The Smiley Smile Message Board

I've always loved this song, thought it had the potential to be a hit. However, I just think that they take the CATP version too slow: it has all the elements to be a hit except it plods along tempo wise. The slide guitar solo is great, vocals are spot-on and the tag is gorgeous, but I can't get over the tempo. Anyone agree with me?

In my opinion the In Concert version is several times better, taken at this tempo, with Dennis doing the response on the coda, and killer guitar, it is THIS kinda version that should've been the single. It my opinion, with clever marketing it could've been a hit in 1972. It has all of the ingredients. Brian's band does it justice live (apparantley with the original intro) in fact it's often a highlight. Here's a rendition from last summer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcrOt2xtOtw

I agree, I think the same thing about Keepin' The Summer Alive.  Both sounded more rockin in concert, and the studio versions were whimpy in comparison.

Speaking of the tempo on the record version of Marcella: I've always thought the drums in general on that track are weak sounding and plodding. Ricky kills it on the "In Concert" version. Are we sure it's even him on the CATP track?

Could be a new thread but there are a few songs that were much better live

1. Aren't You Glad
The 'Wild Honey' version seems under produced and strained like they were intentionally holding back.  The 'Live in London' version jumps off the vinyl - the song is helped immeasurably by the prominent horns.  I maintain that if released the live version would have been a hit.

2. Marcella
It just rocked so much more live.

3. Wake the World
See 'Aren't You Glad'.

4. Funky Pretty
Sounds better in concert with the more prominent guitars - It had a much harder sound.

5. Keeping the Summer Alive
The Knebworth version is better than the version played at DC a few months later.  It was missing Ed Carter's guitar.

Summer in Paradise

One I've always though was better live is "Darlin'", though I do love the original as well.

I have a boot from 71 or 72 that has Bruce doing Disney Girls and, though there are no BBs backing vocals (I'm sure this song was an excuse for a smoke break for the other guys) the full band arrangement with horns is simply gorgeous!!!! I far prefer it over the Surf's Up version.

I'm kind of partial to the studio versions of most songs. Because Brian's voice was so good through 1974  I miss him in the blend on a song like Wake The World. I do like Live In London and In Concert but I still always miss Brian. It's a shame that he rarely toured when he could actually sing well.

It's funny I was actually talking about this with someone yesterday---it's interesting how few times Brian actually sang the "California Girls" falsetto live, or period. Once for a day in the studio, a few times on Jack Benny and the like, maybe in Hawaii and the studio "rehearsal" for that...and that's about it! The man who did it best did it so few times, and so many others have done it hundreds of times.

I feel the exact opposite of Good Timin'. The studio version is great, but in concert it sucked.  ;D

I think he sang it in 1970 too but I'm not sure of all the setliats for the shows he played.

Fun fact...Brian's vocal part on the studio version of Marcella is the part towards the tag, the "what's in her head"  part that's held out.

He's also doing some of the falsetto and the doobie doobie doo's.

i always thought Blondie did the responding vocals (instead of denny) In Concert.

To these ears there is no way that it's Brian singing that part. It sounds like Blondie or something. Not even a gruff Brian sounded like that. Is Brian really on that tag at all? I don't think he sings at all on it. Even the "doobie doobie doo" sounds very well like it could be Al or someone else. It could be Brian, but my first guess would be no. Supposedly Brian was snorting a lot of cocaine during the recording of the song, so it's not surprising he didn't sing.

Actually, that's definitely Brian, sounding exactly like he did on the "Fairy Tale" demo that has circulated.  You may be thinking of a different part.

Two more fun facts about this...Brian's said in interviews that he hates his performance on this song.  And his part is nearly impossible to sing (not so much the chorus part but the background part on the verses).  One of the hardest BBs falsetto parts to nail.

I remember him saying specifically that the dubdown killed it...

There are 4 songs in a row on In Concert that I enjoy more than the studio originals:
Leaving This Town
Heroes And Villains
Funky Pretty
and Let The Wind Blow

I enjoy the rest of the album but those are the 4 I always play (and love to show them to non-BB fans to blow their minds).

Leaving This Town on "In Concert" makes me tear up. Not sure why! Amazing!