The Smiley Smile Message Board

Title is The Gershwin Songbook.

No 'Brian Wilson' in title yet? Surprise!

Well, there goes my will to live for the next four months.

Ok, MusicTap states  'Walt Disney Records will release The Gershwin Songbook by Brian Wilson'.

Not the threatened 'Brian Wilson sings Gershwin' which would have scared off buyers.

AGD you get extra points for keeping this to yourself.....LOL!!! Can't wait to hear this....expecting it to be wonderful and a grammy winner for sure!!!!

I'm very excited about this. And a little scared. But I really like TLOS, so I have high hopes about modern-day Brian's capacity for good music.

Not sure about the title, but I'm excited  ;D ;D

Great news, Andrew! BTW, I was unable to open the SS board for 3 weeks, which was frustrating. Are there more 'victims' like me? What are we guilty of?

And of course there'll also be an album of pieces from the Disney Song Book! Yay! :lol

This is great news

So......RFH dates in September?

Leaked demos in June?

Got to be a new BW album!!

Same problem. Maybe we should leave for the Blueboard. :)

By the way, looking forward to the Gershwin album. Except for the odd tune accompanying Woody Allen's magnificent "Manhattan" I'm not too familiar with Gershwin at all, so for me this is going to be full of surprises I guess. Hope it's going to be just as tastefully executed as TLOS.

Good news indeed. Can't wait to hear the results.



This is indeed frustrating. Can't say how many members have this problem. I - for instance - have no problems at all to open this board at home. At one one of my offices though it often doesn't work (although at the other office it does work). Don't know if it has something to do with certain providers. But whatever it is, it's affecting the number of visitors of this board. The average amount of posts has decreased, simply because quite a few otherwise very active members can't reach the SmileySmile-board.
I hope the cause of this all is found soon.

Hope it's good. I'm excited to hear his take on Gershwin classics. I hope "Ain't Necessarily So" is on there.

On another note, I can't open the site when I'm on campus. When at my apartment or anywhere else though, its fine.

I seem to be getting on more frequently at the mo but the board is often like the Internet version of the Mary Celeste when I do which is annoying as hell.

some days I get on.. some days the site just doesn't seem to be there....

yes, I could imagine that this is indeed hurting the number of visitors, for myself, I get here whenever I can..
this is the place to be   :3d

Actually...a mass migration to the Bloo would one helluva funny thing to do.  ;D

So maybe this is the time to assemble what we know of the album? Confirmed songs, etc?

According to Brian in Nov.-Dec, 10 tracks, including --

I Loves You Porgy
Summertime
Someone to Watch over Me
"The pretty part" of Rhapsody in Blue

From a newspaper report around the same time --

A "three-song medley"
It Ain't Necessarily So
Two unfinished Gershwin piano pieces

That's eight tracks right there. I hope the 10 tracks thing isn't set in stone.

Add to those, "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off" and "I Got Plenty Of Nothing".

I know that's a joke but I could actually see "I Got Plenty of Nothing" working well with Brian. He loves himself some funky banjo sounds, and that song is supposed to have a banjo. As heard here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SZuwxT2omw and in other older recordings of the song.

I don't think it's a joke, Slothrop.

Is it?

:lol

Nope.  ;D

perhaps "The pretty part" of Rhapsody in Blue will be part of "three-song medley" which will open up a space for another song...

Wonder if Brian is getting any help/support on this....from, lets say, someone like Jez Graham, Darian, ......I know I'd call those guys if I were facing the task of completing a Gershwin tune..... ;)

Brian has some talented arrangers in his band -- people who can quickly notate parts and/or play multiple instruments. It wouldn't surprise me to see one or two contributing creatively. Paul Mertens has arranged strings and horns on most recent BW releases, for example.

All will become clear, in time. One thing I am aware of - this project has engaged Brian at a very high level. In one sense, Brian is a very simple guy - ask him to work on tat - "Speed Turtle", "California Sun" - and he'll dial it in: give him a challenge and he'll rise to it

I imagine this music will suit Brian's mood and style at this point in his life, resulting in a well made record...I can't wait.

I still want a rock and roll record!

Brian just posted on his facebook that there is no official release date yet. Damn.

Brian did ?  ::)

I don't have facebook, what did Brian post?

We need a Brian twitter/facebook update thread  :-\

Brian didn't post anything.  ;D

Ok Scott or Jeff, or...  :lol

Thanks!

Come on Disney

That is the sound of someone covering their backside.

Possibly Brian's camp planted that phony release date to get people talking? It worked.

I hope you're right. I feel this could be a 'legacy' issue for Brian (& co). The obits, the tributes etc...will have a lot more to focus on than the drugs/madness/comeback/Smile-revisited of Brian's post-60s life if this thing goes over well. A final high point of a life filled with them before a gentle glide into a well-desevered retirement of issuing box sets of unreleased material.

We can only hope  ;D

The hell with the legacy, just gimme the box sets !

Hope the obits are still a ways off...

You've heard it or some of it, then?

Just curious - no further badgering after that.

Brian does seem enthused by the Gershwin project....lets face it, Rhapsody In Blue has been important to him for decades. The chance to work with unfinished Gershwin works and to rearrange some of his favourites could well be what lights a flame under his bum. And when Brian's enthusiasm is engaged, he can still do it.

As for the access to the site...I can always get on the board at home, but often cannot from work. Its not banned by the filter (work is a school) it comes up as a 404.

I have the same problem...in the library or computer labs i get a 404, but at home i can access fine.

as for the album i'm insanely excited.  I got excited for TLOS, and hey, it was fricken awesome!!!  So i pretty much can't help myself but be excited for this!

What's great is that Brian is going to introduce a lot of people to the glory of Gershwin... something not many other people of his generation have even thought of doing, I'm sure. You don't see the likes of Paul McCartney remaking "Porgy & Bess".

If the wonderful orchestrations on Lucky Old Sun were a glimpse of what's to come on this new album, then we are in for a real treat. I applaud the folks of the Gershwin family/estate for recognizing how 'in tune' with Gershwin Brian is.

Yeah, about six decades! I'm looking forward to this as well. Very pleasant news to read (even if it's being denied) after weeks of not being able to access this board.

There is an official message about this on the BW message board:

http://www.brianwilson.com/cgi-bin/community/viewmessage.cgi?r=1273083985244410372&l=level2

I wish Brian would sing some of the songs that Fred Astaire introduced, especially:
Nice Work if You Can Get It
They Can't Take That Away From Me
A Foggy Day

This album is going to be great.  The songs are well written, Brian's going to hit a homerun with them. 

Wouldn't it be ironic if he had a huge hit with this album. I would love it if he did, but it would be right out of left field.

Well, I loved the Christmas album, and I see this in a similar vein so I think I'm really going to like it.  Smile/ChristmasAlbum/LuckOldSun were all great in my opinion, this looks like something similar. 

Oh crap, I pray to any chosen deity it's no less than 2000% better than the 2005 Christmas album ! Seriously, if it's anything like that, I can see Disney asking for their money back.

...along with the poor souls who bought the new album. :o

Wow, crabby central! FWIW, I'm expecting Christmas album level of quality too -- but I like the Christmas album, so there you go.

Ah, so you've heard it then ?  Any good ?

Read it again, agd-but slower-you'll eventually get it- and it should be better than Shortnin' Bread :p

Disney has it. They're working through some final stuff. Details from Brianwilson.com are forthcoming!

Does anybody know if there are plans for a vinyl release?  Does Disney even do vinyl?

Good question. I've not heard anything about vinyl, but I don't think it'll matter if Disney does or doesn't do it. Take for example Dennis Wilson Sony release from 2008; it was released on vinyl via Sundazed, not Sony Legacy.

I'm just dying to pre order this thing  ;D

GIOMH, SMiLE, Christmas and TLOS were all released on vinyl. I would hope the Gershwin record is too.

I was also wondering, are there plans to tour this album in its entirely like BWPS and TLOS?  And if so, will it premiere live like those two or will we have the album in our hands first?

I like the Christmas album, too...

This may seem like a dumb question, but what exactly is the "pretty part" of Rhapsody in Blue?

The slow middle section.

All of it, by my money.

I agree. Brian and his band should do the entire thing.

Yeah, you nailed it there, man.

Listen closely from about 57 to 59 seconds into this recording. To me this brief bit sounds very similar to the very end of You Are My Sunshine from SMiLE. The part where the saxophone(?) comes in.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U40xBSz6Dc

Interesting question, and of course, the circumstances are slightly different: with BWPS and TLOS, the album was premiered live and then recorded. As we all know, the Gershwin album has been finished and is awaiting release. As Disney are doing the promotion for this, my guess is a live premiere with the album on sale as you exit the building, or at the very least the next day.

I disagree - a nine-ten minute track would disrupt the flow of the album, unless it was the closer. I see them doing just what it says on the label: 'the pretty part', i.e. an extract, which I'm guessing is the bit pretty well everyone can sing. We'll see.

August 17 has not been confirmed.

Maybe not, but Amazon lists it as August 17 - http://www.amazon.com/Gershwin-Songbook-Brian-Wilson/dp/B002RWKSII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1274263362&sr=8-1

I'm assumed the "pretty part" is the portion that Brian plays from memory in the Beautiful Dreamer documentary.

I am an adherent of the Kirk of AGD. If AGD sayeth August 17, then verily it shall come to pass.

I've always been curious, but still have never heard Rhapsody in Blue.  I know it was instrumental in Brian's development as a musician, but have yet to take the time to explore it.  Excited to do so at some point.  Hopefully, in the near future.

You're in for a treat. One of the greatest pieces in American musical history.

It is one of the greatest pieces which makes me nervous.  Will Brian be able to deliver the goods with his current voice?  I'm kind of skeptical.

Well he does have everyone else backing him up.

whaat? impossible. you had to have heard it at some point!!

Really ?  You've heard it ?

Are you suggesting he sang all the parts like on GIOMH and Imagination...?

Not suggestion anything, just wondering how you know the band are backing him up on "Rhapsody". For all we know it could be an instrumental.

never heard Rhapsody in Blue? really?!!? well what are you waiting for then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U40xBSz6Dc


it's not really known as a vocal piece, so Brian's voice shouldn't be an issue... on Rhapsody anyway.

My guess is that 'the pretty part' starts at 5.36 on this version.

Didn't say I did  :o

;)

Think you did.


Point I'm making here - aside from being my usual picky self as regards the English language - is that a lot of folk are making unfounded assumptions about this album. I expect those who do know what's on it and what it sounds like, should they chance to read this, will be highly diverted. This is Brian Wilson - expect the unexpected. Which, of course, may be exactly what we're expecting.  :3d

So -- a 20 minute album of Gershwin pieces redone as 2-minute surf instrumentals?

I'm in!

I can't wait for Muscle Gershwin Party featuring Annette!

I really didn't, it was someone else, but I'm just being silly really.

I think the bit I'm looking forward to most is hearing Carl's voice and Denny's drums on Brian's version (produced by Al) of Gershwin's Drivin', with David on guitar and Mile's sax solo on the middle-eight, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young on backing vox ...  or am I getting confused....

I'm wondering if Brian is going to continue with his poor choice of album covers.

TLOS was decent but could of been better. Overall it was kinda chessy.

So exactly what kind of album will this be?  Is Brian adding lyrics to Gershwin music or is he just reproducing the parts with vocal chants?

Well, we know there have been vocal sessions, and of course most of GG's classic tunes have lyrics. So...

According to both the US & UK amazons, this is the latest title. UK site says released on the 17th (import), US says a week later. I'm guessing the title is more accurate than Wilson Sings Gershwin or The Gershwin Songbook (the implication is that Brian's done something more that straight covers - George a la Love You, perhaps ?), but it's a bit, ah, unwieldy: doesn't trip off the tongue.

Tell me about it.

Blergh.

Please, BW inc. folk -- drop by this board and change the title before it's too late!

I'll have a word with my mate Melinda.  ::)

Is it a cross-ref to Brian's 98 solo album? If it is, it don't work....  unless Joe Thamas has produced it...

Brian Wilson regurgitates Imagination.

We need more information, this is getting confusing

Also if it's only an import to the UK/Ireland, that sucks.

Does it matter? It's fun to make unfounded assumptions. We'll all be corrected come August (or whenever this album is actually coming out), so what's the big deal? I think the whole thing is going to be on accordion, with Brian going back to his musical roots (he had accordion lessons when he was young), and the band yodeling. Prove me wrong, AGD, because you speak with such assuredness, that I feel like you know something we don't. Not that it's any use, you'll vehemently deny any such accusations with that cryptic tongue of yours.

I can't prove you wrong. Now.

:D

Rest assured. It will outclass the Surfsiders' masterpiece LP.

According to this site it will be on vinyl.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MusicTAP/104853386213733?v=wall

Do they give any additional info, like who will be doing it?  Excellent news if true!