The Smiley Smile Message Board

Who is on Spanish Kokomo?

Just had a listen to this - it's really not one I listen to often. Unlike the regular version I don't hear Carl and I do hear Brian. Who else is on it?

I'm assuming J Foskett, Mike, Al & Bruce. But is there a definitive listing somewhere?

It sounds like Carl to me on his normal parts.  The main difference I hear is Brian on it.

I guess the appearance of Brian is the only difference to the hit single. Carl is on it and sings the same parts as on the english version, though single tracked (or at least that's what it sounds to me).

Don't know if Terry Melcher sings on the spanish version, he does on the original though.

Terry sang on the demo for the English language version, as did Jeff. But per Bruce, their vocals were wiped - by Carl, who insisted that "only actual Beach Boys should be singing on this."

Bravo for Carl Wilson!!

I'm 97% sure you can hear Terry clearly in parts of the chorus.

Isn't Terry still in the final mix though? On the tracksheet, the group chorus vocals are spread across two tracks (with Mike's low part on another two tracks), but there's a separate track which reads "Terry chorus." To my ears, the group is panned left and right, and there's a very clear Terry Melcher sounding vocal doubling the second part, coming from the center of the mix - especially in the last choruses during the fade out.

The big mystery is why was Brian permitted to participate in the Spanish version? It has been said that he wasn't allowed to be in the original single unless Landy was credited.

Once "Kokomo" hit No. 1, Landy's camp was scrambling to get Brian on the wagon, however possible. Hence, Brian singing along with the group on the chorus at the L.A. Coliseum that fall (as seen in "Full House"), and singing on the Spanish language version. Short of finding a time machine and sending him back to the recording session or video shoot for the original version, that was about all that could be done at that point...