The Smiley Smile Message Board

I didn't see this posted here. Rolling Stone has a readers' poll of the best BBs songs:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/readers-poll-the-best-beach-boys-songs-of-all-time-20120606

10. California Girls
9. Caroline, No
8. Barbara Ann
7. Sloop John B.
6. Don't Worry Baby
5. In My Room
4. Wouldn't It Be Nice
3. Surf's Up
2. Good Vibrations
1. God Only Knows

"Barbara Ann" > "Surfin' USA" ... Got it.

...and we wonder why it is always in the setlist; Beach Boys' and Brian's (solo). Can't argue too much with the remaining nine, though.

Very surprised to see Surf's Up higher (albeit not by much) than WIBN. Not that I disagree, just not expecting it.

I'm surprised to see "Surf's Up" on the list AT ALL, not that I disagree either...

Surprised Sloop is that high given that IJWMFTT, H&V, Til I Die and a couple other grand gems are not.

Rolling Stone had Sloop on their top songs of all time list, I always wondered why/how. Guess this sort of explains that.

Actually I don't think the list justifies Barbara Ann as much as it says that the setlist should include Surf's Up.

I've always really liked Barbara Ann as a live staple of the band's shows but the Beach Boys studio version is so rough and half-assed with all the laughter and Ba-Ba Black Sheeps that I really don't understand the success it had as a single and it annoys me that it's always featured in compilations as that version rather than say the Live in London version which I like a lot.

Dear Beach Boys,

With the recent placing of "Surf's Up" and the #1 and #3 positions at both Mojo and Rolling Stone magazines poll of the greatest ever Beach Boys songs. I think it's about time to introduce the song into the set list. If you have to remove a song I suggest "Kokomo." That's right Mr. Love just let it go. For the sake of all that is right in the world please let it go. We get it, it was a number one hit and it was written without Brian. Good for you. You had your moment in the sun now it's time to move on. Beach Boys fans don't want to hear "Kokomo" Just replace it with "Surf's Up." It's all we ask

Signed

A Fan

I really don't get this whole love for Barbara Ann, okay it's fun and a huge success, but come on.

The Beatles equivalent would be You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) which was the B-side of Let It Be.  Just a silly jam with funny voices.  The fact that it was one of their biggest hits is mind boggling.  I can even understand Kokomo being a hit and still not understand Barbara Ann.  Like I said, the song itself is pretty good but the Beach Boys version is just not very appealing to me.  It was never even meant to be a single, Little Girl I Once Knew clearly should have been the bigger success.

I don't even think the song itself is that solid, don't get me wrong i love doowop, but this ain't the most incredible written stuff, sure it's a nice catchy funny chorus, but nothing more nothing less, making it in the top 10? come ON.

I think it's great that it's such a huge hit, not for the song, but for the fact it's from the Party! album : it was recorded ina very silly and non serious way, just acosutic guitars and guys singing over live doing a party, and boom, massive hit! but other than that... yeah, i mean come on, at least I Get Around was by them and as big.

Why the F*CK isn't Ding Dang #1 on that list??!!!!  >:( >:( >:( >:( :police:

I totally agree that these recent placements of Surf's Up, combined with having SMiLE Sessions in stores to sell, combined with Al championing the song to the rest of the boys, might very well lead to a 50th Tour performance, But I disagree about what should be cut.

Barbara Ann is the first Beach Boys song I remember. I was in kindergarten at the time and it was just so fun to sing. Yeah, it's not the jewel of their crown, but if it's charming enough for babies to love it, I can understand why its in there.

I also think a lot of casual fans love Kokomo, so I see no reason that they should nix that one, plus it would only serve to antagonize Mike which won't help in terms of getting Surf's Up on the setlist.

If I was trying to convince Mike to put it on the list, I'd probably make sure it didn't mean cutting any of his leads, any of the tributes, any of the new songs, or any of the "fun" songs". Realistically, it also has to be in the 2nd half which trims the possible cuts down to:

In My Room
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
Heroes & Villains (Maybe, I think it counts as a fun song, but it might be a cuttable one for Mike)

In all honesty, it's not gonna be In My Room, cause it's too classic, so I think if we want Surf's Up in, we have to volunteer that we're okay cutting IJWMFTT (or maybe H&V).  As painful of a choice as that is, I'm down.

And so.... that's the reason for the song to be in the top 10 best beach boys songs ever recorded in their entire catalogue ?

No.... that's why I don't think it should be cut from the tour setlist to make room for Surf's Up.

w..what?

Sorry, should have quoted all the relevant posts in the topic for clarity:


and

Oh, well my bad then!
well yeah of course they can't stop playin' Barbara Ann, as sad as it is,everyone thinks THAT'S the beach boys music, even tho it isn't their song.. :/


But really, i'm still VERY surprised that yeah, they're still not playin' Surf's Up! i thought SMiLE was well loved since Brian did his version and played live often, and then The Beach Boys version is out, amazing success et everyone is loving Surf's Up, RS putting the song in their top 10 and MOJO putting it at Number one, come on guys already...

Just because they didn't write it, doesn't mean that it isn't their song. The people voting in this poll are not looking at who wrote it, just as what is popular to them and besides, it was a very big hit when it was released. It outperfomed much better songs (like Little Girl...), on the charts.

Oh lol sorry, is this a most popular/greatest hits BBs Songs list ?! i thought i read Best BBs Songs toplist, my bad bro!
(then why is Surf's Up in it? put on Kokomo)


eerrr.. pretty it isn't their song if they didn't write it, i think we use the word "cover" for that.

That version of Barbara Ann is their song. Would you suggest that Everybody's Talkin' isn't Harry Nilsson's song just because he didn't write it? Even though I Left My Heart in San Francisco is Tony Bennet's signature song, it's not? Same with Marvin Gaye's I Heard it Through the Grapevine.

Yup, they did their own version of it of course, but it's not their song.