I was reading Rolling Stone's top 500 albums of all time, and Today! was one of the albums.  All Summer Long, and Summer Days were NOT on the list.  I feel vindicated and right in saying that Today! was Brian's first masterpiece. 

I guess that I forgot a lot of their cover songs.  I have to agree that Hushabye is another great onethat I let off my little attempt at a good list.

I was just thinking the other day about songs that the Beach Boys covered.  I was wondering which ones everyone thought was the best and why?  I do not know all the songs that they covered, but these are the ones I could think of off the top of my head (in no particular order):

Do you wanna dance?, summertime blues, then I kissed her, I'm so young, Louie, Louie, Why do fools fall in love?, Walk on by, Sloop John B, Barbara Ann, ( most of the songs off  the party! album) I can hear music, Come go with me, Rock and Roll Music, Hot fun in the Summer time, Under the Boardwalk, The Little old lady from Pasedena, Long Tall Texan, Papa oo mow mow, Monster Mash, The Letter, California Dreamin, I was made to love her.

I would have to make it a tie between Why do Fools fall in love, and Do you wanna dance.  They are great  songs, which the Beach Boys really made their own.

"California girls" and "Let Him Run Wild" were very innovative in their time.  Except for that, everything seems to be a step backwards.  The Today album was a step up from all summer long.  They started singing more emotional songs.  The harmonies and arrangements also became more elaborate.  I think that Today is the real precursor to pet sounds, not Summer Days and Summer Nights.

then why don't we discus why they sounded terrible at these two shows.  it certainly was NOT Brian's fault.  it is about the touring band as a whole.  it is not really Dennis' fault either. However  No one is ever going to convince me that Dennis was a great drummer.

today comes together conceptually more than any other album except pet Sounds.  Even the song you refer to ( In the back of my mind) fits well together with such emotional ballads such as "Kiss me baby", "Please let me wonder", and "I'm so young".  All Summer Long is an excellent album, no question about it.  I really think that with Today Brian brought it all up to a higher level. 

Look - I think we are getting off the point.  Windchime's question was about the BAND!  He made a comment in passing on Denny (one he probably did not totally mean), but the real issue is the live band.  The Beach Boys were a mediocre band in the late sixties.  In fact, the strongest musician in the band was Brian, and he was not even there most of the time.  This Mr. Stebbins may be a scholar, but we all have ears.  Being honest about the fact that the Beach Boys were not a great live band does not make us unloyal fans.  why could'nt the Beach Boys perform better live?  That is the ral question.  If the other four members of the band were great musicians, then Brian would have used them instead of all the hired musicians.  This was obviously not the case.  Let's quit attacking Windchimes and answer the question at hand!

Thanks - i will certainly do that

once again , I am new to this board, so this topic might have been discussed before.  I guess I just wanted to get some people's opinions on which album they believe is superior:  "Today" or "Summer days ( and summer nights)".  Both are very good, but except for Pet sounds, I believe Today is the best Beach Boys album.  It is one great song after another.  I really thin that this was Brian Wilson's first "masterpiece".  Anyway, this topic might not even be interesting, but I thought I would throw it out there. 

I am new to this board, and I find this question very fascinating.  I guess I would say that the Beach Boy's live playing does not piss me off, but it is very disappointing.  I have heard a great deal of live beach boys music.  Some of it is great, but most of it is just okay.  By 1967, Mike Love spent most of the concert time making fun of all the songs that made them famous - songs written by Brian wilson.  Some thanks that is. I suppose that is a different debate.  The Beach Boys in my humble opinion, were overall a mediocre live act. has anyone ever listened to the Hawaii concert?  They can't even play "surfin" flawlessly. There are live performances of " I get around" where carl does not even play the guitar solo.  There are others where the singers frequently forget lyrics, and there are a good number of false starts.  Sure this is going to happen to everyone now and then, but it seemed to plague the Beach Boys.  As far as Dennis goes, windchimes is right on.  Dennis is an adequate drummer, but not great by any means.  If he played so well on the "When I grow up" recording, why did he not play it the same way live?  Take a look at the read steady go performance.  He plays "i get around" and "When I grow up" with the same exact beat.  Part of the Beach Boy's problem in the late sixties was that there recordings were so elaborate, and they were hard to duplicate on stage.  that is why their concerts in the seventies were so much better  - there were were more than five musicians on the stage.I love Brian Wilson and i love the beach boys, but cut windchimes some slack.......he has a valid point.