Dennis' Lead on I Just Wasn't Made for These Times

[DonnyL]

I know it's been discussed before, but I think it's worth exploring in greater detail.

I've been listening intently recently, and I believe that Dennis is singing lead on maybe about 10-15% of the final version of "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times". Listening carefully to the vocal only mix, he's clearly singing at least on of the the two lead vocal tracks at the tail end of each line on the verses. But as I'm listening with "new" ears, I'm almost thinking that it might be possible that one of the two vocal tracks is Dennis across the board on the verses. Maybe two Brians and one Dennis (lower in the mix)? Anyone else hear this? Wouldn't it have been discovered during the Pet Sounds stereo mix if this were the case?

I think this is a fascinating subject, as in any case it's very odd that Brian punched in/out his own vocals for just specific portions of words/phrases.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I've considered that there might be some bleed of Dennis's takes?  I think it'd almost beyond dispute that Dennis recorded vocals for the track.

[CenturyDeprived]

I wonder if it's possible that Brian initially chose someone other than himself to sing the lead because he was perhaps a bit embarrassed, or self-concious about such an intensely personal lyric? As though it cut just a bit too close to the bone. Maybe that in his mind took the heat off himself just a tad?

I've always kinda had the same question about Brian choosing Denny for My Diane.

[NateRuvin]

Without hearing about this from this post, I would have never noticed this, but now that I'm listening to the vocals-only version of the song, I can definitely hear what sounds like Denny in some parts.

[William Bowe]

It was pretty much part of the formula for BB albums that Dennis had a lead somewhere, to the extent that when he didn't get one on Summer Days, Brian offered an explanation/apology on the liner notes. If Brian thought he was suited to In The Back of My Mind, it's probably no surprise that he also thought he might do for I Just Wasn't Made For These Times. But presumably he wasn't happy with the result, so re-did it himself.

[CenturyDeprived]

It was pretty much part of the formula for BB albums that Dennis had a lead somewhere, to the extent that when he didn't get one on Summer Days, Brian offered an explanation/apology on the liner notes. If Brian thought he was suited to In The Back of My Mind, it's probably no surprise that he also thought he might do for I Just Wasn't Made For These Times. But presumably he wasn't happy with the result, so re-did it himself.

True, but the fact that this particular song is highly, highly personal, and indicative of a very uniquely specific (very Brian) feeling - that even Tony Asher himself said that he couldn't necessarily relate to - was the song that Brian initially chose to have someone *else* sing is, to me, quite telling, or at least worthy of some pondering as to a reason, beyond the reason of simply wanting a token Denny lead on a given album.

Maybe a cigar is just a cigar, and maybe there's nothing to it other than Brian liking the sound of Denny's voice with the melody of the song. But I think it's possible that choosing Denny as the vocalist could have been a way for to deflect or not have to answer to/own those feelings in this particular song in quite the same way. This is a song that I feel someone like Mike in particular could have objected or rolled his eyes to. If an evolved guy like Tony Asher had a hard time relating to it (but still dutifully did his job writing the lyrics beautifully), Mike most certainly wouldn't "gotten" what Brian was trying to say in the song, as it came from the perspective of a genius songwriter who was being stifled by many of those around him. There's also a passive aggressive element to the lyrics, with the "no one wants to help me look for places", with the "no one" being some of Brian's bandmates; that's how I read it, anyway.

I think that Brian having someone other than Brian himself sing the lyrics could have been one further level of a passive aggressive maneuver, removing himself one further step from the song's statement, while still making the statement by releasing said song on the album.

Also, since Denny was by all accounts the only other guy in the band who REALLY, unequivocally supported Brian's exploration and experimentation for searching "where new things might be found", that could also have played into why Denny, as opposed to anyone else in the band, was given that lead at first.

I wish there was a way to forensically determine - by physically looking at the tape splices on the master - if those suspected Denny-sung words in the song are actually Denny. For example, if it was noted that Brian used a particular brand of tape when he tracked Denny's vocals, but a different brand when he sang his own vocals, wouldn't that be a way to actually physically visually determine where - and if - Denny was actually spliced in? I have no idea if forensic tape identification like this is actually a real thing, I'm just thinking out loud

[DonnyL]

I've considered that there might be some bleed of Dennis's takes?  I think it'd almost beyond dispute that Dennis recorded vocals for the track.

Yeh, I'm certain it's documented that Dennis did attempt a lead on the track, and I believe C-Man has suggested that this version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGU8dMaQmZ4 ... features Dennis and Brian in unison on the lead.

I suppose it could be a technical goof in that Dennis' lead wasn't erased properly, but to me it sounds like distinct punch-ins all over the place, and Brian specifically absent on the last couple syllables of the verses.

[DonnyL]

I wish there was a way to forensically determine - by physically looking at the tape splices on the master - if those suspected Denny-sung words in the song are actually Denny. For example, if it was noted that Brian used a particular brand of tape when he tracked Denny's vocals, but a different brand when he sang his own vocals, wouldn't that be a way to actually physically visually determine where - and if - Denny was actually spliced in? I have no idea if forensic tape identification like this is actually a real thing, I'm just thinking out loud

Unfortunately, there wouldn't be any such evidence in this case ... listening closely to individual tracks on the multi-track and taking notes would be it.

[Ebb and Flow]

For those wondering where the proof that Dennis sang on this at all: https://soundcloud.com/smileyhoneyfriends-1/ijwmfttdennis

That's taken from the 1st Vocal Overdub for the song, found on the SOT bootleg.  It fades out pretty quickly but you can hear a remnant of the track with Dennis that Brian recorded over for his lead.

[B.E.]

Wow, Ebb and Flow, I hadn't heard that snippet before! Thanks!

[SMiLE Brian]

Woah, the rumors are true!

[Dove Nested Towers]

That's an amazing snippet.

[Jay]

I always thought Dennis said g part of the lead. Certain words sound to nasal to be Brian.

[c-man]

Yeah, it's well documented that Dennis sang the original lead. It was replaced by Brian, but rather than a "punch-in", I think what we're hearing on at least one of the two lead vocal tracks is a "punch-out", if you will, to allow Dennis' lead to remain on the final couple of syllables. There's enough of a pause in the singing to allow it with the equipment they had at the time (just like on "Kiss Me, Baby", where we hear a definite "drop out" after certain lines on the vocals-only mix - indicating replacement of certain parts occurred). The second lead track on IJWMFTT (doubling the first) may include Brian singing those few syllables on top of the remnants of Dennis' lead from the first track. Either way, I'm convinced that the final lead includes Dennis' original vocal on those syllables. I think Brian must've really dug the timbre of Denny's voice there, and kept it on one track to double himself on the other, or kept it on both tracks.

[Cool Cool Water]

For those wondering where the proof that Dennis sang on this at all: https://soundcloud.com/smileyhoneyfriends-1/ijwmfttdennis

That's taken from the 1st Vocal Overdub for the song, found on the SOT bootleg.  It fades out pretty quickly but you can hear a remnant of the track with Dennis that Brian recorded over for his lead.

So it's true! Right at the end before the fadeout, cool!