The Smiley Smile Message Board

WIBNTLA is very good, but Dennis has done better songs.

I think the 5 top Dennis songs are:

- CUDDLE UP (I think is the Dennis peak)
- FOREVER
- RIVER SONG
- THOUGHTS OF YOU
- STEAMBOAT

 

I agree "Cuddle Up" may be his best ever, although the lyrics are borderline cheesy. I don't mind. Love the work he did with the Captain.

1. Thoughts Of You
2. Cuddle Up
3. Moonshine
4. (Wouldn't It Be Nice To) Live Again

...and then, take your pick, they're all great...

5. Lady
5. Forever
5. End Of The Show
5. You And I
5. Morning Christmas

Cuddle up? No way.

In no particular order:

- Slip On Through
- Be With Me
- Companion
- Sound of Free
- River Song

What I'm feeling at the moment...

1. Little Bird
2. River Song
3. Celebrate the News
4. Thoughts of You
5. Forever

Thoughts of you
Barbara
Carry Me Home
Lady
Celebrate the news

As said though, WIBNTLA will probably grow on me.

My favorite Dennis songs were sung by other Beach Boys so here's an extended list:

It's About Time *
It's A New Day *
Forever
River Song
4th Of July *
Slip On Through
Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again
All Alone

In no alphabetical order:

1) Rainbows
2) Slip on Through
3) Celebrate the News
4) Pacific Ocean Blues (great funky song)
5) River Song

+ Dennis's rendition of Charles Manson's "Never Learn not to Love". Tbh, I almost think it's his song, not the latter's.

I nearly put it on my list as well.  :)   For a split second I forgot who wrote it because Dennis honestly made it his own.

Funny, a few weeks ago I mentally ranked my top 5 Dennis songs.

1- River Song
2- Celebrate The News
3- Baby Blue
4- Morning Christmas
5- Farewell My Friend

Much as I'm digging WIBNTLA, it can't compete with these tunes for me. I'd rank it about 10th place after Sound of Free, Cuddle Up, Rainbows and 4th of July.



I feel the same. Dennis did such a fantastic arrangement on it. Charlie wrote Cease to Exist but in a way it's almost like Dennis wrote Never Learn Not To Love using Manson's song as a starting point.

Yes.  Nice to see someone mention "Barbara."

Well, actually, for me:

1. Baby Blue
2. Forever
3. Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again
4. Slip On Through
5. Lady

...and You & I...and River Song...and Only With You...and Celebrate The News...on and on. What a incredible soul Dennis had.

1. Lady
2. Little Bird
3. Steamboat
4. Forever
5. Carry Me Home

1. Carry Me Home
2. River Song
3. You And I
4. Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again)
5. Holy Man

My top 5 Dennis

5. Moonshine
4. (Wouldn't It Be Nice To) Live Again
3. Cuddle Up
2. River Song
1. Farewell My Friend

I need to work on a 24 song DW comp, featuring songs he wrote/wrote and sang/sang. From Friends onwards.

01   Be Still
02   Little Bird
03   Be With Me
04   Never Learn Not To Love
05   Celebrate The News
06   Forever
07   Slip on Through
08   Lady
09   Sound of Free
10   Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again
11   Fourth of July
12   Barbara


01   Cuddle Up
02   Steamboat
03   Carry Me Home
04   I Wanna Pick You Up
05   My Diane
06   Pacific Ocean Blues
07   River Song
08   Thoughts Of You
09   Angel Come Home
10   Baby Blue
11   Love Surrounds Me
12   Only With You

Trouble is, this is short of some tracks I need to be on this! If I take it up to 28, which four songs should I add? I'm reluctant to include Morning Christmas because, great as it is, it's a Christmas song. No covers like Sea Cruise either.

"Morning Christmas" is a great song in and out of the context of being a "Christmas song". It totally stands on its own.

Also, I've always loved Dennis, but not nearly to the extent that some around here seem to. Not a slight on him, there are just some huge fans of his work around here. That said, I started thinking of choices and going through the thread and it's like sh*t, narrowing it down to just five? Way too hard.

You could add Moonshine, You and I, Tug of Love, Love Remember Me

...and end the comp with "End Of The Show".

Dennis deserves a "Complete Works Of" however-many-CDs-needed boxset. Nothing less will do. It should also include the BB songs on which he sang lead.

Thanks, Jon, for sticking up for "Tug of Love." There are many moments when it's my absolute fave. Dennis' work reaches into so many types of musical influences and such a wide range of emotion that it's possible to move 80% of his output to the top of a fave list depending on the mood you're in when you happen to hear the song.

Hmmmmmm, top five Dennis songs you say? Not easy, not easy at all.

In no specific order:

River Song
Cuddle Up
Time
Holy Man
4th Of July

WIBNTLA may end up sneaking in.

This is a toughie. I suppose it would boil down to (in no particular order)...

River Song
Thoughts of You
Never Learn Not To Love (the arrangement and harmonies added by Dennis are gobsmacking!)
You & I
Slip On Through

Honourable mentions: WIBNTLA, Companion, School Girl, It's About Time, pretty much everything else on POB (with the exception of the title track, which is just okay)

'You and I' is an amazing song, isn't it? My favorite from POB. I still don't like leaving it off my top 5. But that's Dennis for you....so many good songs. Just as hard as doing a top 5 Brian Wilson songs list.

I wonder what a Wilson/Dragon album would have been like...

At the moment, and in no particular order:

...To Live Again
Slip On Through
Be Still
Be With Me
Forever

Thanks. I think I'll takes Jon's recommendations but may go further and add Morning Christmas (thanks, Runners) and when I get MIC, My Love Lives On or Mona Kana - which version is it, by the way, the one allegedly from 1975 or the original?

1. Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again
2. Be Still
3. A Time to Live in Dreams
4. River Song
5. Love Remember Me

In no particular order
WIBNTLA
Rainbows
Time
River Song
Forever

Mona gets a special mention from me - he may not have written by I love the vocals.

I do think it's a little too soon to post this topic. The song only came out days ago. It needs time to grow on everyone. Then, after an appropriate amount of time, it's a good idea to rank it.
As for me, I loved it the first time I listened to it, which doesn't really happen often. Then again, there are songs such as Cuddle Up, Make It Good and Barbara that I've listened to a lot more, but just never grew on me much.
Here's my top 5 Dennis songs, in no order:
Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again
I'm Going Your Way
Be With Me
Slip On Through
Love Surrounds Me

Right now:

1) Little Bird
2) River Song
3) Baby Blue
4) Dreamer
5) WIBNTLA

Could be different tomorrow.