The Smiley Smile Message Board

Anyone know the story behind this track? The backing track sounds like it was recorded in 65 or 66 but Brian's vocals are obviously around 76 or so, but his voice sounds so sweet.

it was recorded under the name Sandy for the SUmmer Days album...there was a small bit of vocals for the chorus...but thats all that was recorded then...

come 1976/77, Brian records a vocal over it for his Adult Child album? (correct me if im wrong). Also, there's rumoured to be another version of In the Back of My Mind he re-recorded then as well. Both unreleased.

Come 1997/98, Brian re-writes/produces with others and calls is She Says that She Needs Me for his Imagination album

Close, but not quite..."Sherry" and "Sandy" are different tracks.  The song was first recorded (with "The Wrecking Crew") as "Sherri She Needs Me", early in the "Summer Days" sessions, then RE-recorded by The Beach Boys as "Sandy She Needs Me" later in those sessions (not sure why), and the BBs partial vocals were added to that second version.  Then, in late '76, Brian multi-tracked vocals on the first version ("Sherri").  To my knowledge, there were no "Sherri" vocals until then, even though it was called "Sherri" when it was tracked.

I wish there was a finished version of Sherry from 1965. If that'd been on "Summer Days", that would've pushed the album into my "Best Album" slot, past Today!

Did they play this at the famous Hawaii 67 concert??

Nope, but a mix of it can be found on that famous vigitone boot that includes some of the unrelated Wally Heider sessions.

Thanks folks. Listening to the track it really amazes me how passable Brians Falsetto still was. I agree with John, this song could easily have made Summer Days (which is allready a great album) a really really great album.

Why didni't they ever finish it?

A person could ask that about any number of interesting-to-great (partial) recordings. I mean, this is the Beach Boys. Uh...SMiLE, anyone?

Good point Luther... But it seems like things were so much more together in 65 that they would have finished it. Its obviously a great song. We need this stuff released. They should release an album called Beach Combing and release all this great stuff thats just sitting there doing nothing....


OK that is a dumb title, but you get the idea, right?  :lol

I wonder if the 1976 lyrics were the same as the 1965?

Good question.  I'm guessing they were pretty much the same, just a few small changes here and there.  Some of the lyrics in the '76 version are a bit clunky (like "Sherry don't hate her guts just cause she took me away"), so maybe some lines like that were changed.  But at the same time I can't imagine Brian doing a massive lyrical overhaul in '76, so I think he stuck mostly with what was already planned.

I really love this song...I just wish (as others do) that there was a finished version with Brian's young voice doing the lead.  It would have been awesome on Today or Summer Days.

Add to those versions, one recorded during the sessions for the BW88 album. I don't believe it leaked, but it was called, and I'm not making this up, "Terri, She Needs Me."

Wow I didn't know there was a fourth version too.  I'd love to hear it, just because I think it would be interesting to hear '88 Brian doing it.  Actually, I bet it sounded very similar to the '76 version vocally, just with more synths.

I think its funny how each version uses a different name until the final one on Imagination, where it's just "she".  Seems like Brian had some trouble settling on a name!

"Guess I'm Dumb" instead of "Bull Session" and "Sandy She Needs Me" instead of "I'm Bugged" and those albums would be perfect.

I remember Brian had an weird excuse saying Sherry was a girlfriend and Melinda didn't like him using the name.

No, I couldn't get rid of "I'm Bugged" - I'd have "Sandy/Sherry" as a 13th track because "And Your Dream Comes True" is so short.

I could never get rid of I'm Bugged. But Sherry would be a nice 13th track. It would even be a nice "Caroline, No"-ish ending.

I'd say get rid of Summer Means New Love. It's just "Keep An Eye On Summer" without vocals.

Let's ADD the studio Graduation Day and make it an even 14 tracker, a la the Beatles UK Albums!

I wonder if the BB's not releasing those songs was because of Russ Titleman's involvement? Maybe copyright problems at the time.
It just seems strange that two of the best songs of that time weren't used.

Where did I read that it was meant to be the B Side to Glen Campbell's "Guess I'm Dumb"?

national enquirer??? just kidding....