The Smiley Smile Message Board

Just heard this song. For a guy whose favourite bb song is Kokomo, this is actually not bad, not great but not bad. certainly better than the awful spirit of rock n roll and the dumb pt cruiser

Totally agree.  And that's from someone who generally regards Mr Love as Satan's Bum Boy.

Except for the cringe-inducing saxophone, this is indeed a decent song with some really satisfying vocals, both lead and background. Mike's voice still hits the spot for me. PT Cruiser an the other hand is an utter (if inoffensive) embarrassment, while I'm completely insensible to The Spirit of Rock'n'Roll, which sounds like something that Huey Lewis And The News might have come up with in the eighties...

It's definately a nice little song.  Would have made a decent Beach Boys tune.  One of the background singers sounds a lot like Carl.

For anyone who has seen the Brady Bunch movie with different actors and they are brought into the 90s. This makes me think of the cheesy Marsha Brady dance with her two thumbs up. Having said that, this is on the better end of Mike Love's songs.

yeah, it's not too bad...comming from a guy who should practice what he preaches....  ;)

I laughed at that.

All three of those "new" tracks were somewhere in the bad-to-inoffensively mediocre range. But they're nothing but throwaways to me.

Yeah, it's a nice song. But I prefer "Spirit Of Rock 'n' Roll", though in the last couple of days I found out that this song is very unpopular for Beach Boys fans.  ???

I like all three of the new "Hallmark CD" songs. "Cool Head, Warm Heart" is really nice and mellow and I very much agree that someone in the background (I think Christian Love?) sounds a lot like Carl here. "PT Cruiser" doesn't exactly break new ground to say the least, but it's decent and my mom has one of these cars, so I like it. :)  My favorite, though, is "Spirit of Rock 'n Roll."  Maybe it's because I haven't heard any other (better?) versions of it previous to hearing it here, but I really enjoy it. It's energetic and fun, no great art or anything, but an entertaining song. Brian seems to dig singing it. I also don't get it- why the negativity on this one?

The production of the song really grates for me as does brians voice. The version with bob dylan singing is kinda fun. Dont really see why brian wanted to resurrect this song though, much better stuff from the paley sessions he has still got unreleased

I'm sure he (they) wanted to use something upbeat, that might appeal to the "masses", and in keeping with the intention of the live album (a nostalgic look back at the Boys live in concert). 

I also like all three songs.  And I have no problem with the sax solo on "Cool Head"...for some reason it reminds me of Steely Dan, and then the song modulaties to a higher key.  Nice touch.

I'd have to agree.  "Spirit Of Rock & Roll" was never a great song, but at least on the Sweet Insanity album it was hella cool to have Bob Dylan singing on it, even if it was briefly.  This new version has an awful drum shuffle that disrupts the flow of the song and rather odd backing harmonies.  Not a classic.

The thing is, Spirit of Rock and Roll was at one point a BBs song (kinda). They perform (ok, lip sync it) on the 25th anniversary special. I'm sure BW felt it was more appropriate to resurrect the track for BB compilation. And I find the drum shuffle and odd backing vocals endearing -- they actually make Spirit sound like a BW song. Its earlier versions always seemed too MOR for me.

I like 'PT Cruiser'.  Al's vocals are great (though I dislike the opening vocal echo - irritating).  It is a great homage to the great car songs of Wilson/Love, Roger Christian and Gary Usher.  I truly don't believe Al though he was doing anything original, anything other than a homage.

And it was originally made as a tie-in/promo song for Chrysler's retrocar, the PT Cruiser.

Of course, I loved "Desert Drive' and think it would ahve been a great BB song with vocals by Mike Love!

As far as I see it, Cool Head Warm Heart is a new Beach Boys song. It was released on a CD under the Beach Boys name, and the Beach Boys touring band performs it in concert. The lyrics are kind of lame, but aren't they always?

That's Mike's son, Christian Love.

Yeah, but the credit on the CD is that the song is by Mike Love. Just as PT Cruiser is Al's and Spirit is Brian's.

And that's what's driving me nuts! Why can't they write their own songs (that's OK), but then record them together as a group, utilizing each other's voices. The songs could only benefit from ALL of the guy's voices. It seems like such a no-brainer.

Considering Brian's band's voices, I don't see how putting Mike or Bruce or even Al would benefit his recordings. Well, maybe if Brian himself were the one not singing... (I kid, I kid)

Because they don't like each other?

Who is this song by and where do I get to hear it?  :-[

In case you're not being sarcastic, it's a Mike Love song, released as part of last year's Hallmark-only Beach Boys CD. It included mostly live Beach Boys music from the 70s plus one new song apiece from Mike (Cool Head, Warm Heart), Al Jardine (PT Cruiser) and Brian Wilson (The Spirit of Rock 'n' Roll, which was a Sweet Insanity-era song re-recorded with the current band). I'm not sure if you can still buy the CD at Hallmark stores or not.

For what it's worth, none of the three new songs are very good.

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know!

And I wasn't being sarcastic! I wouldn't mind hearing it, but we don't get stuff like that in the UK.

Cheers,

BJ

The live tracks are mainly from 1989, with two from 1974.

Consider yourself lucky in this case.

Can't a guy just stay wrong sometimes...?  ;D

Right now I'm Listening to "Watching the Time Go By" from the ESQ Carl tribute CD---Reading this thread and thinking that I'm glad that there is some new music to discuss at all. They could all be dead or out of circulation at least. I'm happy to have Mike & Bruce touring around here once in awhile (and Brian of course). If Al came around with his band I'd check it out too.

Heck, Papa Doo Run Run just played the Boardwalk a few weeks ago and that wad really cool. All's I'm saying is appreciate these old farts while you got 'em because in ten years you'll be wanting some of that old time fun-in-the-sun and the originators will be done. Glad I got to see them and enjoy their new tunes when they came out..

Which songs are from 74?

Boy, Carl sounds rough on Kokomo. There's one part where he completely misses the "that's where" part, going sharp by a notch or two. Is it me, or did Mike sound like he was trying not to laugh at several points? Not a good concert.

PT Cruiser is nice, Al still sounds good, but there are quite a few borrowed melodies in that song.

Spirit...umm...let's just say I *hate* the opening. Very much so.The rest of it is okay, but I don't like the doubletracking on the lead.

Cool Head Warm Heart? I like it. Nothing earth-shattering, but pleasant.

WIBN and - I think - Good Vibes.

Good point, cwalter. I'm already feeling that way. I saw some BB concerts in the the 1970's and 1980's that were real train wrecks and/or the guys were "going through the motions". But I do miss the annual BB concert and seeing Carl, Al, and maybe Brian up there performing together.

I am trying to make a conscious effort to NOT take the living legends for granted. Dylan, McCartney, Simon & Garfunkel, Ray Davies, The Stones, and even Chuck Berry are still out there doin' it. God bless 'em...

Carl seemed to go through a rough time with vocals in the late 80's. His voice changed quite a bit it seemed like and I have one concert where he really struggles with Good Vibes..sounds like Jeff is doubling him. However, by the 1993 Box Set tour he sounded MUCH better, his voice had obviously changed but he had some of that sweet sound back. Maybe a vocal coach during this time??

Try ordering it online:  www.hallmark.com

I thought his voice was in pretty good shape for the late 80's.  Some of the Youtube performances I've seen during that time with him sounded great.

He quit smoking in 1987. That certainly helped.

He quit in 1984 or earlier. That's my eyewitness report from backstage.

Carl quit smoking in 1984? So why he got cancer?

Many things are known to cause cancer.  Plus, he did smoke cigarettes for 20 years, and probably smoked other substances for a long period, as well. 

Probably because he smoked pretty heaviley for 25 years plus he grew up in a home of smokers (and we all know back in the 40's thru to the 60's, thats all anyone did was smoke and drink). ;)

Lots of things give you cancer besides smoking. Hormones in most beef/dairy, for instance, or staying out in the sun too long.

Lung cancer is very rare among non-smokers. Most smokers don't get it either.

While quitting smoking decreases your chances of getting lung cancer, the damage done to the DNA in the cells of your lung tissue may not get repaired..... eventually and in the long run leading to cancer.

The low number of 20-50 year old smokers with lung cancer tells us that it takes a LONG time for the cancer to become clinically apparent. Once it becomes clinically apparent, you'd better get your affairs in order.

It makes me sad that someone with a beautiful voice and well-regarded personality like Carl Wilson got hooked on ciggies and paid the price for it.

I thought Carl had brain cancer.

But I think that Carl got it because of smoking. At least Mike said it in an interview.

Both. But I think the Lung cancer was the principle cause.

Paging Dr House!

Carl was diagnosed with lung cancer, with secondaries in the brain. When your initial diagnosis has secondaries, that's pretty much it.

Wasn't that pretty much what happened to George Harrison as well?

Pretty much, same as Gene Siskel, Marvin Zindler, and quite a few others. Sucks hardcore.I wonder how much different things would've been if Carl (or Dennis) was still alive...

The Beach Boys would exist, with or without Al and Brian. But it would be very interesting what would have happend if Dennis were alive and Carl not.

While I find some of the lyrics banal in typical Love tradition, I find the vocal style nice and sweet, especially from Love at this late date.  I think Cool Head has to be the most tolerable solo Love song ever, at least among the other garbage that I personally have heard from his other solo projects. 

What happened to his solo album anyway, dare I ask?  Anyone heard any other tracks on it?   

Anyone have comments on his Plant a Tree/Arbor Day Foundation vocal?  While I don't believe he wrote the jingle, I found his soft vocal style here both pleasing and surprising.  Anoyne know if Bruce was involved in the Arbor Day  track?

Link for those who may not have heard it yet:

http://www.arborday.org/media/psas.cfm

(and we all know back in the 40's thru to the 60's, thats all anyone did was smoke and drink). ;)
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That's what they mostly still do in France now - and eat good food, of course. Maybe diet is of more importance in combating cancer...

That jingle certainly SOUNDS like something Mike would write.

Wrong - smokers are becoming rarer and rarer these days in France. And I'm certainly not complaining about that  ;D

We still drink and eat good food, though...

That it does.  However, there is a whole series of these commercials done by various artists.  Each artist uses the same song, but presented in a style suited to their own. 

then that would make it the most covered Mike Love song he has ever written (on his own)...  ;D