The Smiley Smile Message Board

He wrote beautiful songs but gave them to Carl who still made them masterpieces. Just curious as to why he didn't sing them himself. Is it something to do with his time in Holland in general? He also elected Carl to sing Fourth of July earlier and Blondie to do It's a New Day.

Do you mean Carry Me Home? I don't think Blondie is on It's a New Day. Though, I haven't listened to it in many years.

Carry me home was one I was thinking of too from Holland. It's A New Day is Blondie but from 1971.

He did not like Holland. Brian was having problems there and Dennis was upset by how it was being treated. Granted he could have overdubbed leads back in L.A. but Carl sang Only With You in 1972 so Dennis probably just wrote it for Carl's voice ala San Miguel

Dennis took a shot at singing "Sail On Sailor". I think it would have souinded pretty good. He shoulda stuck with it, but he ran off to the beach instead.

Dennis also sang a version of "Only With You" after the released version was already recorded. Though Carl did an outstanding job on it, I think Dennis' version was even better.

I forgot that the track on All This Is That is sped up. What is the pitch correction on this, .5 or 1 full step? Tried both, but neither sound exactly how I am used to hearing Blondie sing on other tunes. Slowed down further than 1 really sounds off.

I forgot that the track on All This Is That is sped up. What is the pitch correction on this, .5 or 1 full step? Tried both, but neither sound exactly how I am used to hearing Blondie sing on other tunes. Slowed down further than 1 really sounds off.
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hmm you know I'm not sure about that. Have you tried 1 1/2 up?

Up would make it sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks. It's either minus .5 or minus 1. What is tricky is that it doesn't sound like a typical Blondie vocal.

Duplicate post.

You're saying that Blondie is in the harmony somewhere right? I'm trying to listen for him.

All This Is That is the boot CD that It's A New Day is on. Sorry to confuse you.

Why do you think they sped up the recording?

I don't know who sped it up or for what reasons, but I know some people have sped things up when giving a copy of of a recording to somebody to basically "track" the recording if somebody has leaked it. For instance, I'm pretty sure whoever initially leaked the Paley sessions stuff had a copy that was sped up, and that made it easier to figure out that it was that person who the leak came from. I could be totally wrong on that though, but that's what I remember hearing.

That's right, I forgot about that!  Man, that would have been awesome!!!  Denny was supposed to sing that song!!!!

Sail On Sailor might be their greatest song.... which is saying a lot, sure.  But damn if that song doesn't get me right now.  I so absolutely love Brian's lead on 50 Live.

 :afro

It'd be really interesting to hear a Dennis lead from '73-'75. There's still a shred of hope this'll happen as "My Love Lives On" was worked on in 1973 and 1974 but I'm not aware when (or if) the lead vocal was recorded.

Well, there is a live "In The Back Of My Mind" from 1975 where Denny does the lead. Does that count? Or are we only talking studio leads? Or even narrower, just released stuff?

Well, after Blondie was finished laying down his vocal track, Murry happened to hear the recording. Fearing that Blondie sounded too grown up, he decided to sweeten his vocals and sped them up.

It's okay, though, as Blondie says he actually prefers this versioin.

I was talking about studio leads. Denny's voice sounds 80% of the way to what it was on 15 Big Ones on that live version of "In the Back of My Mind", was it recorded late 1975?

Jeez. I don't know exactly when that one was recorded. I think it was summer 1975 though. But I'm honestly not sure.


Keep in mind the though, on "Brian's Tune" (also known as "Rollin' Up to Heaven") a part that sounds like him is pretty audible, and he sounds pretty much exactly like the late '70s Dennis.

tbh I think Carl himself, or anybody in the group, could've sung San Miguel better. Also the mixing is abhorring. Squandered song imo-..

No Dennis lead vocals from this period? 'The rain is fallin' down on me/My legs are growing cold/My eyes are getting tired/I guess i wont grow old'.

"Barnyard Blues" on the upcoming box is probably going to be another interesting one. The original piano demo was cut by Dennis in '71, but there's also a studio version circa '73/'74 that, IIRC, features Dennis, Carl and Ricky on vocals.

No idea where the particular version on the box dates from, but this may indeed be another chance to hear DW's voice in a 1974 studio setting.

Can't forget Denny is also the most prominent in the BG's in Streamboat. "Don't worry Mr. Fulton".  :hat :hat :hat :smokin :smokin :smokin :smokin

Was going to post this. I believe he does the bass vocals, too. Such a great song and it should have been on MIC.

Dennis sings the last part of the live version of Only With You from 1972, too (which WILL be on the box set).

How is the mix abhorring? If you meant it's abhorrent, then yeah, I'd have to agree. The lead vocal is painfully distant and while those castanets could've been an eclectic addition to the song, they sound WAY too loud, really grating.

The real question is Why didn't Dennis sing on In Concert?!  We KNOW he took leads in the shows that were recorded and everyone got at least one on the album, even Ricky!  Can anyone point out any specific vocal parts from him on that album?  The only place I hear him is on (almost all of) the between song banter.

Nice one, Mikie - the version of OWY on the POB  re-release is really soulful and heartfelt in that inimatible Dennis way.

His harmonies are just awesome on the POB sessions version.

I played the Hawthorne cd for the first time in a while last week and had forgotten about the instrumental version of Sail on Sailor. It blew me away! Listen to that track and try telling me Brian Wilson is not one of the greatest song creators in history.

I only just noticed that the Hawthorne version is in a different key than the album version. I have always thought it sounded different, but now I know the answer ;D

Even greater if you keep in mind that he allegedly produced the track by remote control over the telephone with Carl...

How so, mon frere? ;)

I totally agree (the part about Brian's lead).  I never really "got" Sail On Sailor until I heard Brian sing it during the anniversary tour.

Yeah I know come on! He's even the only one on the album cover!

Yeah, Dennis is on the album cover takin' a wis into the front row of the audience.

Nearly as much credit should go to Carl and the guys playing that amazing track..... And Blondie and the others for their vocals, and Van Dyke, Jack Reilly and so on....

I'm surprised to see I'm not the only one! :)

You see... ....right there, folks.  That's the sh!t I'm talking about.

I love this!!

I totally understand what you guys are saying.  Brian's vocal is what has always been missing.  It's his magnum opus.  That's why.  That's my opinion.  Him taking the lead on Live 50....we FINALLY get to hear the song correctly.... Brian Wilson -- picture him paranoid-ly swaying at the piano circa 1973, looking over his shoulder, singing out of the side of his mouth.... playing his soul out.  Carl and Denny huddled in silence -- in damn near fuking tears.  Mike too.

Fkc yeah.  Oh GOD yes!!!!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that protruding microphone stand is supposed to represent Dennis' shlong is it not?

The guy behind the counter at the record store where I bought that album sure thought it was Dennis pissing on the audience. So Dennis gets to be on the cover, but not even one of his songs makes the record? WTF?

Just gotta ask: do you guys think the same thing when Brian's sings God Only Knows at his solo shows?  >:D  >:D

As much as I love Blondie's lead on the record and Carl's 90's versions: the sight of a 70 year old Brian singing this powerful song about the brutal tides of life, was quite emotionally overpowering for me too.... I look at it as, the song was meant to be Blondie's until Brian could reclaim it...... Or until life and time reclaimed it for him.....

Blondie will always own that album cut though, because it's goshdamn amazing.

Having been in attendance at the concert where the cover photo was taken (Hollywood Palladium, April 20, 1973) I can answer in the affirmative.  Dennis held the mic stand at his crotch and while it was lowered he moved it around toward various female audience members close to the front of the stage.  This phallic display elicited both surprise and laughter from the audience.

You are a God among men for having been there.....

I should add that Dennis' phallic mic display in no way looked to me like he was simulating taking a piss on the audience.  My distinct impression was that he was simulating offering his member to females in the audience for some "attention".

Two pages of photos I took of that night's concert, as well as recollections, can be found at Malcolm Searles Back Through the Opera Glass site:

Page One:  http://www.pipeline-operaglass.moonfruit.com/#/1973-la-show/4532469771
Page Two:  http://www.pipeline-operaglass.moonfruit.com/#/1973-la-show-2/4532472821