it's pretty cool to see how Brian Wilson and Tammy Wynette could
even be in the same room together, and yet record a song together.
it just shows how much Brian's tunes have an effect on all cultures
of music, even 'country'. it's such a heartbreaking recording where
two different worlds collide, but both have experienced the same
torture. now only if 'stars and stripes' followed more in this path
it would probably have more love from the fans.
I think the problem was the choice of material and the choice of country artists. Regarding the latter, they obviously did go with what was current after they had Willie so they could rush out the album (maybe not littary but you know what I mean). If only they got to the real big country stars and had put a little thought into the song choices; in fact there were some names floating around and iirc Al recorded the accoustic "California saga" as a demo for Merle Haggard (it really does sound like Hag's style). I posted this more than once but here's a setlist I came up with:
California saga - Merle Haggard
Let the wind blow - Johnny Cash
God only knows - George Jones
Got to know the woman - Jerry Lee Lewis
Forever - Kris Kristofferson
Honkin' down the highway (like the version on "Caroline Now!) - Bobby Bare
The Trader - Waylon Jennings
Add to that Glenn Campbell (why was he not on vol. 1? I think a participation from him should've been a given). Maybe someone could take "Hold on dear brother" or "We got love".
While looking through some old postings I saw that someone mentioned Ronnie Milsap was considered for "Surfer girl" and Steve Earle for "Shut down", while Hank jr.'s and The Oak Ridge Boys' names were also floating around.
But you see it would've taken work, making sure that you actually get a country sound and arrangements. That didn't happen on Vol 1. And songs like "Shut down" probably wouldn't have worked very well. But maybe Jerry Reed could have worked up something.
I can hear most of the performances of my list in my head. You just need someone who actually knows a little about country music (I'm not tooting my own horn) and the Beach Boys to get a interesting list. Conncections were there: Around this time Don Was was producing both the Highwaymen's last (and best) album and Waylon Jennings' "Waymore's blues Part II" and also he was working with Jerry Lee Lewis on the Killer's "Young blood" album.
Yes Yes! 100 percent agree! Most of the artists used were pretty mediocre at best.
I got to like some of Toby's stuff years later, but this is terrible seeing him demolish 'be true to your school'.
You mention 'waymore's blues part II', that's one of my favourite Waylon albums, and a return to RCA.
You are right, imagine if they could have had Glen, Johnny (I could see him doin 'til I die'), probably too morbid
for what they were going for, Jerry Lee, Merle, George Jones was always great with a humourous song, he would
have been a better choice for 'long tall texan' or a cat like Buck Owens.
Then you have some other greats like Bobby Bare, Alan Jackson, Marty Stuart, George Strait and i'll go as far
to say even Garth Brooks, who has a great way of interpreting material...
yeah wow, Hank Jr! that could have been phenomenal or a land mine haha
I even thought about Charlie Rich, but he had just passed on, such a shame losing that guy.
The idea was certainly there, but it just didn't quite hit the mark... I still give it a blast now and then
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