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Smiley Smile Stuff => 21st Century Beach Boys Albums => Topic started by: Charles LePage @ ComicList on December 26, 2005, 05:47:56 PM



Title: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Charles LePage @ ComicList on December 26, 2005, 05:47:56 PM
Discuss, review and rate The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson, released July 2002.

(http://www.smileysmile.net/images/albums/classics.gif)


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Jason on December 26, 2005, 05:52:06 PM
A very strange animal of a compilation, this one has some of the best selections I've ever seen. The remake of California Feelin' sucks.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: the captain on December 26, 2005, 06:04:43 PM
What? A Beach Boys fan prefers an older, unreleased version of a song to the eventually released one? I've never heard of such a thing!


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: JRauch on December 27, 2005, 02:42:48 AM
Of course the 29485th Best-Of-record, but this time with a great song selection.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: donald on December 27, 2005, 11:43:11 AM
Does have a nice selection but one I could make with the cds I already HAD!! With the exception of California Feeling which was , to me, a disappointment.

I hope this exposed the casual listener to the lesser heard songs.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Smilin Ed H on December 27, 2005, 12:26:38 PM
I don't think California Feelin' was ever as good as people said it was, but BW's vocals seem a tad cursory here, to put it mildly.  Still, a great collection otherwise.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: monkee knutz on January 08, 2006, 12:36:49 AM
skip the CD and buy California Feeling off iTunes for a buck.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: RONDEMON on January 09, 2006, 09:30:49 PM
A perfect intro for anyone first getting into BW and the BB's.  Around 3 years ago, when I wanted to get into them, there was no single disc album that combined the good hits and the true artistry of the band.  There are mostly just surfin discs or the individual albums.  This album is necessary for all newbies to all things Brian Wilson. 

Except they should have used the Smile version of Wonderful more than the Smiley version.  Same goes for Surf's Up.  Any disc with Busy Doin' Nothing is awesome BTW. 


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: shelter on March 05, 2006, 11:07:18 AM
A superfluous release because the mainstream audience will prefer a 'real' greatest hits compilation and the fans won't be too interested in buying the same songs again. It's nice to know what Brian's favorites are, but a simple list on his website or in a fanzine would've been good enough.

However, it's a nice selection of songs. I'd prefer it over any regular greatest hits CD.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: halleluwah on March 07, 2006, 04:19:22 PM
After Pet Sounds, this was my first Beach Boys purchase, and I'm really glad it was.  I wasn't tremendously interested in the standard 'fun in the sun'-types of comps, and this one seemed to be a lot heavier in emphasis on Brian's artistry, which sometimes overlapped with the big hits (I Get Around, California Girls, Good Vibrations) and sometimes didn't (Surf's Up, Wonderful, Til I Die).   "Surf's Up" was the song that absolutely hooked me on the band, and to this day remains my favorite of theirs.  And if I had started with most of the other comps (and with a band whose catalogue is as huge as the Beach Boys, starting with a comp seems a wise move to me) I wouldn't have heard it.  So yeah, it's sort of a superflous release, but I think the Beach Boys need a comp like this that focuses more on Brian's esoteric side than it does on "Barbara Ann," you know?


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: wolkensohn on May 04, 2006, 07:06:36 AM
I think it´s a very nice selection by Brian! The new version of California feelin is "nice".. but the 70th version is much better!


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: punkinhead on May 04, 2006, 07:32:39 AM
agreed


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Ron on May 07, 2006, 02:41:34 AM
This would be a great "Hey, check out how cool the Beach Boys are" CD for someone you're trying to flip into being a big fan.  LOL.   It really is a solid lineup of a lot of the better, artistic stuff.

I love the surf stuff, too, though, and think there's no shame in a cd with 'catch a wave' or 'surfin' on it. 


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Summer_Days on September 11, 2006, 10:02:29 PM
A somewhat pointless release, but it was nice to read Brain's thoughts on some of the songs. Cheers to him picking The Warmth of the Sun!

The only real reason I like this one (beside Brian's notes) is that when I bought it, it had been quite a while since I listened to any BBs music, so with hearing stuff like Surf's Up after a long while made my heart soar.
Nice cover art, too. I think I'm gonna compile my own CD with my own favorite pics and use the same cover art (finally give Let Him Run Wild some due attention....).


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Wirestone on September 11, 2007, 03:00:35 PM
A really interesting release -- I was listening to it in the car this morning.

I like that it kind of gives Brian's take on the band's output, as informed by his early years of solo touring (99-01). That means Marcella and SOS are there.

And the inclusion of "We're Together Again" -- which was a bonus track in the early 90s reissues -- is mighty cool.

"California Feelin'" coulda shoulda been better. But it's nice to have an official version in the can after all these years -- and the early 00s were not exactly flooded with BW studio work.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: 8o8o on November 02, 2007, 06:09:19 AM
I'm not a big fan of compilations, but this one somehow doesn't sound like a typical compilation, most likely since it was compiled by Brian himself (for a change).

So I really enjoy this one, fantastic selections all over. A very pleasant listen.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: rab2591 on May 09, 2011, 08:30:30 PM
It was a compilation that brought me to the Beach Boys in the first place when I was a young kid - a tape my mom and pop got me - god I miss those days....I picked up this album and this compilation brought me even closer to the Beach Boys. Brian Wilson picked a great set of his hits....and no kokomo - so it's a genuine great set of hits.

The chords, the melodies, the voices - no modern music can touch this nowadays. I'm honestly crying right now listening to 'Don't Worry Baby' and 'I Get Around' - I really miss the years when I could go to the beach for hours on end listening to The Beach Boys....when I could come home from school and pop in my Beach Boys tape and all my troubles would vanish away. Brian Wilson's music is my religion...Honestly, nothing else makes me happier.

Good Vibrations, Caroline No, California Girls, God Only Knows.....I'm definitely getting this album for any of my friends and family who haven't yet realized how amazing The Beach Boys are. Thanks again Brian, your music has really made my life a lot happier.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Rocky Raccoon on January 10, 2012, 09:31:30 PM
This is probably my favorite Beach Boys hits compilation.  It doesn't try to paint an entire overview of the band and instead includes tracks that Brian considers close to his heart.  This was the first album I bought after Pet Sounds and it was my first exposure to songs such as Sail On, Sailor and 'Til I Die.  Basically, I was very familiar with the first nine tracks, having owned Pet Sounds and Endless Summer.  Of the three Smile tracks (other than Good Vibrations), I had only previously heard Brian's solo versions.  The rest of the album was more or less completely new to me and I loved the whole thing.  It showed the versatility of the band and showed Brian's songwriting at its best.  I really like California Feelin' though I suppose it is a little out of place.  It might have fit better on Gettin' In Over My Head (though that almost sounds like an insult) or as a bonus track on That Lucky Old Sun.  All in all, if I wanted to get a friend into the Beach Boys, I would burn them Pet Sounds, The Smile Sessions, and this album.

5/5

Also, the cover art is very nice.  I've heard that Brian wrote the liner notes for each track but I've never read them because I downloaded the album off of iTunes and it didn't have a digital booklet.  If anybody knows where I could read them, that would be really cool.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: MaxL on February 25, 2012, 10:30:50 AM
Rocky: I took the liberty of writing up the liner notes for you if that's ok. If there's somewhere online you can read them ... I'll have wasted about 20 minutes of my life :lol

Brian’s Liners for Classics Selected by Brian Wilson:

"Picking just 19 Beach Boys favourites is one of the hardest things I ever had to do. If you asked me tomorrow I would probably want to include “Kiss Me, Baby”, “Salt Lake City”, “Girl Don’t Tell Me”, “The Little Girl I Once Knew”, “At My Window” and, from HOLLAND, “Funky Pretty” & “Mount Vernon and Fairway”. Blondie Chaplin’s vocal on the fadeout to “Funky Pretty” is sensational. But here’s my list as of today... Brian Wilson’s 19 favourites on February 11, 2002.

1.   Surfer Girl
I have to include this one. The first song I ever wrote. I started humming it in my car, then finished it when I got home. It’s a very spiritual song. We recorded it a few times, but this version comes from the SURFER GIRL album.

2.   The Warmth of the Sun
I wrote this is honour of President John F. Kennedy. He was assassinated on November 22nd, 1963, and that night, Mike and I got together at my office in Hollywood and wrote the song.

3.   I Get Around
The Beach Boys’ very first Number One hit. To me, it has a special social lyric, a dynamic arrangement. It’s a very commercial record.

4.   Don’t Worry Baby
The b-side for “I Get Around”. When I wrote this one, I was inspired by “Be My Baby”. A special, sweet song. My voice sounded very young on that one.

5.   In My Room
My brothers Carl and Dennis and I used to sing three-part harmony in our room when we were kids. Songs like “Come down, come down/From your ivory tower”. “In My Room” was a song that I taught them to sing, and it really has the feel of what it was like in our room when we were kids.

6.   California Girls
My favourite Beach Boys records. A wonderful bass line... I would say that it’s probably the Beach Boys anthem.

7.   God Only Knows
This song was written really quickly... probably in less than an hour. It’s an honour to have written this one. It was also a pretty controversial record in that, as far as I know, it was the first rock song to have “God” in the title. It’s a love song, but not a love song to a person.

8.   Caroline, No
This was the last cut on PET SOUNDS. It represents the sweetest I can sing.

9.   Good Vibrations
Derek Taylor called it a “pocket symphony”. To me, it was really a production achievement.

10.   Wonderful
A happy, beautiful song that makes you feel enlightened.

11.   Heroes and Villains
I’m so proud of Van Dyke Parks’ lyrics, and I think the music is inspiring to listen to.

12.   Surf’s Up
Another amazing lyric from Van Dyke. Pure poetry set to music.

13.   Busy Doin’ Nothin’
I wrote that song about a typical day in my life – a special lyric and Brian Wilson vocal.

14.   We’re Together Again
This song was recorded in the late 1960s, and for some reason, it didn’t get onto an album. I always liked it a lot and was glad when it was included on the FRIENDS/20/20 “two-fer”. By the way, that’s me singing the lead up high.

15.   Time to Get Alone
This is one that I wrote for Redwood, the vocal group that I signed to Brother because I thought they were gonna be the next big thing. After it was cut, The Beach Boys decided that they should to it instead. Redwood changed their name and their version finally came out a few years ago on a Three Dog Night “Best Of” CD.

16.   This Whole World
A very special vocal by Carl, and the lyrics are very spiritual. The melody and chord pattern rambles but it comes back to where it started.

17.   Marcella
It represents one of the first times we tried to emulate The Rolling Stones. In my mind, it was dedicated to the Stones, but I never told them that. It’s one of the rockingest songs I ever wrote.

18.   Sail On, Sailor
Van Dyke really inspired this one. We worked on it originally; then, the other collaborators contributed some different lyrics. By the time the Beach Boys recorded it, the lyrics were all over the place. But I love how this song rocks.

19.   ‘Til I Die
Wow. This is a really sad one. I was going through some tough times and this song just came out. I think it really speaks for itself.

20.   California Feelin’
“California Feelin’” is a special song written in the early ‘70’s, originally for the Beach Boys; although never officially recorded or released by the Boys, it has always been a favourite of mine. So a few months ago, I took my new band into the studio and I think we accomplished what we set out to do .......... that being putting a lot of love in this song with our voices. I hope you like it as much as I liked recording it for you..... Brian Wilson."

Nothing revelatory but a nice read nonetheless.

EDIT: didn't realise how old Rocky's post was. *Sigh*


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: drbeachboy on February 25, 2012, 11:09:10 AM
7.   God Only Knows
This song was written really quickly... probably in less than an hour. It’s an honour to have written this one. It was also a pretty controversial record in that, as far as I know, it was the first rock song to have “God” in the title. It’s a love song, but not a love song to a person.


Huh? What does Brian mean by that? Was it about a car, his house? It surely isn't about God if "God Only Knows what I'd be without you". "You" denotes a person, to me.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: rab2591 on February 25, 2012, 11:19:40 AM
Thanks for posting the liner notes! I too bought the mp3 version - nice to finally see what Brian has to say about the songs.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Eireannach on February 25, 2012, 11:21:48 AM
7.   God Only Knows
This song was written really quickly... probably in less than an hour. It’s an honour to have written this one. It was also a pretty controversial record in that, as far as I know, it was the first rock song to have “God” in the title. It’s a love song, but not a love song to a person.


Huh? What does Brian mean by that? Was it about a car, his house? It surely isn't about God if "God Only Knows what I'd be without you". "You" denotes a person, to me.

I suspect he meant a specific person.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: MaxL on February 25, 2012, 12:01:27 PM
7.   God Only Knows
This song was written really quickly... probably in less than an hour. It’s an honour to have written this one. It was also a pretty controversial record in that, as far as I know, it was the first rock song to have “God” in the title. It’s a love song, but not a love song to a person.


Huh? What does Brian mean by that? Was it about a car, his house? It surely isn't about God if "God Only Knows what I'd be without you". "You" denotes a person, to me.

That struck me too, I'm not sure what he means.

What I do like though is the "By the way, that’s me singing the lead up high" when describing "We're Together Again" - modesty and pride rolled into one.


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Disney Boy (1985) on June 04, 2013, 11:47:11 AM
It's a great compilation in that the set-list illustrates the bands creative growth, which unfortunately most Beach Boys comps don't centring as they do almost entirely on the fun-in-the-sun hits only.

However, is it really Brian's personal selection? Odd that there's nothing from Love You considering how much Brian supposedly loves it...


Title: Re: The Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson
Post by: Mr. Wilson on January 01, 2014, 06:00:52 PM
I like this because BW picked these out.. California Feeling is good but not great as it should be.. Why..Im guessing its a rush job recording..  8)    5/5