The Smiley Smile Message Board

Seriously this song is so slept on..The way Mike delivers those Verses while Brian and the rest sing/hum those sweet harmonies to follow up right behind it is just so flawless.  ;D
Mostly all my family members love this song and we always play it when everyone gets together on X-mas eve.  Grin (I showed my parents this song but somehow they all knew it before I even told them who sang it.)
I've never seen any of you post anything about this song or even mentioned it, shame on you all.  >:(
Do any of you enjoy this cut?

.

I find it mediocre and too simple.

I much more enjoy Morning Christmas.

Edit: and Winter Symphony.

Aye, I recall first hearing this in a certain shop in Newcastle many many moons ago (and welcome back JP… I intend to get there when funds allow) and being underwhelmed and a little disappointed that this unreleased "holy grail" fixation was in fact, as Da Don says, mediocre.

I somehow wish the lyrics were about winter in general rather than Christmas. some of  the lyrics are very banal and who gives a f*** about christmas anyway? Basically a retread of their old christmas songs about Santa Claus (I don't really see why he is so central in American christmas tradition... In Europe it certainly isn't. I'm guessing you american materialists dig Santa Claus because it's all about getting new things for everyone, right?  :lol).
The title is perfect though and I like the repeating texture of the song and the fade. If I were ever to make a cover of it, I would remake the lyrics to being about winter.

I came from the same expectation: a supposed lost treasure turned out to be good for one (OK I'm in a good mood:) or two listens. The two-chord 'progression' with the bridge only for relief... no.

Where's JP's new shop?

You do realize that "(A Christmas Song)" is appended to the title? The Beach Boys are Americans singing about their American view and traditions of Christmas. I know you were joking, but there is much truth in a joke and knowing your posts, I know you believe what you wrote. ;)

Part of the Oasis Xmas song "Whatever"s melody was lifted from Neil Innes' song "How Sweet to Be an Idiot". Innes successfully sued Oasis for plagiarism and was awarded subsequent royalties. The portion of the melodic line in question accompanies the lyrics "I'm free to be whatever I" of the Gallagher version. Innes made reference to this in the Rutles song "Shangri-La".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whatever_%28Oasis_song%29 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whatever_%28Oasis_song%29)

I love the song. I can listen to it repeatedly and not get tired of it.

There is some quality about the song that places it perfectly between the past and future Brian Wilson. Up until then, every thing he produced was almost perfect. By adding that "Pied Piper voice" spoken word part, he created a wincing or cringing feeling, something that would occur with several of his future recordings.

 :lol

I knew Oasistas are nutters somewhat different...

Really don't like it.

Chronologically it's the first song that shows that The Beach Boys were never as good again after Holland.

It's a fun Christmas song, it's not trying to be a holiday classic, just a goofy, synth-laden Christmas song done for the hell of it.

I love it. ding dong ding go the bells

I really like this song, but I'm lame.

It's a fucking weird song, which is why I love it. I like to think of it as something intimating the bizarreness of the Love You era but with a more Sunflower (or some comparatively "classic BBs") sound to it.

As i mentioned on another thread recently, there's a bootleg version of 'Child of Winter' which has a different fade to the version ultimately released. It's great - whereas the version on the 'Christmas with the Beach Boys' CD is not.

Which boot is this?

My copy just called 'The Beach Boys Christmas 1977'.

At least I'm not afraid of success.

This song is atrocious. Truly wretched. Granted, not as terrible as "Santa's Got an Airplane", but very very close. The only track worthy of note on the second half of "Ultimate Christmas" is "Winter Symphony".

I think the backing track had a lot of potential. If better lyrics were prepared and some re-mixing was done, it could have been a classic.

This wacky holiday tune did inspire a nifty cover version and music video (if I do say so myself) by Rachel and the Reindeerz, featuring our very own merry elf/poet S. Kalincih, with some blistering yuletide guitar licks from David Marks.  Brian's grandkids did the "recitation" and Mark Linett mixed it all together.

Ding Dong Ding go them bells

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rysxg6ID0FI

Easily my favorite Christmas song by the boys. The children are hungry, they're waitin' to be fed!!!

I do. Very much.

 I dig "Child of Winter" but despise the song it spawned. ("Some of Your Love")

  "Child of Winter" b/w "Morning Christmas" would have made a nice Christmas single, circa 1977-78, provided the record company had the damn sense to put it out in November instead of December 23!  

I love this song, I can't even tell you why. not because I'm ashamed but because I don't know.

LOVE this. Both as a wacky Christmas song (favorite part "mama's in the kitchen makin turkey and bread, the children are all hungry they are waiting to be fed!") - but also from a historical perspective as a transition song between periods. But more importantly - it's a funny song full of Christmas cheer, and very Brian Wilson. Love it.

The only thing that saves this song for me is Brian's weird spoken interlude. Other than that, it sounds like it took 5 minutes to write, not unlike McCartney's horrible "Wonderful Christmastime."

One of them rare examples of a cover version being more fun than the original!

I  like both songs :(

Jesus Christ, I always thought they were just saying 'ding-dong-dingle-dee-doo' !

I think there are few secular Chistmas songs that evoke a really strong spirit in me like Wonderful Christmas does.