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I've often found it interesting to find out that a particular BB song didn't have the entire (then-current) BB lineup present (vocally speaking) on that song.

Sometimes it's obvious, while other times not so much.

Can anyone add to this list? I know there are tons more.

Off the top of my head:

- Friends songs (many don't feature Mike, right?)
- Wipe Out (Wall of Brians only - unless this has been disproven)
- Summer In Paradise is very spotty with BB members (and obviously no Brian)
- Many (or most) of the David Marks era songs don't have him in the vocal blend, right?

A response, a speculation, and a question...

We KNOW Brian Wilson wasn't on "Kokomo", I don't THINK he was on "I Can Hear Music", and is anybody aware if he sings on "Sail On Sailor"?

Yet, he's on the Spanish version, so his assertion that "I didn't get to be on that one" in the Endless Harmony film isn't strictly correct ;D

About Mike and Friends, you'll notice he's not credited as much either on song writing, which is odd...but this was 1968, he was in Rishikesh with the Beatles visiting the Maharishi, thus why he's not there.

The early years with Dave Marks, I honestly only think he's on Summertime Blues and MAYBE a few others that idk at this time.

Summer in Paradise was ALL about politics with Mike as head "creative" leader...I know Bruce and Carl are throughout the album, Al has a lead or two but something went down behind the scenes and Al was out of the band, I don't know the exact details on that one.

A guess about Wipe Out, would possibly be that Brian and Gary Usher worked on Wipe Out before during their collaboration...but honestly, I don't know if that's a coincidence and it's two very different recordings or it's the same track and they added the Fat Boys to it; I honestly have no idea.

I feel pretty confident in thinking that there are all sorts of examples of a then-current bandmember here, a then-current bandmember there, not being vocally present on stuff throughout the 70s (and 60s too).

More examples:

- Are all the BBs singing on Honkin' Down the Highway? I was kinda sorta under the impression that, aside from the lead Al vox, it was just Brian, Dennis + Billy Hinsche singing the backing vox.

- I Just Wasn't Made For These Times... I thought I recall reading this is all Brian, but someone correct me if I'm mistaken.

Apparently not:

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,15497.msg362902.html#msg362902 (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,15497.msg362902.html#msg362902)

A fascinating topic, one ripe for discussion. I'd say there was a point somewhere in the mid-sixties after which it was unusual for the entire BB vocal crew to be present.

That's just what I was going to say.  For the most part, I think the vocals rarely used more than four guys (doubled to make eight voices) for quite a while.  Off the top of my head, I know "California Girls", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "Add Some Music To Your Day" are exceptions but even most of the Smile stuff, which is arguably some of their most intricate vocal stuff, is usually just for guys. 

Interesting...  Phoenix: are you saying that "California Girls", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "Add Some Music To Your Day" are exceptions in that they are songs that feature 6 BB member vocals? I wouldn't have thought that 6 voices (Brian/Al/Carl/Dennis/Mike/Bruce) was such a rarity, but maybe it's more unusual than I had always thought...

And since we're on the topic, I'm assuming that there are no BB songs in the entire catalog with more than 6 official BB members present vocally, right? Or does Funky Pretty perhaps have 7 BBs vocally on it?

I've always wondered about Dennis's vocal role in the group, starting from around Love You to KTSA. I know he's not on KTSA, at least vocally. But what about MIU and LA Light Album? Other than the songs he sang lead on, did he contribute backing vocals to any other songs?

Dennis sang on Shortenin Bread

Whose on California Saga - California? Brian, Al, Mike, Carl? Dennis, Ricky, Blondie? Isn't this the one Holland track that Bruce is on?

AGD might be able to help on this one.. There was a rule started in the early 80"s that there had to be at least 3 BB on a vocal track to consider it a BB track..  Out of 6 BB. So it gets dicey at that point for sure.. It probably started after the incident on the runway September 1977.. Or at least sometime in 1977-78 because this is where Billy Hinsche  is present in the blend in the studio.. Love You MIU he is for sure on those..

If that rule was implemented in the early 80's, it didn't last long - case in point : the "Barbie - Living Doll" flexidisc. Or "Wipeout"... And probably more.

Ya know your right about that.. the other rule was you had to have 4 BB at a live concert.. That was broken too. I read this stuff in one of the published BB books. Don't remember which one..

I guess we could say it's very possible that Brian wasn't vocally present at all on L.A. (Light Album), although I know some say they can hear him on "Angel Come Home". I gotta admit that it kinda sounds like he's in the mix, but I'm not sure. For those that fear that Brian was not on L.A. at all though, fear not, because he is instrumentally on "Good Timin'" and (I think) "Shortenin' Bread".

Read the Wilson Project.  There was a near stand off in Hawaii to get three members to "record" vocals for "The Spirit of R&R" for the 25th Anniversary Special.  Al and Carl refused due to Landy's involvement but ultimately Bruce and Mike showed up making it an official Beach Boy recording and allowing the song to be on the special.  Also, Usher discusses the rather odd Wipeout recording session with Mike and Al both being present to put their vocals on the track.  He also describes how Brian rather quickly and deftly (to Usher's surprise) gave them their parts.

A few additions, off the top of my head:

I think I read somewhere reliable (and fairly recently) that both "Here She Comes" and "Hold On, Dear Brother" feature only Ricky, Blondie and Carl among B Boys vocalists.

I'd be surprised if "Be with Me" had more than one or two members other than Dennis on it, max.

"Can't Wait Too Long": Perhaps a cheat since it's incomplete, but the vast majority of the vocals on this are just Brian, right?
 

But frankly, as others have suggested, I think it'd probably be easier to try to identify songs that DID have all the vocalists on it from about '68 on (since they're perhaps more the exception, not the rule).

You got it.  Granted, I'm sure there are some others that feature them all; "California" being a strong contender to maybe feature MORE than six but yeah.  From what I've seen things like that seem to be the exception rather than the rule.  Those three were just ones I knew of off the top of my head.

There's a long thread somewhere that I participated in about Brian's vocal participation on L.A.  It is claimed that he is on "Angel Come Home" on the backups (probably the chorus vocals I would guess), and there's no reason to think that that's not true.  I think it's possible he's also on "Lady Lynda."  But a large portion of the vocals on L.A. were Bruce and Carl (and very occasionally Dennis, and possibly some of the side guys) overdubbing themselves.

This is news to me (admittedly, I have yet to lay my hands on a copy of the Wilson Project) but my point still stands, this rule didn't last long. Your story seems to indicate it was still valid in 1986, but 1987's "Barbie - Living Doll" features a single Beach Boy on a Beach Boys record.

The following newspaper sure is interesting though: "A spokesman for the Beach Boys said all the members of the group had been in favor of recording 'Living Doll'. 'They all wanted to do it,' he said. 'No one argued against it.'"

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19880302&id=Ug8QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C4wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7016,230509 (http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19880302&id=Ug8QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C4wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7016,230509)

 Living Doll sold more than a million units prior to Kokomo  :lol

what about "Caroline no",and  the whole Stack O Track album,,, :o now my mind is blown  :hat

Oh, but they are (somewhat) vocally present on "Stack...", albeit on one track (appropriate for this time of year) ;D

Don't know what to tell about that Barbie deal, that's actually an interesting point. But I'm pretty sure the 3 Beach Boy stipulation was still in effect in the late 90's as well hence the Nascar cd not being credited to the Beach Boys

Was the 3-member vocal stipulation an attempt to retain some quality control to material that would be released under the BB name? Because if that were it, there were certainly some turds that got through anyway.

Or maybe just a politically democratic attempt to make sure that every BB member would "sign off" on a recording?

Im  sorry but I don't buy that BB wanted to record BARBIE.. If they wouldn't record stuff done with Don Was or Andy Paley  Or Landy  for that matter why would they record this POOP..  Somebody get me a shovel to clean this up.. !  Its obvious its BW alone and its a POOR song at its best.. this song clearly shows how much damage has been done to BW..In his PRIME he wouldn't even record this let alone release it.. I lot of sub standard stuff that has been booted that  is clearly POOP but to release something like this is unbelievable.. Bw clearly doesnt recognize this but he USED too.. I find this SAD.. Wilson Project Book Gary Usher says the same thing..  I hope I haven't offended anyone but it  is IMHO.. I wouldn't DARE play that song for anyone.. And I have dearly loved the BB for 51 years And it hurts to say it..

I'm Waiting For The Day is reportedly all Brian, though the bass vocal does sound like Mike to me

While Bruce did a really nice job cleaning up the harmonies (maybe making them a little too slick at times) on L.A. (Light Album), I don't hear a lot of individual Beach Boys' voices on some of the tracks. On "Baby Blue" I just hear Dennis and Carl, on Carl's tracks, "Full Sail" and "Goin' South", I don't hear many/any other Beach Boys; same with "Love Surrounds Me" and even "Shortenin' Bread" (just Dennis and Carl).

I asked in an earlier post and am really curious. Is Brian Wilson on "Sail On Sailor"?

Depends. I personally don't hear him, and the way the session is related, his only contact was via the phone... but according to SWD, the released version makes considerable use of a version he recorded with Brian back in 1971. One of the enduring BB mysteries.

I hadn't heard that.

The bulk of the backups on "Baby Blue" are Bruce and Carl, with Dennis of course.
"Full Sail", Bruce and Carl, Geoffrey Cushing-Murray, and possibly Dennis.
"Goin' South", Bruce and Carl, possibly Dennis (or someone other than Mike) on bass.
IIRC a contemporary interview suggests it's all Bruce and Carl on "Sumahama."
You may be right about just Dennis and Carl (and Christine McVie or another female singer whose name I do not remember) on "Love Surrounds Me."
Dennis, Carl and Bruce for sure on "Shortenin' Bread."  I think Al may be on that one, but I can't prove it aurally.

Not ruling out cameos by other members on a part here and there, but my point is, with the possible exception of "Love Surrounds Me," Bruce is on all the tracks you mentioned.

I don't believe Brian is on "Sail On Sailor" at all but C-Man could tell you for sure.

I've always loved Bruce's evident backing vocals on Full Sail.

This is not the case.  Besides the bass vocal, Mike is audible at 1:09 ("Baby don'tcha know")  and he's doing the "No"'s and "uh-uh" starting at 2:37 on the tag.  This is clearer if you listen to the vocal inserts on the SOT box.  What has been suggested by some is that Brian did the backing vocals by himself, but the 5.1 mix makes the BGV's clearer and you can definitely hear at least Carl on them, not to mention that you can hear a voice that is not Brian's say "that's it" at the end of the vocal only track.

I thought for the longest time that Brian was on Sail On, Sailor. There's a voice on the song that sounds very much like a BW falsetto. I asked about it on here and was told that Brian was not on it. I wonder whose voice that is.