The Smiley Smile Message Board

Ok so I was out walking the dog this morning on a sunny, crisp winters morning in manchester and was listening to some music on the headphones (as you do) and I had an idea for a thread on here. 

What would you consider to be your favourite beach boys / brian wilson inspired song.  To make it a little tougher, and a bit more fun of course YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO STATE ONE CHOICE. Would be good if you could give a brief reason why you consider it to be BB/BW inspired....

Apologies for my naivity if this has already been done before but I figure even if the exercise was done a while back it may need refreshing now anyway!! So I'll start things off with one of my faves...

At my most beautiful by REM.  The organ, percussion and cord changes....and of course the obvious harmonies scream Pet Sounds to me!! I'm getting vibes of Lets Go Away for Awhile??....see what you all think.....Decisions decisions!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpNUDLsAOvY&sns=em

Responding to the 40th Anniversary of Brian's Back/15 Big Ones/It's OK Documentary thread made me think of this song - "Shannon" by Henry Gross. I distinctly remember laying on the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey in the summer of 1976, and this song was played on the radio constantly. What a great summer song!

Anyway, to this thread's topic, the song sounds like a Beach Boys' song, from the lead vocal to the background vocals and, of course, Henry Gross' falsetto. As far as being inspired by The Beach Boys, I've read that the lyrics were about Carl Wilson's dog, but I never knew if that was true or a rumor. Actually I think Carl appeared on one of Henry's albums. I think about this song with a Carl Wilson lead vocal (or a Brian attempt maybe?) and I think it would've been a great cover.

Cool story man, thanks for sharing I'll look up the song...

I tell you what... Panic! At The Disco's new track crazy=genius takes some beating. It's not been off my playlist since I found out about it here.

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

The title track to David Gilmour's 2006 On an Island album wouldn't have sounded too out of place on a recent BB/BW release (minus the Gilmour guitar solos). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij2vdvL7dx4

Here's a link: https://youtu.be/CPvjtUq9paA

"Hawaii" by the High Fives. This was around 2006 or so.  I don't remember who the guy was behind the band, but they were on myspace back in the day. Not to be confused with the High Llamas.

Wouldn't say it's the best but the first that comes to mind is A Carol For Lorelei by The Cryan' Shames. Very obvious 65-66 Beach Boys influence / direct imitation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-leTE-j_fw

"At My Most Beautiful" has always annoyed me.  Not that it isn't a lovely recording, and they get the sonics about right, but compositionally, it just doesn't go anywhere.  To my ear, it's an homage that misses the mark in the song category.  The lyrics (both the content and the melody) sound like they were awkwardly fitted to a pre-existing track - the melody doesn't really expand on the chord progression or take it anywhere new - and the main chord sequence (which is repeated endlessly) sounds like a pre-chorus leading to a chorus that never comes.

Not that R.E.M. is alone in this regard, but as a very high-profile Beach Boys pastiche, it is a poster child for what bugs me about a lot of them - attention to the ear candy and shorting the other elements.  Though it's at least heartfelt (at least from Peter Buck, less sure about Stipe's contribution).

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but just wanted to vent a little.

It's hard to pick just one, but the one that's popping into my head that hits the mark most squarely is probably Henry Gross' 1975 hit "Shannon."  It's a lovely recording, great song (no issues with a lack of a chorus here!) and most importantly, the Beach Boys' sound is used here not just for ear candy, but to be extremely moving and convey emotions that the actual words themselves don't put across.  That's the thing most folks that try to capture the magic tend to miss - not just the sounds, but the emotional effect their combination creates.

If I thought about it more I could probably think of a newer and hipper example but why bother!  :)

Pale and Precious- The Dukes of Stratosphear

Was just about to write that, you beat me to it! Probably the greatest thing XTC ever did.

Rants or otherwise are welcome! I'm fascinated to hear different opinions and ideas for additions to my playlists from friends in the U.S. and elsewhere! Thanks everyone so far for sharing 👍🏼

Didn't see that someone else had twigged "Shannon," that's pretty cool!

I have a soft spot as well for "Sunrise" by Eric Carmen, same year.

I gotta go with "Brian Wilson", as Steven Page is one of my all time favorite songwriters.  That said, I'm also a huge fan of Roxette and feel Per's "B-Any-1-U-Wanna-B" deserves an honorable mention.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwKV0SdcoSk

"Bluish" by Animal Collective strikes me as eerily close to something Brian might have written in his prime. It's one of my all-time favourite songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZlXwPb_JPM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZlXwPb_JPM)

"Pancreas" by Weird Al Yankovic. Really. This is easily as good as "Pale and Precious".

"Nature Is The Law", Richard Ashcroft.

Take a listen to Brian Wilson Is A Genius by Ruido Pegajoso.

http://ruidopegajoso.bandcamp.com/

I'll go with "That's All For Everyone".  It has that Brian Wilson-produced Beach Boys ethos rather than things you can put your finger on. Possibly Buckingham-era Fleetwood Mac's finest hour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pZipYTm_9o

Historically, I believe AGD votes for Beach Baby by First Class when this topic arises.  ;)

I've always thought that was sh*t. More a pastiche of summery songs influenced by Brian pre-1964 than a pastiche of actual Brian stuff.

I think of people influenced by Brian like Paddy McAloon. The influence is there but it's not designed to smack you in the face.

Every time I hear that song I find myself wishing the Boys would get together and record a take on it.  Maybe with a Bruce lead?

Rick Henn really nailed the Brian Wilson sound with 'Girl On The Beach'. That's a great record.

In case some here have never heard it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMxdXCL_hqQ

I would vote for BEACH BABY hands down.  For many of us in High School at the time... we thought it WAS the Beach Boys... and were disappointed that it wasn't.  A classic mid 1970s pop hit.  I recall reading that it even took Brian by surprise, at the time.  I remember her was quoted as saying it sounded "like us."

I used to hate this song in the '70s, I mean really hate it. Then about ten years ago I heard it on the magnificent comp The Warmth of the Sun and hey presto. How could I have ever hated this joyous anthem to sun and sand?  

One thing though: I can understand Carter quoting his own "Let's Go To San Francisco" at the end but I wonder what induced him to quote from Sibelius's Fifth Symphony? No matter----it's most effective.

"Black Sheep" and "At My Most Beautiful".

Does it have to be musically rather than topically inspired? If not, I like Mr. Wilson by John Cale, despite the whole chicken situation.

Beach Boy Blood (In My Veins) by Dave Edmunds.

White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQRS40OKNE&list=RDDrQRS40OKNE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQRS40OKNE&list=RDDrQRS40OKNE)

The vocals, the surf guitar through to the drum sound recalling Stephen Desper's drum mix on When Girls Get Together.

Actually, I find their entire first album to almost be a cold climate response to the Americana elements explored within the Smile Sessions.

Now, this next one is pure folly on my behalf, and I haven't been able to find any concrete discussion from the band members themselves - but whenever I hear it I'm convinced it's inspired by Brian's music and life.  Either way, I hope it trips your alarms:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TRF2q-zrj0

Good choice.  Love how the falsetto flows in and out.

As for me, I keep coming back to Hideaway by The Olivia Tremor Control.  Obvious influence throughout, but especially the last half minute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJobXSveRtE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJobXSveRtE)

That's a great song!

I sure thought it was the Beach Boys when I heard it on the radio. Really came to love it a decade later when my
BB's obsession was in high gear. Would have been great to hear our guys sing it - Mike on the verses, Carl or Al on the chorus, definitely Carl on the bridge part "long hot days, blue sea haze". Would've been great for them - love the drumming on that record, too.

I've been listening to everyone's takes on this subject and have discovered some songs I'd never heard before so thanks everyone!! The fleet foxes suggestion reminded me of the opener from their album a few years ago 'sun it rises' so many BW/BB continue to touch so many corners of modern music it's just amazing!! Anywa.... Enjoy!!

http://youtu.be/rQ5B-U6LwaA

🐺🌞

There are some real nuggets I just discovered through this thread.

I would like to add The Heavy Blinkers' track Filtered Light. For me, it's a perfect Beach Boys rip-off pop song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTD2Jn0J8Kc

Here's one for the adventurous listeners.

Bracket are a pop punk band and all their albums have wonderful vocal harmonies. But on their latest album Hold Your Applause they actually sound like the punk version of Smile. It has weird out of place songs, strange chord progressions, beautiful pop songs, crazy vocal harmonies.

Take a listen, you won't be disappointed!

https://bracket.bandcamp.com/album/hold-your-applause

Rüdiger

Yes indeed. In fact everything on the Warmth of the Sun compilation is little short of brilliant...

Yes!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRcXWGLummo

and I implore every Beach Boys on this forum to check out XTC's back catalog! ;D

Yes, especially Apple Venus Volume 1 ...

Holy crap, Bracket is still around?!?  We used to play with those guys in the '90s.  They were great!!!

"Beach Baby" is jolly good! :3d

I'll go with Shannon as well. My recollection is that Gross was an opening act for the Beach Boys and that he actually offered them the song to record. He got the usual reply to the effect that "we write our own material", and the rest is history.

Yes I'm Changing - Tame Impala

I know the music isn't anything like the Beach Boys, but the lyrics remind me so much of mid 60s Brian.

The new Tame Impala record, Currents, was a change in direction from the previous two, leading to many fans claiming that Kevin Parker (who bascially is Tame Impala) had abandoned them. I can't help but notice the similarities between Kevin and Brian's musical progression and the scrutiny they faced while doing so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQL363-O_yw