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I loved this song when I first heard it on the Paley boot years ago but kinda lost interest when it appeared on GIOMH.

Listening to it now on the MIC box, I really think this song had some real hit potential if it had came out in 96. Not saying number 1 or anything like that but think it would have made a big impression.

Its a far better song than TWGMTR (IMO) and when you think of the SIP tracks that came before it...well...

Love the production and of course Carls vocal

Is it still Paley's version mixed with the flown in vocals?

MHO: The lyrics are better than TWGMTR, the music isn't.

I think it's a fantastic song, I do hold on to the unpopular opinion that I think the Gettin' In Over my Head version is better (just a better mix I think and I like Brian's vocal on the bridge), it's so great to have a Beach Boys version officially on disc.  You're Still a Mystery is great too.  It's a shame nothing more came out of those sessions, I think it would have been a very welcome comeback at the time.

I fail to see why they couldn't have put another song from the Paley sessions on there - if we can get the monstrosity that is Brian's Back (a Mike Love solo cut) repeatedly classified as a 'Beach Boys rarity' I don't see why It's Not Easy Being Me or Chain Reaction Of Love could go on there.

'But Brian's the only Beach Boy on those!' I hear you cry, 'At least Carl sings the the chorus of Brian's Back, his soulful tones providing an oasis in an aural desert of horror!'.

Why yes, he is. But Mike clearly has no bones about finishing his tracks off with guitar overdubs in 2013 - Goin' To The Beach. There is still speculation that Brian cut a new lead vocal for You're Still A Mystery (I think it's from 1998, myself). Would it have been beyond reason to get Al Jardine to overdub a vocal now? He could do a good job on It's Not Easy Being Me.

Or, the unbridled horror of having Brian singing a Beach Boys cut all by himself?! Oh my god! Someone call the cops!

Well since we have Brian's Back, maybe Mike Come Back To LA would have been better? I'm serious!

I have some bad news for you - the GIOMH version is the exact same track (it's even mono - listen with cans) with a few new percussion overdubs and Brian's very shouty middle-eight. Succinctly, compared with the 'original', it sucks.

The reverb and many of the backing vocals are stereo.

But the track - the instrumental track - is mono.

The core elements are mono but they're drenched in stereo reverb. The Beach Boys version, on the other hand, isn't mono at all - there's a guitar part during the intro that's panned hard left and is absent from Brian's version. There's also stereo reverb all over the track but not the same as on GIOMH. So it's a different mix, like Rocky Racoon said.

Always thought this was a 'nice' song, but nothing more. Probably the best of several post 80 attempts to capture an older style - stuff like Getcha Back and It's Just A Matter of Time. Good to hear Carl, obviously. There are other songs I prefer from the Paley sessions.

Why should that be bad news for him? Even if the backing track is exactly the same, at least the mastering does change the sound, and somehow he prefers the GIOMH version. If he's wrong thinking the backing track is a different mix, why should he care that he now knows he was wrong?

One thing I always wanted to ask about this song, how did it end up being on an album by Solomon Burke?

I was sooo disappointed when I heard the GIOMH version. To me what really makes the song is the cool bass vocals from Mike during the chorus on the old version. Really great song!

Dipped into the boxed set yesterday, and the two '95 group tracks were among the first I tracked. After hearing that they were futzed with, I was somewhat relieved that they weren't futzed with quite as much as I thought they may have.

"Soul Searchin'" is relatively unscathed. It actually has some additonal layers of group backing vocals we didn't hear before, and they do sound legit as far as being original, as I can hear Carl in the layers. Carl's bridge is messed with; it has somebody semi-doubling it, like it kind of weaves in and out of the mix. I honestly can't tell if it's a double-tracked Carl, or Brian, or Andy Paley, or someone else. I don't understand why they did this, as a clean and clear single Carl bridge vocal can be heard on the circulating version. In any event, this doubled version is still highly preferable to Brian's wonky bridge vocal on GIOMH.

I still think the original take, with Paley's lead, is actually the best.

Going to take 'Beaches in Min' off of my go-to TWGMTR and replace it with this. Maybe.

Well now that I know you hate it, I guess I have to change my mind.

It's definitely a remix though.  It sounds to me only Carl's vocal and the basic track was used.  Otherwise Brian did all the backing vocals, it sounds to me like there's a saxophone and guitar that's not in the Beach Boys version, and reverb was put on Carl's vocal to amplify it.

I hate, hate, hate the GIOMH sax overdub. If for no other reason than there's a perfectly good organ solo on the song, and they just plopped some Mertens dithering on top. Yet they didn't mix out the organ! It all plays at full volume, and sounds pretty slobby.

That being said, I actually like Brian's take on the bridge lead, and his wall-of-Brians backing vox arrangement (if not delivery) is convincing.


Paley knows Joe Henry and gave him the song. Got Paley in considerable trouble with the BW camp, IIRC.

Edit: Just relistened to Brian's solo version, and there are more positive points than I remembered! The guitar overdub is excellent, the backing vocals aren't as fussy, and the buildup to the final choruses (where Brian actually sounds a bit better than Mike on the bass vox) is quite effective.

Incidentally, I'm almost positive the "Mystery" vocal retake comes from the GIOMH sessions. It's known that Brian recorded a version of it then, and his delivery sounds consistent with his vocals from the mid-2000s (a bit slurry and distant, but not as peculiar-sounding as his mid-90s leads). I very much doubt it was from the retake he did for "Imagination" or from the TWGMTR sessions -- Linett doesn't work with Joe Thomas, and his approach to Brian's voice is very different.

Interesting point too -- production credit on SS is BW, AP and Don Was. Production credit on YSAM is Was, BW and AP. Suggests, perhaps, that the instrumental track of YSAM is actually the Was guys, while the track of SS (as we know) was taken fro the Paley sessions proper.

I agree about the 'Mystery' vocal retake. I have the original on a cassette, and it definitely sounds much more mid-90's Brian than the one on MIC.

I have always loved Soul Searchin. Carl sounds great to me; this could have been a huge hit for the guys....if only.....

Was apparently cut backing tracks for both YSAM and SS, and that's what the BB's reportedly sang their vocals to. That would explain the Was credits. It was at a later date, with Carl's apparent vague assertion in mind that Was' backing track to SS was sub-par for some reason, that they glued the BB vocals onto Paley's old backing track. This was done when Carl was still alive, but without Carl's (or any BB) participation, and Carl probably never heard it. Since it was done back at that time, either technology didn't allow them to properly sync all of the BB backing vocals, and/or they weren't mixed in for some other reason, so that's how we hear more of the BB backing vocals on the new version. 

So we still have never heard the Was backing track to "Soul Searchin'." I'd be very curious to hear it, both in terms of how different it is and if any of us would actually feel it truly is sub-par.

I've listened to this quite a few times now and I can't tell what's going on during the bridge either. There are parts that sound like a doubled Carl (or even some sort of doubling effect) and parts that sound like a second vocal from somebody that I can't quite identify. It doesn't sound like the Paley vocal that's on one of the circulating vocals and I think that his phrasing was quite different from Carl's in a few parts, so they wouldn't wholly work well together. You're right that it weaves in and out of the mix and I think that's why it's hard to identify. For that reason it could easily be Paley, Brian or Carl - I've got no idea. I think it's probably one of those things that sounds slightly jarring to my ears just because I'm so used to the previously circulating version of Carl's bridge. It still sounds excellent.

I have to wonder if there was something up with Carl's bridge that somebody had an issue with, given that it's been modified here in some way (at least compared to the version we knew) and that it was also replaced by Brian in the previously released version.

sounds like Carl doubled ... but sounds like he wasn't singing along to the first vocal , i.e. they were two separate overdubs.

That indeed makes sense. After more listens, it really does sound like two Carls.

I've been leaning towards this as well. I suppose this makes it a bit less annoying. Still, the "California Feelin'" 1978 mix that was uber-futzed with (with great results mind you) seems to indicate that they don't *have* to mix up everything that is there on the multi-track. If that was two Carls on the bridge, the second overdub was unneeded and mucks the whole thing up sonically.

I had assumed it was just sloppy double tracking from my first listen. If Carl really didn't like doing the tune, it makes some sense.

I remember reading somewhere that the reason the song was left to collect dust was Carl was unhappy with his singing on the bridge, and since the project fell apart, there was no return to sweeten it. That explains why Brian recorded new bridge vocal for his solo album.

The bridge part confuses me. A full beat or two after Carl sings the word "out", you hear another voice singing the word. Did they even *try* to make the artificial double tracking sync up?

It sounds like a different vocal take in the background. Whatever it is, it doesn't work.

The really confusing part is that I hear two voices in that section that sound like Carl, and parts of it that sound like Brian's GIOMH vocal.  :brow

I wouldn't be entirely shocked if Brian is on there somewhere :lol

I think one Carl is from the Was sessions, hence the credit.

I hear what seems to be a shouty Brian on the second "out", and on the word "sign".

This might be the geekiest conversation anybody has ever had.  :lol

Two Carls, for sure. IMO

I'd be interested to see where Carl was referenced as having disliked his own vocal on the song. The bits I've read have seemed to suggest he didn't like the recording, meaning presumably the backing track. The fact that they pulled off the Was backing track and then stuck the Paley backing track on Carl's (and the group's) vocals seemed to support this idea. I recall that the inference was that while it was done while Carl was still alive, he never got to hear it for obvious reasons and presumably would have been given a chance to hear it if time had allowed.

Carl supposedly only participated in "Was sessions." As best as I can tell, the chain of events would be: Brian and Paley cut a backing track (and Paley's guide vocal). Then, Was gets involved and has his session guys cut backing tracks for "Soul Searchin'" and "You're Still a Mystery" (and perhaps other stuff?). Carl and the group add vocals to the Was backing tracks. After work on a few songs, the whole thing fizzles out (partly due to Carl's dislike of something; something that made him like the songs enough to sing on them but not enough to continue with the sessions or release the songs; which is what supports the "not liking the backing track" theory), and then at a later date and without any BB involvement, Carl and the group's vocals are grafted onto the old Brian/Paley backing track to "Soul Searchin'." While Carl may have indeed been additionally involved (what was the story I read not too long ago where Carl appeared at a random "Proud Mary" session?), but other than that possibility, I'd guess all of Carl's vocals were done during the "Was" sessions.

I think the order of production credits on the "MIC" set, if they mean anything, would indicate that "more" of YSAM contained Was-produced content (both the backing track and the vocals), while SS contained less (only Was-produced vocals). Andy Paley was apparently involved production-wise with both the initial sessions with Brian (obviously) as well as the Was-produced sessions, hence his co-production credit on both tracks on the "MIC" set.

It was an interesting time in the band's history! Still kind of sketchy.

This is in line with everything I have read/heard.  Add in that Carl and Mike earlier participated in the Baywatch Nights sessions which was a 1995 Brian/Paley session at Mark Linnet's studio, also pre-dating any Don Was involvement.

Here is all the information you need on this Wilson, Paley and Was.

Chuck should really make this info more easily available. Hint hint.  ;D

http://smileysmile.net/OLDlibrary/timeline.html

Sorry, I can't recall where I read that Carl disliked his vocal on the bridge. It's been at least ten years or so, but the remark really struck me at the time.

It is really hard to understand what Carl's objections were with Soul Searchin' and Still a Mystery. This stuff was worlds better than that SIP junk, which presumably he approved of, since he sang on it, and it was released in his lifetime.

But we still haven't heard the Don Was stuff...

And Carl did a professional job on the SIP stuff but that doesn't mean he liked it. He didn't appear on the U.K. versions did he?

Maybe Carl rejected it simply because I was too good? I mean, wouldn't it have been majorly embarrassing to go from digitally "enhanced" pro-tools crap passing itself off as music, to material that quite possibly might have formed their best work since Sunflower? They would have been laughed at for needing Brian to "save the day".

Yeah man, Pro-Tools wrote Summer In Paradise and made it what it is.

Yeah, a piece of sh*t.  ;D  >:D

sip is a classic example of everything an album shouldn't be.

Poor Mike. :'(

poor you.

In other words, it's just a bad album

POOR YOUR FACE

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 ???

Yup, he did.

Maybe - and this is pure speculation - maybe Carl was pissed that he was once more excluded from the creative process (songwriting) and it was one time too many after SIP, so he said to himself "Not again! I'm off."

I still love the guy either way, but I don't know if I've seen anyone actually consider that Carl may have just thought SIP was appropriate for the band while the 1995 songs somehow weren't. No offense, just seems like everyone is creating a lot of complex theories as to why Carl would go along with one and not the other while not considering the more obvious conclusion. These guys were only human.

If so, I obviously respectfully disagree with his choice and can't understand the logic behind it, but I don't know if it would surprise me much. This wasn't 1970 anymore, even the acknowledged "artist" of the band, Brian, had created his share of really questionable "of the times" sounding material during the decade or so prior to these sessions.

At any rate, Soul Searchin' is a great song.  It's got a bright, radio-friendly feeling to it, nice hooks, great vibes.  It would have been a nice addition to any Beach Boy record and possibly made into a single if it had been given the attention it deserved.  The Brian that reworked Help Me Ronda, into Help Me Rhonda and into a Number 1, could have certainly made something of this gem.

When you think of all strained "Beach," "Fun" and "Summertime" metaphors that were squeezed out of this band over the last 3 or 4 decades, and spread thin on a lousy, flimsy piece of stale white-bread -- you really have to wonder what azz-clown was managing this band's affairs, since Brian's demise.

One of the most mis-managed, under utilized talents EVER.


I was listening to Wishing You Were Here by Chicago (which utilized Carl, Al and Denny's vocals) this weekend, and it just emphasized to me how wasted the best years of this band were.  It's like there was this beautiful one-of-kind Ferrari sitting unused in a garage.  Or a delicious lobster dinner being fed to the dog -- while we were fed sugar-frosted Azz-O's.

According to Gerry Beckley, one of the things Carl often said was "it wouldn't be appropriate". Maybe that's how he felt about the Was sessions. "Hey Carl, why didn't you continue working with Brian and Don Was?" "It wouldn't be appropriate at this time".

Also, remember Carl's musical taste at the time, if "Like A Brother" is any indication. I'm glad we have it, but that album is so MOR it makes "Imagination" sound like Slayer. He may just not have been into the whole 50's throwback thing that Paley had Brian involved with. Combine that with all the other factors...

I think you're absolutely right, and this is part of the reason I find it difficult to understand the aversion to the Paley material from within the group.  Certainly some of the songs show Brian's quirkier side (I get why they wouldn't have wanted to do "Slightly American Music," for instance, even though I like that song), but much of it had commercial potential in addition to being quite good.

I don't get it. I like Soul Searchin because it's the Beach Boys. But really as a song there is NOTHING special about it. It's just a boring 50s doo wop. It's not offensive and would have fit fine on a mid-90s BB album, but the idea that it would have been played on the radio and/or would have been a hit is laughable. It sounds like a hundred other songs of the same style. Don't get me wrong, it's the Beach Boys so it's good. But the song itself is the height of mediocrity from a songwriting perspective, and especially compared to SSAM which I see as probably the BB's most creative/interesting/enjoyable tracks of the 90s. I'm not sure why we're hero-worshiping this song when it seems so patently obvious to me that it's not particularly noteworthy in and of itself.

Are you kidding? Soul Searchin' is a great song in Fats Domino style. If the Beach Boys weren't interested in it, Brian should have offered it to the Fat Man himself.

I'm a bit torn on Soul Searchin', I like it but the tempo is so slow throughout that I start to get annoyed 3/4 of the way through the song.

Yup, he did.

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I stand happily corrected. Were these new contributions he recorded?

He wasn't on Island Fever, for example, was he? Terry Melcher seems to take all of his parts.

Err... Well he sings on "Surfin'" and "Lahaina Aloha" to name two. "Boardwalk" too. "Walkin' In The Sand"... in fact the only track he's obviously removed from is "Island Fever".

Yeah, sorry. I was asking more about whether he contributed to the new U.K. versions. Obviously he's still on Under the Boardwalk, for example, but I don't know if he recorded any new vocals for it. And I don't know if he is on the new version of Summer in Paradise...

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

Among most of the praise for this song, I've never really seen anyone contend that musically/compositionally "Soul Searchin'" is ground-breaking material. Of course the praise is due  to the overall performance. I'm not sure I would agree that it literally sounds like "a hundred other songs", I think the chord changes deviate a bit from the literal formulaic "doo wop" pattern you hear on many songs.

I think it's rather hyperbole that the song is the "height of mediocrity." I for one think the actual song, the composition, is what makes a song. Stellar vocals on anything I would deem a "mediocre" songs aren't terribly interesting. Excellent vocals certainly help. But I'm not much for the "I'd listen to them sing the phonebook" mentality. I used to say that about, for instance, Carl's voice, and while I think I would still hold to that summation, something like Carl's "Like a Brother" material truly tests the limits of that sentiment.

"Soul Searchin'" seems to be more a pro attempt at doing a song it that sort of style, as opposed to say something like "It's Just a Matter of Time" which literally steals the exact same chord progression from a million other songs.

I don't think it's release would have revolutionized popular music as we know it, but I would be more inclined to say that does the '50s doo-wop tradition of which you speak proud than I would be to say that it sounds like a hundred other songs of the same style.  Perhaps my standards are lowered by the generally low quality of Beach Boys music in the '80s and '90s, but I just think that it (a) is a well-written, well-performed, well-produced song (though not revolutionary in any of those respects) and that it (b) confuses me that the other band members would not have jumped at the opportunity to release a song like this since it is both good and not weird in the slightest.  I do think that "You're Still A Mystery" is a more unique song, but I think "Soul Searchin'" is much closer to its level than say, "Lahaina Aloha" (which, I admit, I kind of like and think is much better than anything else on Summer in Paradise.)

He just wasn't removed from everything, just some things (oddly, he was removed on some parts of "Island Fever" and replaced by Melcher, wheras his vocals were left alone on other portions of the song.) He did not record additional vocals for the Euro release like Al did. His vocals were "brought up" in the mix on the Euro "Forever", however. 

there's a typo there!

 >:D

Bean Bag has it right fellows, Soul Searchin' is a great song.  The Boys needed to come up with 8 more recordings as good as that and they would have had a really nice album!