The Smiley Smile Message Board

I've long heard about fans wanting entire albums' worth of BB songs being released as vocals-only versions, paired with their instrumental-only counterparts. Perhaps on a future reissue set, or as a digital-only release.

Thus far, there have been quite a few vocals-only versions of BB songs released, as well as instrumental-only versions with vocals mixed out. Unfortunately, this has been done very piecemeal, here and there on a great number of box sets, compilations, etc. And it's very incomplete. The only comprehensive collection of this for an album, of course, is from the Pet Sounds Sessions box.

Outside of the Pet Sounds Sessions box, does there exist a comprehensive list of the released vocals-only versions/instrumental-only versions of BB songs?

And what still exists in the vault that hasn't been released? I know that The Smile Sessions, it would have been near impossible since there are stems missing (Good Vibrations, etc). But, for example, could Capitol release vocals-only versions/instrumental-only versions of the entire albums Surfin' Safari, Surfer Girl, Little Duece Coupe, etc? And how about the other albums?

No such list exists, and it should. Looks like another for the "to do" list. It's a good thing I love this band...  ;D

Here's a list of what's commercially available for "vocals only"

From Keep An Eye on Summer (digital-only release)

Fun Fun Fun
Don't Worry Baby
In the Parkin' Lot
Keep an Eye on Summer
Wendy
I Get Around
In the Parking Lot
Girls on the Beach
All Summer Long
She Knows Me Too Well
Don't Hurt My Little Sister
When I Grow Up
Dance Dance Dance

From the Good Vibes boxset
California Girls

Pet Sounds Sessions has the entire LP a capella

From the Smile Sessions
Backing Vocals Montage

From Made in California
Pom Pom Play Girl (vocal session highlights)
Can't Wait Too Long
I Believe in Miracles (vocal section)
Old Man River (sections)
Slip on Through
This Whole World
Our Sweet Love
Forever

And while these aren't commercially available - they are on YouTube and Brother Records hasn't taken them down.

Farmer's Daughter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssk3wlkibgk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssk3wlkibgk)

Help Me Rhonda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-vOHb6rT7c
 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-vOHb6rT7c)
Till I Die
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18feWenkIYA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18feWenkIYA)

Please Let Me Wonder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1rd9I_Wk6I (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1rd9I_Wk6I)

Kiss Me Baby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJHyp3Bp3lE
 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJHyp3Bp3lE)
Breakaway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1M6080WczY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1M6080WczY)

Cottonfields
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thm2b8XBGwY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thm2b8XBGwY)

Add Some Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2SZRDUaFRc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2SZRDUaFRc)

Sail on Sailor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BG0cw3sVU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BG0cw3sVU)

There's also the stuff from "Hawthorne, CA":

Kiss Me Baby (Vocals Only)
Can’t Wait Too Long (Vocals Only – Later also included on MIC)
I Went to Sleep (Vocals Only)
Add Some Music To Your Day (Vocals Only)
Forever (Vocals Only)
Sail on Sailor (This is the backing track, but it isolates vocals at the very end)

And, if we’re getting into backing tracks as well, Hawthorne also has:

Surfin’ USA (Backing Track)
Fun Fun Fun (Backing Track)
Good To My Baby (Backing Track)
Be With Me (Backing Track)
Sail on Sailor (Backing Track w/ vocals at the end)

The two versions of the "Endless Harmony Soundtrack" have varying versions of "Surfer Girl." The '98 version has the "Binaural" mix, while the 2000 CD has a vocals-only mix.

The "Good Vibrations" boxed set also has several "Binaural" mixes with vocals and backing track hard-panned.

The "US Singles Collection" boxed set has a backing track for "Do You Wanna Dance" (I think this mixes some vocals in at the end as well).

Also, since we should occasionally reiterate and state the obvious that will likely never happen, the band and BRI need to open up the vaults and do deluxe editions of their albums, and/or an archival online release program to get this stuff out.

I appreciate how the teams working on various BB projects have put as much “new” stuff on the various releases as they possible could, and I’ll be happy to buy another piecemeal collection of scattered interesting tracks. But we need deluxe editions of at least some key albums so we don’t have to see scattered vocals-only tracks and the like, but instead just have a multi-disc set for stuff like “Sunflower” that provides the original album, a vocals-only mix of the album, a backing tracks-only mix of the album, and of course the myriad of outtakes, alternates, etc. It’s the *perfect* way to present it.

Break Away Backing Vocals:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8Siahb5LuE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8Siahb5LuE)

At this point, the label should just release it digitally and it'd cost them almost NOTHING compared to the huge production costs of manufacturing physical records, if that's what they're worried about.

Just make an expanded Stack O Tracks.   Add a vinyl bonus of sheet music too!  :-D

From what I gather, there’s just disinterest from a lot of the parties involved. It doesn’t help either that they have essentially no management (managing their trademark and counting the touring licensing fees doesn’t count), certainly no management pushing for or spearheading such programs.

They could have been pushing for Pink Floyd “Immersion” style boxed sets, which would get great press (and also of course please the fans) and lots of cred, and as with the 2012 tour, it would get them out of “Wal-Mart Bargain Bin 10-track hits CD” status.

Looks like a few folks who really love the band and are scholars tried to do something with the “Beach Boys Central” website a number of years back, but that never got past a placeholder front page. I’m guessing it wasn’t because there wasn’t a team ready and willing to do it, but more likely a bunch of snafus (and/or indifference) from the powers-that-be.

Thanks Andrew. I hope and wish and pray that the band will eventually do releases like this with their entire catalog, though I think they would be scared to let 15BO vocal-only tracks be naked for the world to hear. I would looove to hear em, though - especially all 15BO backing tracks.

I wonder if any albums (sans Smile and possibly Wild Honey) have significant vocal stems missing, that would make vocals-only versions an impossibility? Were most BB albums/songs done with the band singing discrete takes over the backing tracks, or are there a good chunk of songs in the vault where isolated vocal stems no longer exist (or never existed in the first place)?

FWIW, you can create your own vocals-only mixes on a LOT of the group's '60s stereo mixes -- just use a karaoke filter in Audacity. What's unique about the Beach Boys' stereo mixes is that many of them have the instrumental tracks in the middle with the vocals spread across the two stereo channels, so if you use the old OOPS technique, the instrumental tracks cancel out. (Vocals-only "Cabinessence," anybody?) And of course you can get instrumental-only by OOPSing stereo mixes in which the vocals are in the center; "Do You Remember" is my favorite -- that has a seriously killer backing track!

Maybe I'll get working on these lists, and will include things like DVD 5.1 separations and stuff. (If all the little projects I "maybed" in my life actually happened, the world would never need another reference source. :/  )