I think that if Brian would be a young, ambitious musician today, he could be successful, but not in the same way as he was in the 1960s. Image is so important nowadays and I'm not sure if a shy, goofy, introverted kind of guy like Brian could have been a mainstream pop star in 2014. But no doubt he would still be successful in some way, either as a well-respected indie cult figure, or as a songwriter/producer/studio vocalist working behind the scenes.

Leaving this town.

Everyone's in love with you.

LPOHT.

I enjoyed this album when it came out, it's not unpleasant. And to Brian's credit, I really could not imagine a song like 'Colors of the Wind' working with his voice, but it kind of does. And how can you not enjoy those versions of 'The Bare Necessities' and the 'Heigh-Ho' medley? So much fun. I did get bored with this album pretty quickly though. And it's certainly the most unnecessary album Brian ever made.

Why would Mike want to return to a situation where he has to permanently walk over eggshells around Brian?

Last time Mike made an album with Brian, it went to #3. Last time he made an album without Brian, he couldn't even find anyone who wanted to release it. That should say enough.

I agree that it must be very difficult to work with Brian. But it's not that hard to see why Mike would still be temped to try again anyway.

the past and current evidence suggests that only one person has been prepared to work extensively with Brian more than once - Joe Thomas

And Eugene Landy. 

I love beaks of eagles! I hope i'm not the only one.

You're not. The spoken verses might not have been one of the best ideas that The Beach Boys ever had, but musically it's heavenly.

TM Song.

Let's Put Our Hearts Together.

Leaving This Town.

[Excellent albums:]

Excellent albums:
1. Sunflower
2. Pet Sounds
3. The Smile Sessions
4. Friends
5. Wild Honey
6. Smiley Smile
7. Today!
8. Surf’s Up
9. That’s Why God Made the Radio
10. Holland
Albums with some really great songs, but qualitatively not consistent enough:
11. 20/20
12. Surfer Girl
13. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
14. All Summer Long
15. Shut Down Volume 2
16. LA (Light Album)
17. Love You
18. Carl and the Passions “So Tough”
Weaker albums:
19. 15 Big Ones
20. Still Cruisin’
21. MIU Album
22. Keepin’ the Summer Alive
23. Christmas Album
24. Little Deuce Coupe
25. Party!
26. Surfin’ USA
27. Surfin’ Safari
Just bad:
28. Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
29. The Beach Boys (1985)
30. Summer in Paradise

The harmonizing bit at the end with Brian and Mike always gets me.

I don't think Mike is on the song. I believe I read somewhere that it's the Wilsons only on the vocals.

I love all three, they're all among my favorite Beach Boys songs. But my vote goes to:

This Whole World

I write songs myself and I have my creative ups and downs, but this is just one of those songs that always keep inspiring me. Whenever I have a writers block, or I just don't feel like writing new music, listening to these chords and melodies always gives me a goal to aim for.

Brian wasted his talent.

Not too sure about that. Sure, he could've remained a bit more productive a bit longer. But of all of the great pop songwriters of the 1960, how many actually did keep making really great music throughout the 1970s, let alone the 1980s? And still, we got 40 studio albums from Brian and The Beach Boys and about 25-30 of those are between pretty decent and extremely good. That's not a bad score at all.

Breakaway doesn't work as a single AT ALL. It wouldn't be a hit in 1965, 1976 or 1969. Great track though.

I really think it does work as a single and I don't understand why it wasn't a huge hit. Although it's not as upbeat lyrically, I hear the same kind of energy and drive in that song that I hear in I Get Around and Wouldn't It Be Nice.

Those are four excellent songs. But the least excellent one is:

Slip On Through.

I don't care that another version won in an earlier round.  I also don't think that the fact that this was released earlier makes it any better.  I just think that Carl's lead is only technically pretty on this song and lacks, for lack of a better word, soul.  That would be true even if it were the only release version, but the fact that we have several versions now with Brian's lead vocal providing precisely what is absent from Carl's vocal only makes it more obvious.

I think I prefer Brian's lead too. Brian's voice always had a bit more of an "edge" than Carl's. Objectively speaking, I think that the 2011 version might be the best one.

But still, the 1971 version of 'Surf's Up' is and will always be the definitive one for me. That's the version that has the history. That's the 'Surf's Up' that people have been listening to for 43 years. You can't just replace that by something that was assembled on a computer three years ago.

And once again:

Cool, Cool Water.

Come on, it's really not that good...

Surf's Up!!!

Cool, Cool Water.

Feel Flows.

If Cuddle Up would've made it to the final three, this would've been a tough one. But it's easy now.

All This is That.

So again, my vote goes to Cool, Cool Water.

A Day in the Life of a Tree.