The Smiley Smile Message Board

This has always been a bit of a dilemma for me. There are, of course, people who snigger at the very mention of the name Beach Boys. And Brian's falsetto has drawn laughter from guests in the past, "Hawaii" being the main offender.

Hit compilations misrepresent the Boys in my opinion (and there's also the there-he-goes-again-with-his-Beach-Boys factor) and official albums are full of stuff that tends to raise eyebrows (and/or stop conversations).

Oddly, the only albums I play without fear (perhaps because they're blander in some way?) are TWGMTR and NPP (sans "The Last Song" and bonus tracks).

Does any of this ring a bell with anyone?

I had a bad experience a few years ago where words were exchanged over me playing the BBs so I have a phobia now... :-\

Eek! You mean in a relationship... I can imagine that could be a problem, SB.

On that subject: I remember blithely putting on some Messiaen when my mother came to visit many years ago----now that was a mistake! ;D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRyn-gRp_p0

Nah JK, just a drunk as hell friend who I told to get out! ;D

I make sure to play Summer in Paradise when I want lingering party guests to leave  :lol

Or "go now" by the moody blues! :lol

I usually play compilations that include Beach Boys songs, and I once played POB.

S, am I right in recalling that your sister's not exactly a fan? :-|

I used to play Sounds of Summer when I used to host summer get togethers. I also played the In Concert album once. In general, it went over pretty well.

I would play Pet Sounds and insist guests sat in silence and listened to it. If they spoke I would forcibly eject them from the premises.

I was playing Pet Sounds for a friend and the player was on random.  The first song it played was IJWMFTT.  When the "sometimes I feel very sad" part started repeating, she cried,  "shut this off, it is very depressing!".  Hmm, now that you mention it....

The early stuff bugs people, but I get away with CATP and Holland, which people usually think is some modern indie band  :lol

Yes, I was going to say this. Play those two albums, and it's fun when people ask what band is playing.

i never get visitors.

As time has gone forward, my primary guests are mote and more my family. I often play music, once in awhile it is Brian/Beach Boys. :)

Sometimes I invite my dwarf friend Daiana. She's into heavy metal, doesn't like mellow music. But what do you know, she liked "Sloop John B", esp. the main riff.

I have a feeling there are a lot of people out there that keep quiet about being a Beach Boys fan.  Some crazy stigma possibly but I wear it proudly on my sleeve everyday!  8)

Me, either :-\

If you play any of the music after 1966, the average person may recognize some of it, but still not associate it with the Beach Boys. I have no problem blasting all kinds of stuff - Beach Boys included - through the Big Blue Party speaker we got at Brookstone. In fact, I always slip in some Beach Boys stuff into the playlist. My friends and family of expect it, and I don't want to let them down.

Haha. But it's a good point. It's an insult to this great music when people talk during it. So maybe it's why I would never play PS when there's company.

i'm a loner. and getting old. and nobody here has the same interests.

You guys are quite close geographically. That might be the answer. :=)

With visitors, cant say I do. Probably has more to do with that most times I have people over its for a sporting event on TV or just an informal thing so no music goes on the stereo.

Most of my friends don't get the artistic value of the band. Ive put on BB in the truck for some friends here and there when we were going somewhere and just I got a look that pretty much said WTF.. But others who know music beyond what is on  top 40 radio / classic rock station playlists are able to discern between the surf/car era and PS-Smile era. Once I posted Al's solo from 'I get around' on Facebook that was on my phone from a Brian concert I went to and my sister-in-law (jokingly) told me I couldn't hang out with them anymore.

It is a darn shame that most associate the BB with only the early surf/car songs and not some of the more artistic efforts from Pet Sounds thru Holland.

But my wife likes them ( God only know is one of her favorite songs of all time) and my kids love the Beach Boys.  I burned a CD that pretty much consists of the whole PS album and various other songs for my 6 yr old son and he falls asleep to it most nights.

hmmm would be good. not quite in walking distance for me  :P

Exactly! But she also hated me when I played Queen and now she loves them, so maybe it's just a matter of time. Anyway, unbeknownst to her I sing BB songs to her baby daughter.  ;D

That's how you be an auntie! I need to have my niece and nephews over for a sleepover so we can dance to fun BB tunes :) They're sure not getting a real musical education at home....  :lol

Played "Full Sail" at a funk/soul/disco themed party and some people were listening to it and my friend asked me who it was  ;)

savage dude

I was actually thinking about this more, and unfortunately, there really aren't many BB albums one can play for gatherings. 

Surfin Sufari / Surfin USA / Surfer Girl / Little Deuce Coupe - You can probably get away with either of these

SDV2 / All Summer Long  / Today - If you have a way of skipping the talk tracks

Christmas Album - If it's a Christmas get together, very appropriate

SDSN - Even with Bugged at My Ole Man, you might be able to spin this one

Party - Could probably work

Pet Sounds - Not really a party / get together vibe album. 

Smiley Smile - Definitely not. 

Wild Honey / Friends / 2020 / Sunflower / Surf's Up  - There are some quirky moments, but these could work, especially if it's a daytime get together. 

CATP / Holland - I think these would work for a get together

15 Big Ones / Love You / MIU / LA / KTSA / BB85 / Still Cruisin / SIP - While the quality of each release varies, I think there are too many skipable tracks to play any of these albums all the way through.

TWGMTR - Maybe, but the last three tracks would really bring the room down. 

once they come through the door, it's the last one they see......ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh  >:D

The people in my area barley even know who they are. And if they do, then they only listen to what they hear on the radio.

and then i strap them to a chair and torture them from 'lost and found' to 'TWGMTR'...
most of my subjects usually 'go' once i get a few tracks into 'summer in paradise'.
(would make a great 'Saw' movie)

This.

I think 15 Big Ones, Love You, MIU and KTSA are more cheerful and would work better for getting together than CATP and Holland which are too quiet and sometimes lifeless. Just my opinion though

i like all those albums! i turned a kid onto 15 big ones who became a fan of that album alone!

Love You is always ready near the turntable, my house my rules my music.

Why not? Wild Honey in particular makes for relaxed cheerful background listening. Endless Summer works really well too, I like the mix between early hits and deep cuts on that one.

Usually I've just got the current year's releases going on shuffle when people are over ... at least to begin with. As we get drunker, things usually get into rabbit holes of specific requests, interrupted requests, and interruptions of interruptions. It's in that territory where Beach Boys or BW inevitably come up. My friends have mostly come to humor me on that. In turn, I try not to force it, at least not too much or too early.

Smiley Smile or love you could segway well into the classic stuff at Cap's house. ;)

No. I would not read Shakespeare to them, either. :angel:

Never the beach boys. Only Abba

There is only abba

I'm having a family get together tomorrow and I was looking at music I could play (and that my wife would accept - she knows I"m a BB fanatic but she's not much of a fan).  There isn't really party "background" music in the BB catalogue, there are too many quirky weird tracks, even the party album is too goofy and those fake party sounds . . .

The most acceptable would be Wild Honey (for a rocking crowd), Friends for soft music not too loud so they don't notice the weirdness, Holland for a progressive music crowd, and maybe Sunflower.  But I'm going to play Abbey Road, some Al Green and some Aretha instead of Beach Boys.

I don't play ANY albums by anybody when folks come over.  Even we 'dyed-in-the-wool' Beach Boys/Brian fans can't agree on the best 3 or 4 tracks from ANY album they've ever released.  So?  For the great unwashed?  It's all just unfamiliar music...or [worst case scenario...] MUZAK  I was in a position to learn WAY back...like over 40 years ago from some VERY smart 'programming' minds...that not even 50% of the people really, truly loved music by Elvis...or the Beatles...or the Beach Boys in THIS specific case.  That said ... if the majority DON'T even like the artist you want to assault their senses with... ... ...well THAT is a pretty good definition of what we used to call a "bummer".

SO?

Begin preparing mixes of music.  Songs you consider the BEST tracks from a variety of artists and albums.  Don't go overboard with any artist.  Make files of songs from different genres in case the 'gang' want to hear some 'country'.  Toss in Warmth of the Sun by Willie Nelson.

Need a West Indian 'thing'?  Add in 'Sunshine'.

Pick your favourite song or 2 for a 60's mix.  Is it a POP or a Rock mix?  There are appropriate choices.  Same for the 70s.  Way fewer from the 80s...but they're there.

Don't OVER 'Beach Boy' your guests.  Only sit and listen to entire albums from ANY one artist with someone else who's into it too.  Otherwise?  Everybody'll go home...and they won't be coming back.

Avoid at all costs any and all songs which highlight anything by the guy who's nose was/is on the critical list.  And Mickey Mouse with a sore throat might not work well for you either.  [unless you want to still have tons of chips and dip left over for breakfast tomorrow.]

I posted the video Steam Boat on Facebook one time. I mentioned that in this song the Beach Boys would not have been out of place on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Some responses I got were
"I love California Girls" or "The Beach Boys and Pink Floyd? I don't think so." I'm thinking, did anybody actually play the video?

When I decided to share my newfound love for the Beach Boys with my Facebook friends I was about to post Steamboat but eventually posted Cabinessence. I also described what I liked about the song and the band. I got only one comment: "Kokomo"  :shrug

I know right?! I actually like the hits but I have tried showing people how artistic they were. It's hard to get around the fact that this band from 66-73 was pretty much the same group of guys on Full House! I think they presented themselves much better in 2012. Also, Love and Mercy gave people a new idea, though the movie wasn't a big hit.

The Beach Boys and Pink Floyd? i think so yes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pjKTCDZvco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHxa9YqmVI0

Always, if you play less known or songs that never made the radio the reaction is funny.  'Thats the beach boys?'

Steamboat and Leaving This Town would each fit on early 70s Floyd albums.

Totally! I might throw in Feel Flows, A Day in the Life of a Tree and Long Promised Road as well

Funny you mention A Day in the Life of a Tree.  I think Jack Rieley sounds a little like Floyd's Richard Wright on that song. 

Playing an entire album definitely wouldn't fly with my group of friends.  Some of them can't stand the boys and maybe one person other than me listens to albums at all.  They're pretty much a top 40 or bust kind of group.  If we're at a bar I'll select some songs to make the whole joint to listen to though.  >:D

There's not much comfort I can offer there.  Just make sure if you're at a bar to pay the extra credit for your songs so that they can't get skipped.  That was a common occurrence when I would go out to bars and play mostly classic rock songs (three songs into my selection of ten or more songs, somebody would always skip mine with some Top 40 rubbish). 

I always have Beach Boys songs in mixes that I play when people are over sprinkled in with all kinds of other music.  I never get complaints.

You are just too kind.  If you come to my house you can expect a full dose of Beach Boys and Brian.  For over a year after No Pier Pressure came out, that would be my first pick of the night.
If they didn't like that, they could piss-off out of the music room, plenty of seats in the Tv room. 15 Big Ones/Love You two-fer Cd, Imagination - especially the DVD, Orange Crate Art, my pick is
my pick.  Nothing to do with forcing it or not.  I take the Beach Boys with me to their houses, too.  On fourth of July, I'm going to hear Beach Boys In Concert - it's a tradition, home or away. 

Ive done In Concert. Its a great mix of 60s hits and 70s album tracks.  And plays better at a gathering than most of the full length LPs.