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With Brian having just completed a collaboration with another younger talent (Scotty Bennett), I think it's time to look back at another of his collaborations, one his best since the early 70s IMHO, the Paley Sessions. I think I'm OK in saying a good majority of us have heard them, and that I love most of them and think they would've made a hell of an album with either BW solo or the BB, or both...anyway, I thought we could talk about some of the songs in particular that don't get a lot of discussion:

What are your opinions on the following?:
"Chain Reaction of Love"
"It's Not Easy Being Me"
"Slightly American Music"

these are three of my favorites, the first one a rollocking rock and roll tune that has lots of energy, the second a Pet Sounds-y ballad and the third a quirky kind of music travelouge that must feature a quote from almost every piece of music ever written! I know that Andy wrote the majority of the last one, but what a cool tune nonetheless! I realize that some may not like these as they are very unpolished and quirky, but what do you think?

Well some great stuff is there. Gettin In Over My Head in this rendition has Brian sounding closer to his pre 1975 voice then anything else I have heard him do the last three decades. Let's see
 are your opinions on the following?:
"Chain Reaction of Love" Nice pop song, a little quirky like you said but kind of catchy.
"It's Not Easy Being Me" An ok ballad. It seems like he was trying consiously to write a Pet Sounds style song. Nice production saves it for me.
"Slightly American Music" A fun one, very very Brian. This was a cool era wasn't it?

Like most of Brian's unreleased stuff, its reputation can outweigh its actual quality. (I remember a time in the mid-90s when people idolized the Sweet Insanity sessions. It's true!)

Still, there are good dozen or so solid tunes in there, as well as some self-indulgent dross. "I'm Broke"? Please.

Was the original version of "Desert Drive" part of the Paley sessions? I just listened to it the other day, and was amazed. If somebody listened to it and didn't know any better, they'd swear it was a vintage 1960's song.

Yes it was.

Thanks!  ;)

I think that "Slightly American Music" just might be the oddest thing Brian has been involved in since Solar System.  It reminds me of the Battle Hymm(or however you spell it...)Of The Republic, in a weird way.  ;D

Good call, it really does. It's so offbeat.

I really like some of the Paley sessions but one song that I have never understood is Slightly American Music - I just can't stand the song. I really really dislike it. It's not as bad as say TM Song or Summer Of Love but it's just irritating. I have also never really liked Marketplace at all either. That one bugs me too. I have heard people say it's a lot like the Friends material and I love Friends but I totally dislike Marketplace. Anyway other than that there are a few good songs that I quite like. It's Not Easy Being Me is one. I just really like that song a lot for some reason. Must Be A Miracle ain't all that bad either and a few others like Soul Searchin', GIOMH and You're Still A Mystery are pretty good too and the other song you mention - Chain Reaction Of Love - is nice enough.

EDIT: Really sorry, no idea what I was thinking (I just got back from seeing my team win by one point in the final minute so I must've been not thinking clearly ;)) but I actually meant Saturday Morning In The City! :-[ Anyway I am not really a fan of Slightly American Music either.

Always thought Chain Reaction sounded kind of forced, like a stalled attempt at re-writing Good Vibrations.

While I'm Broke might not be among the greatest rock songs ever written, I'm a sucker for Brian doing that kind of singing. It sounds a lot like his lead vocals from Knebworth, very shouty. It's Not Easy Being Me is a huge favorite of mine. It might've been an attempt at recreating something similar to Pet Sounds, probably to songs like I Just Wasn't Made For These Times. For me, however, it works. While the lyrics might seem thoroughly depressed they still seem like something everybody could identify with from time to time.

I really wish the Paley sessions would've been released as an album, no matter if recorded with the Boys or without them. Either way, Proud Mary should've been the closing song.

I love I'm Broke - because Brian is so totally committed to the vocal.  Love Chain Reaction, GIOMH, Still a Mystery, not a fan of Slightly American Music - isn't that one actually a Paley song?  Or is that wishful thinking on my part?

It really was a cool era. Although Brian's voice could get whiny and a bit too nasal during this period (doesn't that sound familiar  ;D), I still love it because it sounds real pure and not forced. On "Slightly American Music," it is a Paley song but I'm sure Brian added arrangements. Paley sings on a number of the songs, backups and some cameo leads, and has a beautiful voice, especially on his section of "Slightly American Music."

Well according to the Wilson Project book Brian seemed really into that song. Seemed to think that it had hit single written all over it... I do like it as well though

Did Brian write "I'm Broke" after he started dating Melinda? ;)

I know Brian was into "I'm Broke." I know he loved it. (Incidentally, the tune dates to the Landy years. I don't think Gene cared for it very much.) I know he thought it was the cat's meow.

But I can't stand it. It is, for me, the worst of the worst. Stupid lyrics, repetitive music, flat arrangement. And Brian sounds like a drunken muppet.

"Chain Reaction of Love " is a freaking great song!! I wish they officially did a version of this. This would be a great song to do live especially the the whole "my baby's starting a chain" part.

"It's Not Easy Being Me" - I'm so-so on this. I am not too moved by the vocal but the instrumentation is pretty good.

"Slightly American Music" - CORNY. Nuff said.

I do like some of the Paley stuff. Yes some of it (or most of it, depends on who you talk to) is Paley, but I consider this like the last TRUE Brian album. Where he actually had imput. If I had to do a choice of 3 songs I liked from those sessions it would be:

1. Gettin' In Over My Head (the piano in the beginning is just cool and sets the mood. Like this better then the GIOMH version)

2. Desert Drive - OMG what a great song!! Yes it is a rip off of Salt Lake City but it just has this cool factor to it. I like the early version just instrumentation. It's a great song .

3. This Could Be The Night - Brian sounds totally into the song and whatever Paley did, it makes him really sound well. Plus it's a Phil Spector connection.

There is some ups and downs with the Paley stuff, but overall it is solid, it should have been the rock and roll album, and Brian's "management" was very stupid in dumping him to the curb (even though supposedly he was not keen on having the Wondermints in the band for some reason)

I like the song Frankie Avalon, but I assume that was more of a Paley cut. Has  a higher quality recording appeared of it yet?

Also like SOme Sweet Day. Marketplace is a masterpiece. Best thing they did. Can't believe that went unreleased. Of course, attempting to recapture the magic with a re-recording would be pointless. WE dont' need another GIOMH.

She's Still A Mystery HAS to get released. Final Beach Boys recording of any artistic worth.

I always like music better when Brian is very hands on. Some of his recent solos sound like the band does all the work for him. That's why the LOS demos will probably be a more special listening experience than the finished product.

My Paley sessions opinion is not as high as some people's, but I do like the stuff. I don't think it was particularly inspired or brilliant at all, but it does sound like music being made by people who enjoyed making music. That says a lot. Songs like Some Sweet Day, My Maryanne, I'm Broke and others hit the spot for me for that reason. They're just fun songs whose life hadn't been squeezed out. Various Paley co-writes that have come out since, to me, do sound like that, which is a shame.

"Chain Reaction of Love" (not so much a rewrite of "Good Vibrations" as "Hanky Panky"!) is great fun and one of my favorite unreleased Brian Wilson tracks. "It's Not Easy Being Me" is just okay (kinda reminds me of "When Girls Get Together"), but I would prefer a stronger lead and better lyrics...and speaking of better lyrics, what does the title and chorus of "Slightly American Music" even mean? It sounds like a bad translation of another language. I think people like the rawness of the Paley sessions which can be an attribute. But a lot of it sounds half-baked (no, not that way!); ideas that aren't really finished.

I haven't heard most of the Paley stuff.
Sure wish someone would tell me where I could...

I thought asking publicly was a no-no.....

Like mostly everyone else, my opinion is divided, though for the most part I like it all a lot; Favourites of mine are;

This song wants to sleep with you tonight
Some Sweet day (brilliant!)
GIOMH (Brians best vocal of the last 30 years no question, don't want to go into the GIOMH LP version etc...)
Going Home (This is not the TLOS, but is similar, I prefer this one)
It's not easy being me
Chain Reaction of love
You're still a mystery
Soul Searchin
My Maryanne (great song)

Unfortuneatley, sound quality ranges from good to diabolical. They could easily go in and remix these, in nice pristine stereo. It would make a solid album IMO, there's so much going on in the productions and at the same time they're very minimal sounding.
These are also the closest Brian ever got to recreating his own 'sixties' sound whilst at the same not sounding particularly retro but just kind of weird.

Problem I have with these sessions is that, with very few exceptions, they all sound like they were recorded on the same day, with the same instruments and the same board settings (excluding the Was fly-ins, of course). Some great stuff, but also some clunkers.

Paley Sessions for me are mostly great arranged & recorded backing tracks with poor lead vocals. Remix the tracks, add new vocals by Brian and voilà, a good solo album - not Pet Sounds - but certainly interesting.
Here's another fan of "I'm Broke", sometimes I'm in the mood for this kind of punky outbreak, "Rolling Up To Heaven" for example also fulfills that need. It's that "Ding Dang" feeling.


Desert Drive ***** (released, but release it again with Paley track!)
What Rock'n'Roll Can Do ****
Chain Reaction of Love ****
In My Moondreams **** (released)
It's Not Easy Being Me ****
Getting In Over My Head **** (released, briawpt!)
You're Still A Mystery ****
Soul Searchin' *** (released)
God Did It ****
Some Sweet Day ****
I'm Broke ****
Must Be A Miracle ****
Elbow '63 ***
Goin' Home *** (no, not on TLOS)
Proud Mary *****
Slightly American Music *** (surprised so many fans don't like that one)
Dancing The Night Away **** (hello Carl)
This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight *** (released)
Market Place **
My Mary Anne ***
This Could Be The Night *** (nice cover, released, also performed live during 1st solo tour)
Boogie's Back in Town *** (Ok, not Paley, performed live in '83, but fits in here)

5 stars for Prod Mary - I'm most definitely with you on that one, Jasper.

I wish Desert Drive (in this early incarnation) had a Mike Love lead vocal. Just imagine this being the last Beach Boys single...

I noticed you've never really commented on these sessions until now, apart from calling them overrated in your book.  I'm torn on it. Honestly, Brian's during that time period was pretty bad. But, man, I love GIOMH, and It's not Easy being green...er...Me.  The opening part of the latter reminds of "All in the Family" for some reason, and I almost expect to hear Edith Bunker screeching. Yet, the lyrics are good, Brian sounds like he's singing from the heart, and it's my favorite song he's done solo. If those are his lyrics, good job Brian. If they're not, well...someone know's Brian well.

The big problem with The Paley sessions was the write-up they got from Dom Priore in Kingsley which promised something only slightly less than Pet Sounds II. On the whole they were good, but not that good. If I may appropriate Jasper's list, here's my view of them:

Keepers:
Getting In Over My Head
You're Still A Mystery
Soul Searchin'
It's Not Easy Being Me
Slightly American Music
My Mary Anne
This Could Be The Night
This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight

borderline;
Desert Drive
What Rock'n'Roll Can Do
God Did It
Some Sweet Day
I'm Broke
Must Be A Miracle
Elbow '63
Goin' Home
Frankie Avalon

Clunkers;
Dancing The Night Away
Proud Mary
Market Place
Chain Reaction of Love

I didn't think I was asking any more obviously than anyone else has with other recordings, but cart me off to jail, I guess.   >:D   . I figure if everyone is talking about it as if they own it, that's just as bad, in a way. 

Oh well, I'm sure I'll hear it some day, some way. 

If we're including "This Could Be The Night" in this list, then let me add that I love the "Sweets For My Sweet" cover from this era that was released on the Doc Pomus tribute album. It's one of the stronger rock arrangements that Brian's pulled off in the past twenty years.

Here's my version of Jasper's list:

1. Getting In Over My Head *****
2. You're Still A Mystery *****
3. Soul Searchin' *****
4. It's Not Easy Being Me ****
5. Slightly American Music ***** (an extra star for all of the quotes it has, which are so much fun!)
6. My Mary Anne ****1/2
7. This Could Be The Night  ****
8. This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight *****
9. Desert Drive ****
God Did It **
Some Sweet Day ***
I'm Broke  ***
10. Must Be A Miracle  ****
Goin' Home **
11. Frankie Avalon ***1/2
Dancing The Night Away **
Proud Mary *** (an extra star because it's kinda a guilty pleasure)
Market Place *
12. Chain Reaction of Love **** 1/2

Needless to say, if a album would've been a tracklisting like one I've just given, with cleaned-up recordings of a few, I would call it Brian's best at least Love You, if not the Sunflower era, but a match for Pet Sounds is pushing it...a bit, although I'm one to say that "Everything I Need" from 1996 could've easily been on PS with the BB singing it...

A lot of good material here.  Funny about 'Proud Mary'.  People love it or hate it.  I love it but it might be the 'Barbara Ann' effect.  If you heard the CCR/Tina turner versions a million times, you don't want to hear another.

I have questions about these sessions:

1) Brian's vocals sound 'DIFFERENT'.  Were they using pitch correction on them?

2) 'Desert Drive' - was this intended as an instrumental or was it recorded as a backing tracking for a Mike Love vocal on the abandoned last Beach Boys album?  Agree it would have been a great single with ML singing lead.

Sorry to quote my own post, but I meant Brian's VOCALS were bad at that time.

You don't like "Chain Reaction"?! That's one of my favorites.

Just a few comments...

"Gettin' In Over My Head" -- good tune. Released version is too long, though.

"Soul Searchin'" -- I love the stroll rhythm, Carl's vocal delivery, but NOT the E Street Band style production that was released.

"You're Still A Mystery" -- a great, mature production that shows how awesome the Beach Boys could have sounded had they let Brian do his thing.

"Saturday Morning In The City" -- extremely dippy; belongs with some of the worst songs from The Beach Boys Love You (an album that I love, btw). This song deserves to be shot with an uzi.

"Elbow '63" -- sounds like a Nerf commercial I used to hear in the late '70s when I watched Saturday morning cartoons. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, though.

"Frankie Avalon" -- I can take or leave.

"Desert Drive" -- only the sax riff is a "rip-off" of "Salt Lake City," but as I saw someone else point out years ago, the song is actually more of a rip-off of ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down." But a good tune. I much prefer the more gritty, up-tempo unreleased version than the slower version on GIOMH.

"It's Not Easy Being Me" -- yet another "sometimes it sucks to be me" song by Brian. This time it didn't work; "Midnight's Another Day," on the other hand...

"In My Moondreams" -- nice instrumental, but the only thing Brian contributed was the vocal backing.

"This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight" -- I used to love this song, but for personal reasons I can't listen to it any more. I'm not saying it's not great, but I just can't listen to it.

I can see why you'd think that, because I thought that for a while; but for some reason I'll take the unrestrained, high and whiny voice of the mid-1990s to his voice from 1997 up to 2008 (I'm putting that last bit because I think TLOS will have very good vocals)...

And by the way, to Mr. Doe, is that just your impression or do you really think they were all recorded in one day? (We know they were mostly all done in November 1995...)

No, i don't really think they were all cut in one day.  ;D  Just sounds like that... I'm willing to bet they were all done in a very concentrated period, though.

Yeah, I didn't think so...or and sorry...kinda dozed off during your post...was distracted trying to find that painting of "gullible" on the ceiling... ;D :-D

The vocals, sure. It sounds like the backing tracks were worked on a slightly more long-term basis. But that's just my ears talkin', and they've been wrong before.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but if you took the best of the Paley music...

Gettin' In Over My Head
It's Not Easy Being Me
This Song Wants to Sleep With You Tonight
Soul Searchin'
Desert Drive
My Mary Anne
Slightly American Music

...and combined it with the best of the Imagination material...

Your Imagination
She Says That She Needs Me
South American
Where Has Love Been
Cry
Lay Down Burden
Dream Angel

...the result would have been a pretty nice CD.

I'm a big fan of the Wilson/Paley sessions. I like that Brian's vocals sound different, but not forced or all polished up. Is this a set of sessions as pure as the Rick Rubin/Johnny Cash sessions? No. Is it as tight as the 1997 Dylan/Lanois album, "Time Out of Mind"? No. But it's a great album, on the level of some of Alex Chilton or Ray Davies's '90s and '00s solo albums, which is a total compliment.

Keepers:
Soul Searchin'
Gettin' in Over My Head
Marketplace
You're Still a Mystery
It's Not Easy Being Me
Slightly American Music
My Mary Anne
This Could Be the Night
In My Moondreams
This Song Wants to Sleep with You Tonight
Desert Drive
Proud Mary
Chain Reaction of Love
Some Sweet Day
I'm Broke


Take It or Leave It:
Must Be a Miracle
Elbow '63
Goin' Home
Frankie Avalon


Leave It:
Dancing the Night Away
What Rock'n'Roll Can Do
God Did It

It's worth noting that many of these recordings commonly circulating are at the wrong speed - they're too fast.  This might account for many people's reaction that Brian's voice sounds "different"

That would explain things.  Are just the vocals sped up or the entire track?  I should play with the speed in 'Peak Pro' and see if that improves things.

In my opinion the entire tracks are sped up.  I brought them into Goldwave and through trial and error slowed them down until they sounded correct to my ear in terms of pitch and tempo.

Here's an example, "Slightly American Music' as it appeared on Landylocked and a slowed down version.  My choice of speed was entirely subjective it just sounded "right" to my ears...


-------------------------------------------
EDIT: no downloads with illegal content (not even if modified) here please! Please check out the rules.

From what I heard, the speeded-up thing was actually kind of a bootleg trap -- apparently the recordings were given to a couple of folks (whose names we apparently have heard of!), with the "don't give this to ANYONE" warning...and so that way if they leaked out, they could be tracked to the leaker. I think one copy was intentionally sped up, while the other had a bit of additional hiss -- both intentional modifications but unknown to the recipients.

The thing that always amazed me is the original version of Soul Searchin'.  Those backing vocals starting at the second verse are terrific! Hearing that for the first time was a jaw dropping moment. It was like finding out that the beatles backing vocals on the alternate "Anthology" version of Strawberry Fields Forever had been edited out of the commercial release. When I heard the bootleg of it I was amazed.

I have to whole-heartedly disagree with you -- this album was cool!!!  (Sure the rappin' on "smart girls" was over the top...but I think its nuts!!!!)   :ohyeah

But  I love the Sweet Insanity stuff.  There's a life to it.  There's enthusiasm and pep and it actually sounds like he's having fun and inspired.  More so than on BW88.  BW88 might have been more stressful and "eventful" given it was his big "solo album" debut and all.  But with that behind him, he sounds relaxed and excited and inspired on Sweet Insanity.

His voice also sounds great, very uninhibited and natural.  Whoever rejected this is/was a mo'ron.

There's a man at the door called Seymour Stein who would like a word with you...  ::)

 :-D Well...if Mr Stein is here to "sign me," he's too late.  I'm retired.  Or I burned all my master tapes.  I forget.

to these ears, the sessions are a curate's egg. Not only that they cover a lot of old ground and there's a bit too much rehashing of old sounds. but Market Place and Slightly American grate on my nerves in a way that very other Wilson songs do. Very rotten to these ears. I like Chain Reaction of Love - if it had made it onto any release then I can imagine it being picked up by Austin Powers or another 60s themed film. In fact, there's a classic 60s-in-the-90s album lurking here, I think everyone here agrees on that

Well said, even if I disagree with your assessment of "Market Place." But each person hears things differently.

If Chain Reaction of Love had been written in 1964, it would have been a hit.
The 60s are part of the idiom Brian works in. I'm not sure it's about rehashing as it is about his style, and CRoL doesn't even sound like a Beach Boys song. It sounds like the Shondells or something.

Exactly, it sounds like "Hanky Panky" which was a hit for Tommy James and the Shondells in '66! Doesn't bother me a bit, however, as I think it would have been a great song for that never-to-be-made 1996 Beach Boys album.

Nice job jeffcdo!  Much better!

I first heard some of this stuff back in '98 before IMAGINATION came out.

The moment I heard gettin In Over My Head, I went "oh my God, this is absolutely gorgeous!" As much as I defended IMAGINATION and Joe THomas back in the day, I had to admit that maybe the anti-Mullet Boy crowd was right!

Until I heard I'm Broke.  Oh boy. I couldn't get past Brian's voice on the tracks at that point and it colored my intitial opinion, which was less enthusiastic as AGD's.  But the funny thing is, I revisted the Paley tracks a year later and found much to enjoy.  Certainly the song structures are more unique. The arrangements, I think are more creative (the percussion on Chain Reaction is out of this world) and Brian and Andy are cearly having fun. Even if it didn;t wind up as the 90's version of Pet Sounds or Today, it certainly would have a more fun Brian solo album than anything he's released.

If Chain Reaction of Love had been written in 1964, it would have been a hit.
The 60s are part of the idiom Brian works in. I'm not sure it's about rehashing as it is about his style, and CRoL doesn't even sound like a Beach Boys song. It sounds like the Shondells or something.

The melody to "Chain Reaction of Love" was first demo'd by Brian Wilson in the early '70s, on a tape labelled "Spark in the Dark." No, it had nothing to do with "Funky Pretty." The demo is 11 minutes of organ meandering, with about a minute and a half of inspiration, whereby Brian gets melodic and pounches out the melody to "Chain Reaction."

Any lyrics in '72?

So that's why the damn thing sounded familiar...

This has been my cycle with ALL of Brian's solo stuff, including Love You.  At first, I can always find something wrong -- many things wrong,  in some cases.  Imagination - sounded too lite and slick -- void of any eccentricities of personality.  I shelved it after a listen or two, if that.  Not being the least bit familiar with it -- I had this inexplicable and insatiable craving to listen to it one day.  When I returned to it, I loved it!  It was perfect.

GIOMH has been a rocky road for me.  I went from not liking it -- to claiming that Brian had "done it again" -- then for longest time it was kind of a train wreck.  Now I kind of like it for its rawness or something like that.

So these Paley Sessions are kind of like that.  While there's some nice oddities and eccentricities, there's a little of GIOMH's chaos.  A hurried, nervousness to it.  A kind of an "ill at ease" or uneasy feeling that keeps me from getting into the whole of it.

But...you know...there's clearly some cool ideas there...and I do love it all!

jeffcdo -- Very good. The earlier release of the Paley tracks (the one with extra hiss but at the right speed) had SAM at 3:36. Yours was at 3:38, so it's a hair slow, but generally right.

I liked the Sweet Insanity material. I always thought a top notch producer could've done something with those songs, but that wasn't going to happen at that time.

Not to go off-topic and start a "Beach Boys' reunion" discussion, but I thought the Wilson/Paley was best suited to The Beach Boys' style, especially their lead vocals. It's not too late...

Any lyrics in '72?

No. Those lyrics may have been Paley's. They may have been Brian's. They may have even been demo'd at some point during the Love You era or the '80s. I have no idea where that melody went from the early '70s demo up to when it was recorded in the mid-'90s. It's all an educated guess, as people try to decipher what Brian wrote and what Andy wrote. And because Andy got really bitter about his treatment all around within the Wilson camp, he started acting like those sessions were largely of his doing. Maybe production-wise, and maybe lyrically, but enough melodic demo nuggets have been found to prove that Brian had a large hand in writing the music. I've always suspected that it was a 50-50% collaboration. If Andy WAS doing the bulk of the work there, it doesn't sound forced on Brian's part.

The lyrics for SMITC where already there on the 1988 version, would have been a nice track on the first solo album.
It first appeared officially on the 'On Tour' DVD, probably with Brian's lyrical contributions ("Oh yes it's Saturday Morning in the City, da da da da").

I know what exactly what you mean.

And they can call it a "new album" if they wanted...I wouldn't tell anyone!  With Brian, Mike and Al still being alive....seriously, why the F not.  Talk about "resolution."   8)

According to Andy, he wrote "Soul Searchin'" expressly to suit Carl's voice (which would explain the version with his voice over the original track), and also did about 95% of "Slightly American Music"... and of course, all of "In My Moondream".

All good songs. Andy has always been a really good songwriter. I love the Paley Brothers' music. There are those that know Andy personally that claim that, in his bitterness, he overstated his contributions to those sessions. But either way, I just like the songs, the performances and the productions. Both songwriters are of interest to me, but of course, Brian Wilson much more.

Actually, all of lyrics for SMITC are not there on the 88 version, nor is the lengthy middle section (boys and girls are out and about / listen to them run and shout, etc.).

SMITC perhaps has the longest gestation of any single BW song I know in terms of bits being added --

Melodic riff in the 60s
First draft of lyrics in the 80s
Final structured song, with bridge, in the 90s.

Released in 2003.

I also thought I remembered someone saying that SMITC was recorded during the Love You era, as well. Maybe I'm wrong about that.

SMITC is a nice track, very effective.  Not a "stand out" or favorite of mine necessarily.  But it's very successful, I would think, in conveying a happy go lucky Saturday morning around town feeling--which was its goal.  I like this Paley version better than on GIOMH, where it sounds a little stiffled (which is not a trait of Saturday mornings around town.  ^-^)

Andy also produced Jerry Lee Lewis's Young Blood back in 1995. 

Well, the GIOMH version is the Paley version, you know. The credits don't state it, but it's the same backing track and backing vocals.

It just has a newly recorded lead.

Ditto for Soul Searchin, except that Brian recorded new backing vocals and Mertens played a sax solo -- god knows why.

Listen to the GIOMH "SS" on headphones. Maybe two small percussion overdubs excepted, it's a mono track.

I've often heard it mentioned that the "Saturday Morning in the City" riff was conceived in the late 1960s.  Is there any sort of demo material from that time period that exists of this song, or do we know it was from the 1960s because Brian says so?

It pops up during , I think, a H&V session.

Is it me or did they lower the pitch to this song on the GIOMH version?

Hello y'all -

I like the Paley sessions a lot. In 1995, they got a lot of attention in the UK press and quickly acquired a high status; it was suggested that Sean O'Hagan of the High Llamas would collaborate eventually on the finishing work to be done still. That was not to be.
Why do I like them? Not because every song is a classic. But at the time they carried a lot of hope with them. For instance, Brian's voice on some of the tracks sounded truly like his '60s best, without the raspy, coarse side-effects of cigarettes and cocaine in it; and neither does it sound 'thin' like it does on 'Brian Wilson' and 'Sweet Insanity'.
Plus: I think 'This Song Wants To Sleep...' is outstanding, just as 'GIOMH' and a couple of others.
Why did he and Paley separate eventually? I was at the London RFH 'Pet Sounds' live show in 2002, was Paley present there in his touring ensemble?

5 stars! That arrangement just rocks and the choir is a welcome addition. I think BW should use choirs more often anyway, L&M from the 2001 Tribute Show for example gives me chicken skin every time.
Even that nasal Mike Love-interpretation fits extremely well. Of course, it sounds quite unfinished. I wonder what was supposed to go over that solo keyboard part. A multi-layered vocal kaleidoscope I imagine.
Agree, "Desert Drive" would have been great for Mike as well.

I really wish the Paley sessions and Imagination had been the last two Beach Boys albums, instead of frickin' Summer in Paradise and Stars and Stripes.

I like Brian's voice from this period (especially the falsetto - it just sounds so... disturbed, and I mean that in the best way possible). But at the same time, these songs would be GREAT with the other Beach Boys singing, especially Carl and Mike.

And was In My Moondreams supposed to have words? It sounds great just as a surf instrumental.

Paley was at some shows in 01 and 02, filling in for an absent Mickey D'Amico. He also recorded with Brian during that time (he's on the re-done version of Desert Drive, for example).

He and Brian have not exactly had a falling out since -- Brian has appeared with Andy on a couple of recordings ("Doin' the Krabby Patty" -- from a SpongeBob Squarepants concept album, of all things -- came out in '06). But they haven't been full-on collaborators either, and word on the street is that Paley was peeved at his treatment by the BW camp. I don't recall hearing anything more definite than that.

I heard that it had something to do with Andy being gay.

Are you sure about that?  What about the break after "...'cept for the kid with the paper route?"  On GIOMH there's that dorky, little predictable splash cymbal or drum hit (I forget which) that is right on the beat (which annoys the beans out of me).  "...with the paper route....'doink'"   >:(

But on the Paley version...the drums start to rebuild on the "paper route" part.."boom boom boom boom."  At least on my version.   :-\  Way cooler.   8)


Yes!  I know what you mean.  It suggests a slightly madcap sense of abandonment.  Delicious, ain't it?!


Totally.  Just like Denny on PoB.  It's pimpin'   :hat

That's not often discussed, and I've never heard it confirmed one way or the other. The only mention I've ever seen of it is in on the website of an engineer who worked on the BW88 album. He has since removed it.

Given Brian's enthusiasm for Elton John and excitement of meeting him and his partner, David Furnish, it seems unlikely there's any bigotry on BW's part. It's also hard to imagine that Andy and Brian collaborated for nine years and that Brian didn't know.

If the band gave Andy trouble about it -- well, I would have a lot less respect for them.

Re: SMITC
Yes. There may be a few percussion overdubs and a different mix, but the track is the same.

Here's a thread about the subject from a couple of years back.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,853.0.html

Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if he was ousted from Brian's band due to ego problems. My wife and I met Andy Paley backstage after one of the 2001 shows, and the guy...well...had a pretty inflated head. I spoke with an insider a year or two later who told me, and I quote: "Andy Paley cares about one thing: Andy Paley."

That was a great post, Clay.

The truth about Andy is that he worked well with Brian Wilson while it lasted... at the same time, he's a human, prone to all the trappings that we all can fall into anytime. So I'm sure Andy made his mistakes like anyone else. That said, no one ever has an easy time working in the Beach Boys world. It's a double-edged sword, and we're all lucky that so much good work was completed.

Getting back to the actual music...

I have one Paley Sessions bootleg, this has the majority of associated tracks of which Proud Mary and Soul Searchin' are additionally presented also as alternate takes (ie. the CD has 2 versions of each.) There is also a demo for Saturday Morning In The City alongside the regular Paley Sessions version but however, apart from these 3 tracks the CD only has one version of each of the other songs.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered a download containing all/most of the Paley tracks in 'multiple' alternate versions! (Desert Drive, In My Moondreams, Chain Reaction Of Love - or Chain Reaction Of Mystery as the title is actually given)- are all there...

But having briefly sampled some (not all) of the audio delights, (My Mary Ann, Slightly American Music amongst them), to my ears at least these so described alternate versions sound exactly the same...!

So my question is, do multiple alternate takes exist, doing the rounds on the collector's circuit? Or is not being a musician personally in such cases a major disadvantage given as any variation seems to be extremely minor...?

I think the quality and speeds are all that are really different.

That's what I suspected having read this thread...  That or maybe there could be so described 'fan mixes'...!


I'll still give all the 'alternate versions' a listen though at least once, just in case something is obviously different.

Thanks MBE.  :)

What are the chances of an official version ever being released? Maybe linked/backed with a BW greatest hits album? A crying shame if not. Sacks of fruit and all.

I expect we'll hear more of it at some point. Too many good songs remain unreleased. Whether or not we'll hear in them in the Paley sessions form -- I worry that depends largely on whether Brian is alive, sad to say. That being said, given the success of the POB/Bambu reissue, one could imagine a two-disk version of Imagination or the IJWMFTT soundtrack with Paley tracks as a second disk.

The point being, though, as long as Brian has a solo career, songs like:

Some Sweet Day
Chain Reaction of Love
Marketplace
You're Still a Mystery
Mary Anne
It's Not Easy Being Me

Are a valuable backup for any future solo album, easily plugging any songwriting holes.

It's all worth playing once as you have to listen close to find the one that sounds best in some cases.

If Brian retires/dies without having released a whole bunch of music, then I hope that
(a) They will be released in whatever form
(b) A group of great derivative bands will do a tribute album called Unreleased Brian Wilson or something.

With a lot of big artists, this might happen because the label would milk them for everything, but maybe not for solo Brian Wilson. I hope someone does it as a labor of love, just for all the nutty fans out there.

I'd bet that Drag City Records would put it out right now, and do a bang-up job with the packaging and promotion. That label has done more to expand the notion of the singer/songwriter, in the modern era, than anyone else.

What I like about the Paley sessions is that they're devoid of all that synthy claptrap that bogged down his first two albums (save for a small bit in "Proud Mary"). It really proves to me that Brian's sound is and always was best when it was organic, whether it's with big-band type pieces like "Desert Drive" or more minimalist songs like "You're Still a Mystery."

Personally, I think the paley sessions represent Brian's best solo-work other than SMiLE of course, even Lucky Old Sun has some cringe-worthy moments for me. The only song I don't like is "Market Place" ...mainly because it's dull and pointless. But I like the majority of the other tracks and think that had the more polished songs been released, it would have been his most approachable solo album.

Carl's vocal on Soul Searchin' is amazing, as always.

By first two I mean Brian Wilson and Imagination, as well as Sweet Insanity.

Great songs here… I am of the agreeable thought that "Still A Mystery" and "Chain Reaction of Love" are stellar recordings… Brian's quirkiness is all over those songs; same type of thing he brought to the table in 1966-67 during the SMiLE sessions.

Which songs are Paleys and which songs are covers?

Proud Mary is the only cover.

This Could Be the Night is a cover too. As is Sweets for My Sweet, which was cut around the same time. Both of those were released on tribute albums (to Harry Nilsson and Doc Pomus, respectively). And In My Moondreams was written by Andy alone (it was released on a compilation and credited solely to A. Paley).

I've never had the chance to hear the Paley sessions.  Would enjoy doing so.

But I have heard Sweet Insanity and I agree that it should have been released.  He does sound like he's having fun.  And a duet between Brian Wilson and Bob Dylan ("The Spirit of Rock and Roll") is simply something that should see the light of day for sheer historical purposes alone!  I especially prefer the SI version of "Rainbow Eyes" greatly over the released version on GIOMH.  Brian's vocal is much prettier, at times approaching his mid 60s vocal quality.  The synth-pop production is a little less than satisfying, but such was the spirit of the times.  The wild flute lines are evocative of the psychedelic era, and lend a humanity to the proceedings.  But Brian's vocals are just stellar on this particular track.

Although it could be inaccurate, an article from around the time of Imagination claimed that Brian's management, with Melinda singled out in particular, thought that while the Paley productions were great demos, that's all they ever where: demos. They felt that Andy's production style wasn't commercial enough to make Brian the Adult Contemporary force they felt he could be. So, as a result, Andy was kind of pushed to the back burner in favor of Joe Thomas. Andy, with his ego, probably didn't take this very well and hence the falling out. It makes more sense than the issue being about Andy's homosexuality or whatever.

"Making sense" has never been a key consideration in Beach Boys history...

I could not disagree more. This album shouldn't have been released at the time and it shouldn't be released in the future. The lyrics are truly, truly horrendous and some of the songs are abominations. I can't believe that a healthy, functioning Brian Wilson would have agreed to record these songs and they ought to stay buried.

As for the Paley Sessions, I think that Soul Searchin' and Gettin' in Over my Head are the best tracks by far. The rest of the songs are quite nice but not the masterpieces that some say and they are occasionally let down by more poor lyrics.

Odd, then, that 'Brian's management' used two of said "demos" pretty much wholesale on GIOMH...  ::)

Right, well, times had changed by the recording GIOMH.  ::) In fact, about 6 years had passed.  ::) Notice, for example, the lack of 80s style production and how parts of Brian's band were given more involvement (of course, their presence was still marginalized, but it was an improvement). No reason to think people couldn't change their mind over the course of half a decade.   ::) Then again, your hearsay is probably more reliable than my hearsay.

Paley didn't make sense when Brian had the potential (in management's eyes) to be an AC artist in the late 90s. That didn't pan out. Brian gained indie cred with the first shows and Pet Sounds tour, so an "organic" sounding album made sense. He started working with Andy again. All was well. Then Andy left/was fired again, a year or so passed, and it seemed important to have a "new" album out. With no real body of songs to draw on (except for some so-so Kalinich collabs), you get the grab bag that is GIOMH.

One thing to keep in mind with the whole GIOMH debacle: Sahanaja was present during the scrapped 2002 sessions with Paley, Wilson & Foskett. "Desert Drive," to the best of my knowledge, is the only cut in which he is present on GIOMH.

Another reason to love to guy. I've never heard him singled out, but I heard some of the band were ready to walk after they heard GIOMH.

You are correct, sir.

How much was  in fact recorded in 2002?

Just that one track, I believe. Although a handful of other tracks were recorded even earlier. The bulk of the sessions were in 2003, IIRC.

And I don't think I've ever heard about band members threatening to leave over GIOMH. I've just heard that several weren't too pleased with the results. I know Jeff Foskett had expected there would be more vocal work done (possibly including him). And there wasn't. And someone in the band -- whose name rhymes with blot spinet -- told someone that the record was having difficulty finding a label because it wasn't that good.

Nah, I meant was there anything else recorded in 2002 that wasn't used for the album.

what two songs are demos?

What two songs do you refer to?




Also, why wasn't Brian's band on vocals for more than Desert Drive?

Saturday Morning in the City, definitely.  Soul Searchin'? Probably.

I was thinkin Saturday was one..........Maybe Brian adding his vocals to the demo of Soul Searchin?


I honestly dont mind Andy's voice, I've heard him do a version of Soul Searchin' and an original song of his called Some Lucky Day (from the Dick Tracy soundtrack)

California Feeling? Walking Down the Path of Life, maybe.

I think 'Walking down the path of life' was later for that charity single, though 'California Feeling' probably as it came out on that comp of the same year.

SMITC and Soul Searchin are exactly the same Paley sessions backing tracks (and vocals save for the lack of Beach Boys on Soul Searchin and Brians extra lead) as on the GIOMH album with a few extra bits added (horrendous sax solo). It's criminal that they didn't basically release the Paley stuff as it was or indeed later on GIOMH.
For a start the title track which on the Paley sessions had one of Brians best vocals in decades was replaced with a new backing track from the Imagination sessions (urgh) and with a horrid double tracked new vocal which doesn't have anything near the punch of the original. (I think I might have said about that in an earlier post in this thread but the thread is two years old to be fair!)  

Path of Life wasn't written until 2005, as far as I know.

I do remember hearing that "You're Still a Mystery" was re-recorded during the sessions, but thankfully wasn't released.

the track to GIOMH is from Imagination era? I had no idea; yeah it sounds like it could come from then....which brings to mind, what's with the lack of Paley songs on Imagination? I know Where has Love been is on there, but that didnt even show up on the Paley sessions....anything else from the Paley sessions recorded during Imagination? I thought I heard How can We Still be Dancing was recorded then.

Listen to "Soul Searchin'" on headphones - it's essentially a mono track with a few percussion overdubs: the Paley original was used. Likewise "Saturday Morning In the City". (In passing, the version of the title track dates from just after the Imagination sessions - hence the credits for Joe Thomas).

As for the bvs... my understanding (from a reliable source) is that Brian's 'management' decreed that all the bvs should be his.

If I remember correctly, there was an interview with Joe Thomas in an ESQ, and he talked about "You're Still A Mystery," and "Melinda, Honey," which would have been "My Maryann" with different lyrics.  I think there may have been more, but I can't remember what they were, and my old ESQs are packed away.  For some reason I think he had said that 18 or 20 songs were recorded for Imagination.  I remembered thinking at the time that they should have put more on it, since Imagination seemed short.

... which (entirely correct) revelation earned him a royal ass-chewing when it was repeated on several MBs.  ;D

I bet Brian recycled the tune of Marilyn Rovell and changed some words to make Melinda happy....I mean really, he hasn't wrote much that sounds like it'd be written for her...prolly just You've Touched Me and Cry are the only ones that come to mind.

Brian has said that "Forever She'll Be my Surfer Girl" is about "how I still love my wife."

Although it truthfully should be titled, How I Still Love My Four Seasons Records.

I asked someone that should know, and was told it was "My Maryanne."  Wouldn't doubt to hear Marilyn Rovell at somepoint though.

Nope - totally different melodies.

I always assumed "My Mary Anne" was written for Marilyn.

Well I meant, instead of using My Maryann er,,,,, I wish we could talk all this out, text has no tone.  :lol

Tell me about it - my rapier-like wit usually comes over as the ramblings of a crabby ol' SOB.  :'(

That's just your charm Andrew!

:D