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Title: What songs should have been singles? Post by: doinnothin on October 21, 2011, 03:57:34 PM Glancing through AGD's discography (thanks!) my draw dropped when I saw that "Time to Get Alone" was never released as a single. It seems like a pretty obvious pick considering how much time was spent on it, the fact that it was snatched from Redwood (presumably because The Beach Boys thought it could be a hit), and that it's one of their best songs ever.
Looking through the rest of the discography, I came across a few other neglected tunes. "Vegetables" (Smiley Smile) was something Brian thought had real single potential a few months earlier, than it comes out on Smiley Smile and gets left as an album track while "Gettin' Hungry" (no offense) gets single status. What songs strike you all as odd exclusions from their singles catalog? Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again on October 21, 2011, 05:11:29 PM I also don't understand their weird insistence for pretty much only putting a random album track on most of their B-Sides!
For a band with heaps of unreleased stuff, you'd think they'd want to make their singles an attractive purchase for their fans who already owned the albums that the songs on the 45s were pulled from. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Jason on October 21, 2011, 05:14:07 PM More value for the dollar? In America? Really?
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again on October 21, 2011, 06:07:17 PM Well, it's a concept!
You'd think with the Lovester's $$ savvy, they'd think "Hmmmmm, we've sold 100 copies of Sunflower, so how bout we put out a 45 of Slip On Through with this cool song "I Just Got My Pay" we have sitting around in the garage on the backside and then perhaps those same 100 people will buy the disc for the B-Side and, dang, we might be on our way to selling 200 copies of the 45 and Sunflower combined"!!!! Or..... we can put out a 45 of Slip On Through with This Whole World as the B-side and none of the 100 people who bought Sunflower will give a crap about the 45 because...... they already have both those songs on Sunflower, and we can hope all the people who never hear Slip On Through on the radio, because the radio won't play it, will flock to the shops to pick up this single from an album the have no interest in buying either!" Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: bgas on October 21, 2011, 07:24:23 PM Well, it's a concept! You'd think with the Lovester's $$ savvy, they'd think "Hmmmmm, we've sold 100 copies of Sunflower, so how bout we put out a 45 of Slip On Through with this cool song "I Just Got My Pay" we have sitting around in the garage on the backside and then perhaps those same 100 people will buy the disc for the B-Side and, dang, we might be on our way to selling 200 copies of the 45 and Sunflower combined"!!!! Or..... we can put out a 45 of Slip On Through with This Whole World as the B-side and none of the 100 people who bought Sunflower will give a crap about the 45 because...... they already have both those songs on Sunflower, and we can hope all the people who never hear Slip On Through on the radio, because the radio won't play it, will flock to the shops to pick up this single from an album the have no interest in buying either!" Or we can wait 40 years, when we won't be getting any royalties from the singles but they'll all be collectors items and people will be paying a large premium to own them. Can you say $150-200 for Cool Cool Water? I think Chug-A-Lug b/w Visions would have been a good single. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: oldsurferdude on October 21, 2011, 08:28:13 PM Well, it's a concept! You'd think with the Lovester's $$ savvy, they'd think "Hmmmmm, we've sold 100 copies of Sunflower, so how bout we put out a 45 of Slip On Through with this cool song "I Just Got My Pay" we have sitting around in the garage on the backside and then perhaps those same 100 people will buy the disc for the B-Side and, dang, we might be on our way to selling 200 copies of the 45 and Sunflower combined"!!!! Or..... we can put out a 45 of Slip On Through with This Whole World as the B-side and none of the 100 people who bought Sunflower will give a crap about the 45 because...... they already have both those songs on Sunflower, and we can hope all the people who never hear Slip On Through on the radio, because the radio won't play it, will flock to the shops to pick up this single from an album the have no interest in buying either!" Or we can wait 40 years, when we won't be getting any royalties from the singles but they'll all be collectors items and people will be paying a large premium to own them. Can you say $150-200 for Cool Cool Water? I think Chug-A-Lug b/w Visions would have been a good single. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Mooger Fooger on October 22, 2011, 05:59:45 AM Hmmm. Methinks I need to look at my significant 45 collection. I have a picture sleeve 45 of Mess of Help, and I'm pretty sure a picture sleeve of "Surf's Up. Not to mention the Mexican H&V 45 _with_ the planned Smile 45 cover....
Anyone looking on spending a few hundred $? Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: bgas on October 22, 2011, 08:03:52 AM Well, it's a concept! You'd think with the Lovester's $$ savvy, they'd think "Hmmmmm, we've sold 100 copies of Sunflower, so how bout we put out a 45 of Slip On Through with this cool song "I Just Got My Pay" we have sitting around in the garage on the backside and then perhaps those same 100 people will buy the disc for the B-Side and, dang, we might be on our way to selling 200 copies of the 45 and Sunflower combined"!!!! Or..... we can put out a 45 of Slip On Through with This Whole World as the B-side and none of the 100 people who bought Sunflower will give a crap about the 45 because...... they already have both those songs on Sunflower, and we can hope all the people who never hear Slip On Through on the radio, because the radio won't play it, will flock to the shops to pick up this single from an album the have no interest in buying either!" Or we can wait 40 years, when we won't be getting any royalties from the singles but they'll all be collectors items and people will be paying a large premium to own them. Can you say $150-200 for Cool Cool Water? I think Chug-A-Lug b/w Visions would have been a good single. Hmmm. Methinks I need to look at my significant 45 collection. I have a picture sleeve 45 of Mess of Help, and I'm pretty sure a picture sleeve of "Surf's Up. Not to mention the Mexican H&V 45 _with_ the planned Smile 45 cover.... Anyone looking on spending a few hundred $? The promo iis worth less than the stock, by quite a bit. The non US PS's vary, of course, on country. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: CarlTheVoice on October 22, 2011, 10:36:46 AM Glancing through AGD's discography (thanks!) my draw dropped when I saw that "Time to Get Alone" was never released as a single. It seems like a pretty obvious pick considering how much time was spent on it, the fact that it was snatched from Redwood (presumably because The Beach Boys thought it could be a hit), and that it's one of their best songs ever. Looking through the rest of the discography, I came across a few other neglected tunes. "Vegetables" (Smiley Smile) was something Brian thought had real single potential a few months earlier, than it comes out on Smiley Smile and gets left as an album track while "Gettin' Hungry" (no offense) gets single status. What songs strike you all as odd exclusions from their singles catalog? I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks TTGA should have been a single! The more I hear it the more I think it fits in nicely with SMiLE. I believe it was Jon Stebbins in another post who said that this was the direction Brian would have gone in if SMiLE had been released and done well. If that is true, I think we missed out on a lot! Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Nicko1234 on October 22, 2011, 03:38:40 PM I don't think Time to Get Alone would have really done anything commercially. No more than Bluebirds did anyway.
Where I Belong should have been a single IMO. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: onkster on October 22, 2011, 06:31:49 PM Loop de Loop, Our Sweet Love, Soulful Old Man Sunshine all sound like singles to me.
And Let Him Run Wild should have been a separate A-side. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Myk Luhv on October 22, 2011, 08:13:56 PM I would have put "Winter Symphony" out as a single backed with "Morning Christmas", I think. Probably not so commercially viable but, then, well, I suppose I'm in good company considering the band (and time period) we're discussing!
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Sound of Free on October 22, 2011, 08:26:17 PM I think "God Only Knows" should not have been stuck on the B side of "Wouldn't It Be Nice." It sounds amazing that GOK was only No. 39 on the charts, but that's because it was the B side.
I think if GOK had been a A-side after WIGN, it definitely would have been a top-10 and boosted sales of Pet Sounds with another hit. I think "Kiss Me Baby" could have been a single. And I may be crazy, but I could see "Angel Come Home" doing all right on the charts in 1979 – certainly better than the disco abomination. For solo songs, I think "Rainbows" would have been a better single choice than "You and I" off Pacific Ocean Blue. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: smile-holland on October 23, 2011, 02:12:41 AM I think if GOK had been a A-side after WIGN, it definitely would have been a top-10 and boosted sales of Pet Sounds with another hit. .... For solo songs, I think "Rainbows" would have been a better single choice than "You and I" off Pacific Ocean Blue. In Europe they switched the A- and B-side, and GOK was a big hit in most countries. And in a couple of European countries River Song was the DW single. Didn't chart anywhere as far as I know. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: ♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇 on October 23, 2011, 02:31:27 AM Angel Come Home, hell yeah. A portion of the track was cut during the 15BO sessions, but it sounds current for its time period, and IMHO the last time the BB sounded commercial without really trying to. Throw in Love Surrounds me as a followup single.
Good Timin'->Angel Come Home->Love Surrounds Me. That would've boosted album sales considerably. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: CarlTheVoice on October 23, 2011, 05:39:25 AM It amazes me how poorly some of the single releases did worldwide. Basically, after around GV, nothing did as well as it should have done. It would have been interesting to see if songs like TTGA, Our Sweet Love etc would have done better. Would this have in turn changed their sound and progression?
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: onkster on October 23, 2011, 08:18:35 AM TTGA wasn't a single? Wow. That seems like such an obvious choice! Post-Smile single to the rescue!
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Bleachboy on October 23, 2011, 08:41:54 AM Fire would have made a brilliant single
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: SamMcK on October 23, 2011, 09:36:30 AM Agree with God Only Knows being an A-side, I don't really think with a few exceptions they would have had any more hits in the late 60's/early 70's with songs that weren't chosen as singles. Remember they were forgotten about by the public at that time. That actually goes for a lot of their best work today in fact. ;) (Sunflower and Friends)
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Emdeeh on October 23, 2011, 11:40:54 AM "Keepin' the Summer Alive" (the song) should've been a single, imho. It fit right in with what was playing on rock stations at the time.
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: smile-holland on October 23, 2011, 01:38:10 PM TTGA wasn't a single? Wow. That seems like such an obvious choice! Post-Smile single to the rescue! B-side for the Cottonfields 45 in the Netherlands and Germany though. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: smile-holland on October 23, 2011, 01:39:01 PM "Keepin' the Summer Alive" (the song) should've been a single, imho. It fit right in with what was playing on rock stations at the time. It was a single in several countries in Europe (and didn't chart as far as I know) Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: oldsurferdude on October 23, 2011, 02:02:21 PM Salt Lake City-would have bought it back in the day. :)
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Chocolate Shake Man on October 23, 2011, 02:11:25 PM There were a lot of bad executive decisions made by The Beach Boys over the years, but I think that they typically got it right in the singles department. You have to remember, of course, that the song that you like won't necessarily make the best single. The Beatles never released some of the best songs as singles. That being said, Time To Get Alone would have probably made a better showing that #61 that was achieved by Bluebirds Over The Mountain but maybe not significantly so. I Can Hear Music is a great choice for a single and even that only made it to #24. Their singles make for a pretty good collection.
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: BillA on October 23, 2011, 02:48:36 PM Soulful Old Man Sunshine
This song just puts a smile on your face. All This is That The best Beach Boys song without Brian Wilson. This is a strong fit with a lot of the songs of the era. Maybe I Don't Know This is a good marrage of the sound of the times (love it or hate it) with the Beach Boys. 'Getcha Back' (like to many Mike Love songs) tries too hard. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: shelter on October 23, 2011, 02:52:58 PM The first songs that should have been A-sides that come to mind are 'The Lonely Sea', 'The Surfer Moon', 'This Whole World' and 'Forever'.
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: drbeachboy on October 23, 2011, 02:56:50 PM Yeah, Maybe I Don't Know is one of best tracks on 85. Seeing that It's Gettin' Late did fairly well on the AC chart, this one may have fared just as well.
Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: BillA on October 23, 2011, 05:49:30 PM I am surprised they never released singles from the live albums.
"Aren't You Glad" from "Live in London" and "Marcella" from "In Concert" come to mind as good (great as far as "Aren't You Glad" goes) singles. "Livin' With a Heartache" from KTSA. "All I Wanna Do" from "Sunflower" - The Best thing that Mike Love ever did - Certainly a better single that "Cool Cool Water" Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: ♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇 on October 23, 2011, 08:41:01 PM Quote "All I Wanna Do" from "Sunflower" - The Best thing that Mike Love ever did - Certainly a better single that "Cool Cool Water" The ironic part is that that was the song that allegedly got Sunflower released as before it was going to be shelved for not having a 'strong single'. Then, they go around and released a terribly hacked up version as the single. WTF Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Eric Aniversario on October 23, 2011, 11:20:45 PM The first song that comes to mind, no joke, is "Island Fever"...they really blew their big chance when they appeared on "Baywatch", one of the most watched TV shows in the world at the time, and made a video for what was easily the most embarrassing song on the album, "Summer of Love"?? I was so embarrassed for them! Totally out of touch...but I think that "Island Fever" had a "Kokomo" radio-friendliness that might have been embraced if given the chance by some DJs in major cities.
Others: (this is a commentary on what I perceive to be more commercially viable selections, not necessarily songs I like better!) Still Cruisin with a different B-side (not Kokomo)...this led some consumers to reason...well maybe I'll catch the next single, because it'll have Still Cruisin on it! Keepin The Summer Alive -instead of- Goin On Angel Come Home & Love Surrounds Me - instead of- HCTN and Sumahama Come Go With Me -instead of- Peggy Sue Roller Skating Child -instead of- Honkin Down The Highway Only With You -instead of- California Saga Here She Comes -instead of- Marcella Disney Girls -instead of- Long Promised Road It's About Time -instead of- Add Some Music To Your Day God Only Knows -instead of- Caroline No Little Honda on a single instead of an EP Solo: Sail Away -instead of- Summer In Monterey One More Night Alone -instead of- Givin You Up River Song -instead of- You & I Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: smile-holland on October 23, 2011, 11:44:56 PM "Livin' With a Heartache" from KTSA. An edited version of Livin' With A Heartache (b-side Santa Ana Winds) was released as a single (U.S. ZS9 9033), in May 1980, but didn't chart. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Newguy562 on October 24, 2011, 02:10:30 AM "I Do Love You" On BB85
"The Night Was So Young" On Love You "All I Wanna Do" On Sunflower :) Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Eric Aniversario on October 25, 2011, 02:50:32 PM "I Do Love You" On BB85 Totally agree on that one! Especially if they had done a tighter single edit, taking out the last minute or so...Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Newguy562 on November 08, 2011, 01:54:42 PM I think "God Only Knows" should not have been stuck on the B side of "Wouldn't It Be Nice." It sounds amazing that GOK was only No. 39 on the charts, but that's because it was the B side. I think if GOK had been a A-side after WIGN, it definitely would have been a top-10 and boosted sales of Pet Sounds with another hit. I think "Kiss Me Baby" could have been a single. And I may be crazy, but I could see "Angel Come Home" doing all right on the charts in 1979 – certainly better than the disco abomination. For solo songs, I think "Rainbows" would have been a better single choice than "You and I" off Pacific Ocean Blue. but you&i was so beautiful :) Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Newguy562 on November 08, 2011, 01:59:24 PM "I Do Love You" On BB85 Totally agree on that one! Especially if they had done a tighter single edit, taking out the last minute or so...yes if they did that they it would've attracted bb fans & stevie wonder fans as well. :) Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Newguy562 on June 27, 2012, 10:17:30 PM Loop de Loop, Our Sweet Love, Soulful Old Man Sunshine all sound like singles to me. You're right about Loop De Loop, plus Cindy, Oh Cindy, Good To My Baby, Our Car Club, Soulful Old Man Sunshine, Some of Your Love, Vegetables would make the good/strong singles-potential hits imo. And Let Him Run Wild should have been a separate A-side. Title: Re: What songs should have been singles? Post by: Rocky Raccoon on June 27, 2012, 10:35:51 PM A little different scenario but the fact that "Long Promised Road" was chosen as the lead-off single of the Surf's Up album while "Surf's Up" was saved for single release after the album was already out, leaving it to be a commercial flop. Bad decision. I mean, don't get me wrong, "Long Promised Road" is a fine song but "Surf's Up" should have been milked for all it was and it probably would have charted had it been released earlier.
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