The Smiley Smile Message Board

I was listening to this yesterday and here are some thoughts:

I was reminded, again, of what a great singer Mike was/is. His leads are really moving and his nasal-best. Then if you listen to his part in the harmonies, like in "We three kings..." for example, you'll hear that he has some pretty difficult stuff to sing compared to Brian who takes the leadmelody.

But not only Mike but everyone puts on a great show singing wise. The groupharmonies sound unbelievable full and are probably among the best in the early year. Brian's leads on "Blue christmas" is breathtaking especially when combined with the great arrangement. Same goes for "White christmas". "I'll be home for chrismas" is probably the closest the BBs ever came to the Four Freshmen (did Dick Reynolds also arrange the vocals for side two?).  A definite highlight is the duett of Mike and Brian on "Santa claus is comin' to town", plus the acapella-intro. All this shows the Beach Boys as a great vocal group who was also capable of singing in other styles than rock.

"Christmas day", although just a filler, has a very nice organ solo (who did play the organ?) and I always imagine that this is the sound that was heard in the Wilson's ome during christmas and the family gatherings at that time. It sounds so corny and square but in a good way.
I wonder why there's no Carl or Dennis-lead (except "Auld lange syne").

I also think it's cool that the album is done with one side for the young people who'd like to rock a little and one side in a more traditional way, which probably also found listeners in the non-teenage league back then. So instead of having that "dirty" image above it, like Elvis' first christmas album, this one really was an album for the whole family.

All in all, this record sounds like the Beach Boys' at their early peak (which would stretch to "Pet sounds"), when all still seemed to be fun and exciting. No bad feelings, no on stage fistfights, stoned and half-hearted appearances or stuff like that. Everybody's just happy to make this great music.

Happy christmas !

The Christmas Album is indeed one of the best examples of Michael's voice in the band's history, alongside his work on Smile, Sunflower, and First Love. The traditionals are very well done and Michael's baritone fits beautifully in the mix. The group vocals are just as amazing, although you can sense Al's overdriven nerves on Christmas Day.

I always believed that the Beach Boys were a group born to sing Christmas music, what with the quality of their vocals.

I know what you mean. They really were able to sing a variety of styles and these kind of songs lend themselves very good to the early Beach Boys.


BTW for everyone who hasn't seen this, it's Marvin Gaye singing a song, which then goes over into a acapellaversion of "We three kings..." by the Beach Boys. Very good idea, unfortunately the songs are in different keys so it has some bad tones during the transistion. But the Boys' performance is perfect. One asks himself how they could do this so seemingly effortless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-zhTP_iCkc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-zhTP_iCkc)

If you were making a mix to include the original BB Christmas Album along with select other Christmas or Winter themed songs by the Band or Brian, which would you add?  I might add Snow Flakes by AMSPRING and the single version of LSN, and Winter Symphony.  That would do it for me.

Funny you should ask....I've been using this one. :police:

A Wilson Family Christmas

1. Little St. Nick - The Beach Boys
2. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
3. The Man With All The Toys - Brian Wilson
4. The First Noel - Brian Wilson
5. Hey Santa! - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
6. Blue Christmas - The Beach Boys
7. Christmas Day - The Beach Boys
8. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Carnie Wilson
9. Deck The Halls - Brian Wilson
10. The Christmas Song - Brian Wilson
11. Jingle Bells - Carnie Wilson
12. Let It Snow - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
13. Frosty The Snowman - The Beach Boys
14. White Christmas - The Beach Boys
15. Winter Wonderland - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
16. Winter Symphony - The Beach Boys
17. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
18. On Christmas Day - Brian Wilson
19. Christmas Message From Dennis Wilson
20. Child Of Winter - The Beach Boys
21. Morning Christmas - Dennis Wilson
22. We Three Kings / Silent Night / Hark The Herald Angels Sing - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
23. Joy To The World - Brian Wilson
24. We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Brian Wilson

Notes: It was hard keeping The Beach Boys' "We Three Kings" off, but I love Carnie & Wendy's version and didn't want to repeat any songs. "Christmas Time Is Here Again" just missed the cut. Don't really care for "Santa's Goin' To Kokomo" or Al's solo one (the title escapes me). I almost started the mix with "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" going right into "Little St. Nick" - it works nicely, but I nixed it. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" appears briefly on Dennis' Christmas message BTW. Frankly, I forgot about "Snowflakes"; I have to re-visit that one. Never was that crazy about "Auld Lang Syne", but would be an obvious good closer. I like closing with Brian's "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" with his kids message/greeting and the sleigh bells and bass harmonica fading away.

Any other mixes out there?   

Dennis' Morning Christmas is utterly magnificent, so stately and moving I get goose bumps for the entire song especially the piano outro

I might add a couple from Brians xmas album.  Where is the Carnie/Wendy xmas stuff from...did they do a xmas album?

Carnie and Wendy did a seasonal album in '93 called Hey Santa!, which is decent at best. It's also the only place to hear an official version of the Beach Boys and related families singing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus in 1977.

I would love to make a mix like this. And very happy you didn't use "Santa's Got An Airplane". Probably could fit "The Lord's Prayer" though. What's the running time on your cd?

Which is pretty typical. The lead is usually the melody thus usually easier to sing. Bass parts can be very simple, but also very difficult by filling out the bottom of the chords. Brian almost always came up with great vocal bass lines and Mike did a great job with them.

I bet Mike came up with plenty of his own parts since he seems really into that doo-wop sort of thing. Don't Worry Baby is an example, I think, of Mike at his creative best.

The running time is a little under 80 minutes; you could squeeze another song in there I guess.

I always enjoy Carnie & Wendy's CD, "Hey Santa"; there are some good traditional songs on there. At a Christmas party I DJ'd, I played their version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" for a special slow dance (ladies' choice), and two people came up to the DJ booth after I played the song and asked who sang it! As I mentioned above, their brief version of "We Three Kings" is stunning; excellent production. I think the entire CD is well produced, actually. A clunker or two, but a good effort.

Donald, I DID include 7 solo Brian songs in the mix, including "The Christmas Song"! :p

A quick note on The Beach Boys' Christmas album....It might be in the top 3-4 albums as far as Brian's vocals are concerned. The falsetto was never clearer - "Blue Christmas", "White Christmas", "We Three Kings", and "Little St. Nick" (in my opinion, one of the most underrated songs in Brian's catalogue).

EDIT: Rogerlancelot, actually "The Lord's Prayer" would be a nice addition, maybe even as a closing track....

Yes, you are probably right.

These are not Xmas-related, but Winter/snow: "Let The Wind Blow," & "Time To Get Alone."

Let the Wind Blow -- winter? I associate it with May/June. Late spring, early summer.

I associate it with Johnny Cash

"Time To Get Alone", definitely. "Let The Wind Blow", I really don't get a wintery feeling for. I kind of do with "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", even with "Til I Die" a little bit. If you're looking for "wintery" filler for a comp, you could even use "Things We Did Last Summer".

Rocker, the curiosity is killing me. Why Johnny Cash?

 :-D
It's just that in my mind I always hear very clearly a American Recordings-version by Cash of this song. Really, I can hear it in my head. Unfortunately he never did record it....

I never cared for the Beach Boys' christmas album, but I LOVE Brian's christmas album. I even prefer the new versions of Little St. Nick and The Man With All The Toys over the originals. Brian's album just sounds so much warmer and "fuzzier". His current voice works great on those nostalgic christmas songs.

I agree on "The man with ...." (the new "little st Nick" is cool). TMWATT has some great and interesting changes but it always sounded unfinished on the original album. Much better on "What I really...."

I much prefer the originals. Firstly because the original lead vocals are much better than the leads on Brian's album but also because the original harmonies are far stronger. Nothing against Brian's band but they aren't the BBs and even though the slurring has been eliminated from Brian's voice a lot on those recordings, it's still evident.

Obviously Brian was a much better singer in 1964 than he was in 2005. And the vocal blend of the original Beach Boys had something magical that's never been matched by any other group, including Brian's current band. No argument there. But still, I think this particular material somehow works really well with Brian's current voice. And musically, the new versions are definately superior. And I agree that the original TMWATT sounds unfinished (or at least rushed).

I actually heard Hey Santa the other day in the mall

I love it, it's probably my favourite Christmas album and probably also my favourite pre-Today Beach boys album.
The vocals are outstanding, my favourite side 1 song is probably 'Santa's Beard' as I love the chord changes and my favourite on side 2 is 'I'll be home for christmas'.
None of the songs on the 1977 album really measure up to it (Though I do like Winter Symphony and Morning christmas), though I do like the MIU versions of the songs. I find Als Peggy sue remake 'christmas time is here again' to be excruciating, the lyrics have got to be among the lamest ever heard on a Beach boys track, and thats saying something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCjyHOzLdIg&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCjyHOzLdIg&feature=related)

Go to 1:14 min


EDIT:
Well, what the heck, let's make this the Beach Boys' christmas-thread for this year.
Here are some other videos.

Mike&Bruce-Show with "White christmas":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODDl4VqtdBY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODDl4VqtdBY)

Al singing "Christmas day" and "Little st. Nick":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkl4yv4etNU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkl4yv4etNU)


And a promospot for Brian on exteme home makeover:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPQAo9Kfqpk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPQAo9Kfqpk)

Carnie & Wendy "Hey Santa" (featuring Carl on backig vocals):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO8NYJ0bZ1c&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO8NYJ0bZ1c&feature=related)

I have to say, good call on TMWATT -- Brian's remake really trounces the original. For one thing, he seems to have thought about the song for more than two minutes. I particularly enjoy the added bits -- the little riff that precedes the sax solo and the bizarre coda. It adds this peculiar modular quality to the song that's really cool.

OK!

I saw the new CD, Christmas Harmonies, in a record store. I'm still trying to figure out the purpose of this release. The track list is good, but could be much better; a few key tracks are left off. Why not just promote Ultimate Christmas, or, like I'm going to attempt below, do an updated version of Ultimate Christmas. With a good remixing, remastering job on the 1977 stuff, and an extra track or two, I think you would have something special. But, again, remixing and remastering is essential; the songs need to sound more unified. I'd like to hear something like this:

CHRISTMAS WITH THE BEACH BOYS

1. Little Saint Nick
2. The Man With All The Toys
3. Santa's Beard
4. Merry Christmas, Baby
5. Christmas Day
6. Frosty The Snowman
7. We Three Kings
8. Blue Christmas
9. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
10. White Christmas
11. I'll Be Home For Christmas
12. Auld Lang Syne

13. Brian Wilson Christmas Interview
14. Things We Did Last Summer
15. Little Saint Nick (Drive-In version)
16. The Lord's Prayer
17. Little Saint Nick (single version)
18. Auld Lang Syne (without Dennis speaking)
19. Dennis Wilson Christmas Message

20. Child Of Winter
21. Bells Of Christmas
22. Melekalikimaka
23. Winter Symphony
24. Christmas Time Is Here Again
25. Christmas Day
26. Go And Get That Girl
27. Santa's Got An Airplane
28. Santa's On The Way (H.E.L.P.)
29. (I Saw Santa) Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
30. Morning Christmas
31. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

What do you think? That's 31 cool songs; I think they'll all fit. Capitol? :police:
 

This is a rather confused question but did Brian record a Christmas song with Gary Usher in the mid-80s? And did he later recycle it somewhere else?

Brian did a song with Gary Usher called "Christmas Time". I think Eugene Landy was involved or got a credit or something. I liked the song, thought it was pretty good. It actually got released on one of those budget various artists compilation CD's. A few years ago I had the CD in my hand at a WalMart but didn't buy it. Wish I had....   

What??? Really? I never heard that the Usher Christmas song was released.

And Nicko, I'm not familiar with any of the song being reused -- although "Just Say No" from the same sessions recycles "Wind Chimes."

Am I thinking about "On Christmas Day"? Was that re-recorded for What I Really Want For Christmas? The titles are confusing. But I do like "Christmas Time" anyway.

EDIT: Yeah, I confused "Christmas Time" with "On Christmas Day", which appeared on Twenty Christmas Stars III. Brian did re-record "On Christmas Day" for WIRWFC didn't he?

Nope, it wasn't re-recorded, but the 2000 recording of "On Christmas Day" was used as a bonus track on WIRWFC. And I do recall that being on a comp.

Thanks for the responses and for reminding me of the song. I agree that it's not bad at all and certainly better than most of the other songs from the Usher period. The less said about Just Say No the better though...

Drugs -- are dangerous!

They are -- too glamorous!

Getting high's not the thing to do;

Don't you know drugs will poison you?

Yes, it's winter: "Let the moon glow, On the fallen snow," & spring is coming: "Let the bird sing, With the coming spring."

To answer Rocker's question, Brian played the organ on "Christmas Day".  I believe he played the bass on the basic track and overdubbed the organ solo.

Thank you ! I like that solo, although he messes up at one point

Because of my OCD, I had to track down the 20 Christmas Stars III version of Brian's "On Christmas Day", and, it is a slightly different mix than the WIRWFC version.

Drugs are good, 'mmkay.

Just listened to a lot of this stuff for the first time. Holy Jeezus, Brian's lead on "Blue Christmas" knocked me out. We all know Brian's a great vocalist, especially back then, but this one... wow, never really heard him sing quite like this, I guess because none of their songs really called for it.

That one really blew my mind the first time I heard it too.  Brian's version blows Elvis' out of the water, in my opinion.  Brian did a better job capturing the sad nature of the song with his voice.

This was probably answered before but I don't remember. Did Brian also sing on Collin Raye's "Winter wonderland" when the BBs did back him up? And was it done during the S&S-sessions? Love their singing on this recording

I'm going to have to agree. probably because of Reynold's arrangement more than Brian's (admittedly fantastic) vocal. I love that.

Here's the '64 Shindig-Christmasspecial, featuring the Beach Boys as "headliners".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWfnntRFroE&feature=player_embedded (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWfnntRFroE&feature=player_embedded)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_x5Otfoatc&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_x5Otfoatc&feature=related)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DIE-r1DCcM&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DIE-r1DCcM&feature=related)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPVDLSnZP8&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPVDLSnZP8&feature=related)

I am curious: Did Marvin Gaye ever meet Brian or the Beach Boys? Or did he ever comment on them in any way?

how is it recycled?
are we talking the Smile version or Smiley?
What compares between the two songs?

I'd say so:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-zhTP_iCkc&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-zhTP_iCkc&feature=related)


EDIT:
Well, I forgot that you get a better quality performance in the last link of the Shindig!-performance

Yes, Brian's on it... as for when it was recorded, no idea, but during the S&S would seem logical.

Think you'll find that 2nd line has a "not" in it. My copy, I mean, the one I heard does.

I did mean something a little more substantial than "we met at a TV performance" but I guess if that's as far as any interaction went... welp.

It's possible that this was the very last time The Beach Boys were all in the studio together. Either this or "In My Room" w/Tammy.

8/31/63 - Show of Stars, Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los  Angeles CA
       [w/Dee Dee Sharpe, Little Eva, The Cookies, Jan & Dean, Marvin Gaye, Dick
       & Dee Dee, The Righteous Bros., The Olympics, Wayne Newton, Soupy Sales,
       Darlene Love, Mel Carter, Andrea Carroll, Jackie De Shannon, Steve Alaimo,
       Donna Loren, Johnny Fortune, The Challengers, Ray Sharpe, The Cornells,
       Tracey Dey, The Orlons, Paul Petersen and Rene Hall & Orchestra.]

BTW, never saw this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPwuHDitCH0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPwuHDitCH0)

The 'Boys and Marvin Gaye were also part of the TAMI Show.

i stuck this on today, and was struck by how awful the first side is! I mean, it's barely produced - not even sleighbells on a freakin' christmas album!

I still like the second side in it's schmaltz and cheese. Santa Claus is Coming to Town, on the other hand, is one of the worst things the group ever did. It's horrific.... If you A-B the songs Spector did and the songs The BB's did, Spector wins. Apart from White Christmas, which is a tie. I still like it, but it's still half a great record. We Three Kings is spellbinding.

not fair to compare spector to the beachboys.......or comparing wilson love to lennon mccartney

no one else tried or succeeded in doing it ALL like Brian Wilson did.......

a christmas gift for you was a dozen vocalists, a wrecking crew , levine, and nitzsche.....of course its all good........great akbum........but

Ha ha, some joker you are!  
Everybody knows comparing Spector to Brian is like "a candle in the wind".
Spector's talent burned out long before his legend ever did

nobody knows?

Wirestone probably knows; send him a PM

Brian had a similar wealth of talent around him(Dick Reynolds, the group, etc), but i get you.

bgas, if that snide post was supposed to make sense, i'm afraid you've lost me.

btw, what's your avatar?
where'd you get it from?
I'd like to see a bigger version.

at the moment? 
A Capitol/Brother Records Promotional In-store standup display piece. 
It was for sale, once, At Rockaway, from where I took the pic.
 $850 was more than I wanted to spend; tho never having seen another makes me wish I had unlimited funds....

that's amazing...you think you could PM me a bigger version of it. i'd love to see it up close.
also, i'll be in your will if you want me to...all i want is that little thing in your avatar.  :lol

HUh; I went to  do the PM( right before you mentioned it) but I coudn't find a place to add an attachment; meaning I'd have to upload it somwhere, which I haven't done. 
A project for another day

I have to admit, the first side does sound rather basic and underproduced when you compare it to "All Summer Long" the previous 'proper' album. Makes you wonder if the idea for the record came from Brian or Capitol.

An interesting question, tho I'm not sure I see why it matters.  
I see it as a simple case of Brian planning one side of the  BBs playing and singing and one of their vocals backed by fuller Orchestral arrangements.
Taking it a bit farther: Brian was expanding his musical vision, but I think he wanted to take their fans with them; So, do songs in the BBs "style", and show what they can do there, and then pull them along with more fully orchestrated arrangements. Where , maybe, Brian could see himself headed at the time.
 ASL hadn't been released when they started recording Xmas, so it's hard to imagine Brian feeling pressured by Capitol, as they wouldn't yet OWE them an LP.
Maybe Brian was cognizant of Capitol's Album pressures, and thought doing the Xmas at that time, would give him more freedom to take time recording what he really wanted , and not being rushed.

We Three Kings deserves a vocals only release!

I'll second that!  We Three Kings is an absolutely incredible BBs vocal performance.

Oh yeah. Just listen to the acapella performance on Shindig. Really awesome. It is reminding of "Prayer"

Wouldn't your jaw just drop is Brian performed a couple of Christmas rarities specially for download on his site? (like he has before)

Or wouldn't it be great to see him on a tv special/talk show perform: Child Of Winter or Winter Symphony?

Heck, I know it might be blasphemy, but what about Brian performing Dennis' Holy Holy (Christmas Morning).
In the words of George Martin: "This band can do it."
I could just imagine those great vibes and bells....you got Paul M. on that bass harmonica.  Brian possibly playing that beautiful piano part (also from Common). Brian could handle those low low Dennis vocals....the backing vocals with the band would be tremendous.