The "Let's Put Our Hearts Together" Appreciation Thread

[Amy B.]

I appreciate Love You but don't sit around listening to it. It's not pretty, and it's not really a pleasant listen, so you have to be in the mood for it. There are moments that I think are stellar, like I'll Bet He's Nice. As far as Let's Put Our Hearts Together Goes, I have mixed feelings. I don't understand the people who say Marilyn is a great singer with a beautiful voice. She seems like a nice person and certainly did a lot of uncredited stuff for the BBs, but she's an OK singer with an OK voice. And on this song, Brian's voice isn't exactly cutting it either, in many ways. But I get the point about them sounding like a real couple. It sounds like they live in the suburbs somewhere and have a troubled marriage and went to a bar to do karaoke or something as an awkward date night attempt to patch things up. It's charming in that way.

[Nicko1234]

I appreciate Love You but don't sit around listening to it. It's not pretty, and it's not really a pleasant listen, so you have to be in the mood for it. There are moments that I think are stellar, like I'll Bet He's Nice. As far as Let's Put Our Hearts Together Goes, I have mixed feelings. I don't understand the people who say Marilyn is a great singer with a beautiful voice. She seems like a nice person and certainly did a lot of uncredited stuff for the BBs, but she's an OK singer with an OK voice. And on this song, Brian's voice isn't exactly cutting it either, in many ways. But I get the point about them sounding like a real couple. It sounds like they live in the suburbs somewhere and have a troubled marriage and went to a bar to do karaoke or something as an awkward date night attempt to patch things up. It's charming in that way.

I pretty much agree with all of that.

[Dave Modny]

 

I can see though where people could come down on either side.  

I think there's much truth in that statement.

I'm as hardcore a BBs fan as anyone, and despite the quirky charms that Love You has to offer, both lyrically and musically, there's some aural aspects of it that I'll never warm too -- namely the final three Brian-sung tracks on the album. That is, my feeling is that if it's fair game to take aim at an album like MIU for being essentially slick, but soulless, then I can see how someone might just as easily accuse LY of being soulful, but downright amateurish in places. Furthermore, I can also see how one man's "soulful," is another man's hoarse, strained and pitch-challenged. Being that music is indeed an aural experience, there's just some things that may never sit well with people's ears no matter how sincere the intent. That's my basic feeling toward Love Is A Woman, Let's Put Our Hearts Together and Solar System. The rest of the album...I quite enjoy these days. Pretty much always have. Though, it's for those three performances that I'll never be able to qualify it as a "4 star" or even "A" record.

I've also always wondered how much of the prevailing "4 star" admiration toward LY is simply a result of it being the ultimate "BW as crazy artist" cultist album (please note: I'm not using that term as a pejorative). Thus, I wonder, in an alternate universe, if the album would've been released EXACTLY as it was, but with a "All Songs Written, Produced and Arranged by Mike Love" emblazoned across the back cover instead, maybe even titled "Mike Love's You," how it would've been received? Hmmmm.......


PS - In my further alternate universe, I long ago solved the dilemma of my attitudes toward the three aforementioned tracks by making 15 BO an oldies album entirely (subbing in a few of the unreleased oldies), and shifting a few of the "new" tunes from there over to Love You...along with a little track re-arrangement. Now, quirky AND accessible (for me anyway)!


(I hope all the above doesn't qualify as a "thread crap" in light of the thread's topic. It's a great discussion, IMHO!)  

[Newguy562]

 

I can see though where people could come down on either side.  

I think there's much truth in that statement.

I'm as hardcore a BBs fan as anyone, and despite the quirky charms that Love You has to offer, both lyrically and musically, there's some aural aspects of it that I'll never warm too -- namely the final three Brian-sung tracks on the album. That is, my feeling is that if it's fair game to take aim at an album like MIU for being essentially slick, but soulless, then I can see how someone might just as easily accuse LY of being soulful, but downright amateurish in places. Furthermore, I can also see how one man's "soulful," is another man's hoarse, strained and pitch-challenged. Being that music is indeed an aural experience, there's just some things that may never sit well with people's ears no matter how sincere the intent. That's my basic feeling toward Love Is A Woman, Let's Put Our Hearts Together and Solar System. The rest of the album...I quite enjoy these days. Pretty much always have. Though, it's for those three performances that I'll never be able to qualify it as a "4 star" or even "A" record.

I've also always wondered how much of the prevailing "4 star" admiration toward LY is simply a result of it being the ultimate "BW as crazy artist" cultist album (please note: I'm not using that term as a pejorative). Thus, I wonder, in an alternate universe, if the album would've been released EXACTLY as it was, but with a "All Songs Written, Produced and Arranged by Mike Love" emblazoned across the back cover instead, maybe even titled "Mike Love's You," how it would've been received? Hmmmm.......


PS - In my further alternate universe, I long ago solved the dilemma of my attitudes toward the three aforementioned tracks by making 15 BO an oldies album entirely (subbing in a few of the unreleased oldies), and shifting a few of the "new" tunes from there over to Love You...along with a little track re-arrangement. Now, quirky AND accessible (for me anyway)!


(I hope all the above doesn't qualify as a "thread crap" in light of the thread's topic. It's a great discussion, IMHO!)  

The only songs i enjoy on that album is "i'll bet he's nice","the night was so young"(the highlight of the album) & "let's put our hearts together".

[I. Spaceman]

Alex Chilton loved Solar System, I Wanna Pick You Up (covered both of them) and the Love You album as a whole. As far as pop music goes, that guy knew what he was on about. I'll take his opinions over any self-styled "hardcore" fan who can't see the passion, melodic invention, soul and feeling coursing throughout Love You because of the supposed "amateurishness". Here's a newsflash: Brian was ALWAYS amateurish in some ways, whether it was a sharp vocal here, background chatter left in, etc. Brian is the DUMB angel. He has a wicked sense of humor and an edge-frayed lo-fi sensibility to go with his sweet melodic angelicism when he is at his best, even on Pet Sounds, which sounds muddy in every solitary mono issue. Wow, how AMATEURISH of him.
Brian's latter-day hand-me-down, bass-harmonica-by-numbers music is all filler, no killer. Dreams of the everyday popnerd. Me, I'll whoop it up with Love You till the day I leave this Earth.

[Ron]

Well there's amateur, and then there's natural.  Brian and the boys were always very naturally talented.  Sure they worked hard and got better at what they did, but they taught themselves everything, and just kind of were a fly by the seat of your pants kind of group.  Like you said there were bum notes and studio chatter all over the place on their recordings, which actually made them a bit more endearing. 

I was thinking about it today listening to some of their stuff... sometimes I get tired of the 'intelligent' songs and just want to hear some more Surf music.  "Catch a Wave" is about as good as it gets for me.  Smile is great, God Only Knows is great, all that stuff is awesome but Catch A Wave is just as good, and it's easier to smile to. 

[Jay]

The melody on Marilyn's verses is weird. It goes all over the place.

[Nicko1234]

Alex Chilton loved Solar System, I Wanna Pick You Up (covered both of them) and the Love You album as a whole. As far as pop music goes, that guy knew what he was on about. I'll take his opinions over any self-styled "hardcore" fan who can't see the passion, melodic invention, soul and feeling coursing throughout Love You because of the supposed "amateurishness". Here's a newsflash: Brian was ALWAYS amateurish in some ways, whether it was a sharp vocal here, background chatter left in, etc. Brian is the DUMB angel. He has a wicked sense of humor and an edge-frayed lo-fi sensibility to go with his sweet melodic angelicism when he is at his best, even on Pet Sounds, which sounds muddy in every solitary mono issue. Wow, how AMATEURISH of him.
Brian's latter-day hand-me-down, bass-harmonica-by-numbers music is all filler, no killer. Dreams of the everyday popnerd. Me, I'll whoop it up with Love You till the day I leave this Earth.

Calm down laddie. If you like songs then that's cool, I'm not sure why you need Alex Chilton to give you validation.

[Newguy562]

Alex Chilton loved Solar System, I Wanna Pick You Up (covered both of them) and the Love You album as a whole. As far as pop music goes, that guy knew what he was on about. I'll take his opinions over any self-styled "hardcore" fan who can't see the passion, melodic invention, soul and feeling coursing throughout Love You because of the supposed "amateurishness". Here's a newsflash: Brian was ALWAYS amateurish in some ways, whether it was a sharp vocal here, background chatter left in, etc. Brian is the DUMB angel. He has a wicked sense of humor and an edge-frayed lo-fi sensibility to go with his sweet melodic angelicism when he is at his best, even on Pet Sounds, which sounds muddy in every solitary mono issue. Wow, how AMATEURISH of him.
Brian's latter-day hand-me-down, bass-harmonica-by-numbers music is all filler, no killer. Dreams of the everyday popnerd. Me, I'll whoop it up with Love You till the day I leave this Earth.

Calm down laddie. If you like songs then that's cool, I'm not sure why you need Alex Chilton to give you validation.

lmfao :]

[Dave Modny]

Alex Chilton loved Solar System, I Wanna Pick You Up (covered both of them) and the Love You album as a whole. As far as pop music goes, that guy knew what he was on about. I'll take his opinions over any self-styled "hardcore" fan who can't see the passion, melodic invention, soul and feeling coursing throughout Love You because of the supposed "amateurishness". Here's a newsflash: Brian was ALWAYS amateurish in some ways, whether it was a sharp vocal here, background chatter left in, etc. Brian is the DUMB angel. He has a wicked sense of humor and an edge-frayed lo-fi sensibility to go with his sweet melodic angelicism when he is at his best, even on Pet Sounds, which sounds muddy in every solitary mono issue. Wow, how AMATEURISH of him.
Brian's latter-day hand-me-down, bass-harmonica-by-numbers music is all filler, no killer. Dreams of the everyday popnerd. Me, I'll whoop it up with Love You till the day I leave this Earth.

Being that your little "hardcore fans who don't know what they're talking about" rant was apparently directed at me and my use of the word "amateur," you did catch the part where I stated that, other than those three performances, "The rest of the album...I quite enjoy these days. Pretty much always have," yes?

That is, it's no crime to be a fan and to acknowledge that there are things that might be aurally unsettling or even "amateur" about that record to a particular individual (e.g.  Brian's vocals in places, some of the lyrics, etc.). I don't think it's any secret that Brian's pipes had undergone a dramatic change on record within the previous 2 years, as well as his overall state-of-being during that part of the decade for that matter, and that certain songs, compositions and performances might reflect that to some.


So, here's a "newsflash" back: Cut the elitist, "but Alex Chilton loves it" crap or "Brian was always that way" mantra as a way of invalidating other people's personal preferences regarding specific instances. Like I said....I LIKE the album as a whole!!!! I'm just not willing to declare it a 4-star masterpiece, based on what I view as a few less-than-stellar moments. Guess what? As much as I love Brian and the Beach Boys, I actually (gasp!) have a few other moments in their musical career that I don't care for either. A few that I can't even stand. Doesn't change my respect for them, or their talents, one iota.


PS - Happy holidays to all! 

[I. Spaceman]

Alex Chilton loved Solar System, I Wanna Pick You Up (covered both of them) and the Love You album as a whole. As far as pop music goes, that guy knew what he was on about. I'll take his opinions over any self-styled "hardcore" fan who can't see the passion, melodic invention, soul and feeling coursing throughout Love You because of the supposed "amateurishness". Here's a newsflash: Brian was ALWAYS amateurish in some ways, whether it was a sharp vocal here, background chatter left in, etc. Brian is the DUMB angel. He has a wicked sense of humor and an edge-frayed lo-fi sensibility to go with his sweet melodic angelicism when he is at his best, even on Pet Sounds, which sounds muddy in every solitary mono issue. Wow, how AMATEURISH of him.
Brian's latter-day hand-me-down, bass-harmonica-by-numbers music is all filler, no killer. Dreams of the everyday popnerd. Me, I'll whoop it up with Love You till the day I leave this Earth.

Calm down laddie. If you like songs then that's cool, I'm not sure why you need Alex Chilton to give you validation.

Don't tell me to calm down, little dicko, I've been around way before you and I will be long after you're gone.  I was merely pointing out that a fellow fan of those songs knew quite a bit about what was brilliant songwriting and pop music. If your one-sentence garbage is allowed around here, my thoughts are as well, I am sure.

[I. Spaceman]

So, here's a "newsflash" back: Cut the elitist, "but Alex Chilton loves it" crap

I will, if you cut the wrists. I'll say whatever I want, man, don't tty to tell me anything, I'm not interested. There is no elitism present in my thoughts at all, just my own thoughts, and I feel they are correct, just as you feel your own thoughts are, if you were being honest about it.
Love You is one of the main reasons I love Brian Wilson. You can feel however you feel about it.

[Dave Modny]

I will, if you cut the wrists. I'll say whatever I want, man, don't tty to tell me anything, I'm not interested. There is no elitism present in my thoughts at all, just my own thoughts, and I feel they are correct, just as you feel your own thoughts are, if you were being honest about it.
Love You is one of the main reasons I love Brian Wilson. You can feel however you feel about it.

Of course I'm being honest about it. Why wouldn't I?

I'm not telling you to NOT have a "thought." I'm telling you to not demean or invalidate other people's specific attitudes and knowledge of this album, this band's music and history, or question one's fandom based on your (or Alex Chilton's) opinion.

And what the hell does the "cut the wrists" comment mean? You telling me to kill myself, or something??? Quotation marks = wrists?

[Myk Luhv]

The only song on this album I actually dislike is "Love Is A Woman". It's terrible lyrically, I don't particularly like how it's sung, and it ruins the fact that "Airplane" would've made one of the best album closers on any of their LPs!

[Justin]

The only song on this album I actually dislike is "Love Is A Woman". It's terrible lyrically, I don't particularly like how it's sung, and it ruins the fact that "Airplane" would've made one of the best album closers on any of their LPs!

Whoa hold on there....can we wait and see what Alex Chilton thinks of this tune before we make our own irrelevant fanboy judgements?? I'll wait for his response...that is if I"m still around to see it.

[runnersdialzero]

Kind of legit hurt to see so many people using descriptions such as "reprehensibly awful" and "terrible" to describe songs on Love You.

I initially got into this band through the Smile material and a few other songs, but took to Love You immediately when I first listened a few weeks after this. It wasn't the bullsh*t "lol that brian sure is crazy, i love the trainwreck appeal of this" thing that a lot of people seem to hold toward the album, it was genuine appreciation.

Yeah, it's a little weird/goofy in spots (albeit not nearly as much as people make it out to be), but I love the f*** out of it and would not have it any other way. I'm gonna get a world of sh*t over stating this, but I'd argue that not "getting" Love You is not "getting" Brian Wilson, at least to some extent.

[runnersdialzero]

I'll take his opinions over any self-styled "hardcore" fan who can't see the passion, melodic invention, soul and feeling coursing throughout Love You because of the supposed "amateurishness". Here's a newsflash: Brian was ALWAYS amateurish in some ways, whether it was a sharp vocal here, background chatter left in, etc. Brian is the DUMB angel. He has a wicked sense of humor and an edge-frayed lo-fi sensibility to go with his sweet melodic angelicism when he is at his best, even on Pet Sounds, which sounds muddy in every solitary mono issue. Wow, how AMATEURISH of him.

Perfectly said, really.

Those condeming him for championing Alex Chilton's opinion of the album... *sigh* he was merely saying he holds Mr.Chilton's opinion in high regard, likely due to appreciation of his work, and he's glad to agree with him. Nothing wrong with that.

[Justin]

I think this was said more perfectlier.

So, here's a "newsflash" back: Cut the elitist, "but Alex Chilton loves it" crap or "Brian was always that way" mantra as a way of invalidating other people's personal preferences regarding specific instances.

[Dave Modny]

author=runnersdialzero link=topic=11920.msg237549#msg237549 date=1324846077

Those condeming him for championing Alex Chilton's opinion of the album... *sigh* he was merely saying he holds Mr.Chilton's opinion in high regard, likely due to appreciation of his work, and he's glad to agree with him. Nothing wrong with that.

With all due respect, it is when it's condescending and laced with sarcastic put-downs in order to try and back up that opinion.


Furthermore, what I'm seeing in this thread are people who, for the most part, seem to actually enjoy or like LY, either in part or full, but may have specific issues with it. In that regard, it's probably not that much different than any Beach Boys album. It has nothing to do with "getting it" or not (or Brian for that matter), but rather, how the final result hits the listener.

That said, I admire the passion that some have towards this album. I feel exactly the same way about stuff like 20/20, Sunflower, Surf's Up....

[Nicko1234]

]

Don't tell me to calm down, little dicko, I've been around way before you and I will be long after you're gone.  I was merely pointing out that a fellow fan of those songs knew quite a bit about what was brilliant songwriting and pop music. If your one-sentence garbage is allowed around here, my thoughts are as well, I am sure.

Now now laddie. No need for the blown gasket. I didn't realize that you are a member of the everliving.

[Nicko1234]

Yeah, it's a little weird/goofy in spots (albeit not nearly as much as people make it out to be), but I love the f*ck out of it and would not have it any other way. I'm gonna get a world of sh*t over stating this, but I'd argue that not "getting" Love You is not "getting" Brian Wilson, at least to some extent.

The thing is though, nobody has slated the album as a whole that I've seen. The furthest they've gone is saying that they like some songs but not others. Not sure why some are bothered by that.

Love You clearly is an album made by a mentally ill man and the fact that some songs were written as part of Brian's therapy (maybe with Landy's help, maybe not) is evidence of that.

The lyrics to a song like Roller Skating Child, part of Brian's child 'admiration' trinity along with Lazy Lizzie and Hey Little Tomboy, are not the lyrics that a healthy Brian Wilson (or any healthy adult) would come up with. It also says a lot about the state of the band that nobody rewrote these lyrics and some others before recording the vocals.

Again, when Brian was healthy he would never have settled for the vocals on a song like Love is a Woman. This issue of him just thinking 'that'll do' was never apparent in his early work unless it was due to time constraints and I don't find think there is anything wrong with being saddened by that on this record or later on the inferior GIOMH.

There are great songs that balance that out and make this a 3 out of 5 album for me.

[Aegir]

I love every song on this album. Brian sings like that on purpose. If you listen to the demos he doesn't sing any of the songs nearly as gruff. A lot of Brian's 70s voice was a put-on.

I don't find anything wrong with Roller Skating Child. Hey Little Tomboy is weird but not all tomboys are children. People just like to assume that something is creepier than it is. I guess the problem is most Beach Boys fans are uptight middle-aged white men.

[Alan Smith]

...A lot of Brian's 70s voice was a put-on.

That's an interesting comment, as I've always loved how Brian sings the very last word on LPOHT ("I'); Brian cuts the gruff for a mere 3 seconds and sounds somewhat like the guy from the '60s.

It's quick, but cool, and a great close to a great song off a great album 

[Nicko1234]

I love every song on this album. Brian sings like that on purpose. If you listen to the demos he doesn't sing any of the songs nearly as gruff. A lot of Brian's 70s voice was a put-on.

I don't find anything wrong with Roller Skating Child. Hey Little Tomboy is weird but not all tomboys are children. People just like to assume that something is creepier than it is. I guess the problem is most Beach Boys fans are uptight middle-aged white men.

  I think the bigger problem is that Brian was a middle-aged man at the time. And I notice you didn't mention Lazy Lizzie...

I agree to a certain extent that Brian sang intentionally badly at times on this album (and later on GIOMH) but that isn't a good thing.

[donald]

Alex Chilton loved Solar System, I Wanna Pick You Up (covered both of them) and the Love You album as a whole. As far as pop music goes, that guy knew what he was on about. I'll take his opinions over any self-styled "hardcore" fan who can't see the passion, melodic invention, soul and feeling coursing throughout Love You because of the supposed "amateurishness". Here's a newsflash: Brian was ALWAYS amateurish in some ways, whether it was a sharp vocal here, background chatter left in, etc. Brian is the DUMB angel. He has a wicked sense of humor and an edge-frayed lo-fi sensibility to go with his sweet melodic angelicism when he is at his best, even on Pet Sounds, which sounds muddy in every solitary mono issue. Wow, how AMATEURISH of him.
Brian's latter-day hand-me-down, bass-harmonica-by-numbers music is all filler, no killer. Dreams of the everyday popnerd. Me, I'll whoop it up with Love You till the day I leave this Earth.

I tend to agree with your overall statement here.  Brian is the dumb angel ,in many ways,  the title fits him better than, say, Dennis, who it has been  said to reference.  As for alex chilton, HIS stuff sounded a little quirky at times.  Maybe He and Brian shared a connection that way.  I like them both because they are/were quirky or different and followed their own creative paths....maybe because they had no choice, genius being genius and all.  As for the thread main topic , tha t song, I have always loved that song.  AND solar system.  It has been a wish of mine that BW  would one day do this duet live with Taylor Mills.  Imagine that!