The Smiley Smile Message Board

As much as I love them, the Beach Boys' music is ripe for horrendous, corny covers.  In the spirit of the American Idol finale tonight, I present to you my nominee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAf4xBRawVU

Not only is that bad, but it's a case of I-don't-care-what-I'm-singing-but-I'm-tryin'-my-best-to-look-badass. Bleh!

I see your AI video and raise you The Hoff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMeGKV0yEyA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMeGKV0yEyA)

Sounds like the Hoff can triple-track himself spontaneously...

i thought you meant the worst cover performed BY the Beach Boys... in which case I'd probably go with "Rock'n'Roll Music" though there are plenty to choose from. I've never been a fan of "I Can Hear Music" and "Never Learn Not To Love" certainly qualifies. Mike singing "Be My Baby" has a special place in hell too.


as for others covering the Beach Boys...
probably this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKYhDxeAEfQ

Really? I LOVE I Can Hear Music - and there are plenty of covers they did that weren't as good. How about "School Days", "A Casual Look", "Louie, Louie", "In the Still of the Night" and I could probably name at least a dozen others that aren't as good as "I Can Hear Music"! And I actually quite like Never Learn Not To Love - I mean as a song it isn't the best but production wise I think it's pretty cool!

Anyway, I have to agree that that American Idol performance was pretty woeful. I mean of course it is slightly better than say the Surfsiders - but the difference is that these people on Idol actually think they're really good!

After re-watching that 5-year old AI performance, I take back every time I said that they should have a Beach Boys themed night...please don't!

I couldn't even watch that Hoff video halfway through.

My vote for the worst cover is the version of Darlin' that is on the Smiles Vibes and Harmony tribute disc.  Can't remember who did it, but it almost ruined one of my favorite BB songs of all time for me.  I had to promise myself to never listen to it again, lest I destroy the way I remember it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcC5Ztwmir4

A double! Gag inducing video as well.

I thought the gospel choir on the middle eight was awesome! The rest, meh although I have to admit I want proper recording of it, for competists sake.

ok!

A Mike and Bruce Show version do it for ya? ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkW8fIrJmb0

No YouTube video for this, but Kevin Max's "Help Me Rhonda" is unlistenable. And that's from my favorite BB cover album ever, Making God Smile.

Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about. Also Ricky Martin on the PBS special was terrible. The thing I hate the most, is when somebody points me to the direction of say Idol, and says that I will like it because I am a BB fan. No! Because I am a true BB fan, I hate half assed covers. If they are inspired, like most of the stuff on the PBS special, then it is fine.

Jesus f***, that was absolutely horrendous and offensive.

Jeez, how much face work has he had??!!?? his eyes look really tiny and weird.

The AI has to be the outright winner of the YouTubes – at least Ricci M and The Hoff are mostly in-tune; if only their egos could be voted off ... the AI contestants couldn't sing their way out of a paper bag and represent everything that's wrong about talent contests (the arrangements suck too...) though some of them sound better than Stamos!

How about Mr. Moon?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f29jcB1bZLI

What is the big friggin' issue with Stamos all of the time? He sang one song on a Beach Boys album. I've heard way worse covers than that one. Johnny Rivers' "Help Me Rhonda" comes to mind, and that was released on a 45 and actually played on radio stations. Neil Diamond's version of "God Only Knows" is another that is no better or worse than the Stamos version of "Forever". How about David Cassidy's version of "Darlin'" or his brother Shaun's version of "It's Like Heaven"? This knocking Stamos stuff is really getting old. I'm really beginning to think it is "Stamos Envy". An actual Beach Boys fanatic, like all of us, who actually got to do what only we can/could ever dream of doing; recording and playing on stage with The Beach Boys. Come on guys, pick on someone your own size. ;-)

As a longtime Stamos-backer, I applaud this post. Sure, Full House was fucktarded. But is that a reason to hate the guy? You're aware it was a job, right? That Uncle Jesse is a character? If you're going to hate someone from those days, hate Dave Coulier. I know I do. f*** you, Dave Coulier.

My kids LOVE Full House. Then again, they are only 8 and 5. It's right down their alley. And funnily enough, yesterday was the wedding episode where he sang 'Forever'.

Didn't they work that song into pretty much every episode, one way or another? That's how I remember it.

I don't know, as I try not to watch too many episodes. Although to be honest, with the sh*t that's out there for kids to watch, I'd rather let them watch Full House as much as they want.

I think the issue with Stamos is why that song? The BBs had any number of bad songs that anyone with real musical talent could try to improve on.

Same for Keith Moon, the Hoff, Glen Campbell's 'GOK's'. All ripe for the picking.

If Stamos wants cred from most BB fans...re-record MIU!

One of my favorite pieces of writing of all time is Andrew Doe's two sentence review of "(Remember) Walking In The Sand" from SIP:

"One of the worst cover versions of anything, by anybody, anywhere, at any time.  There is absolutely nothing about this track to commend."

Yup.

Another point. Stamos sings in the same vocal style as Dennis did. I wouldn't have had a problem with him doing 'Holy Man' if Taylor Hawkins hadn't got the gig first.

I can't give Stamos that much credit personally, the passion and heart when Dennis gave an all out performance is something Stamos can't match style with.

Why not that song? Maybe he liked it or something? Is "Forever" like some ancient prayer that only high holy men can say? If you had the opportunity to sing a lead vocal on a Beach Boys album, would you pick one of the  "bad songs..." to sing? Hey, The Beach Boys have just as much musical talent as the next band, and they sang a few clunkers. So, you suppose John Stamos should have taken on "Battle Hymn Of The Republic"? He probably sang it to pay homage to Dennis. As it turned out, "Forever" & "Surfin'" were the two songs that included Dennis & Brian on "Summer In Paradise".

Maybe, Stamos was going for a different interpretation and feel than what Dennis was going for. Dennis went acoustic and tugged at the heart strings, whereas Stamos went electric and made it  more of a power pop love song. I'm glad that he did not give us a Dennis impersonation or Dennis style remake.

I think Stamos' heart was in the right place, and he made the song accessible to the people who would listen to it because he sang on it.  Moreover, I think representing Dennis on an album like SIP was in some ways a very gracious move. 

Artistically, yeah, it's kind of a trainwreck, but for the reasons above, I have absolutely no problem with it.

If it isn't broken, why fix it?

What did Stamos do to improve the song? This applies to any artist and they bring it on themselves if they do a cover and only a few have managed to pull it off. Joe Cocker with 'With a Little Help from My Friends'. The covers in SIP offer nothing IMO. Hell, they couldn't even improve on the very basic original 'Surfin'.

Perhaps AGD and John Tobler say it best in their SIP comments.(from Wiki) In their book "The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson: The Complete Guide to Their Music", Andrew G. Doe and John Tobler call the album "the absolute nadir of their recording career", "pointless, vapid and soulless" and "utterly disposable" (the latter in reference to the songs)

Point one: They didn't remake it to fix it. Do you think the original needed fixing? Bands don't remake songs to fix them. This was a homage to Dennis, most likely.

Point Two: Joe Cocker's version of "With A Little Help From My Friends" is good, but not an improvement over the original. Remakes need only be different, not always improved, to be good.

Point Three: Andrew's entitled to his opinion; that is what he does when he writes books on The Beach Boys. I agree with most them, but not all. SIP has grown on me through the years. I like it now, I didn't then, so sue me (Mike would). Stars & Stripes is more "pointless, vapid and soulless" to me, and I'm sure others will think not. I'll take SIP over that stinker any day of the week.

Just a quick thought: I find a lot of the music produced since SIP was released to have that same sterile type of sound to them. Maybe, that is why SIP has grown on me over the last 18 years. It sounds definitely of it's times.

Had Stamos made his own album then "Forever' may have been judged in a more positive light. His mistake was singing it on a Beach Boys album. A decision was made to milk his celebrity status at the time. Think about it....The concept beggers belief. A piece of eye candy added as a novelty. In addition he is front and centre in both the Kokomo and from the SIP album 'Hot Fun in the Summertime' videos. Fluff!

Reading the reviews when the album came out, I can not recall one reviewer seeing any reason for him to be on that album singing a lead.

Justin Beiber joining U2 on their next album doing a remake of 'Even Better Than The Real Thing' anyone? ;D

He's not eye candy to me. I'm glad that you think so. "The concept beggers belief"? I have no idea what that even means. "Fluff!" Me thinks that you just either envy John Stamos or you have some kind of axe to grind against him. Face it, The Beach Boys as a band wanted him sing lead on "Forever" and to participate in their videos. Just for you, I'm calling Mr. Peabody and Sherman to get their Way Back Machine so you can knock some sense in to those Boys'. ;-)

Well those boys always showed good judgement at the time. Care to discuss the Fatboys? ;)

Stamos is good looking, rich, has great hair and sang with the Beach Boys including Brian, Carl and Al. What is there to like about the guy? ;D

Agreed! First of all I laughed but by the end all the humor had gone out of the situation. That BOMP! BOMP! sound was Carl and Dennis rolling over in their graves!

Mike and Brian's cut of Be My Baby on Looking back With Love


I used to think the cover of Blueberry Hill was terrible, but I love it now.

is this just released stuff?

"Bluebirds Over The Mountain".  Hands down!

"Barbara-f******-Ann"

Not because it's actually bad... it's just there at every turn.  :angry

Hell, no - we're big boys, we can mention The Music That Dare Not Speak Its Name.

In which case, "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" - when Alan Jardine thinks something isn't that good, well...

Ask my one-year-old daughter what noise sheep make?

"Baa-baa-baa, baa-baa-ba-baa..."!

I think that one falls under the so-bad-it's-good category...

How do you respond when Brian starts it up at everyone concert? Do you clap and sing along, or stand there with a big frown on your face, arms folded going "this sucks"  ;D

I do wish they'd give it a rest.

Uncle Jesse was a character alright!  Have mercy!

At least Stamos recognizes a good song when he hears it.  And considering that "Forever" was all but forgotten when he started singing it on Full House, I give him credit for trying to get that song out to the public.  Would you have preferred him singing "This Car Of Mine" on all those episodes instead?

I agree.  The grandaddy of obnoxious BB covers.   But the thing is, to those fans who know only 20 or so BB songs, it always brings them to their feet clapping at the shows, both Mike and Brian shows.

By the way, does Al still cover this?

Afraid so. ::)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuAnRendMXA

Holy jumpin' Jesus, speak for yourself. Cannot stand that version, especially in comparison to the original.

It was a job, sure, but you know that it was done at Stamos' suggestion. And then Stamos was playing the song on an actual Beach Boys record. And then he was playing shows with them. Etc. etc. etc.

I can see almost every side of this argument that people have posted in this thread, but I'm certainly not a fan of the new "80s stadium rock" arrangement of it (that Mike and Bruce STILL use in their live show) and I lean more toward thinking it a bad thing than a good thing.

You consider that an actual Beach Boys record?  ;D

Touché, Mr.Luther :(