bbc guy:

Tim Chipping ‏ @timchipping
I can't quite believe it, but they've really pulled it off. Best Beach Boys album since 1979. You will weep.

Would be better if it were best since 1977... LA Light is fine I guess, so looking forward to it!

I guess this would be that same picture?

http://www.dailypilot.com/entertainment/tn-dpt-0504-beachboys-20120505,0,2680054.story?page=1

I hate that they still market them as 'famous surf band' when the surf period only lasted 2-3 years. Their psychedelic period lasted from 1966 to 1971...
It is quite astonishing how people still haven't percieved them as 'more' than a surf band, everyone has heard PS by now, and soon Smile as well due to its sudden availability.

Again, if somebody doesn't like endless summer, they will not like their later material.

I listen almost exclusively to their PS and after career. Sometimes I might enjoy deep cuts from their first albums and All Summer Long (song), but the ASL album - Today/Party bearly gets more than a listen a month  , I guess ballads aren't my favourite when it comes to this band (and the Beatles for that matter)...

Honestly your friend has pretty sh-t taste in music if what you listed is any indication.  If I were you I'd have him listen to Love You through headphones repeatedly, just to cleanse his brain from the awfulness that is Vampire Weekend.

I agree Love You is therapy music! What do you consider good modern music? I want to expand my musical horizon.

And if he's not a Beach Boys fan by this point, just set fire to his bed.

Solution to 1st world problems: set fire to bed if subject does not enjoy Smiley Smile. 

When the news breaks of what the motive of my future serial killings are, you shall share the responsibility sir!

For a band with so much incredible material under the belt I would hardly include any hotrods in the top 50 except IGA and DWB.
There is nothing from Love You, CATP, Friends, Today or Holland(save Sailor).

It is one of the better ones, but as aforementioned one could compile this using only PS, Sounds of summer and warmth of the sun compilations.

God I hate them compilations for not cutting deeper. Mix deep with the popular stuff off Smile, PS, SoS and WoTS, and you get something quite unique...

[had he not been killed he would most likely entered politics and perhaps become Prime Minister of the UK]

I also looked throught my Beatles catalogue and found out that 3/4 good songs were John's, just my preference I guess. I think Plastic Ono Band is a masterpiece on terms of creating such powerful songs with strong messages while minimizing production (ironic that Spector was in on this one right?) His mid 70's music is slightly lacking perhaps? but he showed he was still a master of music when he did Double Fantasy.

Wings was a good band, but John Lennon had messages in his music, Paul had tunes with no messages.
To put it this way, John Lennon was a person of massive interest and had he not been killed he would most likely entered politics and perhaps become Prime Minister of the UK (yes i just asked for a personal message ban me now) 

Paul was none of this. He was a successful musician and fantastic songwriter, but does not have the same meaning to people the way John did (and still does!)

Haha - the infamous "rock and roll" album is back!

Do you think they'll put Proud Mary on it?

Brace Yourselves!
Extended Ding Dang / Shortening Bread coming up!

I don't believe this song could ever win acclaim as it is so dark and outlandish. It would always be viewed as an oddity. However for me it's among my favourite beach boys songs, I love the piercing sound of the organ on the first verse, then it changes to this blissfull flute organ sound in verse two before going back, it's a pretty dramatic song really and on a whole new level of creativity on Brian's part.

IMO this song would be well recieved at Bonaroo festival. I can imagine many noticing this band if they took away most of the hot rods and put in this, Add some music, Cool Water, Surf's Up and more Smile and PS cuts.

[How can Sgt Pepper have so much praise with so many random Mccartney songs is beyond me, dandy cover I guess..]

List of crappy Beatles song off the top of my head (66-onwards)

Michelle

I think McCartney said something to this effect once but I'll reiterate that it took real balls to write a song inspired by French chanson-style at the height of the British Invasion. It's an interesting foray into another cultural style but it means nothing if one isn't aware of that style.

I dunno, it's lyrics are the weak part of it, the lacking french and superficial lyrics, the chords and arrangement are good!

Run for Your Life

Yeah, this is average and it's average-ness is made worse because it is given last track authority. Compared to Tomorrow Never Knows, Day in the Life and The End, this doesn't measure up.

Dr Robert

I love Dr. Robert. Great counter-culture song with John's vocals at their draggy best.

Yellow Submarine (fun for kids i guess)

I don't understand the criticism this song gets. To me it fits in rather nicely with the Revolver aesthetic - lots of interesting experimentation, big poppy chorus, etc. There's a reason why it was another #1 hit single for The Beatles.

It's just silly, but that would be fine if everyone recognised it as one (which it was intended to be) but some ppl adore it beyond reasoning, its just a kiddie tune and vocals of ringo are ringo so not great outset + lennon considered it a throwaway

Sgt Pepper:
everything Paul McCartney wrote apart from title track&reprise (lots of random filler and granny tunes, not good)
Good Morning Good Morning (weak lennon song)
How can Sgt Pepper have so much praise with so many random Mccartney songs is beyond me, dandy cover I guess..

I think Getting Better is one of the best things McCartney ever did, personally. And I love how when McCartney does "When I'm 64", it's a granny tune but when Dylan did John Wesley Harding or when The Band did their self-titled album, it was roots music. When I'm 64 (and other Macca songs like it) explored English roots in a way that very few other British artists were doing (aside, particularly, from Ray Davies). McCartney shouldn't be criticitized because he decided to stop appropriating other cultural roots music (American blues) for a while in order to explore his own roots.

getting better is a song about nothing really, 64 is embarrasing, i think its fine that people return to their roots, but this is not what the Beatles were about so it doesnt really fit in. I guess it's because its on nr 1 over-rated album of all time(do i get banned ?)!

Baby you're A rich Man

What? This is one of the finest pieces of psychedelia from the 60s.
another song about nothing, the bass line is good, the chorus is mediocre at best. I believe i was thinking of 'Your Mother Should Know' - blææææ! disgusting track

littered with filler and trash, but one that is very popular is Obladi Oblada, worst song of their career. wtf McCartney.

A good Caribbean-inspired number. What's the problem with it?
everything, the daft lyrics in particular

Mean mr mustard
polythene pam
bedroom window
golden slumbers

To me those songs are part of a suite that may very well be the best thing The Beatles ever did. To take out the individual parts and criticize them is more than unfair, as far as I'm concerned.
enough sugar in that mix to sink the American Navy + songs about nothing

I think anything from this era has to have River Song and Sail On, Sailor.  They simply represent what the Beach Boys "sound" of that era was

On the contrary, 'River Song' represents what the Beach Boys sound should have been during this period...

I agree, doing roots rock with psychedelia was their thing, the return to Endless Summer perhaps prevented much great music from being made and a change in modern perception of the band. But I wouldn't trade that for Love You 

I also wondered about this, but it appears so. This was also the case with Prayer from Smile. Wish That He Could Stay sounds JUST like the section from AYDCT

I am terribly biased towards The Beach Boys. They have been my favorite band for 48 years, since I was 6 years old. I like everything except Stars & Stripes. I am as much a fan of their vocalizations, as I am about the music as a whole. So, I tend to like filler and even some badly written songs, because there is always that one reedeeming grace; their voices. Personally, it bothers me a lot to read some of the things that are posted here, but I then realize that there are different types of fandom and they are coming from different perspectives. With the two shows conming up on May 19th & June 16th, it will be the 40th & 41st times that I see them in concert. Shoot, I haven't seen some family members that many times.

This is my envious face. 

+1 

I always wanted the life of Richard Attenborough because he has experienced so much wonder, but now I desperatly wished I could've had the opportunity to see just a fraction of as many shows as you did, and in their prime, wow.

Worthy contender:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RryIroTqs-k

and (rock with the croc.....yeah sure, w/e mike...):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B_okZ4kgLg&feature=related

Paul McCartney had this snapper too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0auCDOERZyE

"Endless Summer", enough said.

Maybe the cover!

Pardon my utter ignorance, but MAD? 

[which is more than a lot of official Beach Boys tracks.]

Open with River Song and you can't lose... It's got three Beach Boys singing and/or playing on the track (Carl, Dennis and Ricky) which is more than a lot of official Beach Boys tracks.

It is? 

Day In Life Of A Tree, Brian on organ and Al with a few lines at the end ^^

If he's into cult music, or modern indie synth music, Love You tracks would be perfect. I've converted people with that album alone, actually. Which tracks to play for a possible convert depends totally on the taste of the person in question. For instance, I converted a Ramones fan simply by playing him the Surfin' Safari album.

I dig 'Love You', but given how divisive it can be even among fans I am scared to put it in someones face. 'Johnny Carson' seems to have some popularity with young ppl I get the impression of. TY for comment!

A while back, I compiled a-post '71 mixtape for my good friend (who incidentally has similar music tastes to your friend) as he wasn't too keen on the whole early sixties 'fun in the sun' schtick. I was there as he listened to 'Magic Transistor Radio' for the first time and I could tell by the enormous smile on his face that he was absolutely blown away by it.

'Magic Transistor Radio'

You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone
The River Song
Marcella
Feel Flows
Lookin' At Tomorrow
A Day in the Life of a Tree

Dreamer
Steamboat
Time
Sail on Sailor
All This is That
Thoughts of You

Some are DW solo, yes, but they likely had the capacity to become Beach Boy tracks (like River Song) and since they also stand up impeccably against material on this compilation, I say, "why not?!"

I was considering adding 'Fairy Tale Music' from GV box and rename the track  It is sonically very stimulating, very indie for 1973!
Lookin At Tomorrow didnt cross my mind, I like it alot and it fits well on SU with its dark tone and feel. I'll consider that one for sure.
Adding DW songs will make it too big, I plan on making one when The Drummer comes out as I'm sure it will gather some attention and might end doing for Dennis what 'Control' did for Ian Curtis & Joy Division! Thank you for good suggestions!

Shorten it down!! Give him just a handful of absolutely killer songs (prefably ones which are going to really surprise the casual BB listener) and once he's listened to those, and hopefully been wowed, then go for the longer playlist.

I recently convinced a sceptical friend with the following cd (and yeah i know i'm cheating a tad with the opening track but what the hell...):

1. River Song
2. Til I Die
3. Feel Flows
4. Long Promised Road
5. All I Wanna Do
6. It's About Time
7. Lady
8. Trader
9. Funky Pretty
10. Cuddle Up

I can truthfully say that he absolutely loved it, and swallowed his pride in telling me so (he'd previously ribbed me mercilessly about my BB fandom).

River Song I forgot! I guess that fits in well with the Add Some Music/Sunflower songs, does the original BB recording exist in fan possesion? I have the demo witht the raw guitar intro, such a kickass song! Thank you for feedback. I'll prob cut the list in half as you recommend.  

And what re-ignited my gushing fandom for "I Went To Sleep" was a random radio broadcast on the show "The Many Moods Of Ben Vaughn" http://xpn.org/xpn-programs/many-moods-ben-vaughn, which is the kind of record-loving, have fun playing obscure music kind of show that many hipsters wish they could pull off but can't get past the image issues. And Vaughn himself is such a hip guy he's actually an anti-hipster...or something. But hearing "I Went To Sleep" in the car on that show, that was a thing of beauty.

Thanks for the link! I'm looking out for these underground radio stations with good music, spotify is great but does not give you stuff which is unrelated to the artists one listens to. 

Did you leave off "Time To Get Alone" on purpose or are my eyes missing it? That one should be first on the list, IMO.

I like that one too, but sometimes I feel it becomes too sweet and saccharine. And since I consider myself a hardcore fan of this group I was a little scared that new listeners would dismiss it. I was considering "I Went To Sleep" as well but there is something about the arrangement which dulls it slightly. Thanks for answering!

If your pal has a short attention span you may want to narrow the list a bit!

I would add Wake The World and remove It's Ok. Also would remove some of the Love You era songs...not that they're bad but those moog synths may have a bad effect on first listen

Overall a great list though!

If you're making a CD mix of this I can send you the MP3 of that Til I Die mix if you want.

I think I will. Thanks for suggesting Wake The World, I really like that one. And ye It's OK is going out, but my friend liked Johnny Carson after hearing a mixtape by The Avalanches which included that song. So he has no prob with the moog, but which of the Love You tracks should I take away?

I have it already thank you! youtube to mp3 site provided it.

[Too much? Too little, some adjustments improvements?]

Hey. My m8 and I are both 21 years old and I've been digging the BB for 3 years or  so now.
My pal admits that PS and Smile are good, but Smiley and Honey didnt seem to appeal that much.


This is how far i've come (I try to make it kinda chronological)


Friends
Diamond Head
Wake The World
Passing By
Busy Doin' Nothing
Little Bird
We're Together Again
Fallin In Love (2009 version)
Celebrate The News
I Can Hear Music
When Girls Get Together
Big Sur (landlocked version)
Slip On Through
Add Some Music
This Whole World
All I Wanna Do
At My Window
It's About Time
Cool Cool Water (3 min single version)
Day In Life Of Tree
Long Promised Road
Lookin' At Tomorrow
Feel Flows
Til I Die (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS34TZR3SNY)
All This Is That
You need A Mess Of Help
Cuddle Up
Marcella
On My Way To Sunny California (single version)
Leaving This Town
Streamboat
Funky Pretty
It's OK
Johnny Carson
Had To Phone Ya
Roller Skating Child
Night Was So Young
Let Us Go On This Way
Mona
I'll Bet He's Nice

Too much? Too little, some adjustments improvements? My buddies like Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, Of Montreal, Girls, Vampire Weekend, Bon Iver, some rap, and more indie/dance/electro. Mostly Pitchfork rated music.  

THANK YOU  

Edit: plan to show In Concert and Carnegie Hall shows afterwards, and some of the university shows (which are great!)

[How can Sgt Pepper have so much praise with so many random Mccartney songs is beyond me, dandy cover I guess..]

List of crappy Beatles song off the top of my head (66-onwards)

Michelle
Run for Your Life
Dr Robert
Yellow Submarine (fun for kids i guess)

Sgt Pepper:
everything Paul McCartney wrote apart from title track&reprise (lots of random filler and granny tunes, not good)
Good Morning Good Morning (weak lennon song)
How can Sgt Pepper have so much praise with so many random Mccartney songs is beyond me, dandy cover I guess..

Your Mother Should Know
Baby you're A rich Man

White album:
littered with filler and trash, but one that is very popular is Obladi Oblada, worst song of their career. wtf McCartney.
Half the album is shite, the rest is very good!

Maxwell
Mean mr mustard
polythene pam
bedroom window
golden slumbers

Most of Let It Be is sub-par, some is ruined by Spector.
Some great songs on that too though!