The Smiley Smile Message Board

After reading a gig list from 63 I saw that the Beach Boys shared a couple bills with Ray Stevens... one of the most underrated music masterminds of the last 50+ years. Hes most known for his novelty classics Ahab the Arab, Gitarzan, the Streak and pop classic Everything is Beautiful but to anyone whos really experienced his output from the early 60s thru the 80s he was extremely eclectic and a great singer/composer. Any thoughts??

Once again, tangentially related to The Beach Boys.

I must say it's kinda odd that first you liked that white power '70s punk band, and now this guy who is a tea party darling. Odd.

Ha! I dont like that sh*t, I was referring to an album before they became that and with ray before his disgusting switch to that crap.

I found this completely obscure single in a box of random records a couple of years ago.  I got so excited about it that I had to post it to youtube.  Produced and arranged by Ray Stevens, with some very obvious Beach Boys influence.  This guy has some real talent.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIysDcLZMUg

(http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr05/2013/5/20/20/enhanced-buzz-23438-1369094624-6.jpg)


Moving this to the General Music section, as the discussion is not related to the BB.

I interviewed Ray Stevens as well as his primary songwriting partner, Buddy Kalb, in a multi-installment feature when I first started my journalism career several years ago. My first interview that I scored on Twitter. I've been meaning to give it a new re-edit and rewrite the introduction. Practice makes perfect, and my writing has significantly improved in the interim. I must do that before the year is over.

I'm not a fan of Ray's 21st century pandering to the right wing & Fox News, but his innovative '60s & early '70s work, which doesn't have an agenda, deserves your attention. Ray could stack vocals effortlessly, create sound effects & voices, play sterling piano and multiple instruments, write, produce, and effectively convey multiple musical genres -- i.e country, soul, R&B, gospel, rock, pop, and novelty. He had both a serious and fun side -- sometimes to the detriment of his artistic merit, the latter received greater airplay. He has a recently released memoir out -- "Ray Stevens' Nashville." If I speak with him again, I'll ask him about his shows with the Beach Boys. Many thanks for the thread, Kook Adams.


http://www.examiner.com/article/ray-stevens-still-trying-to-figure-out-what-he-s-gonna-do-when-he-grows-up (http://www.examiner.com/article/ray-stevens-still-trying-to-figure-out-what-he-s-gonna-do-when-he-grows-up)
Still Trying to Figure Out What He's Gonna Do When He Grows Up: In Step with Ray Stevens

If you're curious about Ray's early career, check out these two deep cuts on YouTube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPJ1Mmd2a1w (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPJ1Mmd2a1w)
Freddie Feelgood (And His Funky Little Five Piece Band).....1966 single A-side


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4-uhi_fxuE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4-uhi_fxuE)
Nashville......1973 single A-side

I think my favorite of his is "The Mississippi Squirrel Revival" .  I agree with most of his politics too, so it's a win win for me.