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While there are a couple tracks that shouldn't be on this album and a couple tracks that should've been on it.. Overall it still ranks as one of the best beach boys albums.

I used to think that Surf's Up had some god awful tracks that were almost insulting. "Take A Load Off Your Feet" and "Student Demonstration Time" come to mind... But eventually I realized, I was being too serious. "Feet" is hilarious, and the sound effects are quite inventive, and "Student Demonstration Time" actually rocks for a BBs song, and I'm actually a fan of Mike's vocals in that song.

Overall, I think Surf's Up isn't as good as Sunflower, but I think it's still  a great album. I'm a producer, myself, and think that Sunflower has such a rich, lush sound that is almost hard to describe, and Surf's Up sounds a little bare, in comparison.

I'm getting sidetracked... I love the Surf's Up album, and can't believe its 45 years old!

"Looking at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" deserves way more recognition than it receives, what a beautiful, haunting song!

As for the album itself, it's pure pop genius IMO. What better way to blow listeners brains out than by ending the album with that fantastic three-song powerhouse of "A Day in the Life of a Tree", "'Til I Die", and "Surf's Up"? "Take a Load Off Your Feet" would definitely fit better on the cherry and uplifting Sunflower, but I've always really liked that one as well. Even "Student Demonstration Time" has it's own merits. Had it featured the original "Riot in Cell Block No. 9" lyrics, then I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have gotten so much hate over the years as it has. Would I have preferred "Surf's Up" to have been released on SMiLE four years prior? Definitely, but the fact that it was still released, despite the shelving of SMiLE, is still something to be extraordinarily thankful for. A HUGE thank you to not just the Beach Boys, but to Jack Reiley, Van Dyke Parks, Stephen Desper, Gary Winfrey, Daryl Dragon, Ed Thrasher, and many others for their participation in making an album as unbelievable as Surf's Up a reality.

Agreed, Scott. And it fits perfectly into what to me is the "nocturnal" (read: dark) side of Surf's Up. Side one has a "diurnal" feel to me, infused with sunlight. Just the way I see/hear it...

My favourite Beach Boys album, hands down.   

Looking at Tomorrow is a great song and I wish they did a few more like that.

But no matter how hard I try, i just cant get into Student Demonstration Time  and Day in the life of a tree.

Hey, Senator, I just noticed our avatars complement each other rather nicely. :lol

Surf's Up is one of my favorites but, I never compare it to Sunflower.  It was a great gift to myself starting my last two semesters in undergrad. 

Sweet to finally have a recording of "Surf's Up" which was featured as a Brian solo on Leonard Bernstein's Inside Pop program in 1967.  It marked the end of a five year wait for Surf's Up.  Great stuff on that LP. 

Thanks to the OP for the reminder.  ;)

I've grown to like Student Demonstration Time, at least the performance.  The one song that keeps it from topping Sunflower or Pet Sounds is Take A Load Off Your Feet.

Still one of the top releases by the band EVEN if it could have been a load better with Dennis tracks (hear my version here: http://bboysaltdisco.blogspot.ca/2016/08/1971-landlocked.html). The original LP is really one of my top 5 albums of all-time (Beach Boys or otherwise).

Here's a little mix I made to celebrate the 45th anniversary of this landmark:

SURF'S UP LIVE (mostly from the Princeton show and it's only missing a live rendition of 'Til I Die).
Enjoy!
http://www53.zippyshare.com/v/VN6DMPnm/file.html

I actually like it...for me it's Day in the life of a tree that hold it back.

If it's Jack's vox that are a stumbling block, check out this amazing live cover version by The Wild Honey Orchestra!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNYG7Dc1u68

If this was Surf's Up...
   

1. Don't Go Near The Water
2. Long Promised Road
3. Take A Load Off Your Feet
4. 4th of July
5. Student Demonstration Time
6. Feel Flows
7. Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)
8. Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again
9. 'Til I Die
10. Surf's Up

Or maybe something like this?

Side A:
1. Don't Go Near the Water
2. Long Promised Road
3. Awake
4. Disney Girls (1957)
5. Student Demonstration Time
6. Fourth of July

Side B:
1. Feel Flows
2. Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)
3. Where is She?
4. (Wouldn't it Be Nice) To Live Again
5. 'Til I Die
6. Surf's Up

That's a pretty damn dark and moody album if you ask me!

I know this is gonna go over like a red balloon....but I'm not too crazy about 4th of July. I don't know what it is, if it's the melody or what, but something has always seemed off to me about it

Now that is an album I would buy in multiple formats and cherish with every listen.

 Surf's Up  is best accepted as is. Both "Feet" and "SDT" add something needed to the album: humor and rock & roll, respectively. I like "WIBNTLA" as a coda to the album proper. (I'm OK leaving off "4th of July.")

  The album does not achieve Sunflower's consistent unity of sound, but is by far a more powerful and moving statement than the previous record. Why? Two (some might say three) of Brian's finest songs plus Carl and Bruce's best work.  Surf's Up captured the spirit of the times but the best moments are timeless. It saved The Beach Boys commercially as well.

 One of my all-time favorite albums.

 

Mine goes like this:

Side A

1. Don't Go Near The Water
2. Long Promised Road
3. Sound Of Free
4. Disney Girls (1957)
5. Student Demonstration Time
6. Fourth Of July
 
Side B

7. Feel Flows
8. Barbara
9. Lookin' At Tomorrow
10. A Day In The Life Of A Tree
11. 'Til I Die (with extended intro from the Desper mix)
12. Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again)

http://bboysaltdisco.blogspot.ca/2016/08/1971-landlocked.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC5a20YU42E

I remember back when the GV box came out in 1993 and then for some time after that, I never gave "4th of July" a lot of attention. Can't say why; it just didn't really strike a chord with me. Perhaps it was the extended, slow intro or something, I dunno.

But I've grown to like a lot more. A couple of the chord changes are nice, especially underneath those high notes Carl hits.

If they could have swapped Student Demonstration Time for Soulful Old Man Sunshine, it would have been fantastic.

When I first got into the Beach Boys....I found "Surf's Up" in 1975, in a cut bin with a cut corner for $0.99!!!   I still have that copy 40+ years later!!  
And it's definitely well-worn.  Especially Side Two.

Hard to believe that all of these years later, it's now been re-issued several times and considered a classic!!!  How times change!!  

Except for "Student Demonstration Time"...which just stands out like a sore thumb  (You know..this ROCK TUNE in between these mellow tunes), the album
has a nice flow.  I don't mind SDT, but I imagine it could've been a different album with something else from the can or one of those Dennis tracks which were floating around
at the time.   Shame really.  

Dogbone

 That 'shampoo ad' would have killed mood. It could be a SUNFLOWER track though.

^ It would've fit perfectly there

My mix is more like yours, Joe.



Side 1:

1) Don't Go Near The Water
2) Long Promised Road
3) Sound Of Free
4) Disney Girls
5) Fourth Of July
6) Barbara

Side 2:

7) Feel Flows
8) My Solution
9) Big Sur
10) Day In The Life Of A Tree
11) Til I Die
12) Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again