The Smiley Smile Message Board

Soul Searchin'  - Really like this 'waltz' style tune on GIOMH and curious about it's history: 

Wondering:

1. What year Carl worked on this vocal?

2. What album was it for?

3. Did the guys record background harmonies for it? Hhow completed was it?

3. Did Carl sing the whole thing thru or did Brian(or maybe Al) come in on the original at the same place where Brian comes in on the GIOMH duet version?

4.  Is the original version available out there somewhere?  Have you heard it?  Comments?
Thanks!

A few answers.

First, it isn't really a waltz--it's more a 12/8 feel, meaning it's still four beats to a measure, but rather than dividing them one-two, one-two, they're each divided into three parts.

It was done in the mid-90s for a Beach Boys album that was abandoned only two or three songs in. Yes, the band sang on it, and it is relatively complete (for an unfinished song). There are versions with both Carl straight through and, I believe, Brian straight through. You could probably find a recording of it, although not on any official releases.

This is something that's always puzzled me - the so-called BW lead version - in as much as it doesn't sound anything like Brian. Which of course it wouldn't, as it's Andy Paley.

I had heard there was such a thing, but hadn't heard it (hence the "I believe") for that part. Thanks for setting me straight on it.

The tragedy of the released version is that Brian's bridge vocal replaces Carl's -- which was truly one of the last great bits of recorded singing from the man.

Have very mixed feelings about this one. The song on its own is pretty simple -- so you look to the details. The things that made it great in the BBs version -- Mike's bass vocal, Carl taking off on the bridge, the kitschy organ solo -- were all trashed for the released version. So the song becomes not as good. Not nearly as good.

That being said, I don't mind all the reworkings on GIOMH. The title track (which, despite the liner notes is a Joe Thomas co-production on the backing track) has a somewhat less-focused, lush sound, which fits it well. Also, You've Touched Me is preferred to Turning Point. I prefer almost all of the Sweet Insanity re-recordings, too, with the notable exception of Make a Wish. That song should have stayed buried.

But Soul Searchin. Hm. I just wish BW hadn't messed with it.

God, that album was such a disappointment.  I do like the title track, though, and I don't mind Saturday Morning and Dancing.  The Waltz has a certain charm, too, despite Brian's vocals, but I could do without everything else.  You are absolutely right, claymcc, about the bridge of Soul Searchin'.  Carl nailed that part.  That album could have been so much better, without a great deal of effort.  I can not believe that Brian would want that thing released in that state.  Why oh why didn't he let the other members of his band sing on that album (I know they did some background vox on Desert Drive, but that song just sort of plods along).  Hmm (shrugs shoulders). 

"Desert Drive" was recorded fall 2002. A track from the abortive Wilson-Paley-Foskett sessions.

I'm informed that Brian doing all the bvs wasn't his idea. Bit like the track selection.  ::)

Isn't the track for Desert Drive faster on the Paley sessions?  That Wilson/Paley instrumental version is cool, but it seems to me as if they had to slow it down for the GIOMH album so that Brian could get all those words in.  Andrew, it seems that you know and communicate with more than a few 'insiders'.  There are many questions that I would love to ask you, and I wish I could attend Susan's convention. but I can not.  Have you heard anything about That Lucky Old Sun?  I do remember you saying at one time that there was a lot left to do on that composition.  Have you heard anything lately about the project?  Have you heard if Brian is interested and involved, or is the project another one of someone else's 'good ideas'?     

Different sessions...this is a 2002 session with Paley.

Ahh, got it.  Thanks.   :-[

Did Carl ever perform this song live?  If so, at which concerts?

And am I correct that I might hear the Carl lead with the awesome bridge on a "Wilson/Paley Sessions" recording?

No, the BB nver did it live.

The CW lead is usually included on any decent boot of the Wilson/paley sessions, along with "You're Still A Mystery".

OT - it's looking like the end of the world here - lowering sky, damn great thunderbolts, rising wind, driving rain.

I believe those 2002 sessions also produced the version of "California Feelin'" on the BW picks BB classics album. Not the best of sessions, perhaps. Brian sings as though his tongue is numb.

Don't think so - that album was released in July 2002 and in the liners Brian says he recorded it "a few months ago".

I can't imagine why in the world the Wilson-Paley version of GIOMH wasn't used on the album, obviously 'Soul Searchin' and 'Saturday Morning...' are from the mid-90s sessions so why not this one as well? The original has a much better backing track and Brians vocals is one of his best ever vocals post 1970s.
The remake (from the Imagination sessions?) is dreary, AOR sounding and his vocals have no charm whatsoever. the similarities between Brian and Ozzy Osbournes voice are very apparent here!

The original GIOMH is the best post 74 vocal I have heard from him

Which is pretty darn amazing considering it was only a work vocal. That said, the bit in the middle-eight where he engages warp drive never fails to make every hair on my body stand to attention.

I know what you mean Andrew, I had to pinch myself (and my girlfriend  :lol) to make sure that it was really the 1994 Brian singing.

I know the BB career is full of odd decisions regarding different versions of tracks, but this was a very foolish one, anyone with half a brain can hear that the original is better!

Ummmm... I was talking about Carl's vocal: Brian doesn't have a lead on the original "SS".

'Course it would help if I'd read the original post correctly (duh !)... but what you say holds true - that's a great BW latter-day vocal.

AGD, I was wondering if you have (or are going to have) a supplement for your BB book (much like you did before the updated version with the solo stuff etc.) with unreleased tracks on it, and I don't mean just listed like on your site but with a few sentences and insights written about them?

That might be cool, even if i'd have to lie about having heard some of them.  8)

I'm sure you could get away with it...

Some more info if you will:

Is the boot known as Landy-locked the same as this Paley Sessions set or is Landy-locked something different?

Was Still a Mystery on the Paley sessions recorded in 1996?  Was this song original in '96 or was it out of the can?

Other than Soul Searchin' and Mystery, were there any other songs recorded with all the Boys at this time?

Aside from Stars and Stripes, what were the last few recordings of original or new material that featured all the Boys?

I thought 'Dancing the night away' was done aound this time too, the backing track sounds similar to the rest of the stuff and Carl sings at the end.

Sounds like Carl and Mike (maybe also Al and Bruce) doing a fantastic vocal arrangement. That "somewhere near Malibu" knock me out everytime I hear it. Awesome. Wish they would have finished it. I'd like to see the video of the sessions to that song.

BTW did Matt Jardine join them in the studio ?

"Dancing The Night Away" was recorded earlier in '95, without Al or Bruce.  It's reportedly Brian, Carl (on guitar as well as vocals), Mike, both Paley Brothers (drums, bass), and I think Michael Andreas on sax. 

Yes, Matt is on "Soul Searchin'" and "Still A Mystery".

Cool, thanks for that.
As I said, that "Somewhere near Malibu" just blows my mind. Awesome stuff !!
If anybody has the video to the sessions, please upload it to youtube...

nm

Thanks for the responses! 

Was there ever any band comments or official explanation around this timereferencing why the work/album was never completed(as if any self respecting BB fan needs an explanation as to why something didn't work out!!)  Was the album tentatively titled?

I don't think it got that far.  The most I saw any BB comment on it was Bruce, in the pages of ESQ in '97.  He said Richard Branson was ready to sign them to his new V2 label, but wanted Brian & Mike writing the songs together.  According to Bruce, Brian's people wanted him to do a solo album first, and in the meantime, the Virgin deal evaporated.  There's also an issue of Uncut from '98 that focuses on Brian's "Imagination" album, and deals a bit with behind-the-scenes-stuff (like the guy from High Llamas being considered as producer of a new BBs album).  One thing I've heard is Carl didn't like the outcome of the two Don Was cuts "Soul Searchin'" and "Still A Mystery" (actually coproductions of Brian, Andy, and Don), but its important to remember that the versions we hear today are "composites" of earlier Brian/Andy backing tracks and the BBs vocals from the Was sessions...if he'd heard the "Soul Searchin'" that WE all hear today, I think Carl might've been pleased...to me, that song's a smash, and could've brought the Boys a lot of airplay and VH1 exposure if there'd been a video.  Just imagine Carl miming it as he walks down a street in the rain. 

So there were Was-produced backing tracks for SS and YSAM?  Do we know who participated (session players, etc.)?  Are they in "circulation"?

It really is a shame that Wilson-Paley stuff didn't get released, with the Beach Boys or without (setting aside the GIOMH versions).

Reportedly, the pivotal moment came during the bv session for "Dancin' The Night Away": there was a disagreement, Carl left the session... and that was it.

I think the Beach Boys' vocal sessions for "Soul Searchin'" (November 1995) occurred some months after they were working on the "Baywatch Nights" tune. 

Apparently I've been fed a bum steer, then.  ???

There was a picture in Billboard from the Was-produced backing track session...I've got it somewhere, but haven't looked at it in years.  The players were basically the same ones who appear on the soundtrack for "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times".  I remember Paley was in the photo, along with (I think) Was and his engineer Rick Pekkonen (I'm sure I'm off on the last name), plus guitarists Waddy Wachtel and Mark Goldenberg (if I remember correctly), Benmont Tench, and I think the bassist was Bob Glaub.  Keltner was named but not pictured.  And no, these tracks are not in circulation.  Although I wonder if the organ solo from "SS" was salvaged...it's so Tench-like...

There was an article in (I wanna say) "Entertainment" magazine from around April of '95 in which Brian and Mike talk about the session for "Baywatch Nights".  Brian says something like "When Carl put on the guitar, it tore the roof off the place!" (typical Brian hyperbole).  "Entertainment Tonight" (the TV show) also ran a spot on "Brian and Mike - together again" that April (I remember it was April, cause my niece was just born).  They were playing the song on a piano.

As for "Soul Searchin'" and "Still A Mystery", again there's a great description in ESQ of that session by the lucky, lucky Cindy Lee Berryhill, who was in the neighborhood and took a chance that there'd be some Beach Boys-related activity at Ocean Way that night.  Damn fine reading.

Does anyone know who the players on the Paley sessions were? In the sleevenotes of GIOMH it gives the players on the album and there are a few names in there who are not in Brians current band (And obviously SS and SMITC originate from the mid 90s), but i've never been sure.
Is it any of the wrecking crew?
Is it Brian and Paley doing most of it?
Is it any of Brians current band?
The mysteries of the Beach Boys world continue.....(For me at least!)

The instrumentalists on the Wilson-Paley sessions were primarily Wilson and Paley (especially Paley).  They got some help from people like Andy's brother Jonathan, Tommy Morgan (from the Wrecking Crew) on harmonica, and probably a couple of others I can't think of at the moment.  Gayle Leavant did some harp.  But nobody from Brian's eventual touring band.

Thanks. I love the sound on it, it's very energetic and fresh sounding, much more than any of the studio work afterwards (including BWPS).

*koff koff* That's what I had been saying for months! *koff koff*

Thank you  Craig and Alan for setting the timeline straight.  I do remember reading CLB's account of the session in ESQ. My favorite quote: a sarcastic jab from Brian directed toward Mike that went something like "Mike, do you need your Maharishi robe to sing this song?" (This was after Mike had levied a couple of doozies toward Brian including one about not being paid any lawsuit money).

I'd see the doctor about that cough iffn I were you.  ::)

So let's talk about Sweet Insanity which shortly followed the Paley sessions(I believe?).  Anything here we haven't heard on GIOMH or things unreleased, different or worthwhile?

"Sweet Insanity" actually PRECEDED the Paley sessions by roughly 5 years.  Plenty of otherwise unreleased stuff.  General consensus (OK, not really...just my opinion) is there are some strong melodies, great Brian vocals (lead & harmony), saccarine Landy-manipulated production (in places), and anti-Wilson family Landy-manipulated (or penned) lyrics.  Still (again in my opinion) it has a few great Brian songs, including one of my all-time faves, "Water Builds Up".  As an added plus, you get a cameo Bob Dylan vocal on one song (which is so bad, one clueless reviewer actually mistook it for Landy himself!).  And, in my opinion, the three songs that were re-recorded for "GIOMH" sound MUCH better on "Sweet Insanity".

I had always thought that while the BB version of "Soul Searchin'" that we've always heard has the Was vocals on top of the Paley backing track, that "You're Still A Mystery" on the other hand features the Was-produced backing track, or at least some elements of the backing track produced by Was. I had heard about the paste job they did afterward for "Soul Searchin'", but I had never heard that they did the same to "You're Still a Mystery." That guitar riff that runs through it sounds like something Was would produce, but some of the other elements sounds a bit sparse like some of the Paley-produced stuff.

I've also always wondered about the Brian track "This Song Wants to Sleep With You Tonight." It was written by Brian and Paley, and presumably cut during the Paley sessions. But it appeared on the European "Do It Again" single and was marked as having been produced by Don Was and Brian Wilson. I can hear the Was backing vocalists on the song, so Was did do some amount of work on the song. So I wonder whether "This Song Wants to Sleep...." was a case of Was overdubbing onto the Paley recording, or if it was a completely new Was-produced recording. The track doesn't have the same sound as the other "IJWMFTT" soundtrack songs (apart from Was' backing vocalists), so I would guess it wasn't recorded at the "IJWMFTT" sessions.

As far as I can tell, the version of "This Song Wants...." that appears on various "Paley Sessions" compilations is just the commercially-released version, or at least the same mix as what was commercially released.

I remember an interview with Paley where he said that the original plan for the "IJWMFTT" documentary was for it be in black and white, and then near the end it would switch to color and have Brian performing "This Song Wants to Sleep With You Tonight." Too bad that never happened, although it's interesting that they got the song out as an obscure b-side. I also remember in that same interview that Paley commented that the BB's were so good at recording vocals that he felt the BB's could have cut all the vocals for all the stuff he had done with Brian in two days. He also praised Al Jardine's singing in particular.

Regarding comments about the Paley/Was BB sessions, Al Jardine was asked about it briefly during a 2000 interview. Most of that interview was printed in an issue of "Goldmine", but the bit where he talks about the Paley/Was sessions was cut out but later showed up in a different edit of the interview in another magazine, something like "Record Collector." I think Al indicated it was Carl's dissatisfaction with the material that stopped the sessions from continuing. As I recall, Al said he liked the material. But I'm going off of memory, because I only actually have the Goldmine version of the interview.

If you got the best tracks off Sweet Insanity and the Paley sessions you would have a solid gold album! - sort of what they tried to do with GIOMH, but they chose the wrong tracks!

And the wrong executive producer.

@HeyJude:

I believe Paley, Brian and Danny Hutton are singing on "This song wants to sleep with you tonight".
And was the plan really to play this song in a colour-segment of IJWMFTT? I thought it was during "Love&Mercy". Actually L&M has a moment in the recording which would be perfect for a change between b&w and colour.

I like a lot of the Sweet Insanity material.  It's got a little too much of that synthisizer sound, but those backing vocal arrangements are so quirky and fun.  Maybe a little lyric editing would do (your face radiates like a flower/ your body's got magical powers, etc.).

Like this stuff:

Someone To Love (love when Brian growls those yeah’s)
Water Builds Up
Do You Have Any Regrets
Concert Tonight (really does rock!)
Don’t Let Her Know She’s an Angel (earlier SI version)
Let’s Stick Together

The Spirit of Rock and Roll hasn't worn well for me, for some reason.  (The Dylan version never did!)  It'd be best to toss Smart Girls aside.  Not sure about Brian/Thank You either.

I do think the Wilson/Paley songs are stronger.

Who is it?!

Take a wild guess.  ::)

On "This Song Wants to Sleep...", I can hear the parts where it is a layered Brian (and perhaps Paley and Hutton as well if he was on it), but there are also other parts where it sounds like the distinctive (and not always in a good way) Was backing singers that he used on the other "IJWMFTT" tracks and just about every other track Was produced around this time. This is why I'm curious about the resulting recording; it sounds like one of the few or perhaps only examples of Was overdubbing on top of a Paley-produced track, but I'm only guessing.

As for the color segment for the "IJWMFTT" film, I'm pretty sure in the interview I read that Paley said the idea was for "This Song..." As I remember it, it never got beyond an idea, other than of course recording the song. I don't think a performance of the song was ever filmed. Strange that they didn't stick the song on the "IJWMFTT" album, since the album was already so short. The Paley interview I'm recalling was from the old "petsounds.com" website; all of the stuff such as the Paley interview were taken down when the brianwilson.com website launched, if I'm recalling correctly. The Paley interview was pretty interesting; the most in-depth comments I've ever read from Paley. He still seemed pretty sensitive about the whole thing, but did go into some detail in the interview. He seemed taken aback at the suggestion by some fans that the recordings sounded like demos. As I recall, he insisted the songs were finished products (apart from presumably potentially having the BB's add vocals.)

Your memory is correct.  "This Song..." was planned as the "color" finale for the documentary, according to Andy.  Two great Paley interviews from that period:  one in ESQ, the other in Mix (the latter being an interview with Mr. Bonzai).  Andy was very adament about these recordings being masters, not demos.  Another great interview is with Brian in the U.K. mag Vox, and then Was himself interviewed Brian for "Interview" magazine. 

They were SO close to having one last, great, Brian Wilson-produced (or co-produced with Paley) Beach Boys album, but two things essentially derailed it:  the group's decision to do an album of their old songs with country singers first (a move inspired by The Eagles, who launched their "comeback" in that fashion), and Brian's management's subsequent decision that he needed to do another solo album FIRST.  By that time, Carl had passed on, and it was too late.  (sniff)

Any idea who the disagreement was with?  And what it was over?

The ghost of Murry Wilson?

Craig, would it have been possible that the decision to do S & S might have had an influence on the decision to do a solo record first?  Certainly, S & S brought Joe Thomas into the picture.

Oh, sure.  One idea can lead to another, and I'm sure the group's rejection of the Wilson/Paley material drove Brian's camp toward the idea of another solo effort (even if they, too, rejected the Paley stuff in favor of starting fresh with Joe).

Carl walked off the project, but it could have been Al, Mike or Brian, the day before or after. I don't know if "the group" rejected the Wilson/Paley material, at least according to Paley himself. But it wasn't meant to be finished, at least with those individuals having to work in the same room.

S&S was a plan B that got done because there wasn't any creative tension. Just rehash the old hits, add some backing vocals, no sweat.

Brian's "advisers" were the ones who pushed him away from the Beach Boys and Paley, Carl's reaction to the Baywatch Nights project may have just cemented it.

It also didn't help that Was kept referring to the Brian & Andy produced stuff as "demos" while Andy referred to them as "masters".  Interesting that Carl felt the Was-produced tracks were "not releaseable", yet the Was-produced vocals pasted onto the Wilson-Paley produced track sounds like a commerical hit.

Forgive me for bumping a thread that was last posted in 8 days before my daughter was born, but 1) it is an interesting thread, and 2) I have a couple of questions.

I know they don't circulate, but has anybody heard either these alternate versions of these songs and could comment on them vs what we're heard? Also, what was up with Brian's voice on the Wilson/Paley tracks (and on IJWMFTT''s version of 'Melt Away')? Was it a tape speed issue? Asking because his voice was higher pitched and awfully nasal; he didn't sounds like that on BW88, SI, or Imagination.

I have also wondered about those tracks for Soul Searchin' and Still A Mystery, and why Carl rejected them. Carl was always fairly good when it came to Beach Boys material, so one would think he had a good reason. I would give a guess and say that somebody tried something "extreme", like heavy metal guitar on Soul Searchin'. I sometimes wonder if ill health may have affected his decision making.

Brian circa 1994-1996 voice is one of those weird mysteries in Beach Boys land.  ;D

Yeah, he sounded like a deranged Muppet lol.

As far as Carl goes, I've always felt his health did have something to do with it

Um, I think your copies are sped up. I've heard some like that.

Carl wanted to record Run Don't Walk, which he cut with Beckley and Lamm, didn't he?

The long-held myth - which I bought into - was that Carl walked out during the "Baywatch Nights" session, but as said track was recorded 3/3/95, some eight months before the Was sessions in November, that's obviously not the case. The last Was session - for the vocals to "Soul Searchin'" - was on 11/17, and that's likely where Carl called time. A month later the band was in Chicago (re)commencing the Stars & Stripes project.

Not much to add to the thread... except:  I love Soul Searchin!!  Fantastic tune.  I think all of GIOMH has a nice Love You-vibe going for it.  Odd and rough around the edges -- at times very rough.  Blissfully unaware of it's oddness.  :-D  Classic Brian Wilson.  Almost like Adult Child -- it sounds like an album that "shouldn't have been released" -- except it was!  Wooo hoooo!

The only vibe I detect from GIOMH is the one emanating from the general direction of Brian Wilson that screams "I hate this, I don't wanna be here, when are we done, what's for lunch ?"  :old

What other things were recorded at these sessions? sounds so very interesting! I figured it'd have a section on your website for unreleased albums.

Yeah, it's a really depressing set. It's one of the worst records I've ever heard.

Whereas Love You is BW being weird and eccentric because he wants to be, is energised by the material and is involved and having a good time making this weird music, GIOMH is weird and eccentric because he never told the band to do a take 2 on anything and did the backing vocals in about 30 minutes, which results in weird music.

None of this in a good way. It's not spontaneous, because the tracks are tentative and the arrangements dull. It's saying something when one of yr better tracks is produced by Joe bastard Thomas.

The vocals are limp, flaccid and frequently off-key, because Brian doesn't give a flying one about it, and it's not like 1967, where he can throw off half an hours casual backing vox easily because his voice is still in good nick and he can bang out a Mike, Carl, Dennis, Al, then himself, on top of a song with an engineer before taking a hit of reddi-whip and checking the pool for bugs some more or whatever. His voice is an entirely different instrument and whilst it is still a moving, good instrument, it requires a LOT of work. Most of this is taken care of when Brian gives a crap about what he's doing, which is borne out by the baffling truth that his voice has got BETTER on his recordings as we've progressed through the 21st century.... who thought we'd be saying that?

Could you put your review on amazon.com? :lol

I really like this song and I think it sounded great when Brian did it on the Smile tour.  It's one of those songs you can tell he really gets into.

I've heard the Beach Boys version on a bootleg called Landylocked.  I think that the Gettin' In Over My Head version is actually better.

Well, that's an interesting opinion but not one I think you'll find many sharing, given that Carl's vocals on the bridge of the original are (IMO) far superior and that Mike's bass vocal is sorely missed.

Just two other titles (what are they ? Not. A. Clue.). Hardly a full album or even album project, hence not included.

I think it's mainly Carl's vocals.  I think they used a better take on Brian's solo version, at least on the verses.

It's the exact same take.

Maybe hearing it in better fidelity (released cd vs bootleg) is what makes it sound better to you?

I actually agree, I really like Brian's vocals in the bridge.  I don't know, there's something touching to me about him sharing vocals on a song with Carl after he had passed away.