The Smiley Smile Message Board

Smiley Smile Stuff => General On Topic Discussions => Topic started by: Jim V. on January 08, 2011, 06:45:20 PM



Title: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Jim V. on January 08, 2011, 06:45:20 PM
I've tried to find a thread talking about this but I can't. So here it is...is there for sure proof that Brian is on any of the songs on Carl and the Passions, Holland, or the Light Album? Vocally or instrumentally?

Here are the songs he is reportedly on.

Carl and the Passions "So Tough"
  • "You Need A Mess of Help To Stand Alone": Vocals, apparently doubles Carl's lead?; probably somewhere in the "she don't know" mix
  • "Marcella": Vocals, background?
  • "He Come Down": Vocals, background (apparently sounding like his late '70s self, is this undoubtably true though?)

Holland
  • "Funky Pretty": Vocals, somewhere in the mix

L.A. Light Album
  • "Good Timin'": Piano (apparently from '74), maybe harpsichord?
  • "Angel Come Home": Vocals, somewhere (somebody wanna point out where I can hear?)

Now if somebody could, please let me know the info on these albums? Maybe he IS more present. But those are my guesses thus far. Also, how involved was he on Surf's Up? I know he was on "Take A Load Off Your Feet", "Feel Flows", "A Day in the Life of a Tree", "Til I Die", and "Surf's Up", but was he involved in any of the rest?


Title: Re: Brian on Light Album, Carl and the Passions, and Holland
Post by: ♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇 on January 08, 2011, 06:58:01 PM
He is indeed on those cuts from So Tough. He isn't doubling Carl's lead, but is extremely prominent, with the high part being most notable. He is the one doing "Marcella hey" off Marcella, and yes that is him on He Came Down (the piano and the EEEeeee part, where he does indeed sound like his 1976 self). On Holland, he's on Funky Pretty (drums and backup vocals "Pretty Funky Gone" being the most noticeable part). I thought he was on Steamboat for the longest time, also.
Some where on this board is a post I made where it had some of Brian's parts isolated, although I cannot find that thread right now.

LA Light? The piano from GT is indeed from 1974, although I didn't know that part was Brian. I swear I can hear him in the bg vox, but I could be wrong.  I think that's it, though.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Magic Transistor Radio on January 08, 2011, 07:50:10 PM
He sings lead on the intro to California Saga: California, and speaks as the voice of the pied piper on the Mount Vernon and Fairway!


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: punkinhead on January 08, 2011, 07:57:47 PM
I've tried to find a thread talking about this but I can't. So here it is...is there for sure proof that Brian is on any of the songs on Carl and the Passions, Holland, or the Light Album? Vocally or instrumentally?

Here are the songs he is reportedly on.

Carl and the Passions
  • "You Need A Mess of Help To Stand Alone: Vocals, apparently doubles Carl's lead?; probably somewhere in the "she don't know" mix
  • "Marcella": Vocals, background?
  • "He Come Down": Vocals, background (apparently sounding like his late '70s self, is this undoubtably true though?)
[/b]
[/list]

Carl and the Passions "So Tough"
  • "Funky Pretty": Vocals, somewhere in the mix

L.A. Light Album
  • "Good Timin'": Piano (apparently from '74), maybe harpsichord?
  • "Angel Come Home": Vocals, somewhere (somebody wanna point out where I can hear?)

Now if somebody could, please let me know the info on these albums? Maybe he IS more present. But those are my guesses thus far. Also, how involved was he on Surf's Up? I know he was on "Take A Load Off Your Feet", "Feel Flows", "A Day in the Life of a Tree", "Til I Die", and "Surf's Up", but was he involved in any of the rest?


I was actually just listening for Brian's mid 70s gruff voice on He Come Down the other day on headphones. I think i found it...though it sounds kinda like Mike too...the buried vocals are so hard to listen for.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Mahalo on January 08, 2011, 08:10:41 PM
... to me the most important thing is the essence of Brian Wilson bleeding through the speakers on those trax... I may not hear his voice as much as I'd like on Funky Pretty, (till the Funky Pretty demos are released by the powers that be), but I can swear to high heaven that his spirit is right there next to me rocking out.  :rock


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Magic Transistor Radio on January 08, 2011, 08:25:04 PM
Speaking of Funky Pretty, it seems like Brian is already in Love You form. Although, the lyrics are much better then they would be in 77. Even Mt Vernon has a Love You type production. I wonder if Brian actually did as much producing as Carl on those songs.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 08, 2011, 09:00:52 PM
I'm sure he's playing piano and maybe organ on He Come Down.  Probably on Mess Of Help and Marcella as well (he's on the AFM sheets, and for cryin' out loud, he WROTE the songs, so probably).  He's on Good Timin' (piano & probably harpsichord), from the '74 sessions.  And he's playing piano and I think Moog on Shortenin' Bread (backing track is from January '78).


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Jim V. on January 08, 2011, 09:31:12 PM
... to me the most important thing is the essence of Brian Wilson bleeding through the speakers on those trax... I may not hear his voice as much as I'd like on Funky Pretty, (till the Funky Pretty demos are released by the powers that be), but I can swear to high heaven that his spirit is right there next to me rocking out.  :rock

I dig what you're saying there. When you hear a true Brian Wilson track, regardless of whether he's a lead vocalist or not, songs he produces or helps out on, it just has a special something that I don't hear as much on stuff like much of Imagination, Still Cruisin', his self-titled album or The Beach Boys self-titled album. It seems that the "feeling" in those songs isn't the same as a "committed" Brian work. Which isn't to say there isn't a song (or songs) from those albums that don't have those feeling, but its just not felt in the way you feel it on Pet Sounds or even lesser works like 15 Big Ones or Friends.


I'm sure he's playing piano and maybe organ on He Come Down.  Probably on Mess Of Help and Marcella as well (he's on the AFM sheets, and for cryin' out loud, he WROTE the songs, so probably).  He's on Good Timin' (piano & probably harpsichord), from the '74 sessions.  And he's playing piano and I think Moog on Shortenin' Bread (backing track is from January '78).

I thought I read that for the Light Album version of "Shortenin' Bread", he wasn't there, but they used his earlier version as a basis, hence the credit he got for arranging or whatever.


Title: Re: Brian on Light Album, Carl and the Passions, and Holland
Post by: Mikie on January 08, 2011, 11:35:22 PM
And yes that is him on He Came Down (the piano and the EEEeeee part, where he does indeed sound like his 1976 self.

Huh? I don't get it. His voice didn't change drastically until 1975, when his vocal chords were thrashed. How could he sound like his 1976 voice in 1972? Please explain. Does he make his voice sound gruff and raspy on "He Come Down"? If so, when?


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Mikie on January 08, 2011, 11:41:13 PM
"He Come Down". Vocals, background (apparently sounding like his late '70s self, is this undoubtably true though? I was actually just listening for Brian's mid 70s gruff voice on He Come Down the other day on headphones. I think i found it...though it sounds kinda like Mike too...the buried vocals are so hard to listen for.

Please help me out here. Is Brian trying to change his voice here. Give me minutes and seconds into the song please! First, I never knew Brian was on the song and second, this isn't the first time anybody suggested that he was trying to change his voice on purpose. I always wanted to start a thread on this issue and I will concerning his voice.

Hey C-Man, we need that Carl & The Passions sessions essay this year, OK?


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: ♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇 on January 09, 2011, 12:28:07 AM
His voice didn't permanently  change until 1975, but he still had his moments. If I can find the thread where I posted those clips, I will repost. From what I've been told, he'd been on a bit of a bender lately. That also explains why his high part in Mess of Help sounds like his late 70s falsetto only dryer, and same thing with his part on Marcella...sounded like his MIU voice, brief as his part was.

If I can't find the link, I'll redo it in Adobe Audition in a few days.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on January 09, 2011, 01:30:25 AM
Brian also plays the drums on "Funky Pretty".

His contribution to "Angle Come Home" is in the bvs - certainly the chorus, not convinced about the verses.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: adamghost on January 09, 2011, 01:50:18 AM
We never did find him anywhere else on L.A., did we?  I don't think we can say for sure that he wasn't on "Lady Lynda," can we?  Some of the vocals I believe were from the MIU time period and if you listen carefully, a few are a bit on the pitchy side.  Or did we cover this and C-Man confirmed he wasn't there?  I forgot.  I know we talked about this.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Slow In Brain on January 09, 2011, 03:57:38 AM
Does Brian turn up on either of the Celebration albums from the 1978 - 79 period ? After all he is playing bass on the clips of Almost Summer and Cruisin on Youtube


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on January 09, 2011, 03:59:53 AM
Does Brian turn up on either of the Celebration albums from the 1978 - 79 period ? After all he is playing bass on the clips of Almost Summer and Cruisin on Youtube

There's reasonable cause to believe he's on "Almost Summer" vocally.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Mike's Beard on January 09, 2011, 04:02:44 AM
Isn't Brian singing background vox near the end of "Love Surrounds Me"? Sounds quite a bit like what his shouty 80's vocals would be like.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 08:52:14 AM
Isn't Brian singing background vox near the end of "Love Surrounds Me"? Sounds quite a bit like what his shouty 80's vocals would be like.

I think that's Dennis.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 08:54:36 AM
Does Brian turn up on either of the Celebration albums from the 1978 - 79 period ? After all he is playing bass on the clips of Almost Summer and Cruisin on Youtube

There's reasonable cause to believe he's on "Almost Summer" vocally.

I love the demo for this song, which has Brian singing most or all of the verses that were later sung by Mike...what a kick to listen to!


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 09:18:46 AM
We never did find him anywhere else on L.A., did we?  I don't think we can say for sure that he wasn't on "Lady Lynda," can we?  Some of the vocals I believe were from the MIU time period and if you listen carefully, a few are a bit on the pitchy side.  Or did we cover this and C-Man confirmed he wasn't there?  I forgot.  I know we talked about this.

Well, the trick to determining if Brian is on the L.A. version of "Lady Lynda" may be determining for sure the dates he was staying at Brotman hospital (he was there for several months in late '78/early '79).  If the vocals were recorded while he was hospitalized, then no.  I've scoured the Gaines book (the recounting of the incident leading to Brian's hospitalization at Brotman starts on pg. 321 of the first edition), but can't find the actual date, or even the month.  There were three versions of "Lady Lynda"...the Ron Altbach-produced original from the second half of '77...this one can be heard playing in the background during one scene of the "Almost Summer" movie.  Then Bruce produced a version at Western on Sept. 19, 1978 (along with a remake of "Calendar Girl"), but I have no idea if there are vocals on that.  The track for the final Al-produced version was cut at Western on Oct. 11, 1978, with some overdubs added five days later.  The harpsichord & orchestra were added at Britannia on Nov. 27th, but the background vocals were done inbetween.  In a radio interview, Carl mentioned that some of the vocals for "Lady Lynda" were done up in Monterey (at a studio called Super Sound).  I know from AGD's research that the BBs also worked on "Santa Ana Winds" at Super Sound Nov. 16-17, so I would say it's likely that they also worked on "Lady Lynda" at the same time.  Brian cut "Drip Drop" at Western on Oct. 19, so his committment to Brotman would have to be sometime after that date.  Since Carl had said "some" of the background vocals were done in Monterey, even if we can prove that Brian was already in Brotman by mid-November, there's still a chance he participated in the earlier vocal sessions, if they were held in L.A. sometime between Oct. 11 (when the basic track was cut) and Oct. 19 (when Brian cut "Drip Drop").  Either way, I'd say there's a good chance he is on there...some of the low-mid vocals sound like they could be him.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 09:29:11 AM
I thought I read that for the Light Album version of "Shortenin' Bread", he wasn't there, but they used his earlier version as a basis, hence the credit he got for arranging or whatever.


That is true as far as the vocals go.  However, we know from various sources (like the AFM contract and Chuck "Crane" Kirkpatrick's testimony) that the instrumental track Brian cut in January '78 included Billy Hinsche and Kirkpatrick on guitars.  The track sheet or console strip from the version of "Shortenin' Bread" used on the Light Album has track assignments for Billy's guitar and Chuck's guitar, as well as elements that would definitely be from the final overdubs the group did later in Brian's absence (Jimmy Lyon's screaming lead guitar, plus chorus vocals done by Bruce, Carl and Alan, and Dennis' bass vocal).


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on January 09, 2011, 09:55:46 AM
We never did find him anywhere else on L.A., did we?  I don't think we can say for sure that he wasn't on "Lady Lynda," can we?  Some of the vocals I believe were from the MIU time period and if you listen carefully, a few are a bit on the pitchy side.  Or did we cover this and C-Man confirmed he wasn't there?  I forgot.  I know we talked about this.

Well, the trick to determining if Brian is on the L.A. version of "Lady Lynda" may be determining for sure the dates he was staying at Brotman hospital (he was there for several months in late '78/early '79). 

Brian was out of Brotman by March 1st 1979 for sure, as he showed up at Radio City Music Hall, so unless he winged it for the whole four days of the engagement, I'd say he was released maybe early February - he was certainly out by the 21st as he (reportedly) produced an American Spring session. As for when he went in, well, there was the "Beggin' Yoy Please" session at Shangri-La on 10/6/78, and "Drip Drop" at Western 13 days later. He also played at least one show of the 4-date midwest mini-tour later the same month (27th-29th).


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on January 09, 2011, 09:58:10 AM
This just in - on "He Come Down", Brian wrote most of it, arranged it, took the top vocal line and played piano & organ.  Film at eleven.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: the captain on January 09, 2011, 10:37:55 AM
This just in - on "He Come Down", Brian wrote most of it, arranged it, took the top vocal line and played piano & organ.  Film at eleven.
Andrew, do you mean he took the top vocal line throughout the song? I ask because after reading this I listened a couple times and my ears--which have been wrong before, but I'm just saying it's my impression--tell me that it could well be Brian on the top line in the big "yes, I believe it" beginning around 3:27, but it doesn't much sound like him in the primary "I believe it" backgrounds of the refrains throughout the rest of the song. Not doubting what you were told, just curious.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: GuyO on January 09, 2011, 11:05:02 AM
This just in - on "He Come Down", Brian wrote most of it, arranged it, took the top vocal line and played piano & organ.  Film at eleven.
Andrew, do you mean he took the top vocal line throughout the song? I ask because after reading this I listened a couple times and my ears--which have been wrong before, but I'm just saying it's my impression--tell me that it could well be Brian on the top line in the big "yes, I believe it" beginning around 3:27, but it doesn't much sound like him in the primary "I believe it" backgrounds of the refrains throughout the rest of the song. Not doubting what you were told, just curious.

Luther, the part you're referring to sounds like Blondie Chaplin, imo. Gee, when listening through headphones, there's so much going on in those choruses vocal-wise. I can single out Carl, Alan, Mike and Blondie easily, but the rest...? There are several high parts though, which could be Alan, Brian and Blondie.

Edit: From 3:44 on in the right channel there are swelling high voices and organ. Especially when the voices turn to screams Brian's shrill voice is audible.

p.s. now listening to Marcella. Did any else notice the vocoder-like vocal during the chorus? Very cool.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 11:06:08 AM
Also, Brian would be doing at least most (if not all) of the playing on the Holland Fairytale.  And all the instruments on "Funky Pretty" were reportedly played by Brian, Carl, and Ricky (since Brian played the drums in Ricky's absence, my guess is Ricky added percussion later...is there flute on there? can't remember, but if so, that would be Ricky as well).


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: adamghost on January 09, 2011, 01:33:18 PM
Don't want to derail this thread, but now that I think about it, how much is Al on L.A.?  We have him for sure on "Good Timin'", "Here Comes The Night," "Lady Lynda" and now "Shortnin' Bread," but just off the top of my head I can't think of any other song where I can positively say we have any other vocals that aren't Carl, Bruce, and occasionally Dennis (and Brian somewhere on "Angel Come Home", and supposedly G. Cushing-Murray on the unison part of "Full Sail").  And Bobby F. supposedly sings on that album as well...do we know where he is?

It's funny because L.A. is one of my favorite BBs albums vocally, one of the records that really got me into them, and I've learned over the years that most of the parts I liked are just Carl and Bruce multitracked!


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 01:44:35 PM
Don't want to derail this thread, but now that I think about it, how much is Al on L.A.?  We have him for sure on "Good Timin'", "Here Comes The Night," "Lady Lynda" and now "Shortnin' Bread," but just off the top of my head I can't think of any other song where I can positively say we have any other vocals that aren't Carl, Bruce, and occasionally Dennis (and Brian somewhere on "Angel Come Home", and supposedly G. Cushing-Murray on the unison part of "Full Sail").  And Bobby F. supposedly sings on that album as well...do we know where he is?

It's funny because L.A. is one of my favorite BBs albums vocally, one of the records that really got me into them, and I've learned over the years that most of the parts I liked are just Carl and Bruce multitracked!

Bobby F. once said in an interview (in BBFUN, 1981) that he sang on quite a bit of the Light Album, doing background parts with Carl.  When I recently asked him though, he just said he's on "Good Timin'".  As for Al...I would think he's possibly on the bridge or ending part of "Baby Blue", since those parts were recorded in Miami (August) and L.A. (once they'd returned from Miamil) respectively.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Jim V. on January 09, 2011, 01:53:02 PM
This just in - on "He Come Down", Brian wrote most of it, arranged it, took the top vocal line and played piano & organ.  Film at eleven.

I was wondering about that song. Whenever people talk about what Brian wrote in the early '70's, things like "Mess of Help" and "Marcella" get mentioned, but never "He Come Down". Was he the main songwriter on the track? Like most of the music? Or what parts? Honestly, whenever I think of Brian on Carl and the Passions, I usually don't take this song into account.

Anyways hope to hear some more info on this.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Mikie on January 09, 2011, 02:02:42 PM
Film at eleven.

Hey, you poser! That's my line!   ;D


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 02:09:22 PM
This just in - on "He Come Down", Brian wrote most of it, arranged it, took the top vocal line and played piano & organ.  Film at eleven.

I was wondering about that song. Whenever people talk about what Brian wrote in the early '70's, things like "Mess of Help" and "Marcella" get mentioned, but never "He Come Down". Was he the main songwriter on the track? Like most of the music? Or what parts? Honestly, whenever I think of Brian onCarl and the Passions, I usually don't take this song into account.

Anyways hope to hear some more info on this.

One of Elton John's alltime favorite songs on one of his favorite BBs albums.  No lie.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: ♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇 on January 09, 2011, 02:14:04 PM
Quote
This just in - on "He Come Down", Brian wrote most of it, arranged it, took the top vocal line and played piano & organ.  Film at eleven.

Plus the low part after the final Yes I Believe it.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Mr. Cohen on January 09, 2011, 02:16:21 PM
Listen to the organ on "He Come Down". That's so Brian, there's no doubt about it.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: bgas on January 09, 2011, 02:51:05 PM
Listen to the organ on "He Come Down". That's so Brian, there's no doubt about it.

But but Brian's a piano man.  Organs scare him. 


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: adamghost on January 09, 2011, 03:47:38 PM
Don't want to derail this thread, but now that I think about it, how much is Al on L.A.?  We have him for sure on "Good Timin'", "Here Comes The Night," "Lady Lynda" and now "Shortnin' Bread," but just off the top of my head I can't think of any other song where I can positively say we have any other vocals that aren't Carl, Bruce, and occasionally Dennis (and Brian somewhere on "Angel Come Home", and supposedly G. Cushing-Murray on the unison part of "Full Sail").  And Bobby F. supposedly sings on that album as well...do we know where he is?

It's funny because L.A. is one of my favorite BBs albums vocally, one of the records that really got me into them, and I've learned over the years that most of the parts I liked are just Carl and Bruce multitracked!

Bobby F. once said in an interview (in BBFUN, 1981) that he sang on quite a bit of the Light Album, doing background parts with Carl.  When I recently asked him though, he just said he's on "Good Timin'".  As for Al...I would think he's possibly on the bridge or ending part of "Baby Blue", since those parts were recorded in Miami (August) and L.A. (once they'd returned from Miamil) respectively.

I'm pretty sure he's not on the tag to "Baby Blue," because Alan isolated those tracks for us to learn for LONG PROMISED ROAD and they were pretty clearly Bruce and Carl overdubbed to my ear.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: adamghost on January 09, 2011, 03:48:35 PM
Listen to the organ on "He Come Down". That's so Brian, there's no doubt about it.

But but Brian's a piano man.  Organs scare him. 

I'm guessing that's a joke, given Brian once had an organ imported to Hawaii to play because it made him feel comfortable!


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: James Hughes-Clarke on January 09, 2011, 03:49:15 PM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: bgas on January 09, 2011, 04:08:35 PM
Listen to the organ on "He Come Down". That's so Brian, there's no doubt about it.

But but Brian's a piano man.  Organs scare him. 

I'm guessing that's a joke, given Brian once had an organ imported to Hawaii to play because it made him feel comfortable!

probably a timing thing, then. Brian, in Contemporary Keyboard mag, July 1977: 
Which keyboards do you prefer playing now?  BW: I prefer piano. "I get a little fearful of the organ--it's a very haunting, frightening instrument"

(http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww302/bgasnow/scan0017.jpg)


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Rocker on January 09, 2011, 04:10:50 PM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....


Sounds very Brian, indeed. I guess it's Bruce though. Sounds exactly like his  VERY high voice at the end of "Endless harmony"


Re: He came down
I always thought it was Carl who wrote it. So, it was Brian. Cool. Great song with very good gospel-piano. In fact I thought it might've been Blondie or Ricky because I neevr heard any gospel-piano by Brian or any other Beach Boy


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 05:20:46 PM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....


Sounds very Brian, indeed. I guess it's Bruce though. Sounds exactly like his  VERY high voice at the end of "Endless harmony"


Re: He came down
I always thought it was Carl who wrote it. So, it was Brian. Cool. Great song with very good gospel-piano. In fact I thought it might've been Blondie or Ricky because I neevr heard any gospel-piano by Brian or any other Beach Boy

How 'bout Brian's gospel-piano on "That Same Song" a few years later?  Perhaps not AS gospely as "He Come Down", but gospel still.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 05:21:43 PM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....

Carl.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 05:32:18 PM
Don't want to derail this thread, but now that I think about it, how much is Al on L.A.?  We have him for sure on "Good Timin'", "Here Comes The Night," "Lady Lynda" and now "Shortnin' Bread," but just off the top of my head I can't think of any other song where I can positively say we have any other vocals that aren't Carl, Bruce, and occasionally Dennis (and Brian somewhere on "Angel Come Home", and supposedly G. Cushing-Murray on the unison part of "Full Sail").  And Bobby F. supposedly sings on that album as well...do we know where he is?

It's funny because L.A. is one of my favorite BBs albums vocally, one of the records that really got me into them, and I've learned over the years that most of the parts I liked are just Carl and Bruce multitracked!

Bobby F. once said in an interview (in BBFUN, 1981) that he sang on quite a bit of the Light Album, doing background parts with Carl.  When I recently asked him though, he just said he's on "Good Timin'".  As for Al...I would think he's possibly on the bridge or ending part of "Baby Blue", since those parts were recorded in Miami (August) and L.A. (once they'd returned from Miamil) respectively.

I'm pretty sure he's not on the tag to "Baby Blue," because Alan isolated those tracks for us to learn for LONG PROMISED ROAD and they were pretty clearly Bruce and Carl overdubbed to my ear.

Maybe the bridge then.  Or maybe not at all.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: c-man on January 09, 2011, 07:11:34 PM
Listen to the organ on "He Come Down". That's so Brian, there's no doubt about it.

But but Brian's a piano man.  Organs scare him. 

I'm guessing that's a joke, given Brian once had an organ imported to Hawaii to play because it made him feel comfortable!

probably a timing thing, then. Brian, in Contemporary Keyboard mag, July 1977: 
Which keyboards do you prefer playing now?  BW: I prefer piano. "I get a little fearful of the organ--it's a very haunting, frightening instrument"



Must've been a temporary fear...Brian, to Westwood One Radio, June 1985:  "I love organ, Oh I love an organ, organs are great...it has a Leslie speaker, this thing spins round and goes Pssshooo...and the sound goes Whoooooooooooooooooooooo, that's what makes the organ sound like that, a waver...it spins the sound around.  I love experimenting on organs, they're great."


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: adamghost on January 09, 2011, 09:53:37 PM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....


Sounds very Brian, indeed. I guess it's Bruce though. Sounds exactly like his  VERY high voice at the end of "Endless harmony"


It is neither...as C-Man already said, it's Carl.  I know this because I, too, thought it was Brian.  Alan Boyd helpfully isolated the track for me one day to demonstrate I had no clue what I was talking about.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on January 10, 2011, 02:19:37 AM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....

From the first time I heard it back in 1979, that's always been Carl to my ears.  Certainly not Brian as his upper range back then wasn't anything like that smooth.

Note to self: next time, read entire thread before pontificating - it helps stop you looking like an ass.  :ahh


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on January 10, 2011, 02:21:37 AM
 Alan Boyd helpfully isolated the track for me one day to demonstrate I had no clue what I was talking about.

Yeah, he can be really annoying like that.  ;D


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: adamghost on January 10, 2011, 03:57:03 AM
I'm going ask Nelson when I see him Saturday whether Brian is scared of organ this week or not.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on January 10, 2011, 04:03:16 AM
I'm going ask Nelson when I see him Saturday whether Brian is scared of organ this week or not.

 ;D


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Rocker on January 10, 2011, 07:19:31 AM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....


Sounds very Brian, indeed. I guess it's Bruce though. Sounds exactly like his  VERY high voice at the end of "Endless harmony"


Re: He came down
I always thought it was Carl who wrote it. So, it was Brian. Cool. Great song with very good gospel-piano. In fact I thought it might've been Blondie or Ricky because I neevr heard any gospel-piano by Brian or any other Beach Boy

How 'bout Brian's gospel-piano on "That Same Song" a few years later?  Perhaps not AS gospely as "He Come Down", but gospel still.


Not as impressive as HCD. But I like this guy's playing :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFeMd3HRtTg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFeMd3HRtTg)


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: James Hughes-Clarke on January 11, 2011, 01:25:13 AM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....

From the first time I heard it back in 1979, that's always been Carl to my ears.  Certainly not Brian as his upper range back then wasn't anything like that smooth.

Note to self: next time, read entire thread before pontificating - it helps stop you looking like an ass.  :ahh

Thanks guys.  To me it always sounded a bit 'shrill' to be Carl - but I guess Mr Boyd's evidence is the clincher here.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Rocker on January 11, 2011, 06:37:45 AM
Any ideas who is doing the woo-ha-haa's in 'Baby Blue'?  Starting at 1:44.   Always sounded very Brian'ish to these (possibly deluded) ears....

From the first time I heard it back in 1979, that's always been Carl to my ears.  Certainly not Brian as his upper range back then wasn't anything like that smooth.

Note to self: next time, read entire thread before pontificating - it helps stop you looking like an ass.  :ahh

Thanks guys.  To me it always sounded a bit 'shrill' to be Carl - but I guess Mr Boyd's evidence is the clincher here.



For the 50th anniversary we need to get a stack-o-vocals album along with a Blondie/Ricky concert


Title: Re: Brian on Light Album, Carl and the Passions, and Holland
Post by: Curtis Leon on January 14, 2011, 02:30:13 AM
And yes that is him on He Came Down (the piano and the EEEeeee part, where he does indeed sound like his 1976 self.

Huh? I don't get it. His voice didn't change drastically until 1975, when his vocal chords were thrashed. How could he sound like his 1976 voice in 1972? Please explain. Does he make his voice sound gruff and raspy on "He Come Down"? If so, when?

Brian sang a lot of bass vocals during that period, most notably on a large chunk of the American Spring album, and possibly the "Glowing magic transistor radio" bit on Mount Vernon and Fairway. (Though that could just as easily be Jack Rieley) It seems to me he was doing a lot of experiments with his voice during that period, trying to run away from using his falsetto. Undoubtedly he realized the damage it started to take through the trouble he was having with it.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: adamghost on January 14, 2011, 12:35:43 PM
The evidence (and from what I've heard, the opinion of at least one person close to the situation) suggests that, far from thinking it was a problem, Brian deliberately trashed his voice in the mid '70s.  Certainly he made a lot of on-record comments at the time about hating his falsetto voice, and I remember a quote from that time (I don't remember if it was attributed) that "he's been smoking like a chimney to get that husky sound."


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: hypehat on January 14, 2011, 05:59:19 PM
He never really lost that macho thing - criticising his voice on LHRW as 'girly' and such. Which is heartbreaking.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Jim V. on January 14, 2011, 06:38:07 PM
Does anybody think he did it unintentionally?  I gotta admit, I think his voice from the 15 Big Ones-era thru the recording of at least "Stevie" (approximately late 1975 until 1981).

Do you think he was ever bummed that his voice changed? I don't think so myself, although I do feel from reading interviews, that he did know he needed to up his game for when he started doing his solo tours, but that was more about his singing in the correct way, and less about his voice, if that makes any sense.

Me myself, I think the only times where I find his vocals unbearable are indeed "Let Him Run Wild" (sorry! I do agree with Brian, too shrill, kinda bothers me), "She's Got Rhythm" (too screechy!),  most of BB85, Brian Wilson, Sweet Insanity, and Orange Crate Art. For some reason I enjoy his vocals on I Just Wasn't Made For These Times even though its apparently from the same time as OCA. But with Imagination he sounded great, along with most of SMiLE, TLOS, and BWRG. On GIOMH the material was so bad, that even good singing wouldn't have saved most.

During the second Landy era he just sounded way too nasal, I don't know what that voice was all about. Way too shouty, and it almost sounds like he wants to sound like Mike Love at points. I think if he would have sang in a softer tone like on BWRG, but in the 80's, he would have sounded much more "commercial". I forget what song it is, I think "Heavenly Bodies", but for a bit in that song, he sounds much more mellow, and it sounded really good.

But anyways, what I'm saying is I've accepted what his voice is, and I don't really wish he got it back or anything, except in one case. Listening to "Surf's Up" from BWPS the phrasing is just a little different, and thats where I miss the younger Brian vocals. But at the same time, its still a very emotional song and performance from Brian, who seems to be giving near his all.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: MBE on May 06, 2011, 06:02:35 AM
On L. A. Light Album Brian is only on Angel I guess. I can't hear him myself.

Surf's Up Brian is on everything but Student, and Looking. Source Steve Desper and my own ears. He was at most of those sessions much better shape then later. He is on Long Promised Road doing the Down Down Down and Ba Ba Ba Ba parts. Voice sounds fine the whole album


So Tough
He is on Mess Of Help doing a nice high part.
He Come Down he does do a low voice but it's less raspy. He does that (and high notes) on Sweet Mountan on Spring. Sounds like he's trying to sound like that. It's tonally similer to 1976 but again less rasp. Listen To Bakers Man Brian's trying to sound low and racous even there.
Marcella he's in the mix most notably doobie doobie do at the end. Sounds clear mid range.
Cuddle Up he may be on briefly doing a touch of falsetto.

Holland. Not on Sail On Sailor but arranged it over the phone!
Steamboat sure does seem to be him doing the high part. Probably is
Big Sur I hear he did the harmonica
California he sings part of the lead and heard more on the single. Sounds clear mid range a bit like Mike.
Funky Pretty. He is doing the Funky Pretty Good lin and sounds fine mid range. High part at end elctronically speed up. It's fine but I think he did it to sound younger.
He's all over the Fairy Tale
Magic Tansister is him and Carl mid range
Pied Piper he's doing some mid range stuff (I think)
Radio Kingdom he's doing the falsetto. Again he sounds fine
In short Brian was on the almost all the 1971 and about half of the 1972 stuff. His voice sounded fine to me until 1975.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: ♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇 on May 06, 2011, 03:01:15 PM
Quote
Marcella he's in the mix most notably doobie doobie do at the end. Sounds clear mid range.

The doobie doobie do part is Al...Brian's part is isolated to one channel..."marcella hey".


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: MBE on May 07, 2011, 12:46:41 AM
Quote
Marcella he's in the mix most notably doobie doobie do at the end. Sounds clear mid range.

The doobie doobie do part is Al...Brian's part is isolated to one channel..."marcella hey".
Sounds like Brian to me but man they could sound  just  like each other from 1966-74.


Title: Re: Brian on Carl and the Passions, Holland and the Light Album
Post by: Curtis Leon on May 07, 2011, 05:02:30 PM
Is Carl doubling himself on the end of Long Promised Road? The "I'd love to see you" bit. It sounds like someone is singing along with Carl during that bit.