The Smiley Smile Message Board

Right now, it's the fade of 'The Like In I Love You'. So simple and spellbinding. The little bit before the second verse is possibly more beautiful, though, with those high strings. I can't stop playing it now.

What about you? What can't you stop playing? What's going over and over in your head? What makes you wake up in the night and think 'Hot damn! What a sweet part', before going back to sleep cursing the genius of the Wilson or other person responsible?

For me, it's "Don't Fight the Sea." Sometimes lately I wake up in the middle of the night with that song stuck in my head in a loop. DFTS has a way of sneaking up on me. Whenever I play Al's album, I have to play DFTS twice. I'd say I'm hooked. :)

The moment in "Pet Sounds", around 1:50, where the music swells downward a bit, and right when it concludes, the original rhythm section kicks back in. Something about that just mesmerizes me.

Moments that have kicked my ass in the past:
-The opening instrumental bit of God Only Knows. It makes me think of Christmas.
-When Brian sings "it only makes it worse to liiiiiiiive without it" toward the end of Wouldn't It Be Nice, that's the closest I've ever come to a religious experience.
-Any one of the unbelievable vocal arrangements on Smile.

On a beautiful summer morning when I don't have to go to work and can just enjoy the day, there is nothing more perfect than "Country Air".  The other day, I had "Shortnin' Bread" stuck in my head and drove my kids crazy by singing it for hour upon hour... they wanted to kick my ass!

The tag to "Cabinessence."

Wake the World and Old Man River.

This summer, whenever I'm listening to my iPod at the beach, I can't get away from the opening of "California Girls" in stereo.  Perfection.

So true.

The reverb in the second chorus of the instrumental track to "California Girls."

The "da...da da da" part before the vocals kick in at the beginning of GOK.

The "Pied Piper, I Better Get Back In Bed" part in Mount Vernon and Fairway. I can literally listen to it for hours and not get bored.  ;D

DEEP and WIDE

(Hi. New guy here. This seemed like a good thread to start with.)

I'm going with 1:41-2:14 of "Good Vibrations," right after the second chorus. Can't help but air-sleighbell there.  :lol

I love the bass during thatr section. Although I can't tell if it's an actual bass guitar or a bass keyboard note.

The fade of "Melt Away". Simple yet complex. I particularly like the mix of the song that appears of the original pressing of the Brian Wilson album which includes a vocal overdub (which I'm sure is NOT Brian but it's pretty nonetheless) that doesn't appear on the remastered edition.

Welcome Austin, hope you enjoy yourself on here!

As for specific musical moment, I have the 'at 25 I turned out the light...' part of Goin' Home from TLOS stuck in my head. Also Shortenin Bread is is my head cos Gon' Home uses the SB riff   ;D

The very underrated 'Winds of Change' ...... the whole song is lavish and sumptuous but *that coda* with the snare drum and those harmonies drives me nuts.

Particularly that 'stereo' remix version that I've heard is out there. Magical.

'And o-o-o-o-oh come the night time...'

Gettin Hungry  :)

Just remembered my favorite. The 'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" at the end of GV just before the chorus kicks in again. To me, that may be the defining moment for the band.

Sandy, baby, it's time we said goodbye.

Today's asskicker -

STARTED A CHAIN REACTION OF LOVE!

 ;D

Stereo version of 'You're So Good To Me' and the bass in :47 - 1:14 of 'Song for Children' PC version (both have been kicking my @$$ for months now).

I think it's impossible to have just one!

When the flutes come in near the end of GOK
'Grand Coulee' section of Cabinessence, without the vocals
'Look/I Ran'
The descending strings at the end of OMP. Why the hell he decided to go in that direction, I'll never know, and I LOVE it.

I discover something new every time I listen to Heroes and Villains; a bit of chorus or new instrumental or something. As well as Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder), so haunting yet, so moving. It leaves me speechless every time.

Oh my god, this. That part is just sheer sonic perfection - Such a dense, luscious wall of sound. Every single live version gets it wrong too, as they tone it down (especially Brian's band). That should be the time to start BRINGING THE NOISE!

Strings that pop up for a couple of seconds in the bridge of "Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long."

The "na, na na na na" bit in the Smiley Smile version of Wonderful.

Blueberry Hill

Originally, I wasn't a huge fan of this cut, used to be one of my least favorite covers the BB had to offer, but recently, from multiple re-listens, I think it to be more a great Spector imitation...I love the percussion, did Dennis play it on that one or was that Hal?

Just Once in Life, instrumental cut...

'I miss the way I used to call the shots around here'

I recall that Brian once said that he didn't write that line himself and that he didn't like it, but it always gives me goosebumps.

I LOOOOOVE that part. Probably the most moving part of the album, imo. I mixed a version of 'Surf's Up' on a whim with the 'na na na na' as the fade out, sounded interesting.

My pick? The Trader, 2nd verse when those soaring harmonies kick in and the hi-hat starts making that swishing sound. This is one of those 'screw the neighbours I'm cranking up the volume' moments if ever there was one!!!

 >:( Can anyone explain to me why my post has been taken off ??? I posted something on here last week, and now it's gone.

Ted

I believe the board switched webhosts or something, about 24 hours worth of posts got lost.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,8925.msg151917.html#msg151917

It wasn't you fault, Ted. Read this topic if you will, and you'll understand that due to a switch to new webhost quite a few posts of that day got lost. Our apologies you post got lost as well, it wasn't intended to happen.

Our Prayer kicks ass!

I know what  you mean about this line; especially when I was listening to a show, I think it was live somewhere in Europe during the Pet Sounds tour where Brian was performing a lot of rarities, but when I heard this song, I remember Jeff F. sang that line and it threw me back to Brian in the studio, though it was Jeff who sang it, his falsetto made it mean so much.

Baby! Don't be afraid to call....   A great ending to an otherwise mediocre song from the Imaginations album.

The bridge on Make a Wish

Coda of Surfs Up

We'll make sweet love until the sun goes down, we'll even do more when her mama's not around...

Hey little tomboy, sit here on my lap...

Lazy Lizzie, I saw you walkin' alone...

I wanna pick you up...

All dressed up for school, what a turn on...

Wearin' a shift and it looks real good (wearin' a shift, wearin' a shift)...

I've been loving the percussion on this song, there's just something about that beginning that's so special

...Drip Drop...

Let's Go Mudder Fuc*ers!

I love his little scream-y laugh near the beginning since it makes me picture Brian coming up from having just engulfed his entire face in cocaine and snorted as much as he could in the time before the next chorus and I laugh every time...

...and when he just starts saying random stuff near the middle of the song (something about his c*ck and the wall?!)...

...and I love every time he manically yells LET'S GO MOTHERFU*KRS!!!

Basically, this sort of craziness is why I love Love You, haha -- and I feel it would've benefited had it been laced with expletives as was surely the case at some point, ho ho ho.

The vocal bit underneath the second verse of Wouldn't It Be Nice. At least one version of Pet Sounds plays it solo after Caroline, No.

Yesterday I was listening to the clips of BWRGershwin on Amazon and the "S'Wonderful"
and "Summertime" clips were both in my head

Okay, so it's not Beach Boys, but the fluttering flutes in Dennis Wilson's 'Pacific Ocean Blue' are AMAZING with headphones on. And the chorus to the instrumental of 'Cabinessence'....

Great thread!

The first 30 seconds and last minute of "Holy Man"

The last 15 seconds of "Don't Go Near the Water"

Rio Grande from 3:57-4:17: the mandolin or whatever it is and "Whoa, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yea-ah"

The bridge on Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long

Carl's guitar solo on Long Promised Road

"Wherever she goes you know the devil dances and the gods lay down in defeat" 

"Everybody wants to live just once"

I've probably exceeded my quota, though I could certainly go on.

The bridge of "Sweet Sunday Kind of Love"...

I always turn the radio all the way up, just for a second, right after that... becuase if you do, you can hear the reverb of all of their voices echoing in the silence.  It sounds like just complete silence, but if you turn it way up, you can hear this really HEAVY echo from what they just sang, it's fucking incredible.  I mean INCREDIBLE, try it next time you hear it... just be sure to turn it right back down or it'll blow your speakers when the music comes back in, lol.   You've heard it enough, you can time it right :)

The one i've been listening to lately though is "California Girls", specifically the drums.  They're incredible.  From the time they come into the song, all the way through they're just some of the greatest drums I've ever heard. 

"Slip On Through" - just discovered the group's buried background vocal chorus while listening to the song's backing track at youtube. This is just amazing, I'm sure they could've made two songs out of this if they'd wanted to.

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I've totally done this before as well.  You're right, it's absolutely f*cking incredible!

And, if you listen to the single version mix on Greatest Hits Vol. 1 or the stereo version on the first release of Endless Harmony, you hear the drums more up front throughout the song.  Also, they both have the longer fade, which includes the drum fills. It is great fun to listen to; Hal is just terrific on CG.

I never used to be much of a fan of 'Slip on Through' until I heard the backing instrumental track on 'Get The Boot'. It's friggin' awesome!! Like something off 'Pet Sounds' played in a heavier Latin rock style. Now off to youtube to check out the backing vocal track you mentioned!

So glad you brought up the 'Slip on Through' backing track. I remember being in an alternate state of mind and got to REALLY listen what was going on, and I got to fully appreciate what was going on in the background. It ended up being a favorite that moment, and I listened to it all the time, each time finding something new.

I'm listening to the backing track on youtube, and just WOW...though it always bring me back to the eternal question...brian or alan?  :ahh

The descending guitar behind the final vocal lines of "In the Back of My Mind".

The whole Friends LP is really driving me wild.  There's something about the breezy California acid rock of the late 60s that's really great. Just the whole band chilling making music and having fun.
Plus Mike wasn't there for most of it!

The organ solo at ther near end of Wendy.

The rough 'n' ready Beach Boys demo for "River Song" esp that frantic percussion at the end. Shows you in 3 mins what the group shoulda/coulda been in the second half of the seventies.

Those errie, yet hauntingly beautiful "Ooohs" Carl sings during the middle eight for "Baby Blue Eyes".

That damn near demonic, freaky whirling violins and thumping bass on "Fire" - seriously if Brian was walking round with tunes like that floating around his brain it's no wonder he was near ready for the rubber room.

It's not really kicking my ass per-say, but I do think it's funny the way Brian was able to sing "tell us the name of your favorite vegetable" with such conviction, like he was singing something that wasn't totally goofy.

The opening of I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' made me nearly crack up for some reason. It reminds  me so much of SMiLE, like Cabin Essence. I've never listened to Gershwin, mind you. I know, I know. Bad me. There's plenty of artists I need to listen to or find more of. And I'll do that... as soon as I get a HDD.  :hat

I've been practicing some Beach Boys songs on bass and what's been kicking my ass currently is the ending of "Pom Pom Play Girl".
The way the chords change at the end is so odd to me, but so so cool. Still trying to figure it out!

I thought the exact same thing about 'I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'', very SMiLE-esque.

Indeed. I think it might be my current favorite song off the album, but my tastes change like the Missouri weather, so you can never know.  :lol

It's not exactly Beach Boys, but I LOVE the piano leading into the big drum roll, followed by Marylin belting out "Ariiiiise, ariiiiise, my darling...". Gets me every time.  ;D

The tag ending of "The Like in I Love You."

The ending tag of "I Got Rhythm".

The chorus instrumental of Good Vibrations. If you have a subwoofer, crank it up as high as it can go....make the EQ bass heavy, and play it as loud as possible....I just realized how amazing the bass lines are in that song and I pissed off a few neighbors in the process lol.

The final "and I went...to...sleep" in "I Went to Sleep"

Listening to 'Shortnin' Bread' for the second time in a row. Putting it on repeat for the remainder of the afternoon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAvONx1Oxhs&feature=related

Does anyone know if that's Brian playing?

Sounds to me like the way he hits the keys.

It's funny. I think if Brian would record his songs like this with a few instrumental overdubs and some vocals, people would love it. It's better than Brian making vague suggestions and people guessing what he would have wanted had he said that in the 60s. I'd rather hear what Brian is capable of today. You don't need 10-20 instruments to make a good song. We all know that. His piano says so much here, way more than some arrangements on TLOS do.

I would love to agree with that, but I think the fact is there are just too many factions of fans with too many particular interests. The guy literally cannot win, in my opinion. If he did as you suggest, one currently annoyed group would be sated, and one currently sated group would start pining for fleshed-out arrangements.

I love this got revived with Shortenin' Bread! I play that every time i sit at a piano..... I mean, if Neu! did it it'd be seen as a krautrock masterpiece  :lol

The specific moment kicking my own posterior right now is Ol' Man River (Vocal Section). Too beautiful. I want an Ol' Man River boxset!

The WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA WHAAAA in the chorus of Wouldn't it be Nice

The Chorus in Aren't You Glad?

I've really been into Stevie lately.

I can't pick just one.  It changes all the time.  The acapella part of Why do Fools Fall in Love from the remaster on the SLS album stands out at this moment.  Only because I haven't changed the disc in my drive to work car in about 3 months.  I'm geting VERY familiar with these songs. :P


.........................and the Matt Jardine leads on the Paramount soundboards,

Can someone please tell me why the Beach Boys are so underrated?

I'm listening to 'In the Back of my Mind' backing track.....just got done listening to 'Kiss Me Baby' and 'Til I Die'....I am in complete amazement at Brian Wilson's ability to write all of this....

Absolutely amazing isn't it? Try singing the lyrics over the ITBOMM backing track, it is not easy at all, kudos to Denny!

Really? Was she as good as I imagined she'd be?  ;)

ahhhhh it's such a brilliant song (with or without vocals).

OK, yet another hind-kicking moment: the bass line in 'She Knows Me Too Well' is phenomenal.....well, the whole song kicks ass!  ;D

Almost as good as your mom.  >:D

Shocking!  :lol

You've had her too?  :p

I want to do meet her too. The dialogue sounds pretty horny delightful by now. Where can I hire meet her?

Our Prayer, Sloop John B A Capella, Wouldn't It Be Nice a capella and the stereo version of Let the Wind Blow. oh yes.

She doesn't f*ck meet  just anybody. You'll need some kind of money  appointment.

I've been really into Fall Breaks And Back To Winter lately. What an odd, deceptively complicated little song.

 :lol

Oh, I forgot...you're "The Don". You don't need any appointments.  ;)  8)

Don you can come over to my house and shaft my mother anytime you want, I'd consider it a privilege.  ;D

Eh... I need me some info... how old are you, mr Beard sir?

71.  And please, Sir sounds sooooo formal; why we'll be practically family soon!! :lol

The moment at 1.58 in "You Still Believe In Me" when the whole band come in with a vocal blast that is just chilling. Even better on the vocal only version. Of course.  ;D

 :lol :lol awesome.... a home run for you, son!

The bridge in 'The Little Girl I Once Knew'

15 Big Ones and Love You.

i used to avoid these albums like the plague.  but then i received them when i won a Beach Boys vinyl auction on ebay.  i finally gave them both a fair shot and i can't get them out of my head.  sure there are some clunkers but there are some gems also.

i think i'm gonna go listen to them now.

The "sometimes, i feel very sad" part of I Just Wasn't Made For These Times.

The "da, da da da da" part on the SMiLE version of Wonderful, right at the "Father down, the path was a mystery" verse.

The background vocals under "and when I go anywhere I see love" on "This Whole World." Amazing.

The part in "We'll Run Away" where Brian sings "anyhowwww" so beautifully twisted and going into a heavenly kind of modulation, at roughly 1:44 in the song.

Gives me chills, as do the chord changes happening at this part... so quickly do these brilliant changes go by, and you just want to hear them again right away.

Magical part on a really underrated song, and a superb BW vocal overall.

*strained falsetto* STARTED A CHAIN-CH-CHAIN REACTION! STARTED A CHAIN-CH-CHAIN REACTION! STARTED A CHAIN-CH-CHAIN REACTION OF LOVE!


I just realised i revived this thread last time.... with the same song  :lol Why on earth they haven't used this is beyond me. It'd be a million and two seller, i swear.

I've got the instrumental to 'California Girls' blasting from my stereo system right now. This is unreal.

"listening to them at their best is like being in some vast dream cathedral decorated with a thousand gleaming American pop culture icons." - That Lester Bangs quote sums up this song perfectly.

I love the Summer Days version, but this instrumental blows me away every time I listen to it.

I'm with you on that one.  The first time I heard that I was blown away.  That reverb during the choruses still knocks me out!

The last section/minute of the SS/WH version of "Can't Wait Too Long"...sometimes I can just listen to it over and over  (Same with "Whistle In").

I was listening to Hawthorne the other day and "Lonely Days" caught my ear. That's one snippet that I wish had been made into a two or three minute number.

I agree, it's a lost gem.  I did an edit repeating the existing verse & chorus, then fading on a repeated chorus, and it feels more complete.

I've had KTSA on repeat for the past week  :hat

Carl on "Livin' With A Heartache" and Mike on "Goin' On" is whats makin my heart melt right now...and kickin my ass  :lol

Realizing how off of Bruce Johnston's album Goin' Public album, "Won't Somebody Dance With Me" is one hell of a creepy song. It's kicking my ass in hilarity.  :lol

The backing vocals on the booted take 12 of Slip On Through.  ;D

The string section break in the second half of Little Bird. Freakin' cool.

That part always reminded me of a song I heard when I was a child, but I can't remember what it was. I think it was from a children's show....or possibly a sing-a-long tape. Either way, gotta agree that it's freakin cool.  8)

"Be here and make my life FULLLLLL"

The buzzing synth that comes in at roughly 1:25 in "Passing By." 

"Let him run wild, he'll find out" (something about the way he sings "find out")

The backing vocals at the end of "Breakaway."

The "na na na"s on "Little Bird."

"Is somebody gonna tell me why she has to hi-yi-yiiide?" from "The Night Was So Young"

I got more.  Man, this is a great topic.

"kiss a little bit, fight a little bit. WHOA, BABY..."  from Kiss Me, Baby chorus

the driving guitar and theramin at the end of GV

 the flute jam in Feel Flows

a cappella break in I Can Hear Music

a whole bunch more, but I gotta run now.

I have had "We'll Run Away" stuck in my head for 3 or 4 days now. Can't get the thing out. :o

Stevie just might be Brian's best unreleased song (not counting anything to do with Smile.)
I love the lyrics and the melody.

BTW, if this was during the hamburger/coke sessions, I'm really surprised [Brian or Denny] had session musicians (horn players)

Great tune that one - Brian really sang the hell out of it.  His leads during that '64-'65 era were just out of this world.

pat pat pat pat her on her butt butt

 :lol
_____

Another ass-kicking moment: Dennis singing "the sun in her hair, the warmth of the air" in 'Girls On The Beach' - friggin' awesome.

Absolutely. I also think it's his best unreleased song. I LOVE the little "bah, bah bah bah" riff right at the end of the chorus. I hope you get where I mean. Talking about riffs anf harmonies in Beach Boys songs is often difficult in messageboards.  ;D

I just now listened to the complete version of Mona Kani. For some reason, I had always shut it off after a few seconds of the intro. Holy hell, talk about an ass kicking moment!  ;D

Dennis singing Bruce Johnston's part at the end of "God Only Knows" from the 1972 Carnegie show.

Hell yes at this.

Backing up the Stevie love as well. Such a neat, in the pocket song. I suppose it's somewhat hedonistic origins effectively vetoed it for inclusion in BB's 85.... Crazy bastards.

The "doo-do doo-do doo-do-do fly away" tag at the end of "At My Window." Always ass-kicking and freakin' amazing! It's also somewhat ironic to me that the song that tends to get some of the least overall respect on Sunflower (okay...maybe "Tears" has that honor, too) *might* have the album's greatest single moment.

And at that moment...all is well in the universe.

Disney Girls from the paramount live box recordings.

I don't think I'd be wrong in saying that "Don't Worry Baby" off The Beach Boys in Concert is the greatest live performance of any song ever performed. Every solitary second of that recording is kicking my ass right now.

Aw yeah. One of the few albums I don't own so I find myself listening to it on YouTube pretty frequently.

'Don't Worry Baby' from Concert is a fantastic recording...not my favorite live song by them, but it certainly is beautiful.

Live at Knebworth 1980 is my favorite live album by them - there is so much energy in that recording. I need to get the DVD of that soon.

My reply;  parts of that 93 box set  live tour are the best BB moments for me these days.  Not all of it but there are some very special parts.......
The owners of this material need to package and release it.      Call it the anniversary box tapes.....no need to say WHICH anniv!

I actually went to the trouble of downloading all the YouTube videos and converting them to MP3 just so I wouldn't have to go on YouTube to listen to them.

This KICKS MY ASS and leaves me dumbfounded every single time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiGAOVVyuzo&feature=related

Today, I found a song I love :hug...kiss me baby..oh' baby..love to hold you tight :love

This song put a smile on my face all day. I'm surprised i never heard it before.

And the funny part of this all is: this song was released on the "Today!" album.  :)

If you like this song by the way, I recommend you to get this album. The whole b-side only contains great ballads (except for the last track which is an interview). I'm pretty certain, you'll love them all. O, and not to forget two Dennis Wilson leadvocals (Do You Wanna Dance? and In The Back Of My Mind).

I never knew Denny was the lead singer of Do you wanna dance until I came here in 2009. I seen the video on youtube. Sounds real good. I have a cd with that song.

I can hear music :thumbsup

Darlin. Carl is jammin in concert.

If you haven't heard it yet, listen to 'She Knows Me Too Well' (also from Today!). It's my second favourite song on that album (first being 'In The Back Of My Mind').

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA7-05fXS_Q (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA7-05fXS_Q)

Thanks. Love the song.

"I know there's an answer, I know now but I had to find it by myself" - one of my favorite vocals on Pet Sounds.

I've always really liked Bluebirds Over the Mountain, but the other day I really heard the bass parts for the first time and I was knocked out

Darlin'. It sounds better the louder it gets!  :smokin

"Are You Real?" (from POB Legacy). The entire song but especially the frantic coda. Why doesn't anybody ever mention this song??? Hell, the whole 2 cd set kicks my ass anytime I bust it out...

"So hard to lift the jeweled scepter when the weight turns a smile to a frown."

Currently experiencing renewed love for Long Promised Road, Little Bird and This Whole World.

Ive always hated that line in particular, though overall I like the lyrics of that song. Oh, sh*t, I'm being a party pooper, aren't I?

Great song regardless.

Care to tell us what you hate about it? I like that line. It evokes feelings of how great it must be to be on top of the world in good times, but how tough it must be to bear all the responsibility when things go bad.

Good question.
I don't know. I know it doesn't work for me. Oddly, I think it's one of the stand-out lines of that song, meaning, when I think of that song, I find myself singing that particular line, for some reason it really sticks in my head, so in that sense it's successful.--I guess the 'weight turns the smile to a frown' part seems strained to me, and the line in general evokes a rather comical image in my head, which is inappropriate for the song. So perhaps it's my own brain reacting with the line that bothers me.

overall, I think Reilly's an underrated lyricist, albeit with a few tendencies I find grating(too many past participles, maybe). I regret that he didn't write further with the group as I think he would have developed into something even better.

The harpsichord right before Brian sings each 'I guess I just wasn't made for these times' in IJWMFTT.

The entire Surfer Girl album - Brian's falsetto in 'Surfer's Rule' is incredible....what a kick-ass song!

San Miguel! Been listening to it on repeat a lot for the past couple days.

yeah right on - have really been into old man river lately

I hear that!  It runs thru my brain every couple of days, when I least expect it.  Don't know why, tho.

Long time follower of this site and first post ever,couldn't resist... My musical moment right now has to be on I'm So Young. At the 10 second mark when the bass and vocals kick in immediately after  "she says I'm her only one"  I just have to play it over and over.

That moment of cavernous echo just after the first chorus of the acapella 'I Just Wasn't Made For These Times'.

The multiple saxes at the end of Lay Down Burden

The moment you drop off the cliff in Good Vibrations

The vocal tag on This Whole World

The moment the French Horns come in on God Only Knows

The horns in California Girls

Friends, Friends, and even more Friends...

Specifically? The bass arrangements and the organ...is there a simple slide guitar line in BHTM? Also, great bells throughout...

Such a hard, but good question! Had to comment on this one! For me it has to be the harmonies on Time to Get Alone, more specifically the end of the alternative version. But saying that, there are so many moments in so many of their songs that have the same effect!

Everything about California Girls  ;D

Hal Blaine is a F#$%ing genius for those drums in 'California Girls' - listen to the drums on the outro!! Utterly Jaw-dropping. This song is the greatest thing that has ever happened to this world.

We'll Run Away

This song is just plain beautiful.

"i'm glad i went, now i'm that much more sure that we're ready."

chills at this moment, without fail.

the ethereal guitar chords on CIFOTM are destroying me lately too.

Today I put on my really crappy ipod headphones and blasted 'California Girls' and I've never heard it sound so good. I have a decent stereo system, studio monitor headphones, but for some reason my garbage ipod headphones made this song sound like pure gold. It blew my mind it sounded so good.

I guess since Brian was following Spector's 'Wall of Sound' idea (which was meant to be heard from garbage speakers, right?) it makes sense that it would really translate well to junk headphones.

Currently digging MC Love`s mad rapping skills in Summer of Love...Yo, he blows Puffy, Biggie, Snoop, Dre, Eminem, Fiddy, LL Cool J, Cube, Ice T, Vanilla Ice, Hammer, and his Smart Girl-loving cuz out of the water. Fo sho! :lol

The ultra surf guitar solo on early version of Do It Again from Endless Harmony. It's missing Drums. But, even in this incarnation, this early version proves do it again is a B.B./M.L. classic.

The "come and do it baby" just before the outro in Do It Again. Short, simple but essential.

Do you like the acapella version on the b-side of Don't Fight The Sea? Wow, both version are on my mega B.B. playlist!

I love the part 2:00 in, after they sing "do it again" mike or dennis yell out this climatic owwww that's infectious. Spontaneous moments like this are what we live for in music. Legendary!

Right now? Then it's the synth note 3:07 in on this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG6qOTEKfVw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG6qOTEKfVw)

Wonderful on the Mojo 45.

Wonderful is my favorite Beach Boys song of all time. Great choice. I love all Beach Boys versions of this song--i'll take em even Wonder-Bill

The part about 52 seconds into Rollin' Up To Heaven where one of the guys starts doing his best Captain Beefheart impression.

Does anyone else here 'Let's get together and Sue It Again' on the final line of, well, guess?

I think it's cos on the early versions, Mike sings '...and Surf Again', but obviously overdubbed '...and Do It Again' on the later take which made it on the record. The early vocal being a relic from the hasty remake after they lost the tape....

Either that, or I'm prejudiced   :lol

To answer the question at hand, right now it's Sunny Down Snuff. Those hums..... BLISS

It warms my heart when my old thread gets revived  :)

That's precisely the moment I was talking about - I, too, previously thought it was a spontaneous "owww", but found out it was actually "coooome and do it baby"! IT WAS ALL PLANNED OUT!  ;D

I'm loving that wailing blues guitar solo that's floating throughout Steamboat. Steamboat is one, of the many, underrated B.B. classics.

"Lonely Sea"  off of Surfin' USA. Haunting and beautiful.

Carl's last line in Goin' On. I don't know what it is about it. But every time I hear "Do do do, goin' aaaaahhhhh.../Come by redeemer", it gets me every time.  ;D

"Oh Lord I lay me down...." from you know where.  Kills me.

Do yourself a favor and listen to the last 30 seconds or so of that song with high quality headphones. It's an experience you won't forget.  :)

Thank You. You Are So Right. So amazing. I love that aspect of Beach Boys songs, if you just wait and really listen you will find masterpieces of aural greatness in just about every song.

It's like every piece of music is a journey inside the beauty, the madness and the glory of it all. Who couldn't love The Beach Boys? Essential in this world.

The "Boys & Girls" Heroes vocal riff that ends disc 2 of Hawthorne. Pure vocal sonic bliss.

'When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)' - both the album version and the instrumental. That coda is fucking incredible.

Agreed. That song is gut-wrenchingly great. Listening to most Beach Boys songs on a great pair of headphones is a novel experience.

Loving the bass line from This Song Wants to Sleep With You Tonight.

When you get to the line "It only makes it worse to liiiiiiiive without it, but let's taaaaaallk about it" on WIBN (preferably the stereo version), the way Brian's falsetto rises above the rest of the harmonies. It's breathtaking.

Friends.     Sounds like each sonic moment is presented against a black velvet background.  Such good seperation and layering of the sound.  All bleed and distortion controlled.  Those melodies against that silent background.    BW was not too far off to call this one of his favorites.

'Fun, Fun, Fun' - When Brian sings "You shouldn't've lied now, you shouldn't've lied," in the background.

Right now I'd have to say "Let Him Run Wild" as a whole. If I had to chose one part I'd go with the transition from the verses to the chorus.

Dont Worry Babby and the.end of Surfs Up. Jezus howd anybody figure out how to make that stuff exist¡¿¡¿¡

The early version of "Big Sur"

Yes siiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

'Where I Belong': It's from a largely terrible mid-80's album. Dennis is dead. Brian's mojo is absent. Steve Levine from bloody Culture Club is producing. All the ingredients there for something utterly ghastly...

And I LOVE IT! I cannot stop listening to this song at the moment. At present, it's getting played pretty much very morning before going to work, and every night before going to bed. To me, it ranks up there with Feel Flows, Trader, etc as a truely great Carl song. Love it!!

'Wonderful'; it sounds like Bach.

"Wind Chimes" on SOT vol. 18, track 12 (insert take 2).  What was this for?  Is there any Smile equivalent?  Sounds like it would make a good ending to the track.

The entirety of 'She's Goin' Bald' - I ignored the lyrics and focused on the background singing/instrumentals - it's like a completely different song.

Actually, I'm listening to Smiley Smile at the moment - what an underrated gem.

The instrumental to California Girls is awesome. It's really powerful. I love when the sax comes in on the second verse.

That instrumental got bumped into my top 5 favorite songs as of late.

The wall-of-sound that reverberates in the coda is just incredible. When I crank this song up on my studio headphones nothing else matters for 3+ minutes.

The unused backing vocals heard on take 12 of Slip On Through. "Love you love you, loooooooooove you, believe me...".  :)

the guitar riff from inoculated city

 :brow

Great song.

I'm a relatively recent Dennis convert--and obsessing a lot over "Bambu", which is just a fantastic album.

My pet Dennis moment of late: the instrumental break near the end of "Only With You." (The BB's version is pretty great too, but the harmonium in the DW version just gives it that extra je deneau ouada faqidis.)

Side Two of Today never ceases to amaze me with its emotional ballads.

Side One is no slouch, either. That is one fine album, indeed.

Side one is great, with songs hinting at the direction side two is going take. (don't hurt my little sister) Today was truly the spiritual farewell to the early era of the beach boys.

Not kicking my ass, but that 10 second clip of Spring Vacation has been repeating itself in my head at least once an hour for the past couple days.

Late at night, When the whole world's sleeping, I dream of you, Close to you I feel your sweet heart beating, I dream of you...

This song is where I'm at at this time, when Dennis's voice comes in its so soothing.

The outro of Sweet Mountain by American Spring

the best part is when Brian sings "well it rained on the mountain, the mountain of love"
It's so subtle because his voice was just starting to change (he almost sounds like on the Mt.Vernon EP, same croaky voice, beautiful for this song!)

If you've got a really nice stereo, (or maybe it would do this on headphones, too, I never use headphones)... the beginning of the last verse of "Friends" is really cool because when it resolves back to that, there's this really fat bass note that they play on the bassoon or whatever that instrument is.  It plays all through the song but for whatever reason it sounds better on that verse... I think it's a little unexpected that it'll go back to the verse there, so maybe when you hear that "BWAAHHHhhhhhh" or whatever it is, it just sticks out more.

Anyways that the specific musical moment. 

At the moment it's the end of This Whole World, when the background vocals hit the

haaaaaahhhhmmmmmm

while Carl's voice goes all over the place then back to the chorus with the extra 'thiiiis....whooole....wooorld' in the background.

What a great moment.

Other great ones:

-A Capella part of Heroes and Villains- this blows my mind every time I hear it.  Has this euphoric ragtime feel to it and it makes me so happy whenever I hear it

- End of Vega-Tables on the Smile Sessions, love the simple arrangement and the barbershop-esque vocals.  So cool.  Especially the vocal line that sounds like whoever is singing it is holding his nose and covering his mouth.

- Slip on Through backing vocals in the second verse.  Love the 'aaaaaah' on top, the 'yeah yeah yeah' coming in and the 'oooohhhh' at the end

- The end of Summertime on BWRG.  What a lovely tag.

- Vocals in the chorus of Wind Chimes.....WOW

- Ends of Til I Die, You Still Believe in Me, California Girls, God Only Knows.  Love those songs with beautiful melodic harmonies that repeat at the end.

- Chorus of Help Me Rhonda.  An expression of pure joy. 


There's like 10000 others I could name but this is off the top of my head  8)

You are so right. This powerful moment transcends the rest of the song, which is already great.

At present i'm wallowing in the Today sessions which are heavenly, and at times somewhat foul-mouthed (Brian singing at a session for Dance Dance Dance: 'dance dance dance/right there on the spot/my d**k's really hard').

The tag to Cabinessence and the intro to All I Wanna Do.

chorus to my diane.

The chord changes during the line "But now my branches suffer..." from A Day In The Life Of A Tree. Actually, that whole song is awesome.  ;D You have to listen to it on headphones though, to get the full effect of it.

day in the life of a tree is in my top 10.  That song is insanely wonderful.  Should get more respect!

I am constantly listening to You're Still a Mystery. Good track!

We'll Run Away - Somehow this one slipped by me, until like last week. But man, that thing's a beast.
Don't Talk - Always kicking my ass. Everyday of every week. That song makes me feel like I'm touching god.

Agreed...the tag might even be my *top* tag of all...people don't like the lead vocal, I think it is great, especially when he lets rip 'Oh lord I lay me down...'  However, I wonder if it would have been even more great if a Wilson had sang it...

For me a real highlight that I never see anyone else give any love to is the bridge of "Oh Darlin'." Great harmonic movement in that bridge, ascending harmonies sung perfectly. The only downside is it's juuust a bit clunky in the handoff back to the chorus. But still a little gem. Too bad nobody ever seems to notice this ass-kicking moment.

Indeed, Mike & Carl are terrific. The highlight that makes a so-so song more listenable.

Fade-in intro to Don't Worry Baby - unique treatment for the start of a song.

When the background vocals come in full force on DWB, (I mean on the 2nd verse, not the first chorus)

"I close my eyes and here it comes again  . . . . . . . . . . I can hear . . . . "

Almost any part of Add Some Music . .

"When I take her to the drags, she really shines . . . . . She always turns in the fastest time . . . . . ."  Pure Mike Love at his best
                                                                 

Mike's lead on "All I Wanna Do."  Damn I wish he'd kept singing like that for the next 20 years!

Yeah, that side 2 is a killer, especially that last ballad....the acapella on Big Daddy is so good.  ;)



All kidding aside, I feel like the order of how the tracks play out is so primitive. side 1 has it's two singles at the start and end like most of record companies plan these tracklistings (I think).....A Pet Sounds essay or book taught me about that....the 2nd side is a different story, I do believe Please Let Me Wonder is a B-side to one of the current singles but the ending of side 2 doesn't follow that format...I do believe Kiss Me Baby is the B-side to Help Me Rhonda...and I wanna say She Knows Me too Well is the b-side to something else.
Hypothetically, I always wanted Guess I'm Dumb to end the 2nd side...I thought it'd be appropriate AND it'd be a fantastic "thank you" to Glen C. for being in Brian's in place. Although All Dressed Up For School was a current track that coulda been on Today! I don't think it'd be a good idea to end the album with that, although it'd sound rather interesting...kind of a Brian type of humor...like he's expressed all these dark ideas and themes and then goes into another litlle fetish of his.

This brings up a couple other things that bug me and I'd love to hear what everyone thinks about it. Had the track to Sandy/She Needs Me, first off, I think it'd be a great b-side to a 3rd single to Summer Days (perhaps Salt Lake City be the A-side?) anyways, I just think Summer Days is in dyer need of a ballad like so...we kinda get one (Girl Don't Tell Me) that's Rubber Soul esc (and I know-Ticket to Ride) and I guess Let Him run Wild is a ballad...but what I mean is more of a slowed down ballad (since Bruce had just joined, isn't he known as the ultimate balladeer?  ;)) such as Sandy...But I will give ue....the 2nd side to Summer Days is very creative and different: yes it starts with a single but goes into LHRW (which is fantastic and CG b-side) and then You're so Good To me, which in my opinion is a fantastic song and its simplistic production is fantastic....kind of a predecessor to Wild Honey album imo. Summer Brings New Love is a great instrumental...honestly the best one up until this album...even though focusing on guitar like most BB instrumentals up to this point, it's still really a great relaxed tune...the strings at the end are fantastic, almost like the ending to In the Back of My Mind...Bugged at my oldman, yeah, we see Brian's humor which comes in smalll doses in each album....at least this was in the form of a song and not an album filler (i.e. spoken track)....and of course And Your Dreams come True is one of the best album endings of any beach boys album...up until they found out how to put a smile song at the end of an album but that's another theme for another post or essay as I've just written.  ::)

That part on Smile when someone sings "Geronimo leaps and bounds over the dustbowl"

What does it mean?

Amazing! Are there any more moments like this with Brian on The American Spring album? Love to hear his voice in this period.

I gotta say: it's been very hard to get the chorus of TWGMTR out of my head.

It felt kinda slight at first, but damn, it truly gets under my skin. And makes me think good thoughts.

Pet Sounds, mind you, didn't grab me out of the gate either--some things take time. Often, the good things in particular.

On the train journey home tonight got Into "Rock and Roll To The Rescue" never gave the track much credit until today don't know why but Brian got in my ear...

"My love is burnin' brightly
My moon and stars shine nightly"

The harmonies on those line are just amazing.  I have listened to this song about 20 times today.

It's hot in LA this week, and Dennis' 'Bambu' is my soundtrack.

Tonight, the moment I can't let go of is from Cocktail--the part that builds to the crescendo where Dennis sings "why...won't you say you love me? Oh, oh no..."

That album overwhelms me today--it's the kind of thing that forces me to admit that there's nothing coming out today that can do this kind of thing to me. It's joyous and crushing at the same time.

the bass right after the bridge for "that's why god made the radio".  i love that bass lick, so good. 

The bass on I'll Bet He's Nice. Listening to the vinyl, with a subwoofer boosting the bass lines, it sounds incredible. The production really comes into its own on the 2nd side I think. Just sparse and beautiful - the little staccato punches of drums and synth  :brian

The section before the last chorus on "This Whole World."

The Brian piano demo of "I'll Bet He's Nice" in which Mike loses his Gosh Darn mind over how good it is. You listen to it and realize if you were there, you'd be exclaiming in the exact same manner because it's so good. So cool to hear.

Where the piano and drums kick in on Love to Say Dada.

I'm gonna now say the part of "Shelter" that goes:
Do you still ever think of me/and the way that we used to be/when the world was just you and me/hanging out in our shelter

This just kills me. This conjures up the same exact transcendent vibe as "Don't Worry Baby", "When I Grow Up to Be a Man", and maybe "Let Him Run Wild" but with a middleaged bittersweetness that is so incredibly true. What a perfect little section.

All of PCH.

... as posted in another thread, this song broke me like no other Beach Boys song ever did before.

That final word... Gut-wrenching in a way I thought only Dennis Wilson knew how to wrench. Cataclysmic, no-return stuff. Very hard to take.

YEPP. This song is like NO other I've heard. It's fantastic.

Kicking my ass right now ? as in this very moment ?

Well its got to be the 'Rolling Stone' acoustic mini-set   :o

The bridge of Cuddle Up.  I had never heard this song until today and as I was playing through the album on my way to work, I wasn't really paying attention to the song much until the strings and piano in the bridge started playing.  My eyes welled up and I was floored.  Now I am listening on my good home system, and it's really amazing.  This is the first Dennis song that I 'get'.

Hell yes, that's a fantastic track. That was my gateway drug into the world of Dennis, along with, strangely, the "Barbara" demo(s).

I'm just glad Stamos never covered it. :lol

the french horn in shelter.  and brian's syncopated vocals.

If only Murry had been around to show Brian how to do those syncopated vocals.

I hadn't listened to Dennis' "Tug Of Love" much before. As soon as I pressed play, those first chords - right up to where Dennis starts singing, I could have sworn I was listening to a Cocteau Twins track. But what kills me is the juxtaposition of a Mike Love-style bass vocal line in the chorus, cutting right in on the pre-shoegaze vibe. And then that part just before the fade!

The bridge of the studio version of Love and Mercy after the pause.  The vocals there are so wonderful.  It's like the bridge of The Whole World, but slowed down.

Two instrumental segments always kick my ass. 1st, the middle section on "here today"leading up to where Brian says "top" and the organ segment right after. Also love the middle section on "leaving this town." Very heady
Jet Without Wings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSf4EYeJ_s0
At 3:07 with the whistling and all, it just gets really stuck into my head for a while.

THE LONELY SEA. The chord progression is so soothing. I'm surprised way more artists haven't used it.

2:26 in Summer's Gone when Brian sings "another summer gone"

One of the best vocals I've heard from Brian.

God, the Mark Linett mix of Fallin' in Love, especially when the acoustic guitar kicks in. 

2 moments for me, had a long drive back from North Carolina so I played plenty of Beach Boys

1. "Love is woman, so tell her she smells good tonight! and then BW's voice not being able to carry the next "Love"
2. Our Prayer Dialog, the direction that Brian gives (which Love asks for) and then asking the group "You feeling the acid yet?"

Good call, Cbm. A bit more over the top on the guitar effects and you've got "Whale Tales," "Bluebeard" or "Wolf in the Breast."

Ever heard this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IleS6R_ovEE
My fave Chinese singer.

that cling sound when the beat slows down and before carl says "i love you" on please let me wonder...omg it gives me goosebumps :) so beautiful it can make you cry..

It's really bugging me. PCH? My minds gone blank. What's the song please?

Pacific Coast Highway

The fade on Goin On

A few that are really sticking with me right now:

1. The part on "From there to back again" where Al sings "The clouds are breakin' it's a beautiful day."  The way the whole track moves there under his strong vocal just floors me for about 5 seconds...I love it.

2. All of "Pacific Coast Highway."  By far my favorite song on the new album.  The "Goodbye" gives me chills and makes me pretty emotional every time I hear it.

3. "The Night was So Young" I guess it's the chorus...when Carl sings "won't somebody tell me why she has to LIE IE IE"  Love it. 

4. "California Feeling" from Al's album...lately I guess I'm a sucker for strong, high vocals from Al, but I really love last verse of this version, where he sings about eating a grapefruit, etc....great background vocals on this song too....this, with Al singing it, should be on the next album, I think.

Same here! Al's voice is the most authentically original thing going for the BB's right now. Not to take away from the others.

My favorite moment.. the key change in Be True To Your School. I think it's so genius how Brian found the perfect note to hold out while switching keys. Such an awesome moment. Brian at a very creative point there.

"on this summers day there is nowhere else i'd rather be" :) i love when al sings that part..

My 2-year-old daughter was just trying to sing along to Our Prayer, so that is kicking my ass right now.  :)

The piano chord changes in the beginning of Pacific Coast Highway and the beautiful guitar work on Summer's Gone.

Summers Gone, the very last word when Brian sings yesterday and (I think Mike) repeats it quietly after Brian. Even if that is not Mike, and I think it is, (can anyone verify?) it is an unbelievable way to end the last word on what may be their last album. If it is Mike, it makes it even more touching due to the history and such. I originally gave the record 7/10 but I had not heard it at home on a decent system and after another listen or two it's more like 8.5/10 for sure.

For the guy that said his 2 year old was singing along to Our Prayer, I know what you mean. My 4 year old daughter was DANCING to several tracks while I played the new record today. She likes the Beach Boys and it has nothing to do with me. I can site numerous instances since she came along where she has shown a connection if The Beach Boys are on in the car or house. It really brings things full circle and leaves me amazed.

It's Mike. And I think he does the same thing at the part "I'm thinking maybe I'll just stay"

Hehehe... babby.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/BUFg4AYaP3hn47x70CGs8Sfd_500.jpg

Stuff like that is just awesome.  My 5-year-old one day started singing Vega-Tables and I about died laughing.  It was so unexpected.

that beautiful fade out and melody at the end "this whole world" :)

Good taste she's got!!!! Start em early  :)

The Surfer Girl 1967 'rehearsal' from the Good Vibrations box. So beautiful.

hey have any of you guys had your baby mother/wife play the beach boys next to her tummy so they baby can listen too?
my mother played the beatles everyday when i was inside her tummy and as a result i became a beatle maniac!

Since we're telling cute kid stories, my daughter was a tough baby- she hated to sleep!  Honestly, the only thing that could really calm her down was rocking her while listening to the Beach Boys.  She's now nearly four and still into them (faves at the moment are Do You Wanna Dance and Surfer Girl), though she likes just about anything musical. 

I sang "God Only Knows" and "Surfer Girl" against my wife's belly when my daughter was in there :)

She's 2 1/2 now and I sing "Surfer Girl" to her just about every single night as she's falling asleep.  One night a few months ago she started singing it back...that's what it's all about right there...I don't mind telling you, I got pretty choked up hearing her sing it with me.

Middle eight of Some of Your Love

that is a beautiful story seriously :) one day if i ever have a child i will make sure i do the same (not the same song but definitely play it cuz i cnt sing at all lmao)

Sound Of Free. They should reissue this sh*t already.

If EMI/Capitol need a quick fix record store day product, just issue this 45 again. No kidding.

By now the synths on Palisades Park, Brian and Carl's duet on Just Once In My Life AND the In The Still of the Night harmonies. They're friggin' ear-catching!

All of Baby Blue is kicking my ass right now.  I am totally hit or miss on Dennis songs, but this one is just so good.  I've probably listened to it 20+ times today.

Hypehat, that is a great idea! Remaster it and give us a Record Store Day treat, if they did this the only problem for me would be that there are barely any independent record stores left in the West Midlands.

That's Brian who says 'I love you', not Carl.

x1,000,000

"This Whole World" - The bridge (?) with the the falsetto "woo-ooo-oo-oo's". It's ethereal, to an almost over-the-top degree.

"I Can Hear Music" - The first few lines of the song that Carl sings, especially when he sings "This is the way", and the "oh-ooh-whoa's" that he hits in the first and second verse. Finally, the "Ahhhhhh-ooooh" (I don't really know how to better write that one out) by Carl at the end of bridge/vocal breakdown. It makes me melt, every time.

Oh, and "Feel Flows" - there's something so mesmerizing about the melody of the verse. The way that it starts so low and works its way up always draws me in.

The queen in Copenhagee!
The dream of Amsterdamee!
The cream of gay Parisee!
The theme of U Say Asee!
The scene in Great Britainyee!
The meaning in Los Angees!
The heat in Tokyosee!
The treat in Manhattohsee!

Love that Funky Pretty!  :afro

These two always get me too.  Good stuff.

Brace yourselves, long list here  ;D

The "bom dit dit" in This Whole World

Brian and Mike's vocals on Kiss Me, Baby, they just sound perfect together!

The From There to Back Again/Pacific Coast Highway/Summer's Gone suite, great vocals, music, and lyrics

Surf's Up in its entirety (1971 album version, Brian's solo version, and 1967 piano demo are all just  :o)

Brian's vocals on We'll Run Away, that "anyhow" towards the end is like....woahhh

I Just Wasn't Made for These Times in its entirety, the part that stuck out for me was "sometimes I feel very sad..."

The vocal blend on 'Til I Die

Brian's vocals on Please Let Me Wonder, just beautiful

Carl's vocals on I Can Hear Music are great too along with the acapella break

Good Vibrations, the organ, Carl's lead, the bassline, classic pocket symphony

Carl singing the second verse of California Dreamin', I replayed the song several times just to hear his part!

Shortening Bread, strange one but I can't seem to get it out of my head!

The "bring back" part on Daybreak Over the Ocean

Dennis's vocals on Cuddle Up, "The night has come..." the piano is also beautiful

Carl on God Only Knows, just classic, the instrumentation also caught my attention, especially the percussion

Bruce's vocals on She Believes in Love Again

Dennis's vocals on Little Girl (You're My Miss America) and the "sha la la..." part

"I-I'm so young" on I'm So Young, Brian knocks it out of the park!

The synths on Love You, I can just picture Brian banging on those keys like crazy!

Mike's sax solo on Shut Down, simple but adds to the song

The bicycle bell on Strange World

The vocal trade-off on Isn't It Time

The chorus of That's Why God Made the Radio, the harmonies are just stunning!

The intro of California Girls

Brian's vocals in Hushabye "Hushabye, hushabye/Oh my darlin', don't you cry..."

He's A Doll.


That little dumb guitar riff going all the way through is AMAZING

My pointless list continues

"Won't last forever..." on Winds of Change

The piano intro and "goodbye" on Pacific Coast Highway

"Columnated ruins dominooooos!"

Carl's vocals on Girl Don't Tell Me

The bass on Lonely Days

The "ooooooohhhh" of You Still Believe in Me

Brian's vocals on Wouldn't it Be Nice

The lyrics of 'Til I Die

Brian's vocals and use of reverb on Beginning of the End

Carl's vocals on Seasons of the Sun

Mike's bass vocals at the end of From There to Back Again

Carl's throaty yell at the beginning of Let Us Go on This Way

Carl's vocals on Wonderful

Dennis's vocals on Do You Wanna Dance

Al's vocals on Then I Kissed Her

Brian's vocals on Why Do Fools Fall in Love

I can't get Long Promised Road out of my head!

She Knows Me Too Well, and its sessions. Superb song, pin-sharp production - to me, the best track on Today!

During the recent concerts, Al's tweaking of the lyrics to IJWMFTT to say "I guess he just wasn't made for these times."  I get chills every time I hear it.

The way Carl sings "music is like a com-pan-yonne" on Add Some Music has been kickin' it for several days now...has done so before...will surely do so again....

The chorus of IJWMFTT

Things become absolutely overwhelming there, so many parts swirl around, so many voices, that the listener can no longer distinguish any of it. First, that lonely opening voice begins: "Sometimes I Feel Very Sad...Sometimes I Feel Very Sad" again and again as other parts join in one by one. Nothing is certain anymore, not the key, not the melody, not the orchestration, not even fate seems to hold sway here. So briefly, so beautifully, happiness seems possible some day as before the singer can even get out his first word, another voice is there bedding down his sorrows on blue green beds of plashing comfort. "Cuando Sere? Un Dia Sere.", When will it be? One day it will be. Multiple voices all joining together in sympathetic reassurances, horizontally that first voice trailing off just behind in desperate pursuit.
"Ain't Found The Right Thing I Can Put My Heart And Soul Into.", appears next, and finally in Brian's otherwordly falsetto, just at the very end "People I Know Don't Know Me" rounds of chorus. If I were a Freudian, which really I'm not, I'd say this single section is a perfect psychological microcosm of Brian Wilson's mind. The id (1), the ego (3), and the (4) super-ego all grasping for control inside the singer. But certainly there's no truth to that sort of notion...

This part is so superbly transcendental, and for just one moment, one pure, perfect, instantaneously evaporating moment, it's as if a doorway in the sky has opened, a doorway into each of our own souls, where the entire structure of existence seems to be laid bare. The euphony here is just truly sublime, upright piano jitters anxiously underneath in the instruments, the basses throb in musical ecstasy, temple blocks sound lucidly some great spiritual mystery. And in the end, in that one final line, it just all comes together, and that confusion, that overwhelming uncertainty that things started out mired in, falls away, annihilated by some overpowering supernatural beauty.

But in a flash, it's all over, everything falls apart anew and starts again. That one perfect moment must have just been too much, too much to withstand. The singer just isn't strong enough yet to keep his grip..."I Guess I Just Wasn't Made For These Times"...he laments disappointed,  and exhausted.

The Endless Harmony version of 'Till I Die. For an off the cuff mix, I can hear the pain and sadness in every note more than the
Surfs Up version.

All true, and that's a fine example of the metaphysical language that BW's finest work so often evokes. But surely it wouldn't make sense musically (or metaphyscially) to end with such an ecstatic moment: a lamentation must remain true to its own sense of limitation. The song's "siren sound"--the theremin--is surely what propelled Brian on his most exhilirating (and calamitous) journey of self-discovery shortly thereafter, as he found a way to capture another, more elaborate cycle of exaltation and despair and encapsulate it in a single composition--a visceral-yet-metaphysical mosaic called "Good Vibrations."

It's the mournful downturn (musically, usually rendered in diminution) after either the vision (or glimpse) of ecstasy that gives both of these tracks their boundless depth and eternal, ethereal beauty, each one a lamentation of the need to return to earth from a vision of celestial radiance. The coda of "GV" seems to sum this up by allowing the voices to fly free, but notice that the last notes sung are descending as they give way to the anchoring closure of the rhythm section as the song puts its flaps down for landing.

Currently, there are two moments in Wouldn't it Be Nice.

1. "after having"
2. Frank Capp/Tympani (in the privacy of my bedroom: air tympani  ;D )

The pure rock'n'roll sound of the guitars from In Concert during Marcella, and how fantastic that intro to the song is.

The triumphant outro of Cabin Essence..

"Over and over,
The crow cries uncover the cornfield.
Over and over,
The thresher and hover the wheat field."

That opening harmony in Deirdre. Pure magic.

The group harmonies that lead into " Dawn, bird's still gone" in "Little Bird"

Glorious. I love the Friends era

Tony Hatch's expert job in conjuring up the feel of God Only Knows
on Don't Sleep in The Subway. Just got the sweet mono 45 of that one!

The slow chorus bit from Child Is father Of The Man. This is my all time favourite 25 seconds of music by anyone, ever.

I wish they'd featured it twice in the new TSS mix. It's just over way too quickly.

Simply awed by the new stereo 'Whistle In'
Backing vocals are so clear and beautiful!

I like it too - but you know that it's a wall of Bruces, right?

The opening harmony of "Deirdre" kicks my ass the most when sampled here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmPDu-_FYR4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmPDu-_FYR4)

Don't get me wrong, it kicks my ass as is, too.

"Deirdre " = best thing Bruce ever did.

Apart from this of course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sVvLBp6XmTM#t=79s

lolololololololol

Agreed!

Just listened to the last 25 seconds of Please Let me Wonder..then a tear rolled down my cheek, that's how beautiful it is to me.

I'm with you on that, Buddy!

I'm digging the single version of "It's OK", I like how slightly sped up it is and the synth bass seems a bit more prominent too. The "find a ride" tag is rad...

:) It's easily in my top 5 Beach Boys song..the timing,vocals and instrumentation on that track is unbelievable. (It feels like it's not even real like it's a song that would be in my dreams or something.)

I think it's in my top 3.
Today! is my favorite album besides Pet Sounds.

What is your top 5? :) Likewise..Today is very slept on..It's right under Pet Sounds and above Smile. (Imo)
It's the perfect mix ..It has it's hits & ballads..something to dance to and something to make love to.

*Until "Bull Session" comes on... ;D ...unless you saw the title some other way.... ;)

I forgot about that crap..It didn't even get the chance to make it to my BB playlist..... :P I actually pretend like if they never made that along with most of their songs post Sunflower songs.

5. Surf's Up
4. Good Vibrations
3. Please Let Me Wonder
2. God Only Knows
1. Wouldn't it Be Nice

That's probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It seems to be changing all the time.

Just listened Cabinessence loud on speakers (instead of headphones) with the bass boosted. And it kicked my ass from here to there and back again?

I remember getting the Mojo single and playing it for the first time and the whole room vibrating.

I know how you feel it's hard for me to pick a top 10 so imagine a top 5  :P
my list goes like this...


5. Surfer Girl
4. The Night was so Young
3. Please Let Me Wonder
2. Caroline No
1. Wouldn't It be Nice

Very eclectic list :)
The outro to Cabinessence had to be one of the best outros ever recorded..the way it builds up while it fades away is just magical.
Good to My Baby is one of my mom's favorites.  ;D
I'm very surprised you put At My Window number 1 ..it's such a slept on song that many skip through..it's one of their 70's gems.

Thanks :) What is it about The Night Was So Young that you don't enjoy?
That's my favorite part as well ..when Mike keeps singing those repeating alliteration lines over and over again it almost feels like he's trying to hypnotize you with those words..then the beat keeps building (the horns come in) before it softly fades away it's almost like it's meant to play tricks on your mind and keep you wanting more but then it's gone.
She really does but she's really into mainstream Pop my dad is into all the experimental stuff..She listens to the Beatles,Beach Boys,Simon & Garfunkle and Elton John..He's more into Beach Boys (Pet Sounds/Smile), Led Zeppelin,Pink Floyd,Nirvana,The Cure,Jimi Hendrix,The Doors,etc. How about yours?
Well it is .. I thought people on here would be raving about that beauty but it's still unsung..for the most part I can say it's one of my favorites on that album and their work from the 70's. I enjoy those obscure songs and this is one that needs more attention but the fact that it's lesser known makes it even more special to me. I'm content with it's status in their catalog. (A latent gem)

5. Please Let Me Wonder
4. Please Let Me Wonder
3. Please Let Me Wonder
2. Please Let Me Wonder
1. Please Let Me Wonder

Simon & Garfunkel are my third favorite artists, right behind the Beach Boys, and Bob Dylan.

You have great taste  ;)

Their music is ok to me but I never got off into them the way my mother has..Art has a lovely voice but damn Simon wrote so fuckin amazing tunes..I'm just not into folk music.

'The Only Living Boy In New York' is one of my favorite songs ever. However, the rest of S&G's catalogue fails to impress me...I've tried for years to get into their music, I just can't seem to.

That's a wonderful song.
I don't like all of their stuff, mostly just the acoustic stuff. I'm a huge fan of Kathy's Song, April Come She Will, The Dangling Conversation, and Song For The Asking. And, For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her is one of my favorite songs ever. A perfect love song.

By their last two albums, "folk" wouldn't be an apt phrase to describe their music. I think even fans who don't prefer the Sounds of Silence/I Am A Rock era S&G would probably find much to like in the Bookends and Bridge era of S&G.

One you probably have heard but may have not. I hear a lot of Magical Mystery Tour (album) influence in this track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft7mUK29GY8

From There To Back Again. Just...all of it. I consider it Al Jardine's finest moment as a Beach Boy, autotune and Help Me Rhonda, be damned!  ;D

Top 5:

Wouldn't It Be Nice
Don't Worry Baby
Surf's Up
Good Vibrations
Sloop John B

That's a evened out list :) has the very soft ballads and also has the up tempo hits. You can't go wrong with any of those songs..

Thanks!  It works for me.  :)

:-\ I actually love Carl's vocals on that song it's one of my favorites and besides that sweet guitar lick it was one of the first things I noticed.
Thank you I'm horrible at describing ...well mostly everything ..lol but man I love that song so much..it's funny because Mike didn't get the song because he was sober well I'm sober right now and I absolutely love it I don't what's his problem!! lol Mike has an ear for hits but not for experimental music like this.
Wow your mom has a few things in common with mines (on the music side) and yes my mother is heavy into fashion as well....Most women are lol..Her favorite group are the Bealtes then it's the Eagles..When I was a baby inside her stomach she would play the beatles for me everyday. (she said I'd move around alot so I guess even back then I recognized beautiful music. lol)
My favorites hmmm that's tough there are so many I enjoy.  :P Ok these aren't all obscure cuts like yours (which I might add are wonderful..you have great taste but I already knew that because your on this message board so that's evident.) lol
It's also great to see Funky Pretty and Island girl on your list...mines would have to be That's not me,I'm So Young,Be with Me,Do it Again,Child is the father of the man (that bass makes me melt every time I hear it) Those are just a few off top but I have a few oddities that stand out that I enjoy like Lana,Little Saint Nick,Graduation Day,A Thing or Two,Busy Doin Nothin,etc.

Thank you :)..I love the way the song fades away too while Mike is still singing..his voice was perfect for that song and as much as I love Brian..Mike got him on that song..

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. The "da, da da da" part in the Smile version of Wonderful knocks me out every time. It's like the flute in God Only Knows. It's there for only a split second, but absolutely essential to the song.

'Love You' album!

What's kicking my ass right now is that damn awful piece of recording (I reviewed it in the album's section) and how stupidly amazing it is. Particularly 'Honkin' down the highway' and 'Airplane'...everything around the former, Brian's falsetto in the latter.

How good is a band, how genius is a man when even at their lowest you find such gems? I play guitar, try to sing sometimes, and there's a vibe to Al's singing in HDTH that's country, rock, pop, cliche, nonsese, perfection all at once. To be honest, he's my fav singer in the band (along with Brian sometimes). Really consistent but with great style flexibility, his folky take can rock when he wants to. Heard him during the Montreal show this summer, still has the best voice of them all  :)

And I don't know my obsession with 'Airplane'. Man, I mean, for this kind of stuff people get institutionalized...this an Justin Bieber, but at least here there might be a case for treatment and eventually a cure  :lol but not sure if I want to be cured. Every time I hear Brian's soaring voice, there's a harshness to that falsetto that it's as beautiful as anything he did in the past - in a dark, creepy, cool kind of way. That kicks my butt every single time.

So, thanks Smiley Smile board for 'directing' me to this album...psychiatric treatment is at least covered by Quebec's social security, pas de problème  :p

The echo-drenched "silence" in Good Vibrations, after the big "aaaahh!"

i listened to it on the way to work this morning. My heart nearly jumped out my mouth.
DM

Getcha Back.

Always kind of liked it but it came up on shuffle last week and , i must've just been in the mood , i was absolutely loving it, fantastic. Been O.D. ing on it since. Class.

(Brians singing in the background as well, wow !)

Really glad to hear I'm not the only one  ;)

The concert was amazing! It was Brian's birthday that day, the crowd sang for him and it was very, very moving. I obviously ended up voice-less from all the singing, screaming. The first part was good, really liked the car-theme ending (never a fan of those songs, sounded great live). But for me the show-stealer were the tributes to Dennis & Carl...more than 10-15k Montrealers crying at the same time (only the Habs have managed that with their awful last seasons).

Anyways, it was a beautiful experience. I took some pics, will try to share them in a separate post.

Cheers  :)

I strongly encourage everyone to listen to the ending of Long Tall Texan on Concert LP. My god, it's almost free jazz! Brian giving his all on bass and Mike adding some tasteful (but unfortunately rather distant) saxophone notes. Might be even the closest thing Brian ever got playing a bass solo on record. Such a great moment! Brian shreds!

...kinda reminds me of Cassius Love vs Sonny Wilson. "We have a show this weekend and we could be sharper, so whaddaya say we go over the ending of Little Deuce Coupe Long Tall Texan one more time."

The last minute of Pitter Patter.

MIU is insanely unappreciated.

I'm totally digging on At My Window right now!

The end of "Surfers Rule," when the Boys are singing "Four Seasons, you better believe it" and Brian is belting out the falsetto part from "Walk Like a Man."   8)

Not sure how much of a real rivalry there was between the BB's and the FS's, but one of those TV-movies had Murry berating Brian for not being able to match Frankie Valli's chart position.

Todays it's been 'Drip Drop.'  Don't ask me why, I know it's ridiculous, but for some reason I just can't get enough of it.

our team !!!

cant get enough of this track

Even though I haven't heard this song in ages and have probably only ever listened to it around 5 times, I found myself singing it in the shower yesterday.

The "He came to my window" part never fails to give me chills..

Some of the best harmonies the boys ever recorded

Now it's that moment in "Hushabye" right at the end of the middle eight, when the vocals are all gone and there's just the piano and bass (IIRC) and it sounds pregnant with anticipation.

palmer and dragon killin it on "Its about time"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyx_KxEAbck (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyx_KxEAbck) !!!!

Dat bass on "Here She Comes".  :tiptoe

I've been seriously diggin' "Down Home" by Spring recently. I think it could be interestingly covered to bring out the dream-pop-ness that Brian's (or David's?) arrangement seems to suggest. The synths, organ, flute, and wooden blocks really blend well together...

Yeah, that one always stuck out as a good un on Spring, and I'm not very fond of that album really. Their voices suit the melancholy thing better than anything else, imo.

Yeah, there's a great little melancholy EP within that otherwise just-OK album! "Tennessee Waltz", "Thinkin' 'Bout You Baby", "Awake", "Sweet Mountain", "Down Home", and "Fallin' In Love" are all very good. I just wish Marilyn (or is it Diane?) could've hit the higher notes better.

"Cherry Cherry Coupe" is such a cool little song. I'd dare say it sounds almost Velvet Underground-y in its rhythm, had that group ever made car songs. :lol I dig Mike's (seemingly in a completely different melody?) bass vocals during the chorus too.

Funny you should say that -- check out this pre-Velvets Lou Reed track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYbCHKcT5Q0

This other one sounds a little more Velvety -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWG61CocCok

I love that this thread has survived...

Right now, it's Heroes & Villains Part 2. Such wonderful, concentrated harmony, and the Prelude To Fade, which is incredible in all ways.

I've been listening to "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times", and I think I can finally here some of the Spanish backing vocals. I don't know why, I just love it when Spanish lyrics are put into songs like that.

Speaking of that, Cocktails is probably my favorite song from Bambu.

"porque no dice que quieres"

Brian Wilson moment kicking my ass: 'God Only Knows' from the What Love Can Do single.

That is one of the most beautiful lead vocals I've ever heard.

Mike's bass vocals on "Got to know the women"

When the delayed bongo that acts like a snare in Caroline, No comes in on the "4" right before the 2nd verse. Subtle, but awesome production technique.

Following Disney Boy's numerous positive comments about Viggie, I downloaded & listened to it. He was dead right - what a beautiful song that is indeed! Hands down the best song written by Mike, even surpasses Big Sur (3/4). Indian flutes, the bridge, the singing - all is idyllic! Traditionally, Native American theme rules!

1 wee note: at 1st glance I thought the title can be read like ['vigi], not ['veʤi].

For me, it's "Going Home" from That Lucky Old Sun.  Was lots of fun seeing Brian, Al and David perform this in Kettering.

I'd hate to admit it, but ATM, it's "Looking Back With Love" by Mike Love.
As bad as it is, it often pops into my head. DAMN YOU MIKE LOVE!!!  >:D

I'm really diggin' Brian Wilson - Your Imagination [A Capella]

Just thought of another two: "Maybe I Don't Know", and the disco remake of "Here Comes The Night". Unlike the first one I mentioned, the former actually is a good song.

That moment when the theremin kicks in towards the end of "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" and "sings" its melody line. 

That very high keyboard sound in Child is the Father to the Man that takes place a few seconds before Surf's Up starts on Smile.

That part is why I can't get Lazy Lizzie out of my head.

The saxophone on It's OK. You can hear it so clearly on the MIC mix, and it indeed kicks ass.

Let's Go To Heaven In My Car, Brians phrasing in the refrain.

Was just loving the whimsical vibe of the outro of 'Radio' whilst watching the song's music video...the song literally fades into the sunset.

Brian's lead on the alternate 'Don't Worry Baby' from MiC. I wish he would've recorded a double vocal of that.

Ha, I just came here to post THIS!  Agreed, the prominent sax on the tag is just honey.

Brian's drum machine bathed count-in to "Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love".  Brian and Mike sound really good here, similar to "It's Just a Matter of Time".
Love Brian's lazy "duh-duh-duwuh-do"s!

 Barnyard Blues and the start of it does remind me of Barnyard

The piano playing technique also sounds a lot like the harpsichord playing on Wonderful (smile version). I really like the song, wish I knew more about it!

I've been listening to "Sherry She Needs Me" quite a bit lately. It's such a fascinating recording. Still, despite it's oddness, I don't think I could imagine hearing the song any other way. The vocals, the track, everything is perfect just how it is. It's difficult to describe why I like so much, I just do.

"Don't go near the water" tag.

Superb :bow

Glad you likes it - there's two versions, one with prominent flute on the verses and the fade and one without, both of which are great.

This is the 'busier' version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CruGtoJM8Os

'Glow Crescent Glow' is almost as good by the way, so track down a copy of that too if you can...

For all the failings of the live 50th cd and DVD,I can't get enough of Marcella. Played loud, to me it just rocks

 Isn't funny how Brian sounds perfectly natural singing Marcella after all these years of hearing Carl sing it   on record and in concert ? I remember a time in the late 70s and then again thru the whole Landy era when it was hard to imagine Brian recording a  NOTE  of new music  muchless  The road warrior he has become   and then recording the wealth of new music especially since 2000 -BWPS

Carl rockin' Palisades Park.

the beautiful vocal harmonies in "I'll be home for Christmas". that's my favorite song on the album.  for anyone who might know was it all 5 members on harmony or was it either brian, mike, carl, and denny or brian, mike, carl, and al?

It's About Time live '73 from MiC.  Wow...incredible rockin' from a pop vocal band'!!

The isolated drum track from 'Its About Time'! Worthy of being put out officially  :police:

The outro to Christmas Day

"It's worth the wait the whole year through, just to make happy someone like you".

You're all nuts for voting off the survivor game

That's a good thought.  Did you read the thread where Mark, in the new ESQ, was saying he had a whole "bonus" disc ready to roll full of just such backing and vocal only tracks?

You've got that right.  I know it's down to a few classic tracks, but for me Christmas Day should have been in the final.  I need to go take a look, now The Man With All The Toys is taking a beating.

Morning Christmas is a complete masterpiece.
Little Saint Nick is a classic which you can't get enough of.
Merry Christmas Baby isn't too bad, but still better than Christmas Day.
Man With All The Toys I'd rank the same as Christmas Day, but I changed my vote because it looked like Christmas Day was going to lose.

I'd say Christmas Day should have gone even earlier, before Santa's Beard

BW moment that's kicking my ass lately:

'Southern California', the whole song, but especially: "whoa whoa it's magical, living your dreams, don't want to sleep, you might miss something. Whoa whoa whoa it's magical, I'm glad it happened to me... nodded off in the band room, woke up in history."
I've heard SC many times but one day, several months ago, I was walking down the street with this song playing in my headphones, and for some reason I just cried. Now I listen to that song all the time and personally feel that if Brian Wilson's musical career had ended with this album and that song, I'd have been totally okay with that. 'Southern California' is a nice cap on things. From "surfin' is the only life, the only way for me" to "...and when you wake up here, you wake up everywhere. Maumamayama glory Hallelujah, oooooooh." 47 years.
Of course, I'm glad Brian got to make a few more albums, made a solid album with the Beach Boys and is working on more as we speak. But TLOS and 'Southern California' feels to me like the guy walking into the sunset at the end of the film.

Beautifully put, and you're right.

Morning Christmas is seriously one of the best Dennis tracks.. Something so sublime and special about that track. It's a shame that it's so underrated.

Some random musical moments that I really get a kick out of:
--

The "party" bridge part of Wonderful on Smiley that sounds like a bunch of people stoned and laughing

The very creepy yet relaxing sounding Baldwin organ on Fall Breaks

ending tag to Funky Pretty

Mt Vernon & Fairway piano/synth theme (I really wish there was a longer version of this without the narration than what is on the GV boxed set)

The synth bass on just about all of Love You, but to make an example, Let Us Go On This Way... I turn it up loud and crank up the bass. Must sound amazing on a subwoofer.

Bruce's tender lead vocals on At My Window. "And the faster I ran/I Ran out of breath and I fell to the ground". That part gets stuck in my head a lot. By far the best thing he did in the band.

The intro to Salt Lake City on the stereo remix (which was horribly cut off on the album version). That bass part that sounds like 2 bass players are harmonizing in unison is absolutely amazing.

Take 1 and 2 of Hang On To Your Ego backing track. The horns are more prominent in the verses. I prefer this version lately.

The organ on Do It Again. Also on the SOT, there is one version where you can only hear Mike's lead vocal and Brian's "Bom bom bom bom bom bom!" high falsetto vocal and at the very end Brian does a little variation ending with a really high "wooo!" that reminds me of what Paul Mccartney does on songs like "Oh! Darling" or something. Is is beautiful and worth checking out! Only lasts for like 2 seconds.


Brian's lead vocal on Here Comes The Night is perfect. Not sure what it is, it is just a perfect lead vocal.

That is a great vocal, contrast it with the disco version and you realize what a mistake it was to put that out.

On Smiley Smile, the moment when you drift off into the pleasant dream of the fadeout to Wind Chimes and then the intro to Gettin' Hungry snaps you awake like the blare of an alarm clock.



What is the SOT?  (All I can get out of it is Stack O' Tracks.)   ???

Sea of Tunes.

Ah, OK.  Not familiar with that one.

A bootleg label from the 90s that released multi-disc sets of recording sessions from specific albums compiled together as "The Alternate Party! Album" etc.

Carls vocals on "baby blue"

15BO backing tracks. I think last night's listening was the first time I really paid attention to "Palisades Park".

"Rollin' Up To Heaven" is currently mine.  It's basically my "Be My Baby."   :hat   

Dennis's Mexico and the BB's You're Still A Mystery, in their entirety, are now forever in my head.

I love the part where Al comes in with "where's my spark in the dark." With the harmonies and synths behind him, I feel like there's suddenly no gravity.

SPRING VACATION--the whole underrated, misunderstood song.

Not underrated or misunderstood by me. :) It is still my favorite Side 1 track. I'm also a big fan of Shelter, especially the chorus.

Our Sweet Love.

Had a weird dream last night. Won't go into the details, but near the end, Our Sweet Love was strangely playing. It was the music and Carl's vocals, no backing vocals whatsoever, and it was on a loop.

Few weeks before that, had another dream with Carl's vocals on Baby Blue on a loop (Just the first part, no Denny vocals or Carl vocals after Denny's). Can't go into the details of that dream because it's long been forgotten, Baby Blue otherwise.

The dream I had last night -  I was on stage during a C50 concert with an electric piano in front of me, which is kind of pity as I only play guitar. The song was Barbara Ann, and I hit a single B note which turned out to be the root note. Then Mike Love came over to see what I was doing and then I awoke. My first awake thought was "But Barbara Ann is in F#!" I wish I had thought of that while I was still dreaming...

A silly but true story, my kick-ass moment for today. :-D

+1

Am a fan of "Shelter" myself, although my mileage varies, as I'm more into Brian-sung verses. It's awkward but otherwise beautiful.

I had my own BB-related dream a few days ago. I'm watching a circa-1977 concert with Brian flailing away on his bass on stage in a very active way, then I see current-day Brian and ask how his kids are. He gives an enthusiastic rapid-fire reply, but I don't understand much of it.

Was at the Montreal show too. Damn right about Al, he was amazing!

Got To Know The Woman

Especially the "Come On and do the Chicken" part and after that until the final chorus!

‍

Live at the Roxy.  All of it.  I listened to it for the first time yesterday then had to hear it right through twice more.  Great to hear Brian so relaxed and happy, and there's something about his war-torn vocalising that works so well in the music despite its less-than-perfect quality.  To make up for the loss of the unearthly purity of his early voice, the songs have a sense of humanity and humility that works for me.

Yes, that's a truly excellent live album.  I wish the C50 double disc sounded as good as Roxy!

The BB moment that's kicking my ass right now:

Brian's "Love you baby" counter-melody at the end of the MiC version of "Our Sweet Love".

all of "Carry Me Home". What a song!

It does, but let me correct you: in discussing "Shelter", drbeachboy said he prefers the chorus & I said I like the verses [Brian-sung]. That's where we differed, hence "my mileage varies".

1st time I see a crooked rhyme being on-topic.

I love this part of "Out sweet love" as well.  Stunning little vocal by Brian.. too bad it is buried on the actual album version.

Brian's vocal on We'll Run Away is so perfect. I've been listening to it constantly for about 2 weeks.

Not exactly Beach Boys, it's a solo song.

Pipeline by Bruce Johnston. I LOVE IT!

I'd say it's just as good as the brilliant original by the Chantays (Who coincidentally has a drummer who has the same name as the late Fleetwood Mac member Bob Welch). Been listening to both versions a lot recently.

In fact, it's the only reason why I have Going Public on my iPhone!

I first listened to this last week and was quite impressed. It's nothing incredible, but it's catchy and sounds great.

In "Getcha Back", the oo's leading into the second verse, and Mike picks up with, "I'm gettin' tired..."  LOVE that transition SO MUCH.

(Never thought I'd love "Getcha Back", but it's really grown on me.)

Love Surrounds Me - "Desiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire" and "Put your arms aroooooooooound me".

The moment when the horns kick in from Dennis' Time...holy hell, as powerful as any 'classic' guitar solo you'd want to compare it to.

Sherry She Needs Me - love that chorus, especially the last powerful Sherry Baby line of each chorus.  And it's surreal to hear the 1965 Brian sing "said goodbye" after hearing the 1976 Brian sing the rest of the song.  I can't believe they didn't bother finishing it in 1965 - they were so close!  I could imagine Dennis singing the main vocal in '65.

The intro to Hard Times.... they made a big mistake not releasing it in any way.

Anyone else feel that Hard Times should have been the lead single from Holland instead of Sail On Sailor?

Only if their aim was commercial implosion.  ;)

"What Love Can Do" - Brian, Burt and Phil.  What a team.

"In the Parkin' Lot" - the harmonies during "She's turnin' on the radio dial/We can sit and listen for a while"... scintillating!  :o

And the way that chromatic melody asserts itself again at the end of the guitar solo -- one of those magical Brian Wilson "shouldn't work there but somehow it does" moments!   :3d

"Keep An Eye On Summer"----that gorgeous swooping falsetto line, which seems to be saying summer won't last for ever. (A bit like the minor chord at the word "long" in "All Summer Long".) 

The bass synths coming over my big speakers in "I'll Bet He's Nice" - such brilliance.

"My solution", 1:30 to 1:50...otherworldly. Reminds me a lot of Robert Wyatt's "The Age Of Self", especialy the chorus. Great song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPRHqptlVU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPRHqptlVU)

"Summer's Gone..." the section that begins at 2:17 and runs to about 2:50.  Sublime, chokes me up every time I hear it.  And with some trademark odd Brian Wilson chord changes ala Warmth of the Sun.  Sounds like it's the last musically harmonic moment, the band doing one last amazing layered vocal gem, one last nod to 1965, before fading away.  Powerful and emotional. For me, this is right up there with the start of the second verse of Wouldn't It Be Nice, when the background vocals kick in... achingly beautiful yet such power.

Totally!! One of the most uncommercial BB/BW tracks ever and I absolutely love it! Gotta love him laughing at the end and saying "play it"!

Once in a long time, I played "Christmasey" from "WIRWFC". Difference between 'then' & 'now' is uncanny! Can't believe I wasn't fond of it, it is a stellar performance. Brian's in a good fit there, it really shows he had fun singing the tune. Cool fact that he wrote it in a new Millennium. Magic still intact.

The guitars on "Airplane" from "The Beach Boys Love You". (I assume this is a Carl Wilson addition during his stint as "Mixdown Producer" for the album, yes?)

Overdriven power chords panned hard left and pulled down just so that they blend into the track with ease. Only The Beach Boys could make such a guitar sound still seem somehow pristine. (Come to think of it, there's a lot of guitar padding in the nooks and crannies of the entire album, but the one on "Airplane" really gets me.)

Found this nice fan video on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaDiwoACJ2Q (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaDiwoACJ2Q)

This is definitely kicking my ass right now...thanks Brian for writing this song  :)

You forgot, "And thanks Al/Mike singing it" (don't include Brian because those 2 stole the show, esp. Al).

Yes, you're right  :)

I'm not hearing Mike's voice.

2:46 - "ba da da" section...I do believe.

Murry's "Italia".

The new Keep an Eye on Summer release of rarities.

The whole bassline to I'm Going Your Way. Still amazes me that the song never got an official release.

Someone help me out here, as this makes no sense to me...are we speaking about the recording that played with the link - From There to Back Again?  Brian was the composer/producer/arranger.  No composer/producer/arranger, no song, so a thank you to him seems appropriate...Then, obviously, Al is on lead and there are stunning harmonies - yep very grateful for those amazing arrangements and performances.  Then Brian does an important vocal - very nice, thanks to him again.  Then Mike does the ba-da-da bass thing nicely - yep thanks - until the very last part when it appears he's either doubled, it's somebody else or simply some technology as it blends into the harmonies.  Al does a stunning lead, without question.  How is this an Al/Mike accomplishment without Brian, or did I mis-read this?

New stereo KAEOS version of All Dressed Up For School. The whole damn thing. What a jam that song is.

Brian screwing up the marimba intro in the KAEOS All Summer Long session.  :lol

"I hate this song."

The vocal blend rehearsal at the two minute mark of the KAEOS acappella version of Wendy. Incredible that they could just harmonise like that in an instant.

Yes, you did. schiaffino thanked Brian for writing a song, to which I nodded, hence my "You forgot to thank Al & Mike", as to continuing his message. In other words, I narrowed the subject down to vocals. Or rather, which "specific moments" I liked more on "From There to Back Again". Tastes differ, & mine is I find Brian's part lesser to Al & Mike's. Short it may be,  the "babada" line gave needed edge to the song & was perfect closing along with whistling. Your mileage may vary.

The part right after the verse in the Smile Sessions version of Wind Chimes.
The opening string instrument chord right at the beginning of Marcella (what is that instrument?)
The backing vocals in the second verse of California Girls.

 That "don't include Brian" certainly gave the impression that you thought the composer/arranger/producer shouldn't be included in the thanks, which I found odd, that's all.  I'm glad I brought it up as it clarifies what you intended.  

Cool video, and damn great tune! It's kicking my ass too! Love it, love it.

Well, it goes without saying that Brian is the force behind the lion's share of BBs' catalog. He's a great songwriter/arranger/producer, for the latter he even got some place (#4 or 5) in the Best producers list, forget where. I just wanted to give credit to singers. Al & Mike did fantastic job. Brian too, but I like him less there. I thought it was obvious from that quote that by "Don't include Brian" I referred to his singing, that's why I started with "And thanks to Al/Mike singing it".
I admire Brian, he's certainly #1 in the group talent-wise, but he isn't the only reason why I love The BBs. It's a team thing.

Alan's take on You Still Believe In Me from 73 concert LP, it's a place I'm at now.

The guitar being strummed with full whammy bar in effect in "Strange World" at 1:58, just as Brian sings "we're pretty good company". Not to mention the swell of vocal harmonies that follow right after. Super awesome.

I think I'm waiting for the inevitable videos from tonight's show to surface before I comment on my ass being kicked right now.  I'm thinking there will be something pretty great there.

God Only Knows vocal bridge
Where is She? including demo intro
The "Deep and wide" part of Time To Get Alone
The 8-note (repeated) synth solo in Feel Flows gives me goosebumps
The acapella version of Wouldn't It Be Nice

Don't you mean "Deep and wide" from Time To Get Alone?

D'oh! I sure do! Thanks. :-[

Years ago, I had a challenge with an English Lit professor who feels Dylan was the best and he used to give "Dylan vs. The Beatles" comparisons. I asked him why he never mentioned the Beach Boys as I thought the Beach Boys vs Beatles would have been a fairer comparison. He said he did not care for surf music.

We both decided to put together some music of the more uncommon songs from each. I put together a Beach Boys 2-CD set of stuff that you will not likely hear on the radio and he did the same for me with Dylan.

Both of us were pleasantly surprised because both Dylan and the Beach Boys have very stereotypical songs and sounds, but have less heard material that is outside of the stereotype that is amazing. I was listening to the group of songs I put together for him which included both Cabinessence and Time To Get Alone. My bad.

Sometimes I firmly believe You Need A Mess of Help to Stand Alone is the greatest record ever made. Occasionally I believe that strange "double snap" in Sweet Mountain ("stand-ing there - Ching Ching") is mind blowing. And today. For no apparent reason, I have Love is a Woman stuck in my head ( the Saturday Night Live version). Go figure.

I'm actually really enjoying the instrumental bit at the beginning of Somewhere Near Japan(the album version).

 Not sure if I doing this correctly or not, but for my first post give, me a pass please if I screw it up.  I've been stalking this board for the better part of eight years reading everyone's posts nightly to the point where I truly think have 100 friends I've never met.  Yeah yeah yeah, it gets out of whack sometimes with derogatory slams where people should know better, but the bottom line is we all love the music, we all love the harmonies, and for good and bad, we love these guys.
     I've been enthralled with this particular thread since it started a while ago.  Everyone's own personal song, harmony, chord----whatever it may be, its why we're all Beach Boys fans.  So last night I sat down to catch up and as I read Steve Latshaw's post about Summer's Gone I froze in front of my PC.  I was awake all night as I knew it was now time to become one of you "derelicts" and start my posting career on Smiley Smile.  My God this is EXACTLY where my feelings and thoughts all these years came to fruition when I first heard this song.  As Steve quoted "powerful and emotional", to me its what the music has all been about all these years.  Yes I loved many songs over time (first concert in 1975 and now totaling 46 of them), but the words, to me, are so damn powerful.  Out of all the concerts I've seen, my most moving moment was @ Ravinia (in Chicago) a couple of years ago the last time BW played there.  I brought daughter to enjoy the show and  this was the final song of his encore.  If enjoying with her was not enough, as BW walked off stage, I looked around and tears everywhere. It was a perfect evening and Steve's post has allowed me to re-live it for the past 24 hours
    To all on the board......be nice.....play nice     and remember its all about the music

I believe I was in Nice – a pleasant café near the Promenade des Anglais, having explored that morning Matisse and all he offers us – when from some nearby Walkman, or perhaps some more modern source, I heard the strike of a drum. Actually I might have been in Des Moines, though the weather was more similar to typical Nice, springtime, when love is in the air. But I digress. The drum, ah the drum! My mood, which had been lately fledged by the rejection of a beautiful French woman, a Belle of Paris, as it were – or perhaps an Iowa farm girl; I simply can’t recall – was immediately uplifted and my joy complete. For I knew, at the sound of that simple drum, the greatest record ever recorded, Don’t Worry Baby, was there to wash away my sins, the sins of others, and the sins of others to come. I wept.

The ending part of Cabinessence (well the whole song really, but the ending part especially). This one gets me all the time. It's so magical!

The ending to Surfer Girl from the 1981 Queen Mary Long Beach show. The balance is off the entire song, and there are some out of tune moments, but when Brian does the "Little one" part, it's different than the usual take. Carl or Al (or whoever does the falsetto live) would falsetto this part, but the way Brian does in chest-voice, it truly sounds awesome.

Darlin'. What a record that is.

One of the best tracks they ever did imo

One of the best intro posts I read on the board. I don't agree about SG, but that was beautiful (and amusing re stalking everyone). Welcome, barsone! (btw, as I write your name on my phone, it autocorrects me to 'Jardine'! Go figure)

  Well  RangeRover,  I take your post as an extremely nice compliment from a board veteran and this "board newbie" appreciates it !!  I truly have been stalking this board for years, trying to get approved, and just waiting my turn.  Funny about the Jardine comment.  Al always has been my favorite in the group and I'm sure your phone is defaulting because we're both native Ohio-ans !!   I know  I know   keep with the thread !!     I will say second fav  to my Summer's Gone thoughts from above, are a wonderfully led I Can Hear Music by Carl in concert just can't be topped.   Why??  he says it all     It is because of the music we all love this stuff.  (Even tho not a BB original).

"Shirts off, you Motorcycle Rider!"

"Cabin Essence" kicks my ass every time.  A close second is "Little Girl I Once Knew."

I'm in the midst of playing the fcking US Singles Box right now.   I've never played this whole thing through... but thanks to computers/FLAC files I am.  And yes, it's kicking my ass -- royally.

(http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/files/2008/12/l105800-1.jpg)

The ending to Melt Away.

Seriously... has anyone else played the Singles box all at once?  It's hard to do if you don't have it loaded digitally, I suppose.

I've had it for years... and have only played the singles -- as intended -- one at a time.  Which is fun to do.  Usually I'd play 3 or 4 or 5 in a sitting.  Very cool.  But never have I played this BOX SET, like a proper BOX SET (or compilation) -- from start-to-finish.  It really blew me away.  One of the best Beach Boy Box Sets, I think.  I was kind of shocked.  2+ hours of Beach Boys goodness!!!!!

Yes.  Hands down, one of the best moments of the post Dennis 'Boys.  If not the best.

And a friendly reminder to those on the board who aren't aware (as I wasn't for probably a decade), get your hands on the ORIGINAL issue 1988 version of Brian's album BW88, since the incredible Melt Away ending has an extra (and very important) harmony line audible which was incorrectly missing from the 2000 CD reissue.

While there were subsequent corrected copies made of the 2000 reissue, I don't know if there's a way to tell easily which version is which. The bad ones weren't "recalled", and are probably far and away the most common ones out there, so to be safe, one should get both the 2000 reissue (for all the bonus tracks and general remastering), and the 1988 version to ensure hearing Melt Away properly (and a few other songs they screwed up on the 2000 CD too).

</BB fan public service announcement for the day>

What is it that was missing?!?!

The background aaahs that start at 2:30.

As soon as you hear them, you'll know instantly if that's the same version you've been hearing all along (meaning you have been listening to the original 1988 issue or corrected 2000 version), or if they are suddenly new-sounding (meaning you've been listening to the incorrect, originally-issued 2000 version, as I was for ages)... if the latter is the case, you'll have a wonderful surprise when you hear em.

As if the end fade of Melt Away couldn't get any better, those aaahs take it up yet another notch. Criminally sloppy for the wrong master to have been used like that on such a rad song. Slightly more understandable for the MIU masters 1990 version mixup perhaps, but Melt Away is near the apex of Brian's solo career and deserves respect.

Was it ever reissued without the bonus tracks?

Only once... and many years ago. Guess I have to try that again.  :)

All the versions I can find online are aaah-less. Has anyone had better luck?

I don't think I have ever heard the version you are talking about.  I bought my copy of Melt Away from iTunes about a year or two ago.

Well, you're in for a treat when you do eventually hear it ;)

"I Write the Songs" from Knebworth... the audience gets REALLY into it. Say what you will about Bruce, but he got everyone in the audience singing along with him for the chorus. And he dedicated it to Dennis!  :o

The part of the "Rhonda" session where Murry says he got drunk and the guys say a lot of stuff and Mike says "Murry." in a really, really concerned voice. The concern in his voice is just so real.

Surfin' USA, Analogue Productions reissue, Mono, Vinyl.

It's very, very nice.  Farmer's Daughter will give you a woody.

Misirlou rocks even more, seriously, it blew me away - Lana may have a minorly extended fade (just half a bar maybe), I'll A/B it l8r, don't want to suggest it's something never heard before.

Let's go Trippin' is on now, the sax line comes through nicely against the bass and the rythm section - as above, nice stuff.

Let Him Run Wild on Stack o' Tracks.  Revelatory.

Here Comes the Night as have discovered two things recently:
-It has an organ through most of the track. Not just at the end of each chorus.

-The group sings a melody to the chords at the end of each chorus. Very hard to hear.

"We're Together Again" (playing in my mind), partlcularly (but not exclusively) the stunning use of upward modulation and the fade-out with its warmer chords.   

Just discovered that you can hear Brian singing in the tag fade in "Marcella."  (Left channel around 3:00 in).

I kind of like the sound of his voice even though it's not his normal "healthy voice."  I think he's saying "hmm/oo Marcella."

I think he changes the vowel sound but it sounds like Brian during that time (it does sound a bit like Dennis though).

Kickin' my ASS?  I'm Waiting For the Day.  friggin' G R E A T.  Mssterful arrangement and performances...  You almost NEED Let's Go Away For Awhile just to let the power of the previous song settle.  I've heard that song SO many times over these past [almost] 49 years.  It just never ceases to amaze, entertain, satiate and NAIL 'it'.

My poor ass. ;)

My Love Lives On.

And the album rolls on. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times has once again rendered my poor bottom incapable of use.  I'd better stand.  [and salute the Boys]  GREAT stuff.  Again...you need an instrumental in order to recouperate.  Magnificent.

This late-70's playlist I made:

It’s O.K.
Love Surrounds me
She’s Got Rhythm
Pitter Patter
Solar System
Goin’ South
Good Time
Sweet Sunday Kinda Love
My Diane
Good Timin’
Angel Come Home
Everyone’s In Love With You
Mona
Baby Blue
Let Us Go On This Way
Had To Phone Ya
Match Point of Our Love
The Night Was So Young
Kona Coast
Full Sail

Really good list job, although admittedly you have 2 of my least favorite Beach Boy songs on there (Full Sail and Goin South)

The background harmony towards the end of Breakaway. There was an extended version of just that on one of the Sea of Tunes releases I think, I haven't heard it in years. Anyone know if it's on YouTube? Honestly one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

Do you mean this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX_cjYr3yl0

YES!  :-D Thank you so much.

When Brian sings "We should stay 'til the end". 

Looking through this thread randomly, and I couldn't agree more with this post.

A gorgeous song and an absolutely underrated gem. The exact part of the song referenced in this post is the one that gets me every single time.

The sudden change at 1:49 is also genius.

It's been about four hours and I still haven't got the intro to "How Could We Still Be Dancin'" out of my brain.

This is a call for help

The buildup in Goin' On.

The string part on Time to Get Alone!! Especially that little bend/glissando* after the melody lines of the last chorus DANG

(I don't play strings so I don't know the proper terminology but still DANG)

"Oh Lord I lay me down, my branches to the ground, there's nothing left for me!"

*strumming guitar* "I'm thinkin' 'bout-a this whole world" *into drums*

That moment ALWAYS gets me. 

The chorus to Good to My Baby has been running in my head since I saw The Beach Boys three weeks ago. 

Listened to the Today / SDSD 2-fer on the way to the beach last Friday. 

The last key change in "That's Not Me", when the tambourines and other percussion reenter.

This is the moment when this unusually structured song finally makes sense to me----and how!

What's the song?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS_uO7hVOn8

Since seeing Brian again in November, I've been really enjoying the wordless vocal middle section of One Kind of Love. 

The jazzy break at the end of the chorus in 'Let Him Run Wild'.

Good choice.  I got to hear Mike and Bruce do that one last summer.  I'm hoping Brian ads it to his setlist for 2016, especially since it was a bridge to Pet Sounds.

The almost unbearably poignant vocal harmonizing on "Thank Him":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRahW0sF04Y 

I saw Brian in October, and I remember that section jumping out at me too! I hadn't noticed it as much on the NPP studio version up to that point, but I do now.

Those little discoveries are half the fun of the live Brian/BBs shows for me. So many nuances and moments in the vocal arrangements that have a different impact when they are being performed live in front of you.

 

That maniacal cymbal smash in "Johnny Carson".  ;D

Actually, there's another, equally goofy tune (a UK #1) with a cymbal smash in pretty well the same place:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72cEe1JKcSY

Others with one iconic cymbal smash apiece, but on the second beat of the bar in question, are Beefheart's "The Spotlight Kid" and Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop"...
 

When the SMiLE version of Wind Chimes goes crazy.

Lately, it's been the vocal interplay between Blondie, Al, Brian and Matt on 'Sail Away.' That's a really lovely tune. I like 'One Kind of Love,' but would gladly trade it for 'Sail Away' in Brian's live set. 

Blondie wailing in the coda of "Funky Pretty" over that awesome riff.

Yeah. I don't have an opinion on the Usay Greecay thing, but I know the sound of the whole song is fabulous.

Perfect.

In addition to this, the middle section of "Rainbow Eyes", starting at 1:48 (the time is embedded in my brain) with "Lavender sunsets...". Such a great example of him using different sections of music in the same song during this era, it totally transports you out of the melody you've been hearing into this fluttering haze of jazzy color and far out instrumentation. I have no idea how I haven't created a loop of this yet.

Impeccable timing!  I was just listening to this song yesterday and totally agree.  I love the melody and harmonizing on this song.

Awesome.  There are so many cool parts of that song that give me joy.  I love the backing track, the chord changes, the vocal phrasing on the word "care", the lyrics...  After listening to the entire catalog backwards and front, I always come back to LHRW as one of my all-time favorite BB songs - definitely in my top 5.

Absolutely agree.

Desper's latest study video.

While we're at it, the "DEEP AND WIDE" in Time To Get Alone, a great moment in an otherwise tepid song.

The last chord played at the end of Strange World, buried in the swooshing wind sounds, right before From There to Back Again begins.  What is that chord?  It is haunting.

Brian's multi tracking his vocals on the chorus of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin"

The backing track of In the Back of Mind - geez could that track be any more sophisticated? Light years ahead of contemporary music of that time.  When was that recorded, late 1964?  So advanced and beautiful.

Bass fills between verses on Here Comes The Night (no, not the disco version).

Don't Talk. The whole song is just so great.

"It's Trying To Say" with Dennis on lead vox.

Totally agree, I've been listening to that track alot lately. Love the "baseball's on" part as well!

Speaking of A/C tracks, the "what your life" part in Everybody Wants To Live kicks ass.

Everybody Wants to Live is fantastic. Surprised it hasn't had an official release.

I like that part as well. The whole depth of the song is great and Dennis for myself does an excellent job doing the lead vocals. There's an extended version on YouTube floating round, it's cool!

More accurate.

"The cigarette butt when you throw it in the water, goes PSSCHH. But the trick, but the trick is you shouldn't laugh. 'Cause if you start laughing you're just a coward. If you start laughing you're just a coward."

I absolutely love the lyrics, nothing describes Brian's state of mind at the time better than that!

Anyways, I'm absolutely obsessed with the fade to Heroes and Villains right now. Specifically the "Barnshine" version with those awesome backing vocals. It's amazing what Brian was able to do with just two chords. I listen to it and think, "how the hell did he come up with THIS. How could anyone have ever heard something like this in their head?" I may just be looking into it a little too deeply, but let's just leave it at the fact that it's a great little piece of music ;D

The moog solo in Leaving This Town. 

"It's About Time" (Sunflower)

Everything about the song is amazing. It's a song that you wouldn't normally associate with the Beach Boys.

exactly, great album! :hat

Love that song.  Showed that, when they wanted to, The Beach Boys could really rock out. 

Mother May I.

I too like "It's trying to say". I was at the time quite fond of Adult child album but it's been long time since I last listened to it. if I play them now, mentally, my favorite still is "Life is for the living" & "Still I dream of it" is still nothing special for me.

The piano demo for "I'll Bet He's Nice" is so good. 

I try to put myself in Brian's position of playing this for the rest of the band.  I can't tell if their hoots and hollers during the song are genuine or sarcastic, but the song certainly elicits a response.  I love how Mike says at the end "THAT IS A MOTHER F'ER!"

You should listen to it in its entirety and have a blast for old times' sake! What a great set of unreleased songs in one!  :afro

I am loving the piano demos of Don't Talk and California Feelin', they have such a melancholy sound to them, I absolutely adore it! Hell all of Brian's piano demos are gold, but these two in particular stand out!

The "music is in my soul" line in Add Some Music To Your Day. Lately, for some reason the part of the song has been moving me to tears.

+1 to that

The intro to The Surfer Moon has also been stuck in my head lately, such an underrated song.

Such a great song!

Indeed, wish Brian would do it live more often.

Are you referring to Add Some Music or Surfer Moon?

Both actually! ;D

That's cool, I'm a fan of both as well. 

Hearing Add Some Music during the legend leg of the NPP Tour was a nice surprise. 

Yeah it was amazing when I saw it on the c50 and the guys sang it around BW's piano.

Yeah, that was great. 

It's an absolute sin that moment was left off the C50 DVD that was released three years ago. 

If they had included that, IJWMFTT, and the tributes to Dennis and Carl, I might've been more willing to look the other way on the short run time.

Yeah that whole DVD was a mess. It's a shame the C50 doesn't have a proper sounding video or CD.

That's been a constant gripe for me.  The fact that a massive reunion like that could happen and we didn't get a decent document of a full show is very sad. 

Officially. ;)

Well, I won't lie.  I might've come across some not so official DVDs from the Beacon Theater and Wembley.  And maybe that official looking DVD from the televised Japan show. 

But, I still want a complete, mastered pro shot C50 show. 

Maybe we'll at least get a complete PS50 show. 

I hope so too, BW's band needs a proper document of it doing Pet sounds!

Wouldn't that be nice?

The 2002 DVD is pretty decent, but it's only the PS portion with GV thrown in. 

I want a full concert of Brian's band with Al and Blondie on board.  Even the Brian & Friends DVD is somewhat incomplete. 

Blondie's set needs to be captured for posterity. It is that great!

True.  At least there are some nice Blondie moments on the BW&F DVD.  Plus, that DVD included some nuggets that didn't crack the setlists on the NPP Tour like Hold On Dear Brother, PCH, and Summer's Gone.

Matt Jardine needs his DWB performance recorded as well.

That would be cool.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't even think Matt was in the band for BW&F.  Wasn't Brian Eichhenberger there? 

Yeah it was Brian before he joined Mike's band.

What are you talking about? Matt is in clear view singing back-up on Sail Away.

I'd have to look at the DVD again, but I thought Matt wasn't a part of that show due to some scheduling conflict. 

Well Matt sang in the album track; he is there standing with other people.

doo-bay doo-bay       doooooo

Emily,

What's that from? 

I Know There's an Answer

Aaaaaah, gotcha. 

Good one. 

The sound of Mike's voice (and the drop in dynamics) at the lines beginning with "Well I've been thinkin' 'bout" in "Do It Again"...

Intro to Our Sweet Love.

Man, you were so lucky to see and hear that!  ;D What show did you see? I wanted desperately to see the C50 tour, but couldn't find somebody to take me.

Virginia Beach July 3, 2012! ;D

Was Dave Marks performing "Pet Sounds" by that point in the tour?

Yes, he was rocking the solo with the BW band to open the 2nd set of the show. Great show with many highlights!

I'm so jealous.  ;D

Seeing the PS50 tour?

I don't know. Ill have to see if he's playing PA.

He is playing philly and Easton!

Somewhere around Pittsburgh would be in my neighborhood.

2:20 of Summer's Gone

The entire duration of "Salt Lake City". (2012 stereo). Just can't get enough of that song at the moment.

Not Beach Boys, but Brian's "There's So Many" from the 1988 album is seriously one of his best songs I've ever heard. Crazy to learn that the song was first demoed all the way back in 1979! The majority of the album has an amazing replay value!

The entirety of "All I Wanna Do". That song is other-worldly. Probably Mike's crowning achievement in the group.

Right next to Big Sur (4/4 Version) as Mike's shining moment IMO!

Brian's vocal flourish at the end of this version of Surfer Girl. The moment I'm referring to starts at about the 2:32 mark of this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzxxMYcGUi4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzxxMYcGUi4)

I absolutely love it! Can't listen to this version without rewinding the end a good half dozen times.

Here's a couple that I've had at the moment...

- Airplane (Live in Seattle 12/13/1977): The horns! When any song has a flourish of brass, I love it even more!
- Back Home (Seattle 1977): Nice to have Brian singing a song or two with the band. Despite forgetting a lyric, it a nice, up-tempo change from 15BO.
- Heroes and Villains (Live at Nassau; Live at Syracuse; Fillmore East Closing Night) I like the song, especially played live!
- Heroes and Villains (Sounds of Summer/Hawthorne, CA stereo mix) I prefer this louder mix over others.
- It's About Time (using 2012 Sunflower mix): Specifically the backing vocals of the first "I'm singin' in my heart...". I don't think the channel (left/right) matters, but I first noticed it on the right.
- Carl & the Passions (album) is probably one of my top 3-6 favorite albums (Friends, Pet Sounds, Surf's Up, Holland, Love You)
- Peggy Sue/Come Go With Me/Pitter Patter/Winds of Change: The alternate mixes are, IMHO, better than the album cuts.
- Santa Ana Winds/Looking Down the Coast (Song of the Whale): Very catchy tunes.
- Go and Get that Girl: Again, horns! Nice fast tempo, with enough hooks to catch a fish!

The coda of "At My Window", a song that creeps up on one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnbtV5x5AEo

The "alternate" melody for "Do You Like Worms" Brian sings for (ALAS!) too few seconds in Disc 3 of the Smile Sessions.

Beautiful!   :)

Airplane's coda. It's already such a great song, then the coda comes, totally unexpected.

I've been following this board for some time, but have now registered as a member and this is my first post.

I've enjoyed reading this thread in particular and for me there are plenty of exceptional moments in the Beach Boys catalogue, but lately I've appreciated "Time To Get Alone" and especially the line "The touch of your cheeks when they're rosy and cold, feels so cozy to hold..." in particular. The words, the attitude, Carl's voice and the entire song is really special. "...Deep and wide..." from the same song is really a great moment too.

"Meant For You". My God this is a beautiful sweet song.

The coda of Surf's Up is just bliss

First time poster, hello!

I have spent so much time soaking up the Beach Boys in my life.  Both as a listener and as someone who has spent years playing in bands.  I love how these moments can pop up and reward you for repeated listens.

These last few days I have been loving It's OK.  The way that it is constructed is Kicking My Ass Right Now.  Through the clever addition and subtraction of instruments Brian built an excellent excellent excellent rock crescendo.

Sometimes it is hard to distinguish or hear certain individual instrumentation, due to Brian's (most often wonderful) production methods.  So I find myself in some of these times more easily focused on what jumps out at me as a listener.  Rather than eeeeeeverything that is there.  Thanks for indulging me.

-It starts out as a high energy song!  Also the method of skipping an intro and starting directly with the first verse is often somewhat jarring to the listener.  I like it this time.
-I am immediately drawn to Mike's leads and the saxophone interplay slightly behind it.  In my mind I liken this verse to turning onto a freeway on-ramp and getting onto the interstate.
-The first chorus introduces the backup stack singing the same lyrics as Mike, and it is important that this chorus never changes through the song.  
-In verse 2, the backup stack is (in my mind) the most prominent thing. Partially because it is new, and partially because the harmonizing is right out front.  Mike's lead doesn't really diminish, but the saxophone is totally buried now.  In my mind the listener is now in the left lane of the freeway, working on getting out of town.
-The second chorus comes back again.  Its consistency helps reinforce the intensity that in my mind slowly climbs, then plateaus, then climbs, then plateaus, etc.
-The third verse is interesting to me because (this is just my guess) Mike lucked out and wrote a third verse with words and syllabic emphases (have some FUN, good or BAD glad or SAD are words that are just more forcefully spoken than stuff like tan your hide, ocean spray, race, disgrace, in verse 2.  Those just aren't forceful words) that allow him to now overtake the backup stack and thus raise the intensity of the song juuuuust a little more.  Plus in the second verse the listener is still getting used to the vocal stack accompaniment, by the third verse the listener is expecting it.
-The third, consistent chorus again reinforces the boiling point that the songs' intensity has now built to.
-Love you, Dennis.  An amazing payoff.  Plus now the saxophone is back out front-ish again to interact with him.  The listener is now out of town and joyfully cruising down a wide open interstate.
-The backup stack comes back with a minor modification to the tempo of the backing harmony that they used in the verse.  Dennis now paces an interplay in the outro that includes the sax, the new backup, and a minor, new tag by Mike that sort of mimes the moog bass.  This interplay brings the listener to the conclusion of the song.  In this part the driver drives off into the sunset.  

Welcome, great first post on a kickass song!

Welcome, KP! I echo SB's sentiments. :=)

Cool speech. I don't think anybody here reviewed song (& short too!) like that. Hello & welcome.

Unless you listen to the alternate mix, that one has an intro!

Welcome, BTW!

Mike's bass vocal on it's about time.

His motivational chanting cut right through my cynicism at having to listen to sunflower through a boombox because my stereo is not set up .

The Smiley Smile version of "Wind Chimes". I'd still take the SMiLE version over it, but there's such a melancholic, haunting feel to this one. It's very atmospheric in a way. It represents the quick, quiet death of SMiLE to me. I remember watching a documentary on Brian (can't remember which one though), and this song was playing while they talked about the shelving of SMiLE and Brian's breakdown. It fit really well!

Slip On Through a cappella. Mike's part (?) is really cool and barely audible on Sunflower. Kind of a droning harmony but it sounds so cool.

Listening to 15 big ones. Never noticed how slammin the Blueberry Hill track was.. when it comes in after the first verse especially. Really could have been a good record. Mike's ability to sing the song really falls off sharply.precisely at the beginning of the bridge and Brian's groove kinda' runs out of steam. Though that could just be the phoned in the backing vocal arrangements/and performances. The whole group really messed up the singing.  But this track had potential. If they could have had a prime-era Brian doing the lead vocal on the bridge that might have been nice.
in his high voice. And if they would of done a seriously better job on the background vocals. And truncated it after the bridge,tsang just the one more verse, and ended iton a funky BW coda and then we would have world peace

I guess a Brian Wilson solo musical moment could count for this, couldn't it? 

That falsetto note he hits in the second chorus of "Cry."  No one else's falsetto could give me that same chill up the spine.

Baby Blue, when Dennis starts singing.

"Lavender" is best a cappella. It's charming that way.
"Isn't it time", after Mike's vocs during harmonies in middle 8 there is bass emphasizing the beat; it's cool.
"Shut Down", the last 20 seconds where guitar does variations in contrast to the vocals repeating the same phrase.

Marcella, after hearing it live in the "Brian Wilson & Friends" album. What a rocker!

Passing By is totally Kicking My Ass Right Now.  Specifically, the descending intro to the song.  I have always loved it, at face value.  Never cared why.  I listened to Stephen Desper's study video of Friends again tonight and became fixated on this part for a few minutes.  Now I understand why.  This little 5 seconds is an excellent Brianistic music creation.  I believe it is an A major (great melody, great pop) scale, but I am definitely not the best at figuring that stuff out. 

When I listen to it closely and try to count out the beat in my head, the rhythm of this intro doesn't really make sense.  Like it actually has a note or two that shouldn't be there.  The best I can relate it over the internet is that the count in my head is a very unnatural "1 2 3 4 5 6, 1 2 3", before going on to the A chord that starts the "verse".  Why would he have an intro part be like that?

The riff as a whole is an excellent descent into the 2 repeating "meat and potatoes" ahhh's of the song that most people recognize most from this song (these are also used as the outro tag to the song, though if I am not mistaken on the outro he starts flatting some of the notes).  The third line of ahhh's in each "verse" is a lot like the first two lines.  It is a mostly ascending melody that is a nice hook that reels the listener in after the first two repeating lines. 

However, this 3rd line mostly ascending "hook" differs in that it follows the same rhythm as the descending intro (and these are the only two parts of the song that have this cadence).  It reaches a 6th "high" note before descending and holding, whereas the first two lines go for 5 "high" notes before descending and not holding.  It excellently resolves the unique intro and makes things that don't totally make sense, absolutely make sense.  It is Brianistic and I feel like I can imagine him coming up with this ditty- first the main repeating melody of the 2 lines of ahhh's, then resolving a catchy third line of ahhh's to reel in us muskellunges, and later figuring out the descending intro as a close mirror image of the catchy third line.  Now I have a better understanding of why this little intro is totally Kicking My Ass Right Now.

The many magical moments in the "Good Vibrations Sessions" on the SS/WH 2fer...

"Soulful Old Man Sunshine" demo. Carol Kaye in Pet Sounds feature said that Brian got groove/good sense of rhythm which is right. Carl sings as if he tries to be cool. Brian is effortless. Should've sung it rather than give the lead to Carl.

The yodeling on Wonderful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygi4mOuuevU

Mike's vocal on 'I Do'. It's easy to forget (at least for me) how perfect his voice was and how it crystalizes (for someone who wasn't there) the optimism of the Beach Boys pre-seriousness/drugs/mental illness/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame speeches, back when everything must've been perfect (from the outside at least). All those banal (for me anyways) songs about cars and whatnot are all worth it for the fact that frequently they came up with a song that captured the innocence and beauty of young love so completely and every time you listen to those songs they hold you down and fill you up with stars from a fantasy that feels realer than reality.

If only he hadn't gone bald.

This all-telling picture in use on this the first day of March 2017...

http://www.brianwilson.com/music/

Lee, where is the love? >:D

Ask Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway...no wait...Donny's gone.  Passed back in early '79. 

You bite the hand that  F E E D S  you and sooner or later...what goes around/comes around.  [and deservedly so.]

https://youtu.be/T94mq3vsiZo?t=35s

In this "alternate mix" of Wouldn't It Be Nice during the 35s - 50s window, the high part of the background vocals is accentuated. Even though I've listened to this song hundreds of times, I never noticed this vocal part. And now that I've heard it, I can't unhear it (which is a good thing)! Has anyone else not noticed this high vocal part before?

My (cloth) ears missed it too. This is the line it seems to follow: C - B♭- c - B♭- A.

That second (ascending) c is interesting, giving an open fifth on top, as in the first chord of "Don't Worry, Baby".

In fact, is there a major third at all in the vocal stack at that moment? I'm having trouble hearing it...

The alternate mix of "The Little Girl I Once Knew" from the 2001 Hawthorne, CA album when the instruments drop out and the a cappella section takes over, followed by the instruments coming back just at the right time with the ringing guitar licks. 

I found an extended version of "Walk On By" on you tube, and it's been slaying me for days now.

In the same way a sad love song would become tragic in Roy Orbison's hands, Brian and Dennis manage to make you feel so vulnerable that you don't know if you can go on another minute. Maybe it's because I'm a male, but I feel the song is more powerful from a males perspective. After all, she DOES have the upper hand, doesn't she.

God Bless Murry, Audree, and all the little Wilson's  :)

You must mean this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkIw6SMt2bs

It certainly is stunning! The bits where they don't know the words almost sound deliberate, as if words were inadequate for what they wanted to convey...

I love your signature! :smokin   

Thanks for mentioning this. It is a wonderful version.
In some ways I prefer it to the released version, except for Mike's "Split, man"; the released version of that is perfect.

Just now I was listening to Don't Go Near the Water and I heard something I've never noticed before... the backing vocals in the "toothpaste and soap will make our oceans a bubble bath"  part... I always heard them as "aah-oom-diddy-wadda", but it just hit me that they're singing "aah-oom-dirty-water". Unless I'm just hearing things... but I've been playing it over and over and I can't unhear it! So cool!

Listening to He Come Down on headphones, I'm struck by the lovely soft 'ohhh' vocals that rise and fall between 2:18 and 2:42. So very pretty.
Got to be Carl in there most prominently, right?

The ending coda of  Break Away gets me every time, same with the coda of Surf's Up.

"Can't remember what we fought about..." from Kiss Me, Baby

I believe you are right, and I think I can hear him double-tracked.

I am baffled, especially on the first chorus, by how the soulful-belt-it-out part (Blondie, I am assuming?) is for some reason mixed lower than everything else that is going on at the time.

1967 version of Here Comes The Night

Brian's "Oooooooooo" at the end of the chorus is really the ass kicker.

Pretty well all of the original 1988 mix of Brian Wilson----oh all right, all of it. ;D 

I borrowed it from the local record-lending library (they have first editions of everything).

What an aural treat from start to finish! Who cares if the CD booklet make more sense to the medical profession? This is one fabulous listen...

Every chorus falsetto on Good Timin' they just give me chills, really fun to sing as well. It's Carl isn't it? Unless my ears deceive me

The Session Highlights from "Aren't You Glad" on 1967:ST----strewth! Mr E wasn't joking about getting very psyched! ::) 

Man, those taped piano strings? Easily makes it sound like a SMiLE outtake, especially the early versions of "I Love to Say Dada". We were wrong, Brian was definitely still at the top of his game during the Wild Honey sessions. Only after his hospital visit in mid-68 did he start losing focus with the Beach Boys.


With the new stereo remix, this has shot up to be my favorite track off of Wild Honey, just amazing.

Technically not a Beach Boys song, but holy hell, I've been obsessed recently with "Don't Run Away" by Bruce and Terry. A Beach Boys version would have kicked ass, it doesn't help that Terry's lead during the bridge already sounds a lot like Brian! This could have fit on Pet Sounds, easily.