BB song/songs you wish had a different lead vocalist?

[Debbie KL]

I got in trouble with the man himself who assigned the lead vocals, for my opinion on this, so I'm probably stupid to comment here.  I loved Mr. Love's bass vocals in the old BBs stack.  I never liked his lead voice - he always sounded like he was "taunting" people as a teenage snotty kid to me. 

Somehow, thanks to all those amazing songs and harmonies, I still bought all those records, though.  Possibly Mr. Wilson knows more than me about these things. 

Just my opinion, but with few exceptions (songs on Pet Sounds), it seems that Brian utilized Mike as a lead vocalist when the lead vocals were the least interesting thing in a particular song.

Well, Bill, I haven't changed my opinion, either, so apparently we agree.  I couldn't tell you why Brian assigned the leads the way he did.  He never got into that.  I did buy the records more in spite of the Mike leads because the rest of the music was so amazing.  That's one of the many, many reasons I've loved Brian's band all these years.  No nasal leads on the oldies.

[CenturyDeprived]

The world really missed out on not having Mike do lead on I Just Wasn't Made For These Times and Surf's Up.

[Debbie KL]

The world really missed out on not having Mike do lead on I Just Wasn't Made For These Times and Surf's Up.

That may be the first time I've shuddered and laughed at the same time.

[CenturyDeprived]

The world really missed out on not having Mike do lead on I Just Wasn't Made For These Times and Surf's Up.

That may be the first time I've shuddered and laughed at the same time.

 

[the captain]

The world really missed out on not having Mike do lead on I Just Wasn't Made For These Times and Surf's Up.

Now that is a spectacular notion.

Though kidding and Love-hate aside, he could have done a nice job with the "dove-nested towers, the hours..." part if he used his non-nasal voice. Not all of it: I can't imagine him hitting "the laughs come hard..." but the first parts of that section seem right in his sweet spot. And I think we can all say with certainty he loved those lyrics! 

[CenturyDeprived]

The world really missed out on not having Mike do lead on I Just Wasn't Made For These Times and Surf's Up.

Now that is a spectacular notion.

Though kidding and Love-hate aside, he could have done a nice job with the "dove-nested towers, the hours..." part if he used his non-nasal voice. Not all of it: I can't imagine him hitting "the laughs come hard..." but the first parts of that section seem right in his sweet spot. And I think we can all say with certainty he loved those lyrics! 

Columnated ruins wheeeeeeeeennnnn!

[the captain]

Maybe he could rewrite the section more to his liking.

Love's best like ours, the hours of good vibrations: fun, fun, fun.
(Marriages lost, the costs are startling by this, my fifth one.)
The laughs come fast in old hot rods.
The glass was raised, a toast to beaches, cars, and surfing, everlasting high school fun
while on tour, repeating songs.
A transcendental meditation makes me calm, oh also we beat Beatles once.

Surf's up, mmm...

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

The world really missed out on not having Mike do lead on I Just Wasn't Made For These Times and Surf's Up.

That may be the first time I've shuddered and laughed at the same time.

 

What about more nasality on WOTS and SKMTW? In fact, why not have a version of PS where myKe luHv destroys each and every song with him doing all the leads, including the dogs with backing vocals by Ted Cruz?  

[SMiLE Brian]

Maybe he could rewrite the section more to his liking.

Love's best like ours, the hours of good vibrations: fun, fun, fun.
(Marriages lost, the costs are startling by this, my fifth one.)
The laughs come fast in old hot rods.
The glass was raised, a toast to beaches, cars, and surfing, everlasting high school fun
while on tour, repeating songs.
A transcendental meditation makes me calm, oh also we beat Beatles once.

Surf's up, mmm...

The captain needs to record this! .   Plus "do you like Wendy" and " summer holidays"

[Jim V.]

Hmm. I think they made good choices on the leads most of the time, but I suppose I wish we coulda had a full Brian lead on "This Whole World."

I also think "You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" would be interesting with a a 1972 Brian singing lead. I know he supposedly shared the lead with Carl on that one, but I must admit it's hard for me to hear. Does anybody really know if it's Brian doubling Carl on this song??

I also think it woulda been awesome if Brian would've had more vocals on"Funky Pretty" as well. I know he's there somewhere on the tag but there are so many parts going on it's hard to tell where he is. Woulda been nice if he coulda gotten a lead somewhere in between the vocal trading between Carl, Al, Mike and Blondie.

I also think that while I don't know if it would top Blondie's vocal, I think a Brian lead on "Sail on, Sailor" woulda been fascinating. And I think I remember that Carl and Jim Guercio (or somebody, can't remember) wanted Brian to do the lead vocal on "Good Timin'" but when it came to get it done, Brian may have been in the hospital and therefore unavailable. It's interesting to wonder what kinda lead vocal Brian coulda done for the song, how his vocals would have fit the smooth vibe of the song.

But regardless, all the songs mentioned are great as they are. Just woulda been interesting to have Brian singing them back in the day!

[tpesky]

Off the top of my head
Dennis on Good Timin
Dennis Only With You (Holland)
Carl on SOS
Carl on Getcha Back
Al on WIBN with Brian on Middle 8
Brian on Shortenin Bread
Al on California
Al on Tree

[the captain]

I also think "You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" would be interesting with a a 1972 Brian singing lead.

This isn't something I'd usually say (not being the biggest fan), but that's one on which I'd love to hear Dennis singing lead. Blondie would have been interesting, too.

[Joel Goldenberg]

Maybe he could rewrite the section more to his liking.

Love's best like ours, the hours of good vibrations: fun, fun, fun.
(Marriages lost, the costs are startling by this, my fifth one.)
The laughs come fast in old hot rods.
The glass was raised, a toast to beaches, cars, and surfing, everlasting high school fun
while on tour, repeating songs.
A transcendental meditation makes me calm, oh also we beat Beatles once.

Surf's up, mmm...

Whennnnnnnnnnnnnnn.... a diamond necklace played the pawn...

[Sound of Free]

Dennis on I Just Wasn't Made For These Times sounds intriguing.

Al probably deserved at least a verse of Sloop John B, since it was his idea to record it.

Al on California. I wonder who's decision it was to have Mike sing it. If it was Al's, it was very generous of him to let Mike sing it.

Dennis on Sail on Sailor.

Dennis should have at least sung the first section of each verse of Catch a Wave -- which I used to think was him until I heard it was Mike with a cold. When I heard "So take a lesson from a top-notch surfer boy" I thought that was Dennis.

With his love of the song, Brian should have sung Shortenin Bread.

[Sam_BFC]

Of course you could say that Dennis is co-lead vocalist with Brian already on IJWMFTT.  The last word or two of each line in the verses.