The Smiley Smile Message Board

When was this recorded? Is Brian singing the opening lines? This song has grown on me quite a bit and am curious as to any insights anyone has on it. Has it ever been officially released?

is this don't fight the sea or looking down the coast?

Don't know...maybe Looking Down the Coast..."Looking down the coastline can't see the end, ...." is the opening line.

yeah, that's lookin down the coast, i believe that was worked on in the late 70s...Al reworked it and it's on his new album yet to be released. you can hear a sample on his site.

That is Brian. From 1978 I think.

Yes, Summer of '78, at Western Recorders, with Chuck engineering.  Tommy Morgan played harmonica.

Of all the unreleased Beach Boys songs I've heard, this one's probably my favorite.

Wow I've never heard this. Which boot is it on? Not sure if I'm breaking the rules in asking that. If so then please delete!

The one I have on vinyl is called California Feeling I think many of the CD's sourced it off of there.

I love this song too.  Great melody.  As much as I enjoy the late 70's version,  last year I had a chance to hear a work in progress of the new version Al has done, and I truly think it is even better!  The new track has a better feel instrumentally, more majestic that really supports the lyric.  I hope 2009 will see Al finally release his album.  I would also love an official release of the 70s track.  Empty the vaults - my credit card is ready!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxABXd63GDY&feature=channel_page

I uploaded the song on my youtube beach boys page check it out  :P

It's like Al got inspired to do another California Saga

Thanks for sharing that - I've not had a chance to hear it before. You can hear a bit of the bridge melody from "Airplane" in there along with parts of "Winter Symphony" and other moments clearly ended up in "Too Much Sugar" and "Walkin' The Line".

I like the earlier verson of Santa Ana Winds better than the released version. That was recorced while the group was at Criteria in Miami.

Speaking of Criteria, at one time, Barry Gibb  was in line to produce (and perhaps write for) the 1982 BB LP Cousins, Friends and Brothers. THAT would  have been interesting.

Really? I'd never heard anything about this; I thought Cousins friends and Brothers was the working title for KTSA album

Have to disagree there - the lyric is so clunky (from the get go: "On my porch/thinkin' 'bout the torch" is as bad as anything Mike ever penned in an off moment)... but the reference to "We're Together Again" is cute.

Brian does the intro, Al the rest.

Also, notice how part of it jacked from Winter Symphony.

I've yet to hear Winter Symphony....funny thing about being a Beach Boys fan is making sure that I don't gobble up all the music at once, so that there are still some unknowns out there to be heard. I like this tune way more than California from Holland.

Winter Symphony..............coming right up..............http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Beach-Boys/dp/B0002Y4TY2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1231762039&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Beach-Boys/dp/B0002Y4TY2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1231762039&sr=8-1)

Agree about the lyrics for the later version of Santa Ana Winds, but the syrupy production puts me off (although it's probably the best thing on KTSA); overall, I prefer the earlier one.

I agree with the first one overall. That first verse needed to be reworked, AGD is right on that, but the song is much more commerical/listenable with the earlier subject matter than a storm!

sh*t, I love both.

I like both but the early one is easier to sing along too. Mike also sounds sooooo nasal on the later one. Still the production on the released one is really good.

I like the first one a bit more, though the sound of the version I have is awful. Either way, I think it's a good song.