Surfin Safari: Ten Little Indians
Surfin USA: Finder's Keepers
Surfer Girl: Boogie Woodie
Little Deuce Coupe: No Go Showboat
Shut Down Vol 2: Cassius Love V Sonny Wilson
All Summer Long: Our Favorite Recording Sessions
Today!: Big Daddy
Summer Days:  Bugged At My Ol Man
Party: Mountain of Love
Pet Sounds: I Know There's An Answer
Smiley Smile: Whistle In
Wild Honey: How She Boogalooed It
Friends: Be Still
20/20: Cotton Fields (I LOVE the single version  though)
Sunflower: Got To Know The Woman
Surf's Up: Take A Load Off Your Feet
CATP: Make  It Good
Holland: The Beaks of Eagles
15 Big Ones: Talk To Me
Love You: Johnny Carson
MIU: Hey Little Tomboy
LA: Here Comes The Night
Keepin The Summer Alive: School Days
BB85: I Do Love You
Still Cruisin: Wipe Out
Summer In Paradise: Summer of Love
TWGMTR: The Private Life of Bill & Sue

This album is unnecessary , although there are some good moments. "Surfin' USA" is good. It has a lot of energy and drive. And "Shut Down" is alright. To be honest, this album sounds a lot like a M&B live show to me. Is it pure perfection? No. Does it come close to the originals? Not really. But are these still great songs? Hell yeah. 

Although, I'm listening again as I review, and I don't hear Bruce anywhere on here.

The introduction is both hilarious and cringeworthy.

The production kinda sucks, but it's not AWFUL. The quality of the songs still shine through, although I'd much rather listen to the originals.

I like "The Little Old Lady" and "Little GTO" a lot actually... And "Ballad Of Ole Betsy" is umm... interesting... It's a heartfelt lead vocal.


I've been really easy on this album, but I'll be honest--- "Don't Worry Baby" SUCKS on this album!! Adrian's lead vocal just hurts my ears.

"With A Little Luck" by Wings with Carl on lead vocals.   

About the whole "Surfin" thing, I never interpreted the scene that way. Because J&D did record that song on their Jan & Dean Take Linda Surfin album. Besides, Jan sang the bass vocal on their version. In the DMC movie, I thought the musicians in the scene were supposed to be The Beach Boys.

Yeah, I think Jan & Dean both have weak moments as vocalists, but they also both have great moments. I think "Baby Talk", "Linda", "Gonna Hustle You", "Little Deuce Coupe", "Surfin Safari", "There's A Girl", "From All Over The World", "Like A Summer Rain", and "Restless Surfer" are all great Dean Torrence lead vocals.

Didn't mean to be divisive, I just wasn't in the mood for J&D hating. The best gateway album is probably Jan & Dean Golden Hits Vol. 2. It's a great summary of Jan's advanced productions from the mid 60's. The album Little Old Lady From Pasadena is another good one to start with. I'm a sucker for pretty much all of Jan & Dean's music, so I also like the Doo Wop stuff.

This thread is not for the J&D haters on this site.

I think Jan & Dean are extremely underrated. I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again: I think Jan Berry was ahead of Brian Wilson, in terms of producing and arranging until 1965, with the release of Today. Jan's arrangements were incredibly inventive, and he used horns in a way that BW never really did, at least in the realm of surf pop music. Songs like "When It's Over", "Ride The Wild Surf", and "Hot Stocker" all have incredible arrangements with diverse instrumentation. Jan's Pop Symphony album is also incredible, which he scored with the assistance of George Tipton.

Not only do I think Jan's production was very advanced, but I just love the feel of their music. Their "fun in the sun" rockers feel more climactic and ballsy, than Brian's. It just seems more authentic.

I know Jan & Dean get a bad rap for singing out of key, but they do have some incredible vocal work on many of their songs, especially when backed up by The Fantastic Baggys (Phil Sloan & Steve Barri). "Summer Means Fun" and "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy" are two great examples.

Jan & Dean are remembered as BB's soundalikes, when it reality, they inspired The BBs just as much as The BBs inspired them. Sure, Brian gave them the idea for writing surf/car songs, but Jan taught Brian how to produce "clean sounding" records, and tell me "Surfin'" doesn't sound like a song from Jan & Dean's doo wop era. I think Jan should be remembered as one of the greatest record producers of all time.

Also, I don't think loving J&D takes away from your love of The Beach Boys. You can love them both. People act like thinking JB is a great producer takes away from BW's status.

I heard ANOTHER SIP song!!! I was at a grocery store in LA, and "Hot Fun In The Summertime" was playing!!

That was the worst thing I ever heard.

THEY TRIED TO TAKE A VOCAL RECORDING THAT WAS IN 6/8 AND PUT A 4/4 BACKING TRACK BEHIND IT? WTFFFF!!!!!!

THAT MAKES ANYTHING ON SIP SOUND LIKE PET SOUNDS!!!!!!!


DID ANYONE THINK THAT SOUNDED GOOOOODDDD??

The early stuff bugs people, but I get away with CATP and Holland, which people usually think is some modern indie band 

For me, Love You is a strange trip inside Brian's mind, much like the second side of Today! or Pet Sounds. 

It rocks!! It has happy moments and sad moments. It has great vocals!

God, I love Love you.

So, I know "Good Time" was recorded during the Sunflower sessions, but before it was released in '77 was it touched at all? Like did Brian or the guys overdub anything or make any changes before releasing it on Love You?

The Right Time is such a great, mellow song. Never ceases to bring a smile to my face. He and Al just sound really happy on that record.

Interesting. I've always been a sucker for Bruce's voice and arrangements. They may be sappy, but there's something that just hits a sweet spot for me.

Surfin Safari - Surfin Safari
Surfin USA - Surfin USA
Surfer Girl - In My Room
Little Deuce Coupe - Ballad Of Ole Betsy
Shut Down Vol 2 - Warmth Of The Sun
All Summer Long - I Get Around
Today! - Kiss Me, Baby
Summer Days - California Girls
Party - I Should Have Known Better
Pet Sounds - God Only Knows
Smiley Smile - Good Vibrations
Wild Honey - Aren't You Glad
Friends - Be Here In The Morning
20/20 - Time To Get Alone
Sunflower - All I Wanna Do
Surf's Up - 'Til I Die
CATP - Here She Comes
Holland - Big Sur
15 Big Ones - Had To Phone Ya
Love You - The Night Was So Young
LA - Lady Lynda
KTSA - Oh Darlin'
BB85 - Maybe I Don't Know
Still Cruisin - Somewhere Near Japan
SIP - Still Surfin
TWGMTR - Summer's Gone

I think any of our lists would make a cool compilation!

1. Jan & Dean Record by Mark Moore (I know technically not BBs, but has a lot of BW popping up)
2. I Am Brian Wilson by Brian Wilson & Ben Greenman
3. The Beach Boys FAQ by Jon Stebbins
4. The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary... by Keith Badman
5. The Beach Boys In Concert Ian Rusten and Jon Stebbins

Surfin' USA into Farmer's Daughter! Two great rockin' tunes! 

My favorite version is actually the one from the Brian Wilson & Friends Soundstage CD. I don't even know why, but it rocks 

All I Wanna Do

The Beach Boys: Brother Era.

- Special Stephen Desper alternate mixes
- Vocals only
- backing tracks (with studio chatter prior to tracks)
- Alternate album (Landlocked)
- short book with interviews with Mike, Brian, Al, Desper, etc.
- LPs of Surf's Up and Sunflower (newly restored and re-mixed)

Friends (digital boxset)

- new mixes, alternate tracks.
- the re-done Friend's tracks from the 70s
- backing tracks/vocals only.
- and it's digital so Capitol wouldn't have to print/ship/etc this stuff...hint hint, please get on it.

GENIUS! I support that!

This is great!!

Jan played guitar and piano. This post was more about if Jan was in the group than Dean

When "Deadman's Curve" came out in 1964, I think the arrangement was more complex than anything Brian had done to that point. That song has multiple horns, harp, guitars, two drummers. It's a feast for the ears. And the key change before the spoken word part is pretty groovy.   

Maybe I'm biased because I'm a huge J&D fan, but I think Jan Berry was on BW's level as an arranger/producer until Today!

My original point of creating this post was to ponder what it would have been like had J&D joined the BBs. They were certainly into the comedy thing that Brian was into. If Jan hadn't been in his accident, maybe he would've been able to help BW finish SMiLE. Jan was certainly capable of producing very advanced records as shown by 1965's "You Really Know How To Hurt a Guy" and his Pop Symphony Album. BW was also a huge fan of Berry's arranging as shown by the "Ride The Wild Surf" sessionography in Mark's book.

And besides, even if J&D were just singers, I think they are both great singers and it would have been cool hearing them on more BBs songs.

I often fantasize about through BW and Jan Berry's friendship and collaborations, what it would be like if J&D became BBs. What would this have been like? Would BW and JB have competed for leadership, or could they have worked things out? I think in the early 60's, Jan Berry was miles ahead of BW in terms of production and arrangement, but Brian surpassed Jan in 1965 with the Today! album. Thoughts?