The Smiley Smile Message Board

Pretty good record. There's some really high highs.
I'm not going to include the fairy tale tracks, but I think they're really wonderful.

9. California Saga/The Beaks of Eagles - I like the instrumentation, that's about it.
8. Leaving This Town
7. Sail On, Sailor - I think it's a good song, I just wish someone else were singing lead. Blondie did great, it just doesn't sound like the Beach Boys much to me.
6. California Saga/California
5. Funky Pretty
4. The Trader - People love this one around here. It's okay to me.
3. Steamboat - This is great. The music actually sounds like a steamboat. Great vocals.
2. Only With You - I happen to think this is gorgeous, and brilliant. Definitely a lovers song.
1. California Saga/Big Sur - One of Mike's finest moments. He sounds magnificent. The music is lovely. Perfect.

Definitely one of my top 5 favorite BB albums, maybe even top 3, so I love pretty much everything here!

1. Sail On Sailor - an absolute classic, never get tired of it
2. Big Sur - Mike Love's finest hour past the early hits
3. Mt. Vernon and Fairway - LOVE IT!
4. Only with You - one of DW's finest ever ballads, love the understated feel
5. Funky Pretty - proto-Love You, fantastic!
6. California - another moment for Mike to shine, brilliant lead vocal
7. The Trader - every bit as good as Carl's contributions to Surf's Up
8. The Beaks of Eagles - never understood why people tend to dislike this one
9. Steamboat - sound-wise, one of the most inventive things they did around the time, fabulous stuff!
10. Leaving This Town - great song and unlike their stuff on So Tough it actually does sound like a Beach Boys production too!

I'm right there with you!
It's so lonely sounding.
Brilliant.

The Trader
Sail On, Sailor
Leaving This Town
Steamboat
California

Funky Pretty
Only With You

Big Sur (like the 4/4 verson so much more!)

Beaks of Eagles

Another extremely overrated album by the fanbase. Draggy and overbearing at several points.

Great:
Sail On Sailor
The Trader
Steamboat
Only With You

Very good
California


Good:
Big Sur


Awful:
Leaving This Town (Sounds like a Traffic outtake, and not even a Winwood track, a Capaldi track)
Funky Pretty (The sound of the backing track in the first section is cool, everything else about it is abominable)
The Beaks Of Eagles (Utterly putrid nonsense)


The lowest of the low:
Mount Vernon And Fairway (Yeah, the musical sections are cool, but taken in total, if I had been a member of the group or of Brian's family, I would have checked him into a mental hospital immediately)

1) Mount Vernon And Fairway -- as good in its way as Love You or Smiley Smile
2) Sail On Sailor
3) Funky Pretty -- infinitely better than the turgid live version most people prefer
4) The Trader -- best thing Carl ever did as a songwriter
5) Steamboat
6) California
7) Only With You -- not as good as it thinks it is, but still pretty good.
8) Big Sur
9) Beaks Of Eagles -- in some ways the most artistically interesting thing on the album, but unfortunately it's an artistically interesting failure.
10) Leaving This Town -- the worst thing Blondie & Ricky contributed to the band by a long way.

1) CS: California - now that's how you do the BB vibe without sounding outdated!
2) CS: Big Sur - Mike sounding brilliant - am I the only one who prefers this to the 4/4 version?
3) Sail On Sailor - although the non-STANDARD BB lead did put me off at first
4) Leaving This Town - an epic, although I may have preferred We Got Love
5) The Trader - the second section always went on a tad too long for me
6) CS: beaks of Eagles - I really enjoy this for some reason!
7) Funky Pretty - Pretty Funky?
8) Only With You
9) Steamboat

I need to give the 7" a spin again before I place Mt. Vernon, but I still say the LP should have had We Got Love on top of all this. It would have been perfect!

Can't really rate this album: every song is great to my ears. It's like the perfect Americana/nature album.

'Funky Pretty' is the one BB song that has grown on me the most. It's like a cosmic journey brought to you by Brian Wilson.

Have to agree with Ian that Mt. Vernon is the lowest of the low. There is nothing redeeming in the music either: it's more creepy than beautiful.

Ahh, but sometimes Brian's music should be creepy. That's why the Smiley Wind Chimes is in my Top 10 BB tracks.

Amongst my favourite albums

Steamboat
Big Sur
Sail On Sailor
Funky Pretty - this song is far out and pretty spectacular with the lyrics imo ^^
California Saga (California)
The Trader
Leaving This Town
Beaks Of Eagles
Only With You - A little too sappy for my taste, perhaps dennis should have this lead?

In my imaginary world Carry Me Home would make a very strong cut. I think it would be a stronger dennis song.
Was Out In The Country also originally recorded for this? that would've been superb for this album as well if it were developed further.

True - the organ in 'Amusement Parks USA' is one of my favorite moments on SDSN.

The music for Mt. Vernon just seems empty - so it's not an enjoyable creepy for me. But to each his own!

It kinda reminds me of the blank-sounding Smile chants. Ya know, "where's my beets, and my carrots" type things. And the harmonic drones.

1. The Trader
2. Steamboat
3. Sail On, Sailor
4. Only With You
5. Funky Pretty
6. California Saga: Big Sur
7. California Saga: California
8. Leaving This Town
9. California Saga: The Beaks of Eagles

Love this album, and it's definitely up there in terms of balancing consistent quality and cohesiveness.  A highlight of their democratic middle years.  Don't have any reservations about this one as some others do.

1. The Trader (the second half is one of the sublimest moments in the BB's recorded output)
2. California Saga: California (prefer the single version)
3. Sail On, Sailor

4. California Saga: The Beaks of Eagles (I've always enjoyed this)
5. Only With You
6. Steamboat (It took me 15 years as a fan to finally warm up to this, now I love it!)

7. Mt. Vernon & Fairway

8. Funky Pretty (Live version is 10x better)
9. California Saga: Big Sur (I prefer the unreleased version)

10. Leaving This Town (Live version is way way better)
11. We Got Love (Live version is way way better as well...I chose to include this since it was accidentally released on some pressings of this album)

1. California Saga: California
2. Steamboat
3. California Saga: The Beaks of Eagles
4. California Saga: Big Sur
5. Sail On, Sailor
6. Funky Pretty
7. Leaving This Town
8. Only with You
9. The Trader

I'm a big fan but prefer my own custom version. 


1. Sail On Sailor - The perfect balance of the phase immediately preceding Endless Summer: Brian's song (and piano), production led by Carl, and a stellar vocal from half of the "new blood", with backing vocals interesting enough to honor the Beach Boys' legacy.
2. The Trader - Another great cut from Carl, Jack, and the "socially conscious" bag of the self-designated protectors of the Beach (and nature).
3. California - Unlike much of what later followed, this one's just nostalgic and familiar enough, while still keeping with their above mentioned image of the time.
4. Steamboat - Despite it's tempo, this song "rocks" more than any of the embarrassing songs some people think they see on 20/20 and its content is another example of the band staying true to its name with nary a mention of woodies or waves.  Great production too!
5. Funky Pretty - Good song totally on par with the rock music of its era.  Jack's lyrics are just "spacey" enough without going over the edge.
6. Leaving This Town - A great track from Blondie and Ricky, tho the solo goes on for a bit too long.  Thankfully, it's saved by returning to the song with the "woke from a dream" lyrics.  Nice save!
7. Only With You - A great example of a fully realized, restrained pop song from Dennis, without the schmaltz overload.
8. Big Sur - No idea why Mike messed with the perfection that was the earlier version.  The backing vocals are sorely missed and the temp change gives the song a hoedown feel that overshadows the beauty of the lyrics.
9. Mt. Vernon and Fairway - I get what Brian was going for but once Holland was confirmed to be a very mainstream album, without this serving as the "centerpiece" Brian intended, he should have saved it for another project.  Included, it sticks out like a sore thumb, even more so because of its status as a "companion piece", that seems to show the band tolerating it at best.
10. The Beaks of Eagles - Nice melody and vocals but the spoken word pieces pull me out of the song harder than a needle scratch.  How this made the cut over "We Got Love", I'll never understand!


As for MY version (if anyone wants to follow me on a fantastic musical journey with the mid-70's Beach Boys):

1. Sail On Sailor - See above.
2. The Trader - See above.
3. Hard Times - GREAT rockin' tune that accomplishes what it sets out to do.  The backing vocals are worthy of the band (and have even tricked several board members into thinking they hear more than just Blondie and Ricky in there).  As for it not being a "Beach Boys" tune due to it only utilizing two members, the same could be said of SO much of their catalog but no one calls out "Caroline No" (or "Pet Sounds" or "Let's Go Away For A While") on Pet Sounds, among countless other "solo" tracks on countless other albums.
4. It's A New Day - A great UPTEMPO song from Dennis with a GREAT vocal from Blondie.  Who can't hear the sound of summer in his laugh, when coupled with these positive lyrics?!
5. California (single version) - Not much could top the album version but more Brian certainly does.  The horns also give it a "happier" feel that help reinforce the celebration of the band's home state.
6. Big Sur (4/4) - Second only to "All I Wanna Do" as Mike's post-surf crowning achievement.  Worlds better than the remake.
7. Steamboat - See above.
8. We Got Love - Another positive cut that help make the album feel more like it was recorded by the "ambassadors of summer".  Great message.  Great song.
9. Funky Pretty - See above.
10. Leaving This Town - See above.  Made all the better by serving as the album's closer.
11. Only With You - See above.  (Falling to #11 ONLY because of the inclusion of those other really great tunes!)
12. Fairy Tale Music (remix) - Still a bit out of place but it paints a nice story (that the listener can fill in with their own imagination) and sets a peaceful stage as the album's penultimate track. 

1. Sail On Sailor
2. Funky Pretty
3. On My Way to Sunny Californ-I-A
4. The Trader
5. Leaving This Town
6. Only With You
7. Big Sur
8. Beaks of Eagles
9. Steamboat

 1) Sail On Sailor
 2) Steamboat
 3) Trader
 4) Sunny California
 5) Leaving This Town
 6) Only With You
 7) Big Sur
 8) The Beaks of Eagles
 9) Funky Pretty

I like this one alot.

1. Sail On, Sailor
2. Only With You
3. Big Sur
4. The Trader
5. California
6. Leaving This Town
7. Steamboat
8. Funky Pretty
9. The Beaks of Eagles

1. California Saga (Three Song Cycle)
2. The Trader
3. Sail On Sailor
4. Leaving This Town
5. Only With You
6. Steamboat
7. Funky Pretty
8. Mt. Vernon & Fairway

or

1. California
2. Big Sur
3. Trader
4. SOS
5. LTT
6. OWY
7. Steamboat
8. The Beaks of Eagles
9. FP
(10.) We Got Love

I prefer to listen to California Saga as one ten-minute song, it actually transitions really well, not unlike the second suite of Smile.

Really, I love this whole album so much. It's like the rebirth of the Beach Boys. Instead of trying to copy the successes of Chicago or the Rolling Stones, they were going back to their old subject matter of California, the sea, and love, while still progressing and maturing as a band, writing more mature songs about those themes, and new songs that reflect the group itself (Leaving this Town is the band's exodus to Holland, and the story of Ricky and Blondie leaving South Africa for Britain).

I've also got to give props to the band for standing for their own work. If Brian had made his concept of the album, it would have been far inferior to the released product. Also, eliminating We Got Love in favor of Sail on Sailor improves the album so much. Removing that slow clunker and replacing it with that classic makes the pacing much better. It's great to have a classic single like that lead off the album instead of remaining in the vaults for decades.

1. Funky Pretty
2. Sail On, Sailor
3. The Trader
4. Steamboat
5. California
6. Big Sur
7. Only With You
8. The Beaks of Eagles
9. Leaving This Town

01.  Sail on Sailor
02.  California
03.  Mount Vernon
04.  The Trader
05.  Steamboat
06.  Funky Pretty
07.  Big Sur
08.  Only With You
09.  Beaks of Eagles
10.  Leaving This Town
(11. We Got Love)

1. The Trader
2. Sail On, Sailor
3. Only With You
4. California Saga/California
5. Steamboat
6. Funky Pretty
7. Leaving This Town (I'll say a tie between 5, 6 & 7)
8. California Saga/The Beaks Of Eagles
9. California Saga/Big Sur
10. Mt. Vernon & Fairway


Another record that I really like, and which the lower-ranked tracks are in no way necessarily indicative of sub-par quality to me.


PS - I also really like the studio version of We Got Love. I'd probably stick it in with that tie group.

1. Big Sur (never understood why people prefer the 4/4 version, I think this version is much better)
2. Sail On, Sailor
3. The Trader
4. California
5. The Beaks of Eagles
6. Only With You
7. Funky Pretty
8. Steamboat
9. Leaving This Town

My favorite album right after Pet Sounds.

1. California
2. Steamboat
3. Only With You
4. Trader
5. Sail On Sailor
6. Big Sur
7. Funky Pretty
8. Leaving This Town
9. Beaks of Eagles

Love the fairy tale as well.

My favourite Beach Boys album, which makes it incredibly hard to rate!

1. The entire California Saga - When I listen to it, I want to listen to it from the beginning till the end. Big Sur: maybe the best Mike ever did, love the instrumentation and vocals. Beaks: I don't mind the poem, it really fits with the music. Al's singing is simply beautiful. California: love the banjo, the rhythm and the vocals. Brian's intro is magic. I do prefer the single mix though as it has more Brian :)
2. Sail On Sailor - A great rockin' tune. Love the pounding piano, bass and drums. Blondie's voice fits like a glove. A great song!
3. Steamboat - What a song...the backing track is stunning. Love Denny's bass vocals.
4. The Trader - One of Carl's best leads ever. Full stop.
5. Only With You - I prefer the live version, because it's longer and is very similar to Denny's solo effort. It's a lovely tune.
6. Leaving This Town - I can't decide between the Moog and organ solo, because they are both incredible. Love it.
7. Funky Pretty - The studio version is a bit 'meh', but I do love the vocals very much (especially Blondie). The In Concert version is so much better.

Very fine work, a last masterpiece.

Sail On Sailor
Trader
Steamboat (would a great mood this has)
Only With You
Big Sur
California Saga
Funky Pretty
Leaving This Town
Mt Vernon
Beaks OF Eagles
I like everything on here except Al's poetry segment.

Poetry's by Robinson Jeffers. Unless you mean the music, which, for me, works better than the poertry.

The music is fine, I know Al didn't write it but he recites it so that's why I worded it that way.

Masterpiece? Wow, that's all I can say.

It's their final masterpiece for sure - never again did they make a truly great album.

1/ The Trader - my favourite Beach Boys song.
2/ Big Sur - once upon a time Mike Love could write really good songs.  :o
3/ Beaks of Eagles - Al's best ever song?
4/ Sail on Sailor - hard to imagine that at one point this wasn't going to be included.
5/ Steamboat
6/ California - California Girls for Hippies!! Who would have guessed it would work so well?
(7/ Mt. Vernon and Fairway - I have to be in the right mood for it but when I am...)
8/ Leaving This Town.
9/ Funky Pretty - proto Love You, for better or worse.
10/ Only With You - I much prefer Dennis's solo version but this is still good.

Downhill from here......

Oh and Hard Times should have been included but I heard it was actually written post-Holland? Is that true?

1. Funky Pretty
2. The Trader
3. Sail On, Sailor  
4. Leaving This Town
5. Big Sur
6. The Beaks of Eagles
7. California
8. Steamboat
9. Only With You

A strange album is Holland, took me a good while to appreciate it and I still don't understand why We Got Love was dropped entirely, why not just have 10 songs on the album??

1. Sail On Sailor
2. California
3. Only With You
4. Big Sur
5. Steamboat
6. Trader
7. Funky Pretty
8. Leaving This Town
9. The Beaks Of Eagles

Recorded in early October of '72, right before the *initial* album was compiled. So, one would think it *could have* made it.

SOS, as we now know it, obviously came after.

#1
The California Saga portion of this release ( Big Sur / Beaks of Eagles / California ) in my opinion has to be treated as almost a separate entity. It is better understood also if you have had the good fortune to experience the Sur. Let's remember, Brian, Carl and Dennis... or for that matter Mike didn't get out of the figurative "front yard" at 119th very often growing up. I could be wrong, but it seems Murry was to self engaged to do anything progressive like drive up the coast and camp out for a week. So as horizons expanded, the Sur and all it's rich history became a respite from the turbulence that was la suburbia. And one of the benefits of spending time there is that it helps you heal and grow. Mike knew this... singing;
"Big Sur I've got plans for you
 Me and mine are going to
 Add ourselves to our lengthy list of lovers"...

This trilogy is an invitation to a unique and vital part of the California experience... you should read Jeffers "Thurso's Landing"
Have you ever been south of Monterey?...the air's so clean it'll take your mind away.

I'll try to get to the rest of these songs later, but #2 has to be Trader...which is how it was presented on the original recording, no "The"

Very enjoyable album.

1. Sail On Sailor
2. Big Sur
3. Funky Pretty
4. The Trader
5. California
6. Only With You
7. Streamboat
8. Leaving This Town
9. The Beaks of Eagles

I'm mostly a fan of 1960's Beach Boys. This album sounds to me like typical American 70's soft-rock, (which is good, one must be of one's time) and I would never listen to it if it wasn't by the Beach Boys. However, there are three big standout tracks for me:

1. Funky Pretty
2. Sail On Sailor
3. Trader

And I like the fairy tale music too. The rest is much of a muchness.

You're thinking of their 25th anniversary, celebrated in and televised from Waikiki.

(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/DVD-NEU-OVP-The-Beach-Boys-25-Years-Together-A-Celebration-Waikiki-/00/s/NzI4WDQ5Nw==/$T2eC16RHJF8E9nnC7RMkBQPPojo8Lg~~60_35.JPG)

(http://arkhonia.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/vlcsnap-25years-097.jpg?w=500)

One of their greatest, most consistent albums. I love pretty much every track, but if i really gotta rank it'd probably be thus:

1. TRADER (Following on from his Surf's Up tracks, Carl's third masterpiece. Great lyrics from Rieley too, who's prose is totally undeserving of the critisism it often attracts)
2. FUNKY PRETTY (I just love the melodies in this song, especially on the fade - there's so much going on, every listen sounds fresh. More great lyrics too)
3. STEAMBOAT (A very unique and beautiful song by Dennis. Great vocal by Carl, lovely backing vocals on the chorus, incredible slide guitar solo)
4. MOUNT VERNON (A masterpiece. I love all the musical interludes and Brian's cameo as the Piped Piper always makes me laugh. Such an original work)
5. CALIFORNIA (Along with Lookin' At Tomorrow, Al's finest moment. The harmonies on the chorus always blow me away - hair-raising stuff)
6. ONLY WITH YOU (Gorgeous ballad. I particuarly like the piano at the very end of the track - very moving)
7. BIG SUR (One of Mike's finest moments, both in terms of songwriting and singing. Why - when he could sing like this - he would so often resort to such a nasal whine in years to come is a mystery?)
8. SAIL ON SAILOR (A classic, obviously. There's other Beach Boy classics i love a lot more, but this is still undeniably a great song, and Blondie's singing kicks ass!)
9. BEAKS OF EAGLES (The poetry i can take or leave, but it doesn't bother me at all, as it does some people. The catchy interludes though i absolutely adore! More great work from Al)
10.   LEAVING THIS TOWN (I feel bad putting this at the bottom because it's a tremendously good song - I'm a big fan of the Blondie/Ricky period - but i suppose that a song of this quality could be deemed the least good on the album only goes to show what an incredibly high standard of songwriting this album contains throughout...)

The only way this album could've been made even better would've been to have included Carry Me Home, which is to my ears a masterpiece. It'd most likely have come first or second.

As with Carl and The Passions, I wouldn't consider myself much of a fan of this record-- In both cases, the lack of Brian's involvement really kills it for me. He was in a downward spiral and the results were obvious. Dennis's songs were both good, but how come no DW vocals? And for that matter why no "Carry Me Home", which to me is better than anything than ultimately made it on the album? If forced to choose between Holland or, say, "Custom Machine" or "Amusement Parks USA" at gunpoint, Holland would lose.

GOOD:
Trader
Only with You
California
Steamboat
Sail on Sailor
Leaving This Town

MEH:
Funky Pretty
We Got Love

WHA' HAPPEN?:
Big Sur
Beaks of Eagles
Mt. Vernon & Fairway

They really captured a "Feel" with this album. When I close my eyes and listen, it does take me away to another place and time.

My ranking:

1. Sail On Sailor
2. The Trader
3. Steamboat
4. California
5. Only With You
6. Leaving This Town
7. Big Sur
8. Funky Pretty (Better arrangement & performance on In Concert)
9. Beaks Of Eagles
10. Mount Vernon & Fairway (If just "Fairy Tale Music", I'd rate it higher)

#2 Trader
The song of California...the song of America
But it is a double edged sword, part of my immediate family on the Native American side...part on the "Trader" side
I don't agree with Trader's actions or direction, but as in all progression of the human race, I am glad to be here and not somewhere else
And my Native side try's to understand the lack of harmony, the obsession with an unquenchable avarice.
Trader said;
"There not as good as those who wear Velvet Robes..
  Please help, the breast's I see...their NOT like me"...
Self centeredness still permeates our society today, we walk away from knowing our neighbors...every man for himself...not in my backyard
The reply;
Making it softly
Creating it gently
Eyes that "see" beyond tomorrow, beyond the sorrow
Reason to live

A sad epitaph...we never got to know them, to bold thinking we were better

#3 Steamboat

1. Sail on, Sailor
2. Big Sur
3. Sunny Califrn-i-a
4. The Trader
5. Beaks of Eagles
6. Leaving This Town
7. Steamboat
8. Funky Pretty
9. Only With You

1. (tie) the entire album

Seriously, though, I'm having hell of a time trying to rank these. If I had to put a track at the bottom, I guess I'd say Funky Pretty, but I love that too. As far as favorite goes, might be 'Trader' or 'Only With You'.

I think this might be my favorite BB album, and if 'Carry Me Home' had been on here, it might be my favorite album of all time, period.

Solid album, kinda underrated actually
Funky Pretty (A preview of what was to come imo)
Steamboat
Sail on, Sailor
(California saga) California
Leaving This Town (LOVE this song)
The Trader
(California saga) Big Sur
Only with You
(California saga) Beaks of Eagles

1.   Funky Pretty
2.   The Trader
3.   Sail On, Sailor
4.   Steamboat

5.   Big Sur (the original 4/4 verson is far better)
6.   Only With You

7.   California
8.   Beaks of Eagles

9.   Leaving This Town

Not sure if I would call driving the family to Big Sur to go camping "progressive", just the kind of thing a lot of families did /do, but anyway . . . . . .

For me, Sail On Sailor, the California Trilogy and Leaving This Town are the only reasons I listen to this album.  We Got Love should have been included.

1.   Funky Pretty
2.   The Trader
3.   Only With You
4.   California
5.   Sail On, Sailor
6.   Leaving This Town
7.   Big Sur
8.   Steamboat
9.   Beaks of Eagles

This album was very surprising on how good this was to me. From start to finish this album is great.

Trader
Only With You
Big Sur
Sail On Sailor
Steamboat
Funky Pretty
California Saga
Leaving This Town
Beaks OF Eagles

ps. HOW CAN "CARRY ME HOME" be still unreleased???

There is something about this album that I find incredibly morose and depressing.

I think it's the overall sound, coupled with the dirge like songs contained within. Trader and Steamboat are the only non Brian songs I have any time for. Throughout the album is that awful blues rock singing, which is not what I listen to the Beach Boys for.

As usual it is left to an ailing Brian Wilson to add something halfway decent. I've never been into Sail On Sailor (again, the singing!!! arghhhhh, not my thing at all, ) Funky Pretty though, what a great, under rated track. Very interesting synth work, and some fantastic counterpoint on the fade. But all in all, give me Love You any day of the week

Once again, I'm respectfully agreeing to respectfully disagree with most of the respectful people on this respectful board.

1- Sail on Sailor - best BB song ever.  EVER!  Blondie nailed (& continues to nail) it.
2- California - quintessential Beach Boys, with a country rock twist.
3- Funky Pretty - Brian writes a pretty neat song during a weird period of his life.
4- Steamboat - chugging rhythm with an amazing steel guitar break.  Not crazy about Rieley's lyrics, though.
5- The Trader - again, lyrics do very little for me, but Carl's performance / production save it.
6- Only With You - amazing ballad from Dennis.  Showcases Carl's voice.
7- Leaving This Town - love Blondie's vocal & Ricky's moog solo is cool & spacey.
8- Big Sur - this waltz version is WAY better than the syrupy 4/4, sorry.
9- The Beaks of Eagles - love Al's music & singing here, but Mike's narration is annoying & pretentious.
10- Mt. Vernon & Fairway - it doesn't deserve to be included on a 2 sided EP, but there's some nice music here.  Like the GV boxed set version.

For the record, I enjoy reading these lists.  Keep 'em coming.

 1. California
 2. Steamboat
 3. Sail On Sailor
 4. Funky Pretty
 5. Big Sur
 6. Trader
 7. Only With You
 8. Beak Of Eagles
 9. Leaving This Town

A+
The Trader
California Saga/California

A
Steamboat
Sail On, Sailor

B+
California Saga/Big Sur

B-
Funky Pretty
Leaving This Town
Only with You

C
Mount Vernon and Fairway

D+
California Saga/The Beaks of Eagles

Here is the correct list:

1. Steamboat
2. Boatsteam
3. Only With You (Dennis' version is superior to the Holland version)
4. External Anatomical Structures Used for Eating and for Grooming, Manipulating Objects, Killing Prey, Fighting, Probing for Food, Courtship and Feeding Young of Eagles
5. Big Sur
6. Trader
7. California
8. Funky Pretty
9. Sale On Sailors
10. Leaving This Town





























(http://i46.tinypic.com/347cm4k.jpg)

I am leaving this thread for another one.

Seriously, did you have to waste so much space?

I love Holland. One of my top 4-5 Beach Boys albums.

Sail On Sailor
California Saga: California
Only With You
Trader
Funky Pretty
Leaving This Town
Steamboat
California Saga: Big Sur
California Saga: Beaks of Eagles

Holland is one of those albums that I think is better than the sum of its parts...

1, Trader
2, Only With You - A shame that Mike and Dennis couldn't have written more together
3, California Saga - California

4, Sail on Sailor - The studio version of this doesn't really do it for me.
5, Big Sur

6, Steamboat - Pleasant but meandering
7, Funky Pretty - Gibberish
8, Leaving this Town - Overlong and the live version is superior
9, Beaks of Eagles - Nice music from Al though

Yes, Holland was soooo much more palatable than CATP. More digestible but the totally savory eye of the steak was Brian's tasty, but oh too rare musical tidbits offered ala Mt. Vernon. I still find it totally intriguing as the day it was released. Maybe someday, he'll show us the whole deal on those things-maybe he won't but it's incredibly inticing to think that more exists. Can you imagine a whole album of stuff like that? :spin

1.Trader (wow what a cool song, one of carls best, sure it's kind of long but it's mellow and relaxing)
2.Sail onn sailor (great classic BW track)
3.Only with you (Classic DW song)
4.California (good song with that classic BB sound)
5.steamboat (someone once told me it reminded him of Pink Floyd, in fact they said they were ripping Pink Floyd off, I don't know whcih song he was talking about but I like this song never the less)
6.funky pretty (Pretty funky)
7. Big sur (one of Mikes best songs)
8.beaks of eagles (Yeah sure the spoken part is pretty bad but the music and harmonies, one day I was playing this with someone iin the car and he asked me politely if I can stop playing the song)
9.leaving this town (it's ok but it's kind of long and really goes no where)
10.Fairy tale (I barely ever listen to this, of course it has some good piano/snth stuff but that's about it)

If "We got love" was on it I would place it between "Only with you" and "California"

I'm not gonna count Mt. Vernon & Fairway so I'll just say here that it is just about essential Brian Wilson listening. Love it. It's wacky, but so's Brian. All heart.

Anyway...

1. Sail On, Sailor - Classic and underrated at the same time (by most). WOW. WOW. WONDERFUL.
2. Only With You - Spectacularly beautiful. More honey from angelic Carl.
3. California - Delightful. The state of California owes this band, big time. What love songs they sing for her!
4. The Trader - Great material from Brother Carl. Lovely stuff.
5. Funky Pretty - Righteous! "FUNK-AY...I still rem'mber mah funkay prettay!" Hell yeah.
6. Big Sur - Tremendous. One of Mike Love's best moments. Here's a gold ring karma handshake to you buddy. What Happened?
7. Steamboat - Even Jack Riley's 'LOL What?' lyrics can't sink this boat. Exceptional Dennis backing track.
8. Leaving This Town - Unlike many others, I really like this song a bunch. Just great.
9. Beaks of Eagles - I hate putting this last because I think it's very, very good, but hey everything else is just better.

I love this whole album, really the last great, great group effort. Whenever I hear some Brianistas say that the Beach Boys never did anything all that good and memorable without Brian, I scoff, shake my head and slip my headphones on and jam to 'The Trader', 'Big Sur' and 'Only With You'. A seriously kick ass album.

‍

1. Sail On Sailor - 327.5 (16)
2. The Trader - 301 (11)
3. California Saga: California - 276 (5)
4. Steamboat - 229.5 (2)
5. California Saga: Big Sur - 220.5 (3)
6. Funky Pretty - 212 (6)
7. Only With You - 206.5
8. Leaving This Town - 133.5 (1)
9. California Saga: The Beaks of Eagles - 118.5 (1)

My thoughts? Kind of surprised at how high California ended up placing.  I also think Only with You is better than third last on the album, but then again this is a pretty consistent crop of songs. I was rooting for Trader to take it, but Sail on Sailor is the closest thing they had to a hit single in the early 70's.

From Worst to Best:

09. California Saga: The Beaks Of Eagles.
08. Steamboat.
07. California Saga: Big Sur.
06. California Saga: California.
05. Leaving This Town.
04. Funky Pretty.
03. Only With You.
02. Sail On Sailor.
01. The Trader.

1. The Trader
2. California Saga: Big Sur
3. Sail On Sailor
4. Steamboat
5. Leaving This Town
6. California Saga: Beaks Of Eagles
7. California Saga: California

8. Funky Pretty
9. Only With You

Good album!

1. Sail On Sailor
2. The Trader
3. Funky Pretty
4. On My Way To Sunny Californ-I-A
5. Steamboat
6. Big Sur
7. Mt. Vernon And Fairway Fairy Tale
8. Leaving This Town
9. Only With You
10. Beaks Of Eagles

1) CS: California
2) CS: Big Sur
3) Sail On Sailor
4) Leaving This Town
5) CS: Beaks of Eagles
6) The Trader
7) Only With You
8) Funky Pretty
9) Steamboat

Here's my worst to best for the Holland album.  I'm not counting the Mt. Vernon EP as I really don't consider it part of the proper album.  Which is why it was put on a separate EP. 

9.  Funky Pretty - Kind of a preview of what was to come on Love You.  I love Brian, but easily my least favorite track.  The In Concert version isn't bad. 

8.  Big Sur - I really like this song.  This just shows how much I like everything else on the album. 

7.  Only With You - I like this song, but I prefer the Dennis version.  It sounds to me like it was written for his voice. 

6.  Trader - Great Carl vocals really make this song.

5.  The Beaks of Eagles - Not a fan of the spoken word, but Al's verses make up for it. 

4.  Steamboat - A tie with number three.  The song actually songs like you're on a steam boat.

3.  Leaving This Town - Sounds more like Pink Floyd than The Beach Boys, but still a great track by any name.

2.  California - This is what the Beach Boys should have sounded like for the rest of the 1970s.  Great harmonies.  A great lead from Mike on a nice tune. 

1.  Sail On Sailor - Classic. 

Funky Pretty

Steamboat

California Saga - California

Sail On Sailor

The Trader

California Saga - Big Sur

Leaving This Town

Only With You

California Saga - Beaks of Eagles

1. Steamboat - Absolutely brilliant song just so good from Dennis, very clear imagery I get from this song and it's very clever
2. Sail On Sailor - Anoter stunner of a track, great lead vocal by Blondie
3. Big Sur - Probably one of Mikes best vocals, a very cool odd to Big Sur
4. Only With You - A beautiful song with great vocals by Carl
5. The Trader - Brilliant song by Carl great melody
6. The Beaks Of Eagles - Love the harmonies on this one
7. Funky Pretty - A funky little song from Brian
8. On My Way To Sunny California - Not a bad song but there is something about it that I don't particularly like
9. Leaving This Town - Good lyrics but awfully boring

1. Sail On, Sailor
2. Only With You

3. Steamboat
4. Big Sur
5. We Got Love

6. The Trader
7. Leaving This Town
8. California

9. Funky Pretty
10. The Beaks of Eagles

1. Leaving This Town - Not a popular opinion, I believe, but it's my favorite song from the album. It does have it's boring parts and it's not powerful as it could be, but it's still very soulful.
2. California Saga: California - Great harmonies. I love Brian's voice in it.
3. Sail On Sailor - Wonderful track. Very commercial. Blondie did a terrific job.
4. California Saga: Big Sur - I'm not usually a fan of Mike's vocals but I truly like his voice here. Doesn't have a big instrumental break, but it's great.
5. Only With You - I love this song, but I prefer Dennis' version.
6. The Trader - One of the best songs Carl ever wrote.
7. Steambot - Terrific.
8. Funky Pretty - I love some parts of this song, but the whole it's just okay.
9. California Saga: The Beaks Of Eagles - Not bad, just not their best.

1. The Trader
2. California Saga (Big Sur)
3. California Saga (California)
4. Steamboat
5. Sail On, Sailor
6. California Saga (Beaks of Eagles)
7. Leaving This Town
8. Only With You
9. Funky Pretty

I've left Mt. Vernon and Fairway out because it's kind of it's own thing. I wish I enjoyed Funky Pretty more, because it's the only song on the album that I skip regularly and it's a shame that Brian wasn't in a place where he could bring more to the main part of the album. Leaving This Town and Only With You are both great, but I personally prefer the slightly faster songs on the first side of the album. Regardless, this is my personal favorite Beach Boys LP and I hope that its stature grows as we near its 50th anniversary.