's playing the lead in 'My Solution'? I'd always thought it sounded like Dennis, though I think it might actually be Billy H.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

If you're asking who the lead singer on My Solution is, it's Brian. Dennis couldn't sing that high if they would've hit him in the nuts with a railroad spike.

[HeyJude]

Brian re-cut a backing track for "My Solution" around 1980 that sounds a lot more straight-forward. No vocals on the version floating around, and I would guess vocals were never recorded for it.

[thomasogg]

Is it Brian doing the 'mad scientist' narration as well?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Yes.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Anyway, thanks for the three replies in succession, each one getting increasingly sarcastic and smart-arsey. I'd just thought it was odd that it'd popped up on a tape containing material exclusively from another period that's all..

No, that's me being increasingly irritated by someone who won't accept what everyone is telling him are the facts. When I get smart-arsey, you'll know. I know which tape you've got, it's got 'Landlocked' in the title, or  did have originally. Several of the tracks on it come from a time period other than the late 60s/early 70s. Not odd at all - happens all the time in the bootleg community.

Three serious questions:

How old are you ?

How long have you been a BB/BW fan ?

Which books have you been checking ?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Here's a quick tip...if the person has "honored guest" by their user name, it's because they are someone in a position of knowledge.

Thomas, if you need more knowledge about the world of the BB, I seriously recommend reading AGD's book or checking his website. Also, read the pinned topics on this forum. We were all newbies at one point...I'll never forget the time, 11 years ago, when I asked if it was Bruce who sang "Do You Wanna Dance"! I got reamed something good!

The point is, please try not to take it personally if someone corrects you. Speaking strictly for myself...I personally get pissed if someone questions something I've said when I have facts to back it up. If more than one person here is telling you something is fact, 9 out of 10 times it is, depending on who's doing the talking. Trust me when I say Andrew knows his sh*t. Except concerning who sang something and the choices are Al or Brian!

I kid, I kid...