"All I Wanna Do"

[adamghost]

 Damn Craig!  Nice work.

[over and over]

Damn Craig!  Nice work.

I second that
Thats beyond the call of duty bro. Thanks a lot!

[c-man]

No problem...this gives me the excuse to learn the song myself on keyboards!

Now, how's this for a challenge:  let's see how many instruments we can pick out from the sea of reverb & delay in this song.  From the AFM contract, Jimmy Bond was payed for two doubles on this session, which might indicate three bass parts total (one of them possibly string bass, as Josh said).  Both Hal Blaine and Gene Estes are on there, implying drums AND percussion, the latter of which is hard to pinpoint b/c of the reverse envelope and other such effects on the snare.  And, there is reportedly a piano on there, in addition to multiple Rocksichord parts.

FYI, I have one of those Desper Enterprises Spatializers, and plugged it in last night:  the main difference I hear in this song is that Mike's lead is now so distinct that it sounds much "drier"...the reverb effect is still there, but more in the background, and Mike's presence is amplified to the point that he literally sounds like he's right in front of you!  Curiously, when I've played other CDs (such as the last couple of Steely Dan albums) through this device, the lead vocals tend to all but disappear.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

No problem...this gives me the excuse to learn the song myself on keyboards!

Now, how's this for a challenge:  let's see how many instruments we can pick out from the sea of reverb & delay in this song.  From the AFM contract, Jimmy Bond was payed for two doubles on this session, which might indicate three bass parts total (one of them possibly string bass, as Josh said).  Both Hal Blaine and Gene Estes are on there, implying drums AND percussion, the latter of which is hard to pinpoint b/c of the reverse envelope and other such effects on the snare.  And, there is reportedly a piano on there, in addition to multiple Rocksichord parts.

FYI, I have one of those Desper Enterprises Spatializers, and plugged it in last night:  the main difference I hear in this song is that Mike's lead is now so distinct that it sounds much "drier"...the reverb effect is still there, but more in the background, and Mike's presence is amplified to the point that he literally sounds like he's right in front of you!  Curiously, when I've played other CDs (such as the last couple of Steely Dan albums) through this device, the lead vocals tend to all but disappear.

Craig, do you have the console tape record/track list for this that Alan posted a few years ago?  I have it somewhere but not handy.

[c-man]

Here you go Josh:

1st generation
1 - left drums
2 - guitar
3 - Right drums
4 - piano
5 - bass
6 - Roxi
7 - Doubled Roxi
8 - Out of Tune Roxi

2nd generation ?
1 - L Stereo
2 - Fuzz
3 - R stereo
4 - Mike
5 - L OD stereo
6 - Double BG (gtar - trump - Ztar and Ztar OD crossed off)
7 - Right OD stereo
8 - Du Duits

[Alex]

You really need to hear it over four channels. Truly psychedelic in the strict sense of the word... and of course major props to Steve Desper.

Funny you should say that. I was just thinking a few days ago that All I Wanna Do is probably the most psychedelic the group ever got, along with possibly Feel Flows.

Don't forget the majority of the SMiLE and Smiley Smile tracks.

[Micha]

6 - Roxi
7 - Doubled Roxi
8 - Out of Tune Roxi

What's a Roxi?

[Jay]

I was going to ask what "Du Duits" are, but I didn't want to seem dumb.   

[Mikie]

"Roxi" is short for "Roxichord", otherwise known as a "Rocksichord".  It's an electronic keyboard that sounds a lot like a Harpsichord. You can hear it on "Add Some Music To Your Day".

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

"Roxi" is short for "Roxichord", otherwise known as a "Rocksichord".  It's an electronic keyboard that sounds a lot like a Harpsichord. You can hear it on "Add Some Music To Your Day".

Yep--although I wouldn't say it sounds like a real harpsichord at all.  More like a Clavinet.  Roxis also had electric piano stops and other such sounds.  A pretty nice sound, I think.

[c-man]

I was going to ask what "Du Duits" are, but I didn't want to seem dumb.   

I'm sure it's background vocals that are singing a part best rendered as such.

[guitarfool2002]

I was going to ask what "Du Duits" are, but I didn't want to seem dumb.   

I'm sure it's background vocals that are singing a part best rendered as such.

Venturing *slightly* off-topic for a classic session story, related to the words "du duits"...

For the Carpenters' version of the song "Close To You", Richard Carpenter wanted two very specific bent notes in the trumpet solo, which he had written out. He wanted Herb Alpert's sound, specifically the way Alpert would bend into various notes as he played them. He could have called Alpert to play it (The Carpenters were on A&M after all...), but instead he called in three session trumpet players and gave them the sheet music, and had each one interpret that sheet music in their own style, then choose whichever got closest to the sound he wanted.

Above the two bent notes he wanted to hear, Carpenter wrote the word "doit", as in "doo-wah". Ollie Mitchell played it so close to Alpert's own style, some people thought it was Alpert on that trumpet solo. Mitchell triple-tracked it, and it was one of the signature sounds of that record.

So the point is: every musician may have a different definition or interpretation of words like "doit", "duit", "doyn, doyn", "dippity dippity", etc. It's the secret language and all that...

[Mikie]

Yep--although I wouldn't say it sounds like a real harpsichord at all.  More like a Clavinet.  Roxis also had electric piano stops and other such sounds.  A pretty nice sound, I think. [/quote

Huh.  Supposedly, the Rocksichord was invented in the 1960's to approximate the sound of the harpsichord.
►
On an aside, speaking of a Clavinet, it looks like Dennis used a Hohner Clavinet Dx7 in the early 70's. Maybe that replaced the Roxi? Assume that picture of Dennis was taken at Brother Studio or at Caribou Ranch?

[Heysaboda]

It still boggles my mind that SUNFLOWER only charted to #151 in the U.S.

WTF is up with that??

[oldsurferdude]

It still boggles my mind that SUNFLOWER only charted to #151 in the U.S.

WTF is up with that??

Inspite of generally positive reviews, decent activity on the FM airwaves and several impressive Rolling Stone ads(half page), they were at the nadir of their popularity despite a great album. I absolutely fell for it hook line and sinker. Funny, 1 album and 1 year later they were back and hip again-most often credited to their shows. Would be interested in how many Sunflowers have actually been sold to date.

[Autotune]

Does anyone know anything about the genesis of tis song? Have the songwriters ever spoken about this?.

To me, this sounds like a Mike Love original that Brian worked on later. A little like "let the wind blow"... Both songs have a certain circularity to them, and the main melodic ideas sound very simple and direct, just like ML melodies tend to be. It's true that 'all i wanna do' is more complex as a song and as a recording than LTWB, but both, songwriting-wise, can be easily paired.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

It still boggles my mind that SUNFLOWER only charted to #151 in the U.S.

WTF is up with that??

Inspite of generally positive reviews, decent activity on the FM airwaves and several impressive Rolling Stone ads(half page), they were at the nadir of their popularity despite a great album. I absolutely fell for it hook line and sinker. Funny, 1 album and 1 year later they were back and hip again-most often credited to their shows. Would be interested in how many Sunflowers have actually been sold to date.

This is a great question: exactly how many copies worldwide (in whatever format) have been sold of Sunflower since it's original release?

[Disney Boy (1985)]

It still boggles my mind that SUNFLOWER only charted to #151 in the U.S.

WTF is up with that??

Inspite of generally positive reviews, decent activity on the FM airwaves and several impressive Rolling Stone ads(half page), they were at the nadir of their popularity despite a great album. I absolutely fell for it hook line and sinker. Funny, 1 album and 1 year later they were back and hip again-most often credited to their shows. Would be interested in how many Sunflowers have actually been sold to date.

This is a great question: exactly how many copies worldwide (in whatever format) have been sold of Sunflower since it's original release?

MY guess is: not nearly enough as it deserves...

[Jason]

The BBs invented both shoegaze and chillwave with All I Wanna Do.

Just like they invented lo-fi with Smiley Smile and new wave with Love You!

[Wirestone]

To me, this sounds like a Mike Love original that Brian worked on later. A little like "let the wind blow"... Both songs have a certain circularity to them, and the main melodic ideas sound very simple and direct, just like ML melodies tend to be. It's true that 'all i wanna do' is more complex as a song and as a recording than LTWB, but both, songwriting-wise, can be easily paired.

This seems spot on to me. Although I expect Brian did far more to this than "Wind" -- just the way the melody spirals up, and those classic interlocking backing parts. The Mike-Carl-Brian tradeoff is very cool (and in a way, the S&S "Caroline No" tag has some of those elements too).

[Mark Dillon]

Here's a recent quote from an NY Mag interview with Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie:

What do you listen to while you’re running?
Gibbard: That’s an awesome question. I made a long mix of stuff. During the marathon, I listened to this group from Seattle, Fresh Espresso. It’s this hip-hop group. It’s the worst name. But they have this song, “The Lazerbeams,” that I listened to literally twenty times for the first five miles of the marathon. [Sings “Laser Beams.”] But I make mixes for running: Beach Boys songs, “All I Wanna Do,” and then a Telekinesis song, and then Ministry’s “Burning Inside,” and then Public Enemy.

Also, this song is a favorite of Mike Kowalski, who lobbied for years to have the BBs play it live, but it never happened.

[Ron]

To me, this sounds like a Mike Love original that Brian worked on later. A little like "let the wind blow"... Both songs have a certain circularity to them, and the main melodic ideas sound very simple and direct, just like ML melodies tend to be. It's true that 'all i wanna do' is more complex as a song and as a recording than LTWB, but both, songwriting-wise, can be easily paired.

This seems spot on to me. Although I expect Brian did far more to this than "Wind" -- just the way the melody spirals up, and those classic interlocking backing parts. The Mike-Carl-Brian tradeoff is very cool (and in a way, the S&S "Caroline No" tag has some of those elements too).

Somebody on a youtube video of this song pointed out something cool, if you kind of concentrate on the "All I Wanna Do" backup vocals at about 1:40 on, all these different little sounds, styles, colors even kind of swirl in and out of the end of the song.  Of course you can hear all of it anyway you listen to it, but if you follow THAT little melody, it makes all the other ones stand out a bit more.  Beautifully composed. 

[puni puni]

Intro
(F-A-C) alternating w/D bass (first half of first measure)
(G-A-C) alternating w/E bass (second half of first measure)
(F-A-C) alternating w/D bass (both halves of the next four measures, with notation for left hand to play the extra notes on the downbeats in the 
treble clef, that are played by the 12-string guitar on the record:  F and E in the second & fourth measures, D, E, D, E in the third & fifth measures)

Verse Part 1
Dm7 on "All I"
(E-A-C) w/D bass (second space below the bottom line in the bass clef), on "wanna", add F to the chord while the bass note climbs up to E on "do"
G7
(D-G-B) w/G bass (looks like the 7th is in the melody line, which decends from B to A to G) (guitar then plays E-D-E), bass climbs to A on "is"
Dm7 on "always bring"
(F-A-C) w/D bass, on "good" add E to the chord while the bass note climbs up to E on "you"
G7 (same as second bar)
The next four bars repeat the previous two bars, except in the last bar of this progression, the bass note stays on G instead of climbing to A

Verse Part 2
Am7 on "Sure as the su-"
(C-E-G) alternating w/A bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef
Fmaj7 on "-un will come around again to"
(E-F-A) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/F bass at bottom of the bass clef
C on "start out another day"
(E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/G bass at bottom of the bass clef
E7
(D-E-G#) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
The next two bars repeat the first two bars of this section (Am7 - Fmaj7), then two different inversions of Fmaj7 for the next bar:
(C-E-F-A) w/F bass on the "1" beat, (a-c-e-g) w/F bass on the "3" beat
G6 on "way"
(B-D-E-G) w/G bass

bridge Part 1
Em7 on "Ooh, when I sit and close"
(D-E-G) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "my eyes"
(D-E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef
Em7 on "gentle thought comes in my mi-"
again, (D-E-G) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "-ind"
this time, just (E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef
F on "My love is"
(F-A-C) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/F bass at bottom of the bass clef
F on "burning brightly"
this time, descending intervals of thirds: (G-B) on "burn-", (F-A) on "-ing", (E-G) on "bright-", "D-F" on "-ly", all alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/F bass at bottom of the bass clef
C on "like moon and"
just (E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/G bass at bottom of the bass clef
E7-9 on "stars shine"
(D-F-G#) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "nightly"
(E-G-A) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef

Bridge Part 2
F on "All I"
(F-A-C) w/G bass
Fmaj7 on "Wanna do"
(E-F-A-C) w/descending bass line of G (immediately prior to Fmaj7 chord), F, E, D
G (following "do")
(D-G-B) w/D bass, then bass line climbs back up to E, F while guitar plays E-D-E
This pattern repeats three more times, then there is a chromatic descending bass line of C-B-A-G-F, then
Em7 on "Ooh, let these little words"
(D-E-G) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "of lo-ove be-"
(D-E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef
Em7 on "-come the lamps that light your wa-"
again, (D-E-G) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "-ay"
this time, (E-G-A) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef, but on the "4" beat the right hand plays
(C-F-G-A), w/G bass at bottom of the bass clef

Coda (Fade)
Dm7 on "All I"
(F-A-C) w/D bass (second space below the bottom line in the bass clef), on "wanna", add E to the chord while the bass note climbs up to E on "do"
G
(D-G-B) w/G bass (guitar then plays E-D-E), bass climbs to A
(repeat & fade)

can someone make this easier to read? it's difficult for me to make sense of this

[c-man]

Intro
(F-A-C) alternating w/D bass (first half of first measure)
(G-A-C) alternating w/E bass (second half of first measure)
(F-A-C) alternating w/D bass (both halves of the next four measures, with notation for left hand to play the extra notes on the downbeats in the 
treble clef, that are played by the 12-string guitar on the record:  F and E in the second & fourth measures, D, E, D, E in the third & fifth measures)

Verse Part 1
Dm7 on "All I"
(E-A-C) w/D bass (second space below the bottom line in the bass clef), on "wanna", add F to the chord while the bass note climbs up to E on "do"
G7
(D-G-B) w/G bass (looks like the 7th is in the melody line, which decends from B to A to G) (guitar then plays E-D-E), bass climbs to A on "is"
Dm7 on "always bring"
(F-A-C) w/D bass, on "good" add E to the chord while the bass note climbs up to E on "you"
G7 (same as second bar)
The next four bars repeat the previous two bars, except in the last bar of this progression, the bass note stays on G instead of climbing to A

Verse Part 2
Am7 on "Sure as the su-"
(C-E-G) alternating w/A bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef
Fmaj7 on "-un will come around again to"
(E-F-A) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/F bass at bottom of the bass clef
C on "start out another day"
(E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/G bass at bottom of the bass clef
E7
(D-E-G#) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
The next two bars repeat the first two bars of this section (Am7 - Fmaj7), then two different inversions of Fmaj7 for the next bar:
(C-E-F-A) w/F bass on the "1" beat, (a-c-e-g) w/F bass on the "3" beat
G6 on "way"
(B-D-E-G) w/G bass

bridge Part 1
Em7 on "Ooh, when I sit and close"
(D-E-G) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "my eyes"
(D-E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef
Em7 on "gentle thought comes in my mi-"
again, (D-E-G) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "-ind"
this time, just (E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef
F on "My love is"
(F-A-C) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/F bass at bottom of the bass clef
F on "burning brightly"
this time, descending intervals of thirds: (G-B) on "burn-", (F-A) on "-ing", (E-G) on "bright-", "D-F" on "-ly", all alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/F bass at bottom of the bass clef
C on "like moon and"
just (E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/G bass at bottom of the bass clef
E7-9 on "stars shine"
(D-F-G#) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "nightly"
(E-G-A) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef

Bridge Part 2
F on "All I"
(F-A-C) w/G bass
Fmaj7 on "Wanna do"
(E-F-A-C) w/descending bass line of G (immediately prior to Fmaj7 chord), F, E, D
G (following "do")
(D-G-B) w/D bass, then bass line climbs back up to E, F while guitar plays E-D-E
This pattern repeats three more times, then there is a chromatic descending bass line of C-B-A-G-F, then
Em7 on "Ooh, let these little words"
(D-E-G) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "of lo-ove be-"
(D-E-G) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef
Em7 on "-come the lamps that light your wa-"
again, (D-E-G) alternating w/B bass in the treble clef, w/E bass at bottom of the bass clef
Am7 on "-ay"
this time, (E-G-A) alternating w/C bass in the treble clef, w/A bass at bottom of the bass clef, but on the "4" beat the right hand plays
(C-F-G-A), w/G bass at bottom of the bass clef

Coda (Fade)
Dm7 on "All I"
(F-A-C) w/D bass (second space below the bottom line in the bass clef), on "wanna", add E to the chord while the bass note climbs up to E on "do"
G
(D-G-B) w/G bass (guitar then plays E-D-E), bass climbs to A
(repeat & fade)

can someone make this easier to read? it's difficult for me to make sense of this

Then you should probably seek out the original sheet music (you might be able to find the Surf's Up/Sunflower music book on eBay).  What I provided above is a word-for-note translation of that.

[puni puni]

oh... crap!