The Smiley Smile Message Board

So on Amazon, there is a release scheduled for November 19 by The Beach Boys entitled 5 Classic Albums. Now usually something like this wouldn't be that interesting. But to me, it kinda is, especially if it's a domestic US release, because the group's catalog is kinda in flux. Will this choose five albums from those that were reissued last year? Will it be five twofers? Or....most enticingly, maybe five new remasters? We shall see, maybe it's nothing.

http://www.amazon.com/5-Classic-Albums-Beach-Boys/dp/B00FA1DEWA/ref=sr_1_7?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1379978796&sr=1-7&keywords=beach+boys

Well, since Capitol is now owned by Universal, it's going to be like their series for various other artists. This is most likely not any kind of archival release or remaster.

Obviously it's not an archival release. The only interesting thing is what form the albums that will be included will take. That's the point I'm trying to make. Will it be 5 of the 12 reissued titles from last year? That seems likely. But if it isn't any of them, then it seems likely that one or more of the "classic albums" included might be getting reissued as a single disc, rather than as part of a twofer.

Most casual fans couldn't name two albums by the Beach Boys.  Their catalog was never treated right, starting with the almost three back to back to back Best Of's Capitol released in the 60's.  But since we're all fans here...

Assuming they did a "5 Classic (Actual Beach Boys) Albums" promotion, which albums do you think they should pick?  Which ones would YOU pick?  Which ones do you think they WOULD pick?  ...Or any variations thereof?

My choice for what they SHOULD pick:
Pet Sounds
Smile (a truncated disc one from The Smile Sessions)
Today
Sunflower
Surfer Girl

My guess for what they WOULD pick:
Pet Sounds
Endless Summer
Today
Surfer Girl
Concert

I think it would be
Pet Sounds
Today!
Summer Days
Sunflower
Surf's Up

If I were them, I'd pick:
Pet Sounds
Smile (Disc 1)
Wild Honey
Sunflower
Carl And The Passions

This is the Beach Boys…

MIU
Beach Boys 85
Stars & Stripes
Summer in Paradise
Salute Nascar

Ugh!  I can't believe I forgot Surf's Up!   

I think you guys are putting too much faith in this.

They did one for Marvin Gaye that was pretty spotty:

What's Going On (Without a doubt; a wonderful album and great inclusion.)

I Want You (Yeah, sure.)

Live! (Uh... okay.)

20th Century Masters, Vol. 1 (60's) (Erm...)

20th Century Masters, Vol. 2 (70's) (:'()

The Elton John one is pretty good.
http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Albums-1970-1973-Elton-John/dp/B00857S822/

But yeah, that's pretty weird with the Marvin Gaye box.

Other than Beach Boys 85, they all suck...

Ugh. I didn't know they threw best-ofs on this thing. In that case its probably

Pet Sounds
Sounds Of Summer
The Warmth Of The Sun
Christmas Album
and something else.

I really wish it would be something like this though

Wild Honey
Friends
20/20
Holland
L.A. (Light Album)

Obviously that's a pretty idiosyncratic list. But yeah, it'd be cool if they showcased some different stuff rather than the usuals.

Despite already owning all those, I would definitely buy that. Especially if we can finally get those albums on their own CD.


To be fair, they did a fairly decent one for Tom Petty as well.

It seems they have ones coming out for The Temptations, Glenn Campbell, Merle Haggard, AND The Beach Boys. So, those all could be pretty cool.

I like all those artists but I doubt any of them will be on the same level as Elton's or Tom's.  :(

As Bubbly Waves noted: don't expect anything sensational. Most likely it'll be one or two bona fide classic(s), accompanied by one mediocre thing and two duds. Given that these sets sell cheap, there surely won't be a disk with 12 sensational SMiLE outtakes or acetates unheard by anyone, that Durrie P. suddenly came up with.

File under: uninteresting (only for truly anal retentives with too much money to burn).

Oh I agree completely.  I just figured we'd have some fun here and see what WE would come up with, versus the turd we're gonna get. :)

If one of the duds became SIP, I think people would secretly be overjoyed

I agree, if just the completists.  And honestly, what better way to re-release it than in a package deal?  That way it's not sold on its own merits and left with a possibly embarrassing return.

I can't see it not including (if they will do real albums)
Pet Sounds
Today
Summer Days
All Summer Long
Surfin' USA (an important album in several ways-none the least it was a smash)

I play the 1967-72 LP's the most too but for the masses in the US 1963-66 is where to mine.

That's why I included Surfer Girl.  Given more thought, I think it, Today!, Summer Nights would be shoo ins if they used actual albums.

Surfer Girl is valid too. Any 1963-66 LP would work in a project like this one, but (obviously for me) the top four I picked are hard to delete. It's that fifth best of the period that is up for some debate.

 :lol

Then I could look my retailer straight into the eyes and tell him that I wanted it for the sake of completeness...

...and he, knowing me, would retaliate with: oh, it's a bit like sneaking out with a porn mag rolled into The New Yorker, isn't it?

Given that Pet Sounds is the only proper Beach Boys album that people actually buy, it would be a bit daft to include it here and damage sales of the CD, although it's still likely to be included.

Summer Days and Summer Nights.
Today
Surfin' USA
Surfer Girl
Shut Down Vol II

Although really you could substitute any of the early albums.  I think some of this series simply have the first five albums.

Surely EVERYONE owns Pet Sounds...

My guess is it'll be:

Surfer Girl
Today!
Summer Days...
Smiley Smile
Surf's Up

I hope it's something ridiculous like...

Surfin' Safari
Pet Sounds
20/20
15 Big Ones
L.A. (Light Album)

or:

Still Cruisin'

Stars & Stripes

SIP

M.I.U.

Country Love

(the last one to attract collectors in droves)

I think a solid "classics" collection would be: 

Today
Summer Days
Pet Sounds
Wild Honey
Friends

This.

Classics.? I think they would only use the capitol years..  1) Surfer Girl 2) All Summer Long  3) Today  4) Summer Days 5) Pet sounds

Surfer Girl
All Summer Long
Today
Summer Days
Smiley Smile

and then

Wild Honey
Friends
20/20
Sunflower
Holland

I think that's the best we could hope for.

As noted these are often bog standard releases, don't be suprised if they are using 20 year old mastering jobs. My guess is Today!, Summer Days, Party!, Surfin' USA and Smiley Smile.

Musically you are right on, but sadly the last two wouldn't fly in the USA

OOH.. 20 year old mastering jobs.. NO please

My bet, taking a lot of the sensible suggestions above into accoun:

S. USA
Today
Smiley
Wild honey
20/20

Mark my words -- TWGMTR will be one of the albums. No rhyme or reason to these things, though.

My guess:

TWGMTR
GH vol 1
GH vol 2
GH vol 3
Party

Hahh!  Maybe even older than 20 years!

Duophonic, anybody?   :lol

Perhaps it will include duophonic and truncated CD versions of Today (Dance, Dance, Dance) and Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!!) (California Girls).

Yeah man, nobody knew how to master albums back in 1993. "God Only Knows" needs to be as loud or louder than the most recent Slipknot album or I smash the CDs with a blazing hammers and then eat a whole box of Total and go out and wreck my car. I just destroy a cardboard box with my bare hands and stare directly into the sun and fondly recall life highlights verbally. I just listen to Summer Love Songs and get horrible migraines and never take showerz

They will choose 5 albums that have the most hits on them. IMO this is just a quick money grab for the holidays.
Most likely all surf/car stuff

I just hope that it's BB's albums from their best period: Late 60's and early 70's.
If it's early 60's, it will do nothing but further convince people that they were little more than a surf/car group.

Pet Sounds will be on it. It doesn't matter that everyone who would buy this already has a copy and it will damage sales, it will be on here. If it's just five copies of Pet Sounds, each with liner notes that say nothing more than "THE BEATLES THE BEATLES THE BEATLES THE BEATLES" over and over and over for eight pages with Paul McCartney and John Lennon's face crudely pasted over everyone in the band except Brian with a signature next to him that says "God Jeff Fosk BRiAN WiLSON sMiLe!!111", I won't be surprised in the least.

I meant damage to sales of the Pet Sounds CD, not of this set.  With the exception of Smile, it's the one BB album that non-fans buy.  If they can pick it up as part of this cheap package, they won't bother buying the PS CD.  I went into a shop yesterday.  All the BB albums, earlier or later, were around a fiver, barring PS and Smile, which were around £10 - 12. 

Then again, I don't know the logic of the people putting these sets together or even how much thought goes into the selection, so PS may be on there.  If the inclusion of PS gets people to buy it and they then explore the other albums within, all the better.

I don't think this set's aimed at us.  I think whether hardcore fans own PS or not is irrelevant.  I've got a couple of these sets.  It's just a cheap way of getting into a band and getting a lot to explore for your money.

No way.  It'll be the early Capitol albums....Surfin' USA, Surfer Girl, Shut Down II, Today, SDSN.  If it differs from that, they'll throw in LDC or Surfin' Safari and subtract Today or SDSN.  My guess. 

 :lol

Yeah. An elaborate in-joke by execs: let's pick the worst album versions we can think of, skip a couple of key tracks, and see if any of them idiots notices anything...

Maybe it will be a set of greatest hits comps

Yeah. Or the contents of MiC squeezed onto 5 disks and to be sold for beer money, with the mastering error corrected too.

count me in.

Lei'd In Hawaii
Adult Child
Paley Sessions
Cocaine Tapes
Little Deuce Coupe

Pet Sounds
Today
Summer Days
Sunflower
Holland


I wish...

All pretty easy. The first 5 albums.

Me too!   :rock

My guess:

Surfer girl
All summer long
Today
Smiley smile
Wild Honey

My wish:

Friends
Sunflower
Carl & the passions - so tough
L.A. light album
Summer in paradise (just to get it in print again!)

.... and Wild Honey. Screw it, make it six classic albums.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/29860947

Okay, so it is Pet Sounds, Summer Days, Surfin' USA, All Summer Long, and Little Deuce Coupe.

Having bought all of these on CD last year, I will not need this set.

Damnit Why did they choose those albums?!
Little Deuce Coupe sucks, All Summer Long is overrated, Surfin USA and Summer Days are all-right and not some of their very best, and Pet Sounds is everywhere!
I would have replaced them with Sunflower, 20/20, Wild Honey, Surf's Up, and Holland

Wow!  I'm totally surprised.  I'm happy that it's at least five real, actual albums.  That's way cooler than it COULD have been!   :)

What else could 5 classic albums have been other than actual albums?

Greatest Hits comps; worse yet, NEW greatest hits comps assembled just for this package.

Truncated versions of 4 classic albums, plus Pet Sounds  ;D

Maybe non-Capitol albums weren't on the table.
 

Wild Honey and 20/20 are both Capitol albums!
But if you're correct, I would have instead added Pet Sounds, Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, Friends, 20/20

That'd be ten CDs including two copies of Pet Sounds…

Yea! All of Brian Wilson's music sucked big time prior to Pet Sounds. They should be taken out of production and never available again to the public. Their singing sucks on them too! How dare Capitol put out such rotten stinkin' albums. And those hits on them, boy how much do they suck? What was Capitol thinking? ;)

I did say instead

It's not so much that. In fact it's not that at all. It's just that their late 60's and early 70's work is a lot better

I love all the albums you listed.
And I would not say better. Pre and post Pet Sounds Beach Boys is like 2 sides of a coin i.e. very different. Why bother comparing them like one is better than the other?

and "added"   :D

Difficult to argue that selection, although you could make a strong case for Surfer Girl over USA.

I don't know; Today! seems like a pretty glaring omission.

There is a reason why the 5 albums picked are from 1963 through 1966. Care to venture a guess? Which 5 do you think will sell more, 63-66 or 66-69?

… also suspect they're trying to squeeze a few more dollars out of the recent remasters… though there's no indication yet that they'll be the mono/stereo versions we had last year.

Yeah.  In addition to that, I don't think "classic" is necessarily synonymous with "best."  I think "classic" implies a lasting cultural impact, and even though I think Wild Honey, Friends, and Sunflower are all better albums than Surfin' U.S.A. or Little Deuce Coupe, none of them has had as significant a cultural impact.

My preference would probably have been Surfer Girl, All Summer Long, Today!, Summer Days, and Pet Sounds, though I guess in terms of cultural impact Surfin' U.S.A. is more significant than even some of those because it marks the moment when they became a big deal.

Walmart lists 12 songs per album, so not those m/s remasters. But it does not say if Summer Days and Pet Sounds are in stereo or the original mono releases.

You get very little Drag songs with your picks. These 5 give a very good representation of all of their styles through those years.

Ah yes, I hadn't considered that.

They should have at least added 2 pre-Pet Sounds albums, 2 post-Pet Sounds albums, and Pet Sounds. I don't think it would matter which work would sell more, it all depends on the marketing

Maybe this will be volume 1. I know they have had multiple volumes for other artists. Aretha Franklin has 2 volumes and Miles Davis has at least 3. If this one sells well enough I can easily imagine a volume 2.

I’m not sure, but the choices aren’t that bad. Well, aside from Pet Sounds, which everybody already owns. ‘Today’ would probably have been a better choice. Or perhaps Surfer Girl.


Are you serious?

 
Yeah… I think you are serious!



I need to lie down.

I concur with the view on Today! been left out. Unthinkable in my mind!

In my opinion, the LDC album is just as bad as the Party Album for different reasons. Only 5 out of 12 tracks are any good. Very weak album, and I don't care if it's one of the first concept albums. Compared with ANY other albums from the 60's (With the exception of the Party Album), it just falls far short. It didn't help that it was rush-recorded and released so quickly. I usually just skip that album and move on to SDV2 after Surfer Girl, that's how bad LDC is.

All Summer Long is not a bad album at all. But it's not one of their best. Not even close. I'd probably put it between the best and the worst. I just don't think it deserves all the praise it gets. My Opinion: Their most overrated album, and I stand by that.

As for Surfin' USA and Summer Days, I have since grown fond of these albums, largely thanks to Pixletwin's Survivor Contests. With that I had to listen to these albums again, and they're not as bad as I thought. Still, they could have chose Surfer Girl and Today over them. Once Again, very good, but there are better BB's albums.

I love basically EVERY cut on LDC. My least favourites are 409 and Shut Down sooooo...

According to a couple of eBay listings this lot are all stereo-only; no content other than 5 discs in slip cases (and presumably a box).  Anyone bought and listened yet? Available for under £13 on Amaz.uk (& p&p), which makes about £2.50 a disc… which is testing my curiosity…

TODAY being left out is lame -- it's arguably the only other wall-to-wall "classic" album in their early years (kinda like the Beach Boys' REVOLVER).  Maybe side two was too much mellow stuff? 

Re Little Deuce Coupe: wwwwwhhhhhhaaaaaaatttttt??????

Which are the only 5 tracks that you think are good?

Personally, I'd say the 4 tracks from previous albums are all good.

Be True To Your School is inferior to the single version, but still a decent track.

Betsy, A Young Man Is Gone and - in particular - Spirit of America are all gorgeous and beautifully sung. SOA is one of Brian's loveliest early lead vocals.

Cherry Cherry Coupe is simple but very catchy indeed; No-Go Showboat and Custom Machine meanwhile are catchy and complex (check out the fantastic bass on Custom Machine, which I only just noticed on a recent listen after years of loving the track).

Great album!!!!!

I haven't got their Revolver album, though I have a great Britpop album of the same name!  It's fab and gear, man! :lol

Those 5 tracks would be: "Be True To Your School", "Spirit Of America", "No-Go Showboat", "Car Crazy Cutie", and "Ballad Of Old Betsy".
As for the rest, they're almost not worth mentioning. Just my opinion though

I bought it and I like it.  :) (I'm a beginner)

Well if it worked for people in your position, that's great! Welcome to the Forum  :)

I would definitely look into "Today!" next!

Today is good, but I'd recommend checking out Love You before anything else!

...And that's a first post!  Welcome addsomemusic.  Yes, Love You would be a great next choice.

I would say that Love You  is maybe a tad eccentric and may not be too appealing for newcomers.

I would recommend listening to the mid-to-late 60's albums.

Love You was the 4th album (proper, had a comp or 2 as well) I bought and listened too as a 13 year old noob (after SS/USA, PS/SS) back in 1884 and it remains a personal favourite and I think a very appealling album - perhaps because of age and that I'd not been exposed to the full gammat of "weighty" material by the BB's and other artists (ie 68-74), I was inclined to take it at face value and go along for the ride.

I'd love to see it back out there as much as any other offering; maybe it's unique characteristics will encourage a few other young listeners to look beyond the classic period and seek out the myriad delights of the full catalogue.

No way should Love You be a recommended album for someone just getting into the band...

Check out Today!, Friends, Sunflower, Surf's Up and Holland - then make your way to Love You, which is a superb album which I adore but seriously eccentric and you're almost guaranteed a 'What the f**k??' on first listen.

1884???
Not only were those albums non-existent back then, but everyone from that year is dead xD  :lol

What about the title track and 409?? BB classics surely? And 'Custom Machine' is the best song on the album btw.

409 is an all-right song at best. It was already on Surfin' Safari, so it shouldn't have been here. The LDC song itself is overrated anyway.
Custom Machine is a annoying, pathetic song.
Just my opinion


Agreed. It did take me a couple of listens to be convinced it's a masterpiece. At first, I couldn't stand it

'Annoying and pathetic'? Jeez, well I guess variety is the spice of life... Personally I think it's close to being a mini masterpiece. Brian packs so much into such a short song, it's slightly breath-taking.

Give Custom Machine one more listen, RockNo1Fann, and listen to the bass melody - might change your mind a tad. It's what made me go from thinking that the song was absolutely great rather than just very good.

Thenfirst album I listened to after Pet Sounds was Love You. I loved it instantly.

I wouldn't suggest Love You to a new BB's fan unless I wanted to drive them away from BB's for some strange reason.

I guess I'm not that much of a beginner then because I have that one. Also, I have all the albums after that all the way to the Holland album. Some of them I only have as downloads though.

Well, I suppose Love You would be a good next step then.

People are pretty split on it around here, but I love the album.

That's exactly what happened to me.  I wasn't able to actually come back "for good" until the first boxed set!

"Meh" cover artwork:

(http://oi41.tinypic.com/2ezlno4.jpg)

Aye, "shite" doesn't do it justice but its part of a series, many artists, all with the same stunning leels of cover creativity.

Anyone bought yet? Mono or stereo or both?

Saw the BB Classic Five at Wal Mart today, the price is $20.00

Thought about getting one, but that would be my 3rd copy of PS...
plus I am not crazy about the cardboard sleeve thing.

Maybe, if the price goes down after Christmas.  ;)

Wow, you animal  :lol

ONLY the third?  What kinda Beach Boys fan are you????  :o

Jesus, that's poor..........

I've only got 5 and I feel I need more still!

You're not a real fan until you have 20 pristine unopened copies of the Sunkist Album, Summer in Paradise (Korean Vinyl of course), and the Salute to Nascar!!!

I can't even find that dang Sunkist thing for sale anywhere!

http://www.musicstack.com/item/610198

http://www.gemm.com/store/RECKLESSCHICAGO/item/BEACH-BOYS-25-YEARS-OF-GOOD-VIBRATIONS-SUNKIST-PRESENTS-LP/2105458265

Capitol (to Art Guy): Hey, do you have like 5 secs for this album cover?
Art Guy: I have 2.
Capitol: Great, that's all we need. We'll supply the Microsoft Paint.

I was just gonna say, "I know they have a copy for sale at Reckless". I could pick it up for you, if you want, plus we know how much it costs for me to ship LPs to you.

3rd Pet Sounds CeeDee. I lost count of the LPs.  :p

All the "Classic 5" releases have this same min-i-MEH-list design.

Are these stereo or mono?

I want to say it's the same re-releases from 2 years ago (I think!), they're in the harder paper sleeves.

Freddie, I could sell you one.  I have a spare, but it doesn't have the booklet inside it.

Its impossible to narrow them down to 5 albums, maybe 7 or 8... but the 5 would be- surfer girl, all summer long, today, summer days and pet sounds; but its hard to leave out smiley, sunflower etc