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Smiley Smile Stuff => General On Topic Discussions => Topic started by: CenturyDeprived on June 25, 2018, 03:28:14 PM



Title: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: CenturyDeprived on June 25, 2018, 03:28:14 PM
There don't seem to be many of these... except, ironically, numerous examples on his solo album Looking Back With Love.

Off the top of my head (excluding cover songs, obviously):

Airplane
Here Today
That's Not Me (partial lead)
Cabinessence (partial lead part)
Sweet & Bitter

I still cannot understand why Mike didn't write lyrics to the Looking Back With Love album. It's as though somebody had a fully completed album made for Mike with virtually no involvement by him, and he went in for a day or two to drop some lead vocals in. Actually, that's probably exactly what happened! Odd.


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: Sound of Free on June 25, 2018, 04:10:16 PM
All I Want to Do (from 20/20)

California Saga/California


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: rickymyfataar on June 26, 2018, 01:22:27 AM
I've always had a feeling that Mike had a hand in the lyrics for Airplane

"My lover is waiting at the airport
Soon she'll be kissing me hello
The woman sitting next to me tells me 'bout her guy
And I tell her all about you and I"


This reeks of the Lovester to me


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: Rocker on June 26, 2018, 04:59:03 AM
Surfin' USA
Shut down
Little deuce coupe


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: HeyJude on June 26, 2018, 06:20:08 AM
I've always had a feeling that Mike had a hand in the lyrics for Airplane

"My lover is waiting at the airport
Soon she'll be kissing me hello
The woman sitting next to me tells me 'bout her guy
And I tell her all about you and I"


This reeks of the Lovester to me

Beyond Mike not receiving credit on the song (he does receive credits on other songs in this era that he contributed lyrics for with Brian), Mike is sitting next to Brian while Brian records that 1976 "demo" tape that includes "Airplane", and Mike seems largely unfamiliar with the songs Brian's demo-ing. He goes so far as to tell Brian (slightly paraphrasing from memory) "If I don't get that lead, I'll f**king quit the group." This demo tape is one of the most sympathetic portrayals of Mike ever, as it's a rare case of Mike showing genuine appreciation of not simply Brian's music, but of specific chord changes (reacting to the end chord change on "Let's Put Our Hearts Together" for instance), and also having great enthusiasm for stuff Brian has written. To put it bluntly, I don't picture Mike sitting next to Brian during the "That's Why God Made the Radio" sessions gushing over songs Brian was bringing to the project and being *so* enthusiastic about one of Brian's songs that he (Mike) would go so far as to jokingly threaten to quit the group if he doesn't get the lead.

In any event, all of the context of that tape indicates Mike has probably not heard "Airplane" before, and he talks about singing it very much as a case of Brian "giving" the song to him (Mike). And, "Airplane" is pretty much fully intact musically and lyrically (a few tiny changes are made, such as "my girlfriend" to "my lover", and "I hope she kisses me hello" to "Soon she'll be kissing me hello") apart from the "can't wait" tag that was actually recorded very late in the game after the main part of the finished master for the song was recorded.


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: rickymyfataar on June 26, 2018, 07:08:38 AM
Thanks for clearing that up Hey Jude. I've always felt the same about Roller Skating Child too, very Mike Love like lyrics.


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: Wirestone on June 26, 2018, 02:49:39 PM
Sloop John B.


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: CenturyDeprived on June 26, 2018, 03:31:15 PM
Sloop John B.

 I'm excluding cover songs here  :)


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: Zargo on June 26, 2018, 11:32:29 PM
California Calling.


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: rickymyfataar on June 27, 2018, 11:13:42 PM
County Fair
Little Deuce Coupe


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: HeyJude on June 28, 2018, 06:34:52 AM
MIke only co-write a few "Love You" songs, so stuff like "Ding Dang", "Airplane", "Roller Skating Child", kind of "Love is a Woman", and "Johnny Carson" feature his lead parts without having co-written the songs.

Mike also sang "Child of Winter" which he didn't have a hand in.

I don't think he's credited on "HELP Is On the Way", right?

There's some MIU stuff that Mike sang lead parts on that he isn't credited as writing:

Hey Little Tomboy (B. Wilson)
Winds of Change (Altbach-Tuleja) (yes, kind of a "cover", but I'd call this more an *original* written by outside writers; they weren't picking a song because they were referencing another band's recording)

He also sings a few lead lines on:

Santa Ana Winds (Jardine-B.Wilson)
Island Girl (Jardine)

Technically one line on:

You're Still a Mystery (B.Wilson-Paley)




Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: John Brode on June 28, 2018, 05:17:58 PM
Weren't there a lot of songs on the first four albums or so that he sang lead on, with lyrics written by Gary Usher or Roger Christian? i.e. Shut Down, County Fair, Heads You Win, Ten Little Indians, etc.


Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: Custom Machine on June 30, 2018, 12:05:31 AM

Thanks for clearing that up Hey Jude. I've always felt the same about Roller Skating Child too, very Mike Love like lyrics.


I cannot picture Mike, at 35 years of age, writing a song about "making sweet love till the sun goes down" to a roller skating child.

Brian, yes, its just "Brian being Brian," obvious to the incorrectness of stating you're going to make sweet love till the sun goes down to a "child" and even do more when her mama's not around.

Then again, I've always been baffled as to why the BBs had no problem performing the song in concert.

Overall, it's a great rocking' song, and if It were titled and sung as "Roller Skating Beauty" the cringe worthy element would go away and I'd be able to enjoy the song a zillion times more.

Bottom line -  Mike had nothing to do with these inane lyrics.




Title: Re: Songs Mike sang lead on that he did not write lyrics for
Post by: Kid Presentable on June 30, 2018, 02:27:37 AM
It looks really bad now, from a lyrical standpoint.  As do a string of those types of songs that Brian wrote in that era, including Lazy Lizzie and Hey Little Tomboy. 

Part of it is that it was just the era- this happened a lot then and wasn't really majorly taboo yet at that point.  Reference Ringo Starr covering "You're 16, You're Beautiful" as a 33 year old, and making a music video of it as a 37 year old (with Carrie Fisher, give it a watch) right around the same time Love You was released... part of it is just "Brian being Brian" at that point, with some sort of naivety or childlikeness in viewpoint of the lyrics... part of it might be something a bit ignored or explained away by fans, that is pretty uncomfortable to confront.