The Smiley Smile Message Board

 :banana This is by FAR my favorite track on the 1985 "Beach Boys" album. Why it never got the PR it should have is beyond me.  :brow Maybe AGD can clarify on this? I personally think it would have been a GREAT single and hit.

I disagree. I find it completely synthetic BBs-by-numbers. I played it exactly three times and tried to forget it - unsuccessfully.

I'm with Don except for one thing: I can't pinpoint another track on that album as a favorite either. The whole album sounds mostly like "synthetic BBs-by-numbers" to me, a group that didn't know what to try next, went for what they thought was a hit-making formula (except they forgot to bring good songs) and failed. Again. Sad, considering we know Brian was still writing some decent songs and that the guys could all still sing at that point. There could have been more than 10 years of solid, if not groundbreaking, work. Instead there was sonic ipecac and lawsuits.

Sonic what? ???

stuff that makes you have a technicolor yawn.

ipecac is what's known as an emetic. Used to be every parent was supposed to have it on hand in case junior ate poison....turns out it's not safe itself.

It's alright; the coolest thing about it though by far is that Ringo Starr drums on it.   :afro

Funny thing - when I first heard it in March 1985 (I was in the studio with the band the last day they were mixing the album), my initial reaction was to say "That should be a single". I got a lot of quizzical looks. So I shut up.

It should have been the b-side to Getcha Back....btw, that Getcha Back sounds like Don't Worry Baby mixed with Hungry Heart.  I actually do like I'm so Lonely, Where I Belong, Male Ego, and kinda It's Just a Matter of Time. She believes in Love again is sooo 80s ballad esq.  Male Ego, I think is the strongest track from this era.   I know Stevie Wonder's appearance may look cheesy, but I enjoy it....But I guess Jack Black said it best on High Fidelity, "it's sentimental, tacky crap;....is it better to just fade away?" hehe....i know that's not the whole quote.

The album tries but doesn't really cut it. Still I think it's better than MIU.

try listening to the vinyl, it's a bit b@lls-ier as some say

 I know basically the album is overly synthesized. Some tracks more than others. But California calling sounded to me anyway the closest thing to the original Beach Boys sound. My brother and I were dumbfounded why it never got any attention.. Oh except at the very end of the "It's Getting Late" music video. With Brian hearing it in a sea shell.

I wonder if the LP version and the CD version used the same master and mix. hmmm. I have both, but my ear may not detect it.

I actually like the album for the most part. Yeah, it's dated but it was the last time that they sounded reasonably "current" in a long time. More importantly, it's the last time the harmonies actually sound like Beach Boys harmonies.

That said, I can't stand CC. That, along with I'm So Lonely and It's Just a Matter of Time drag the album down imho.

Actually, I quite like 'Passing Friend', and 'It's Getting Late'. Carl, of course. IGL is very melancholy, makes me feel getting older, and I am (we all are - proven scientific fact).

AGD says:
Funny thing - when I first heard it in March 1985 (I was in the studio with the band the last day they were mixing the album), my initial reaction was to say "That should be a single". I got a lot of quizzical looks. So I shut up.

Haha  :lol the beach boys have that a lot. I agree. Its the best together with Getcha Back on the cd. Great Al jardine vocals and guitars.

Always makes me wonder why it took the two of them to actually write it, as I guess it would've been a no-brainer even for Alan Jardine on his own. To a certain extent I like it, however, mostly due to the fact that I have such a hard time getting into most of Carl's material on that album (safe for "Where I Belong", of course).

Have you heard Mike Love's version of Hungry Heart? Sounds just like Getcha Back!

I saw BS play Hungry Heart live in 1981, in Rotterdam, in a fine arena. And whom did he call on stage to do HH with him and the E-Streeters? None other than the original Flo and Eddie. Magnificent.

Flo and Eddie did some amazing stuff: the last Turtles albums were great (esp. the unreleased songs which later appeared on Rhino), their duo LPs (excluding the raggae album), plus the things they did with Zappa.

Cheers for that, another line of inquiry opened up... :)

I've always had kind of a soft spot for the '85 album, but "California Calling" usually feels try-hard to me.  Sometimes it catches me at the right angle, and it's charming.  Other times... not so much.

I do remember right after I'd got the CD, I was playing it in the loungeroom with my wife, and I just spontaneously started singing along with the chorus in full jolly Jardine mode:

"We're creatively bankrupt
We need another hi-it
So we'll dig up some cliches and we'll play them all
Cause we know that you will love all this shiiii-iiiiiii-iiiiiiii*..."

Getcha Back, OTOH, is just fab.  A whole album like that, I would have adored when I was 13...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

 :lol

I was thinking about starting a little contest: write your own 'worst BBs lyric', e.g. as featured in 'Brian's Back', or on SIP. Perhaps  if I can construct an example, it will work out. Could be parallel with the meter of a real BBs song, or an entirely imaginary one.

Hey, I like the lyrics to Brian's Back!

They say Brian's back
Well I guess he's had his ups and downs
They say Brian is back
But in my heart he's always been around

hmmm... but what about 'Not To Mention Ole' Pet Sounds' ?

I'd say that "Where I Belong" is by far and wide the best song on BB85. I think it stands up to anything on LA Light, or maybe even Holland...the rest of that album ranged from utterly horrible to sort-of-alright (though I will admit BB85 is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me...as bad as CC is, I still enjoy listening to it every now and then.).

I always hated the reference to Pet Sounds in Brian's Back...it was like Mike actually liked that album or something

Well, in 1978 Pet Sounds wasn't nearly the hip thing thing to dig that it became in the 90s. He would do better - commercially - naming any track from Endless Summer.

Not as bad as Mike shoehorning 'Fun, fun, fun' into it and that is also in (off the top of my head) 'Summer in Paradise' and 'It's a beautiful day' plus numerous mentions of 'Good Vibrations' in other songs. There's a lot of self-referencing going on...

I played the 85 album a LOT when it came out and for some time afterward.  I didn't care for California Calling because it sounded like they were trying tooo hard to sound like the BeachBoys.  It would have been like slipping the song n Holland.  Just didn't fit.  The big production Carl numbers sounded perfectly 80' and were quite satisfying to these ears at the time.  I guess by this time they had become quite split in their identity and felt they had to put some oldie sounding BB material on with the newer sounds.

I could easily mix Carls songs such as Maybe I Don't Know and Its Getting Late on a comp with Doobies and Dan from the same era. 

Other favs from the album Where I belong, Im so Lonely, and Male Ego.

All in all, a half good album and still more listenable than KTSA in many ways.

yeah, i remember that

I like this song & album. I love 80s Beach Boys & am not scared to say it! ;D

I seem to be a rarity though.... :happydance

I am in your club then. I too love all their music. I like the fun sounding ones best.

I know! I especially loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee "Getcha Back". Thats a personal fav, makes me all melancholy & I think we all can relate to it.

Ya Getcha back is such an awesome summer song

And anytime I play it in work, people always ask who sings it, real people pleaser

Yeah, summer of '85 right? I remember being so proud that they were on the radio right when I was getting WAY into them. I spent that summer in Virginia Beach and remember it always being on!

Self-referencing?

You mean like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lw7dYGl-yg&feature=related

 ;D

 ??? =>  :o =>  :lol

I had never heard this before... ouch.

Hop in honey, sit right by my side
I'm gonna take you on a little ride
A desert drive...out where the cactus grow
A desert drive...hey don't you wanna go
Gotta get crankin' now, goin' on a desert drive

Throw on your sneakers, T-shirt and jeans
Better take your shades in case the rays get mean
A desert drive...we're gonna have some fun
A desert drive...out where the coyotes run
Gotta get crankin' now, goin' on a desert drive

It might be post modernist to the extreme and it might play off a single musical theme from the past (as do many Brian songs) but it is not self-referencing.

Didn't say it was. :police:

Forever she'll be my surfer girl
Forever she'll be my surfer girl
So sweet
Now there's all kinds of music
So sweet
And don't you know the truth is
So sweet
You were my special lover

Then what are you saying?

I love the "So Sweet" counterpart in "Forever She'll Be Surfer Girl," beautiful.

Why say when you can, y'know, nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more?

Oh great, the cat just threw up,
Jon Blum

For me, at least I'm consistent: those kinds of self-referential lyrics are my least favorite part of TLOS. And that song is tied with Southern California as most offensive to me in that regard. (Both beautiful songs, by the way. I'm not knocking them that way.) Whether it's Mike, Al, Brian, Paul McCartney or anyone else, it's just a little gross.

Try Resolve, it works great.

PT Cruiser don't you know you're really lookin' fine
It happened on the beach down at oceanside
Two PT Cruisers running side by side
A little surf woodie there was makin' the scene
She was shooting the cover of a magazine

Fuel injected engine coming off of the line
And when the super charger you can hear her whine
Ah wah wah, wah wah wah wah wah wah


 
 

Let's see TLOS is meant to be about BW, isn't it?  Are the lyrics of FSBMSG surprising in that context?

I totally agree, I hate all the self-referencing, without TLOS would be a great album.  I don't like on TLOS, I didn't like it on Summer In Paradise and I don't like it in the Futurama movies either!

I always enjoyed the album and I remember buying it the day I came out.  "California Calling" was formula back then but it was still a fun song.  "It's Getting Late" was always a guilty pleasure for me.  Love it.

Same here. It's Getting Late is a beautifully melancholy song, and vastly underrated.

 :-\ seems things got a bit off topic here. I think California Calling, for me anyway, got my attention more than any other track because it hearkened back to their earlier days of surf music. And showed they could still make an original surf song. Plus it was the most fun feel good song on the album.

Sorry. I just had a brain wave re: car songs. The BBs could celebrate their 50th with a new first: an album of hot-rod stuff in a totally new light. Hybrid vehicles, totally ethanol-driven, what have you...

Yes I Have That Ecology Bias
I Just Got Me A Brand New Prius
I Am Just A Very Proud Tree Hugger
No I Ain't Mother Nature's Mugger!

The Briney Smell Of Our Seas is Back
Cuz' We Use All Hands On Deck
And Steppin' On The Gas Don't Make Feel Guilty No More
Everything's So Much Cleaner Than Before


It will be on their reunion album. And I will get rich.

it needs a hook though...

Yes I Have That Ecology Bias now
I Just Got Me A Brand New Prius now
I Am Just A Very Proud Tree Hugger now
No I Ain't Mother Nature's Mugger! now

The Briney Smell Of Our Seas is Back now
Cuz' We Use All Hands On Deck now
And Steppin' On The Gas Don't Make Feel Guilty No More now
Everything's So Much Cleaner Than Before now

See? It's still rhymes!... and now you almost have a hit.

But it still does need some Fun Fun fun and Good Vibrations references.  :p

Um, now, isn't that a bit rich, eight times 'now' in a row, now?

Just asking... am thinking about those references though.  :hat

Check the lyrisc of Fun Fun Fun: 9 "now"s

O, and you might get sued for it... but that's only a good sign... (ML usually goes to court when there's a profit to be made  ;D  )

 :o--> ;D blimey! I didn't get that joke first time around, but indeed: Fun Fun Fun is loaded with 'nows'...

Just discovered this song recently! Its really great! Surprised it wasn't more popular...

Sums up everything that I hate abut the band, sorry. The song itself is not bad per se, but the idea and purpose behind it are laughable. Same goes for 'Kona Coast'.

I think it's totally rad

One of many post -74 songs with really shitty lyrics - like most of SIP, Spring Vacation, Waves of Love, Brian's Back, Beaches in Mind, Kona Coast etc. A lame track.  Not the worst on the album, but close.

WANNA TAKE WALK
WANNA GO COP
WANNA GO GET SOME CHINESE YEAH

For one of those unexplainable "fan reasons" I recently put "'85" on my iPod and listened to this song for the first time in years the other day. I was wondering who's doing the falsetto in the chorus? It almost sounds like Matt Jardine, but he didn't start doing that for a few more years. Bruce? Foskett? Looped, processed Bri? Ah, the wonders of the BBs.

The bass vocals are pretty ace in the song.

I also hate that song. Pure shite.

Not even a great vocal ending by Carl could save that piece of abomination. But hey, now we get another version of it! (Perhaps we are lucky enough to get Mike's 2000 rerecording). Man I'm looking forward to this, glad it took the spot of some other unreleased treasure on MiC.

John Q Public told me he expects Brian's Back to be on there because he once saw a thing on teevee that had a guy with a blanket that said Brian's Back on it. Also, every penny of the licensing fee relating to Brian's Back goes to benefiting Brian's back, the surgery costs are ridiculous.

I think you'll also find that during Mike and Bruce's 2005 UK tour, the wide-ranging setlists purposely didn't include Brian's Back to appeal to this growing demographic of people who don't care about Brian's back.

has to be Adrian Baker as I don't think Foskett actually *sang* on any of the records until last year.

Are we sure it's not processed and looped Brian?  I always thought Levine did quite a bit of that on the LP.  I definitely don't hate BB85...I actually kind of enjoy listening to it.  Does it sound like it came from the 80s?  Yes...because it DID come from the 80s.  If you can get past that...you'll find some decent songs and some great singing (especially from Mr. Carl Wilson).  It's also the last BB LP to see active participation from two Wilson brothers (I'm not including Stars & Stripes). 

Foskett is on BB85. Believe it or not.

Not sure why you used that smiley coz it's obvious that Ringo isn't African American by nationality. Other than that, I agree with you. When I found out who drummed on CalCalling, I's just amazed. So good to know that Paul isn't the only Beatle-BBs fan. Or else it'd be a real bore. Surely Ringo is fun to have around in the studio. Fits the company of our "goofy" Boys.

For the record, I'd say I very enjoy hearing this song when I play the entire album. Especially considering it begins right after Bruce's mundane pseudo-ballad. In short, it's the most contagious song in the album. Sometimes I listen to it in isolation from the rest of the tracks for achieving optimistic mood.

Uh....well....

(http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/sweetdudejim/jim.png) (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/sweetdudejim/media/jim.png.html)

Ol' Pet Sounds. Mike had to take him behind the shed and put him to rest one balmy summer night. He had good dog ears, too. 'Tis a shame, but when an album is sick, an album is sick and something has gotta be done.

The bit on California Calling when Al sings '...totally rad' makes me want to crawl up my own arse with embarrassment.

However, there are some terrific moments on Beach Boys '85 and those fans who dismiss the whole album outright mystify me... Where I Belong, as I might have said once or twice previously, is incredible - their best song of the decade. I Do Love You may be more Stevie than Beebie, but it's still a great song and Carl and Al (as on Where I Belong) sing brilliantly throughout. Male Ego is great fun. It's Gettin' Late sounds like Carl Wilson does Prince/Beck... which is a GOOD thing!

For the above songs alone, BB '85 is, to me, far superior to either MIU, KTSA, Still Crusin' or SIP. Hell, I'd even include TWGMTR if I didn't suspect it'd result in me being burnt at the cross...

California Calling - the greatest Beach Boys single that never was !

(actually does this belong in the Unpopular Opinions thread ?  :) )

Ah, see this belongs in the SDT thread as a classic example of the Beach Boys desperately trying to stay hip.

I do have a guilty liking for this song though, really the only one I like on BB85

Adrian Baker wasn't involved. Brian's doing falsetto on "Getcha back" while Jeff did it in live situations. Maybe it's that way too on "California calling", What do the credits in the booklet say? I don't have it here

There has been some speculation as to whether it was actually Brian. Personally I think it is.

No other vocalists credited on the album sleeve. I reckon Brian pulled this one out of the bag...

You used stars instead of quotation marks. Don't let it happen again.

Great album and song! It's sorta like Surfin' USA's mutated brother..

There is only one great song on BB85 and it is 'Where I Belong' Male Ego is a catchy number and appeals to my new wave side. Getche Back is a nice song. One of Bruce's better songs as well.

California Calling is very grating in my opinion. And to Stephen Newcombe, I can't speak for anyone else who dislikes this song, but I do like KTSA (song), Sunshine, Kokamo and Somewhere Near Japan. So I like plenty of 'unhip' songs even though I prefer the 66-73 material.

This song has a kind of loping, al jardine meody that reminds me a little of California Saga ... I think the song would work great with a sort of holland-style country-rock production. I also think it would sound great in a postcard style production - I hope Al rerecords it some time.

I would agree with that!

I'll explain - usually, as you may know, people attach smileys to their posts to: A) show their attitude towards one or another subject; B) give tiny details to the subject. In case of Awesoman, it can't be the 1st option, because "Afro" (the official title of the smiley) means, well, "Afro", i.e. "African American" & nothing else. So, it seems logical to think that the poster added that smiley to describe the subject, in our case - Ringo. That's why I's kind of surprised to see that face next to him coz Ringo is white-colored.
But at the end of the day, maybe this was all unintentional. Maybe Awesoman just chose the wrong smiley, instead he wanted "3D" one, it hangs near "Afro", btw.
Hope my answer made sense.

Wow, that's some idea! I'd be jolly glad to hear CalCalling in a country-rock mode.

I think you can put pedal steel to just about any Al composition (or even song idea, such as "Cottonfields") and it's gonna enhance things.

It couldn't hurt "Lady Lynda," either.

However, I'll draw the line at "Sloop John B." :3d

Whether it's due to that classical intro or sth., I can't imagine "Lady Lynda" being done in a country-rock or folk-rock style.