The Smiley Smile Message Board

I was watching the videos on Amazon and on itunes about the idea behind the Warmth Of The Sun CD, and how it was sequenced by the remaining Beach Boys while at Brian Wilson's house.  I am not one of the lucky ones who scored a promo copy, so I haven't heard the CD yet, but I'm really looking forward to the stereo remixes.

Anyway, I decided to gather up the closest versions of the 28 songs I had, according to reports about the CD, and play them in sequence.  I'm really impressed by how well *most* of the tracklist flows together.  It flows together much better aurally than on paper.  Even "Don't Go Near The Water", which I thought to be an oddball inclusion, fits in perfectly.  After listening (in bed with insomnia!) to the 28 tracks, the only track that I have an issue with is "Why Do Fools Fall In Love".  It doesn't seem to fit in in the overall scheme of the CD, and it especially doesn't fit in sequentially...right between "Breakaway" and "Surf's Up".  I'm guessing that the idea behind its inclusion is that because it has been a regular concert staple for about 6 or 7 years, that concertgoers would recognize it, and that they would be more likely to purchase the CD.  True, but I still question its inclusion.  I feel like that spot would have been perfect for "Caroline, No", which was a top 40 single, but was excluded from WOTS and SOS.

Anyway, that's a minor quibble...overall, I'm impressed with how well this compilation flows.  Maybe after I buy the CD, I'll make a homemade version with "Caroline No" in place of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"...

I have looked at amazon, but I only found the "California dreamin"-video. Would love to see the video about them sequencing it.

The interviews video is on amazon.com.

I'm reliably informed that the original sequence was much better - less, well, clunky, for want of a better word.

Huh...I just watched it earlier in the evening, and now it's back to the California Dreamin video again (which was there before).  It was only a minute long or so.  Mike & Brian do most of the talking, and Al has a short snippet in there.  Mike talked about how it was an emotional time trying to decide which tracks would make the cut.  Brian mentioned that there were 20 or 30 that didn't make it, but 28 that did.  Mike mentioned that he had the idea to start the album with All Summer Long, and Brian liked that idea.  Al said that each song was specially chosen to give an overview of the career, and that it would be great to listen to.  All of this is kind of as I remember it, having only watched it once.

But the itunes video is still available, and it's a little longer.  It doesn't talk too much about sequencing, but the idea behind the album.  Here's a link from the Warmth Of The Sun blog:

http://dld41.streamos.com/0e23aad0ebfd25596149c7523f7646a9-463f7059/1179486156/300/41/m4v/0/0/0/37a4aaf3eef2cdbcc5e9161e140cb1d5/bb_video_ipod.m4v

http://beachboyswarmth.blogspot.com

Run by Michael DeMartin

Enjoy!

Any idea what the original sequence was?  Was it chronological?

The only majorly disconcerting transitions revolved around WDFFIL, as I mentioned earlier.  In a very small way, Feel Flows kind of slows things down a little bit too much in the middle, but I love Feel Flows so much, it doesn't really matter to me...also I can't help but think that California Dreamin' would have been a better closer, and that TWOTS would have been better around track 8-12 or something.  But, once again, these are all VERY minor quibbles compared to WDFFIL.

"WDFFIL" is there for one simple reason: Mike likes it.  8)

"All Summer Long" was the perfect album closer in 1964 for the album of the same name, and it's the perfect album closer for this comp. The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Edit: To me, "Catch A Wave" would've made a great opener for this new release.

All Summer Long didn't close the LP of the same name in '64...Don't Back Down did. ASL did close the movie American Graffiti in '74.

BTW re: sequencing on new comp. I hate having Forever follow Disney Girls. I love both songs but something about the overblown sappiness of DG blunts the understated charm of Forever.

Yes, Jon, I know that "Don't Back Down" closed the album. I guess I didn't word my post very well. When I say that "All Summer Long" was the perfect album closer in 1964, I meant it "would've been", but they blew it by not using it that way.

BTW, I agree with you about "Forever" following "Disney Girls". Isn't "Disney Girls" about coming back and "Forever" about going away?

Yeah ASL would have been a good closer...true.

Coming back and then going away...but not forever. Hmmm, hadn't thought of that.  Disney Girls is awesome, I love it...but its so cheesy in production and sentiment, while Forever is kind of stark, and real, and intimate...and having the cheese come before the meat just doesn't work for me. I thought it really worked throwing Its OK in between two early '60's tracks. Take note of Dennis Wilson's great bass singing on Its OK...that's all him and not Mike. BTW, why does Brian get a lead vocal credit for the intro on California but Dennis doesn't get one for the tag on Its OK?

The Beach Boys whole career has been one of 'cheese and meat'!
On a side note, I like it when Van Dyke Parks is talking about Dennis on the Good Vibrations tour DVD, he says he has 'got a lot of meat', i'm not quite sure what he's referring to...?!

I'm sure one of our female Smiley Smilers will be happy to fill ya in....   

As for how VDP knows about that... well I'm not gonna go there

And back on subject...  I too find "Why Do Fools" out of place.  I'd rather have "Caroline, No" there.  If "Why Do Fools" needed to be on the album, move it forward in the sequence a bit, preferably after "It's OK"

I think WDFFIL is a great follow-up to Surf's Up because you have just finished listening to something incredible. A powerful statement in the history of music (IMO) and then BOOM you have WDFFIL and it makes me go "WOW! To go from this to that in such a short space of time."

Its and incredible evolution.

What's kind of distressing, or perhaps discouraging is a better way to put it, about this new CD is that the remaining BB's seem to have put a good deal of thought and effort into selecting and sequencing the tracks as well as promoting the thing. Both the Amazon video and the ITunes podcast, at least the first podcast, seems to just be a big sales pitch for the album. (Also, what's up with the Amazon video including a comment from Al about "Hang On To Your Ego?" What has that got to do with this album? Did they slip up and use an outtake from this "Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary" interview?) It's good to see the BB's involved and interested in some way, and good to see Capitol soliciting their input. But I wish the remaining BB's would put this same effort and enthusiasm into putting something new out in terms of archival releases, etc.

It seems a bit like, in selecting the tracks, they are taking the CD a bit too seriously, sequencing the tracks as if they were working out the order for another "Pet Sounds" or something. Maybe it's just me being too much into the historical data side of things, but just about any track order other than more or less chronological is going to sound a bit disjointed to me. Capitol has got my number though, because I probably wouldn't be buying the CD if not for the stereo remixes.

I highly doubt this CD will be as successful as "Sounds of Summer", just as "Greatest Hits Vol. 2" on CD probably sold less than "Greatest Hits Vol. 1."

I'm very much looking forward to the stereo remixes, though. I fear they may have too much echo/reverb on them based on clips I've heard, but I'll wait to rate them until I hear the entire CD.

I looked again and there it was. Thanks for the tip. It seems to change between "Cal. dreamin" and the interview.
BTW I posted a link on the youtube-thread in the media-section of this board with two interview. I can't watch the quicktime-one. Anybody know how to download that stuff?

Good question Eric on Fools and absolutely the correct answer AGD. What a shame. I walk out when they do it in concert, right around the Duke of Earl time. Mike is stubborn to his detriment in this regard. I'm sure it will ruin my first listen to the new release.

I like the song, but I just don't think it was appropriate for this CD.

BTW, it appears that "Duke Of Earl" has been dropped from the setlist this year (finally!)  WDFFIL is still on there, though.  I never really minded WDFFIL live, but Duke Of Earl has never, ever been a highlight for me.

In honor of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" making the cut on the new comp, I gave it a good listen to after a long while. The drumming is unbelievable! Is it Hal Blaine?

Indeed it is.

WDFFIL is great live.

I actually quite like the Diana Ross version!

Ever heard Terry Melcher's version (I think Brian had to do with that) from '74? That one is awesome. I love it !

Do you mean the California Music version? That was indeed produced by Brian.

Yeah, I love that one !