Carl did a great job on Surf's Up, but to my ears, he was just singing the song.

Singing it very well, mind you, but just singing it.

Brian, on the other hand, performs the song as if he's spiritually connected it--which isn't surprising, since he co-wrote it.  There's a command over the song in Brian's voice that's missing from Carl's, as if Carl is a "guest-singer" or understudy filling in for someone else (which, to a great extent, he was).

I love both versions, but I give the edge to Brian's.

Incidentally, while the PurpleChick version of "Surf's Up" is good, nothing, as far as I'm concerned, beats the Anne Wallace version.  Probably the closest thing we'll ever get to perfection.

I guess I am one of the few who really dislikes 75 percent of Love You. I do like Adult Child though.

You can count me as one of the few as well.

But I think Adult Child is even worse!

[Click here for my performance of Surf's Up on the New Friday Project]

Click here for my performance of Surf's Up on the New Friday Project

i was a bit coldy but i just about managed it.. i do really fodaing hate the sound of my own voice though

Nice performance, man!

Can anyone here actually hit that high F in Surf's Up (columnated ruins d"OMINO")?

I'm proud to say, that I can.

I'm jealous!  Whenever I try to reach it, my voice literally just cuts out.  I mean it--NOTHING comes out!

<<a court case in the 1990s determined that he forged Brian's signature on the contract. He didn't just do this to a client, he did this to his son - and that's unforgiveable.>>


Just wanted to mention that I read the Peter Ames Carlin book recently, and if I recall correctly, it says that Brian reluctantly went along with the sale, and signed off on it.  No mention at all of Murry forging the signature and telling Brian after the deal was done.

Everyone's In Love With You
Student Demonstration Time
Tears in the Morning
Hey Little Tomboy
Endless Harmony
Chapel of Love
Rock and Roll Music

For Glenn Greenberg, who requested that one on the Desper thread...

THANKS!

Jeroen,

Any idea where I can see that photo you have as your avatar, but at a larger size?

Wow... I didn't see the first Pet Sounds tour, so I can't compare the two.  I can say that at the 2006 show I saw (the Beacon), Brian was not bored. He didn't give the impression that he didn't want to do this or that this was pointless. To the contrary, he seemed relaxed and happy to be there.

I was at the Beacon show too, Amy, and I agree with you fully.

[Surf's Up]

Carl & Dennis had a spat over the sequencing of Surf's Up, so Dennis pulled his songs (or rather, song, as "4th Of july" wasn't finished by that stage).

So how come "(Wouldn't it be Nice to) Live Again" has never been released?  Even "4th of July" got released eventually!

And I'll back up AGD on "Live Again."  Probably Dennis' best vocal.

AB

if so, how come the song hasn't been released?

Is there a chance that it WILL come out at some point?

[Good point about Brian's comments about Carl, too.

What were Brian's comments about Carl?

C'mon, fellas, don't keep me in suspense!

[Good point about Brian's comments about Carl, too.

What were Brian's comments about Carl?

When I want to muse and get frustrated over a tragic missed opportunity I listen to the original tunes, when I want to just enjoy the music in a cohesive, flowing form then I listen to BWPS.

Beautifully put.

Steve Desper also said (and you can find it with the Desper Search Engine™) that Brian was singing the "Oh Lord I lay me down..." part in A Day In The Life Of A Tree... But it's clearly Al, although some would probably disagree.

Until a few days ago (and a very compelling argument from Andrew G. Doe), I was one of those folks who disagreed!

Both, I'd say.  Because you can't mention one without the other.

care to elaborate?

It'll always be referred to as the lost Beach Boys album from 1966/67 that was ultimately completed by Brian Wilson in 2004.

Weird thing is, Steve Desper told me directly that at the end of "Surf's Up," Brian joins in on background vocals during the "Child" tag, singing "That's why the child, hey hey"--and it doesn't sound ANYTHING like him!

At one point, I thought maybe it was Jack Rieley.  But I asked Steve D. and he said no, it was Brian.

20 years from now will people be talking about SMiLE more as that lost Beach Boys album from 1967 or as a 2004 album completed by Brian Wilson?

Both, I'd say.  Because you can't mention one without the other.

<<(remember Queen posting "No Synthesizers!" on every album they did in the 70s?)>>

Absolutely!  As a kid, I always wondered what the hell that meant!

I think it still stands up, and I still listen to the CD from time to time.  Not nearly as much as I used to, but I can say the same thing about every other CD in my collection.

In a way it's kind of sad.  If there were one thing I'd wish it were Brian singing it'd be that one.  Just to prove he wasn't completely finished with that material.

At least we have the 2004 version, where he sings the whole thing!

What about the "A Children's song..." tag at the end of Surf's Up '71?  Brian or Al?  Seems there's some confusion on that one.  The Desper and Carlin books say it's Brian, the record sounds more like Al to me.

I think that's Al.

Thanks for the thorough response, AGD!

Looks like I was right--the album was so unmemorable to me that I didn't remember any of what you described!

But it'll take a time machine and a trip to Brian's home studio in 1971 during the recording session for "A Day in the Life of a Tree" to convince me that it wasn't Brian singing "Oh lord I lay me down..."

Can't manage that, but would the word of someone who's heard the vocal tapes isolated out, voice by voice, and the word of someone who was there at the session, be enough ?

Hint - both of them are called Alan. 

I guess so...
Color me heartbroken...   

[Gettin' In Over My Head]

Gettin' In Over My Head: Brian should hang his head in shame for ever agreeing to be part of that, much less let it be released.

Hi, Andrew!

I've been aware that you feel that way about GIOMH, but I've never really understood why.

I have the CD, and I find it pretty boring and fairly unmemorable--but not particularly embarrassing or shameful.  (Maybe THAT'S the problem--I found it so unmemorable, I don't remember what's wrong with it!)

So can you offer some insights about why you think Brian should be ashamed of himself for being a part of it and allowing it to be released?  I'd be really interested to get your thoughts on the matter.