The Smiley Smile Message Board

Does anyone else dig this song? I learnt it on piano the other day and it has some really nice chord changes but I rarely see this song mentioned. I'm not sure, but I think those people who despise the Love You album would love it if there had been better singing + production (I like it the way it is).. But I really think some of the Love You songs come through as great songs despite the production so I can't see why some people HATE this album. I can understand that they don't like it as much as other albums but I think that this is one fine album and those who hate it should give it more of a chance and just see past the production.

Just my pointless discussion for the day...

I really like the album - it's easy going, pleasant and upbeat, it's just not in my Top 10.

Can't say I dislike any of the songs on it, great melodies and catchy hooks, and it really sounds like a coherent album, and gives "15 Big Ones" a run for its money.

I actually listened to 15BO, Love You, MIU, and LA in a row yesterday.  I'd have to say, 15BO is by far a more painful listen than Love You (or any of the four).  What I like the least about Love You is the singing.  I kinda like the under-production, odd lyrics, and heavy use of the synth and even the rougher vocals at times, but on some tracks, I wish the singing could at least be in key.   Lets Put Our Hearts Together falls in the category of give the vocals a couple more takes and it probably would have benefited a lot.....both Brian and Marilyn.   I know some like this singing?? Not me. I don't have a problem with the lyrics (very Brian) or the backing track.   

On another note, I hadn't heard MIU in a while, and I was blown away on the just the difference in quality of Brian's voice between Love You and MIU.  So much better on MIU.  It's been said before, Match Point, not the greatest song, but man he is in rare late 70's form with his voice.  And on some of the background harmonies throughout the album he hits notes with such clarity that hadn't been heard since Surf's Up.  From there he went down hill again.  I wonder why his voice got so noticeably better between the two albums??  Was this the Stan and Rocky looking over his every move to keep him from smoking period?  What ever it was....it worked.

I like Jaime's Dad's version of it.  :lol

Love that song.

While Brian's vocals on M.I.U. might sure be better in a conventional sense, his performance on Love You is (from my point of view) among his most expressive ever. There's a sense of real sadness to the way he sings some of these songs, as well as an overwhelming ability to make the listener feel totally at ease and comfortable.

"Let's Put Our Hearts Together" is one of the least discussed songs on Love You, but it actually typifies the album more than most of the others.

I think it's a great SONG, but a disappointing performance from Brian. Actually, it might be in the Top 5 of his worst lead vocals ever. If he only would've done another take or two. And, oddly enough, at the very end of the song, on the last line, when he sings "forever you and I", he sounds like vintage late 1960's Brian Wilson.

On the other hand, I think Marilyn more than holds her own. In some of the books/articles, Marilyn's vocal abilities have been called into question. But, while she doesn't have the greatest singing voice, I usually enjoy her work.

Finally, the composition and arranging is what makes Brian so special. A 2 1/2 minute song, great melody and arrangement, heartfelt lyrics, and a song that touches you. I miss those songs.

I can't say I hate Love You but I don't get what's so good about it. I like Good Time of course because it's from the Sunflower period, I think I'll Bet He's Nice, and The Night Was So Young are very good songs, the rest it.......I think melodically it's interesting, but the lyrics are too out there for me. The vocals are just terrible, when I hear some of the outtakes from 1976-77 Brian and Dennis sound so much better. I think side two is particularly embarrassing, except for the two songs I mentioned before. I like Adult Child so much better. 15 Big Ones is at least a group effort with everyone on each track. That's the last time you can call any of their albums a group project period. I happen to think something like That Same Song is one of the better songs of the period though the TV special version is superior. As for Hearts, good melody, but bad performance and lyrics.

This is one of the first songs I learned on the piano and it really opened my miind to how great BW's composing skills still were at the time. Great left hand. The night was so young is another brilliant song...

I once had occasion to ask Rocky Pamplin this very question (long story), and his answer wasn't very instructive, in that it's at odds with what Brian himself had said about that period, which was that Brian was relaxed and happy at those sessions and it probably showed in his voice.  The fact that he was there but that the answer was so far off base is suggestive to me that your answer might be the right one.

That said, M.I.U. (and to a lesser extent KTSA) is a masterpiece of making Brian's voice sound better than it really is.  There's definitely an improvement, which is probably partly due to less smoking and partly due to being "encouraged" into different vocal placement, but there's also a good deal of clever mixing and vocal balancing.

:)

Brian looks to be in great spirits in the finished MIU doc, but Alan Boyd told me that Brian seemed bored in the uncut footage.

Love You is not one of their best albums, but its one of my favorites. I like it the same reason I like friends. There is nothing 'hip' about those albums. The have sort of a child like quality on acid. I particularly enjoy the interesting percussion on both of these albums. I also enjoys synth sounds that are used well, as they are on Love You imo.

Speaking of Marylin's voice, I was shocked when I discovered that she sings part lead on Its Over Now. On first listen I thought the whole song was one singer (Brian or Carl). But it's three singers! Carl on most of it, Brian on 'shades of blue...' and Marylin on 'Heaven...' Her voice almost sounds like Carls!

speaking of 'Friends' and Marilyn, she sang on "Busy Doin Nothing" too i believe.
Brian should play that one at every show.

i love Love You. they're damn good songs that Brian was really feelin. this is evident in the demos especially... love that Hearts demo mikey!

You know what I was thinking about that the other day. Brian should definately play Busy Doin' Nothin' that would be the coolest. They may be some of the coolest lyrics ever written. Such a great song. I love the arrangement too. I agree about that LPOHT demo, it's sad though, hearing Brian try to hit those high notes on Marilyn's part and really struggling on it.

I normally like Marilyn's voice myself but she does sound flat on Hearts. I guess the huge difference between Love You and Friends to me is the vocals. On Friends they are flawless, also the production is much more full. There is only one song I think goes down to the level of Love You's lyrics and that is When A Man Needs A Woman. Even Brian's nice lead cannot redeam that one to me.

He has - January 2002 in London. It was rather good.

Sweet. Thanks Andrew. Gee, I wonder what the chances of him playing it are when I see him in Australia? About 0.5% of a chance.. That must have been special though Andrew.

Busy Doin... is one of the tracks I always use to try and 'teach' the uneducated about the Boys. It usually works too!

Perhaps not, but if you're lucky he may do "I'd Love Just Once To See You".  Almost as good.

Yeh that would be a treat. Not in the same class (in my opinion) as BDN, but certainly that would be fun to see that song live. I can't imagine Brian singing that last line of the song live. That would just be strange... ;)

I saw him play "Busy Doin Nothing" at the Roxy in LA.  what a treat.

and "When a Man Needs a Woman" is one of my absolute favorites!
so Brian, and every bit as personal as anything on Pet Sounds.  love those guitars too.

Another vote here, I love the song. The problem comes from the arrangement as well as the performance I think. It would really sound great with a more Smile-ish arrangement. Also I always want Brian to sing 'I know it may sound funny, but you're the kind of honey...'  :)

I don't get the criticism on any part of the song.  I think it's got a nice arrangement, it's a nice production (slightly dated, of course), and I think Brian sounds fine on it.  I definately don't hear him out of key... his voice is just different, I think it sounds great.  Easily one of the best performances on that album.  That's Love You for ya, I guess though, some love it some hate it. 

There is an interview from around the time of MIU (late 77) where Rocky and Stan are working with Brian and Brian has to "ask them" for a cigerette. He was not allowed to carry them on his own (although photos and videos from that time show he did). I think they worked really hard with Brian on those tracks (making sure he had tea to drink and that he didn't just rush through it but went back and got the notes corect).

Jeff Deutch told me an interesting story from around that time. Jeff and Byron Preiss were at MIU to interview the group for their book. Jeff wandered by the studio and heard a song (he thinks is might have been Surfer Girl) coming from the main part of the studio. He peeked his head in and saw Brian palying the piano and singing the song's falsetto parts perfectly, just like it was 1963. Later on, Brian said he had trouble hitting high notes and didn't like to try them anymore.

I think he just didn't like his old voice. Many, many people around at that time said Brian really wanted to sound like Dennis. Very macho.

Bob

I hear Brian's voice since 1978 and he, occassional, momentarily, hits notes with that great 'Brian' voice.

I just wonder if it's not more about his inner ear/hearing.