The Smiley Smile Message Board

After listening to it 11 times in the past half hour, I'm struck by how beautiful this song is. However, I don't think I've ever really seen anyone else talk about this song. Looking through all the compilations on Wikipedia, it doesn't seem as though it's been included on any of them. This song deserves more attention, dammit.

Brian's lead is great, the melody is great, the chords are great, the backing vocals are great, the lyrics are heartfelt (and great), and the way the music swells in the beginning of the second and the third verse is great. It seems to be a precursor to "Please Let Me Wonder" and "Let Him Run Wild" and those beautiful songs down the road.

One of the best on All Summer Long. Really beautiful. The last 20 seconds especially get to me.

It's a nice song, maybe a bit too naive for the "artistic Beach Boys" crowd. Lyrically, it must have been influenced by "I'm So Young".

I've been trying to sing the bridge for 25 years and never succeed! one of my favorite BW vocals.

Agreed. It's not exactly one of my favourite albums by them, but definitely a major highlight.

The Beach Boys FAQ book says We'll Run Away could be Brian's most underrated ballad and the lead vocal is one of his greatest.

Personally the bridge vocal is among my favorite Brian Wilson moments on record.

Love, love, LOVE it!

I agree with Jon -- one of Brian's best vocals.

Love this song!

But I always wondered why the track drops out at 0:36. Was there an issue with the multitrack, or was this just a little production touch Brian was trying out?

Gorgeous! :thumbsup

Nice Thread Bubbly!
I LOVE this tune. I've been doing an acoustic version of this tune since the 80s (I'm getting old!)
I turned a girl who was into metal onto the Beach Boys with this song, and she ended up loving them!  :)

It's one of my favorites from the All Summer Long album. Beautiful song. Beautifully sung.

This is one of my favorite early Brian Wilson songs. Easily my favorite lesser-known track.

When that organ comes in :o

Glad to see it getting recognition!

Well, it shows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mufBe75q-Ks
Immediately recognized your voice while I was watching another tab.

Such a great song, with those killer unexpected chord changes. It really is a premonition of the flowering writing style Brian would soon be immersed in. Totally underrated, as Jon stated. The instrumental and in-progress versions of this song on Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 6 (not that I've ever heard such material, of course) are way killer too.

I still don't understand the organ part which drops out though - I can't wrap my head around it sounding like it's anything but a glaring mistake, despite that people generally seem to think that it was an intentional BW touch.

Not that I do the song any justice though ;D It was a fun one to cover at least.

It almost seems lyrically this was Brian's version of "I'm So Young" -- and then he covers "I'm So Young" a year later.  :-D

By the way, "I'm So Young" may be the Boys' best cover.

So who played on the Basic Track and the Instrumental Insert? On the basic tracking I hear: Brian on the Piano, Carl on Acoustic 12 String Guitar and maybe Dennis on drums? On the Instrumental Insert I hear Carl doubling the 12 String Acoustic Guitar and Brian on the organ, which I believe is a Hammond? It sounds like the same organ used on Wendy and Don't Back Down, as all three songs were recorded at the same session? Maybe C-Man can shed some light on this. No, I don't have a subscription to Endless Summer Quarterly for the All Summer Long issue, to see the credits for the song.

Absolutely one of the best early Brian songs. To me, All Summer Long is their first great album.

Great leadvocal by Brian. I almost like the single tracked version better as you can listen to his pure voice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygtJVZ5RSW4

Nothing in Keep an Eye on Summer for this song.  :'(