This Isn't Love

[bossaroo]

Brian wrote this one with Tony Asher... correct?

When?
Does a demo version exist? Anyone ever cover it?

Such a good song.

[Wirestone]

Yes. In 1996-97, after the PS box set interviews brought them back together.

The first melodic phrase -- the "this isn't love, this is destiny" part -- is fiddled with by Brian in the early 80s Cocaine tapes with Dennis. He doesn't have much else worked out.

The first version of the song -- an instrumental, with Brian overdubbing two pianos -- is on a Windham Hill compilation in 1997-98 called "Songs Without Words." The live version appears on "Roxy" in 2000.

It was used at the "love theme" in the Flinstones Viva Rock Vegas movie around the same time and "covered" by Alan Cumming.

[bossaroo]

thanks for the info.
love how Brian introduces the song on 'Roxy': "the Flintstones have a movie coming out next month..." 

guess Mark Addy (aka Fred) had a stab at it too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYv4s2_-wWw

[Jason]

That piano version of This Isn't Love from 1997 is AMAZING. Definitely one of Brian's very best tunes of recent memory. I do wish more of the stuff he wrote with Tony Asher in 1996-97 could have been released; only Everything I Need came out of that, besides This Isn't Love, of course. I believe during the production of the Wilsons LP, Brian along with Carnie and Wendy recorded a few of the songs he wrote with Tony. They also did Sweetie as well, apparently.

[Domino]

I think this song is quite similar to Paul McCartneys I'm Carrying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us6icN9j-1w

[Andrew G. Doe]

Also recycles a riff from one of the Wilson/Paley songs - "You're Still A Mystery", I believe.

[Runaways]

i've never heard this isn't love in you're still a mystery.  I actually like "in my moondreams" more than the piano demo for this isn't love. 

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

I like the piano version better than the vocal version.

I took my wife to a local upscale restaurant for her birthday last year and nearly spit my ziti to the floor when I hear "This Isn't Love" play over the sound system. What a strange place for it to appear, and stranger that I was present to hear it.

[punkinhead]

To me, it's a throw back to Brian wanting to do the "big band"/Frank Sinatra stuff from Adult Child, but rather than a huge orchastra, it's more in the style Everyone Wants to Live or Lines...but has the genre of a classic from the 30s or 40s.

[b00ts]

To me, it's a throw back to Brian wanting to do the "big band"/Frank Sinatra stuff from Adult Child, but rather than a huge orchastra, it's more in the style Everyone Wants to Live or Lines...but has the genre of a classic from the 30s or 40s.

Agreed. It is a hell of a song. It would actually be nifty to hear a version with vocals on the new Beach Boys album - it is a true classic Wilson/Asher composition. Has anyone ever heard of a studio version with vocals?