New album info (as it rolls out...)

[ESQ Editor]

Cheers!

[PhilCohen]

There is no doubt, that excepting an occasional hit with a non-original composition("Rock n'Roll Music", "Cottonfields", "Kokomo") that the Beach Boys' career has been(mostly) based on original songs. It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

[drbeachboy]

There is no doubt, that excepting an occasional hit with a non-original composition("Rock n'Roll Music", "Cottonfields", "Kokomo") that the Beach Boys' career has been(mostly) based on original songs. It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

Is it a cover? From what I've read it was written for the Beach Boys, much like Andy Paley writing Soul Searchin' for the Beach Boys, and specifically Carl, to sing.

[SBonilla]

It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

Bode schmode.  It's the new Beach Boys single.

[HeyJude]

There is no doubt, that excepting an occasional hit with a non-original composition("Rock n'Roll Music", "Cottonfields", "Kokomo") that the Beach Boys' career has been(mostly) based on original songs. It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

Is it a cover? From what I've read it was written for the Beach Boys, much like Andy Paley writing Soul Searchin' for the Beach Boys, and specifically Carl, to sing.

Yep, I wouldn't even call it a "cover", at least based on the way I would use the word in this context. The song has never been released before, so it's not a cover of a previously-issued recording.

We also don't even know for sure that no BB names will appear on the new single. Maybe Brian added some music or lyrics to it and has a co-writer credit. We don't know for sure.

I like it when artists write their own stuff. But I also don't think we need to be so limiting as to not allow collaboration or acceptance of a song that was written just for you. "Kokomo" isn't a cover either, as Love at least helped with that one a bit. Yes, it appears that was another one that other writers had worked on before it was used by the BB's. But at the end of the day, it's about the strength of the song. If the BB's perform the song well and it's a good song, I don't care if the Survivor guy co-wrote it. That he apparently targeted it as a potential BB song may make it even more enjoyable.

I hope we find out soon!

[Mikie]

For Phil:  

Even if it was a cover, I guess these Beach Boys covers (singles) didn't bode well on the Billboard Hot 100:

Do You Wanna Dance  #12
Then I Kissed Her #4 (UK)
Sloop John B  #3  
Barbara Ann  #2
Rock & Roll Music  #5
Come Go With Me  #18
I Can Hear Music  #24 (#10 UK)
Bluebirds Over The Mountain  #61
Cottonfields  #5 (UK)
Peggy Sue  #59
Wipeout #12 (#2 UK)

[southbay]

cover?!?

[AndrewHickey]

cover?!?

Apparently Jim Peterik, Joe Thomas and someone else wrote That's Why God Made The radio in the 90s for the BBs, though it's never been released by anyone, and we don't know to what extent (if any) it's been rewritten by any of the band members since (remember that Kokomo, for example, was originally written and demoed by John Philips and Scott Mackenzie, but that Mike and Terry Melcher *radically* altered it. The same kind of thing may -- or may not -- have happened here).

I *was* worried, because "written by Jim Peterik" is a phrase to strike terror into the hearts of music lovers everywhere, but now that Phil The Eternally Wrong has announced that it'll be bad, I can only presume that Peterik was temporarily possessed by the spirit of Johann Sebastian Bach while writing it.

Phil, any chance of making an authoritative pronouncement that the Beach Boys won't play a surprise intimate set in my front room, and that I won't win the lottery next week without even buying a ticket?

[southbay]

cover?!?

Apparently Jim Peterik, Joe Thomas and someone else wrote That's Why God Made The radio in the 90s for the BBs, though it's never been released by anyone, and we don't know to what extent (if any) it's been rewritten by any of the band members since (remember that Kokomo, for example, was originally written and demoed by John Philips and Scott Mackenzie, but that Mike and Terry Melcher *radically* altered it. The same kind of thing may -- or may not -- have happened here).

I *was* worried, because "written by Jim Peterik" is a phrase to strike terror into the hearts of music lovers everywhere, but now that Phil The Eternally Wrong has announced that it'll be bad, I can only presume that Peterik was temporarily possessed by the spirit of Johann Sebastian Bach while writing it.

Phil, any chance of making an authoritative pronouncement that the Beach Boys won't play a surprise intimate set in my front room, and that I won't win the lottery next week without even buying a ticket?

I get it, they didn't write it (that we know of, yet).  Doesn't make their original recording of it a "cover"

[Mikie]

If The Beach Boys did their own version of a song written and recorded by someone else, would that be a "cover"? Probably.

Did Brian Wilson "cover" the songs on the "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" CD?  They were his songs and previously recorded and released solo and by his band, right? So are they covers?  Probably.

If a song was cut (recorded) previously as a demo (i.e. "Don't Fight The Sea" and Wilson/Paley/Usher songs) and ultimately released, does that make it a "cover"? Probably not, as defined by "cover". 

If a song was completed but unreleased, and then they went back and changed a few lyrics or did some vocal overdubs (i.e. Loop De Loop") and then they released it, would that be a "cover" version? Probably not.

Was "Surfin' U.S.A. a cover? It was a rewrite of an existing song with different lyrics, right? Probably not a cover then.

[hypehat]

Whilst not totally ideal, it's not like using outside songwriters is an entirely alien concept to pop music.

I can't be too annoyed about TWGMTR being an outside job until I hear it. If it's sh*t, well, easy come easy go. If it's good, I'll just have to deal with having a great song with The Beach Boys singing on it in 2012. Lord knows how I'll manage that.

[c-man]

There is no doubt, that excepting an occasional hit with a non-original composition("Rock n'Roll Music", "Cottonfields", "Kokomo") that the Beach Boys' career has been(mostly) based on original songs. It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

Again, for all we know, the song could've started with Brian (perhaps a title and a hook riff, maybe even a typical Brian chord progression) and was given to Thomas, Peterik, et al, to finish off (which could definitely mean a substantial amount of work:  verse melody, lyrics, complete bridge section, who knows).  Anyone here heard the demo for "Your Imagination"?  Someone other than Brian (Joe Thomas, I think I read) is humming the melody.  So just because other people worked on the writing and demoing doesn't mean it's a non-Beach Boys composition.

[Wirestone]

There is no doubt, that excepting an occasional hit with a non-original composition("Rock n'Roll Music", "Cottonfields", "Kokomo") that the Beach Boys' career has been(mostly) based on original songs. It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

Again, for all we know, the song could've started with Brian (perhaps a title and a hook riff, maybe even a typical Brian chord progression) and was given to Thomas, Peterik, et al, to finish off (which could definitely mean a substantial amount of work:  verse melody, lyrics, complete bridge section, who knows).  Anyone here heard the demo for "Your Imagination"?  Someone other than Brian (Joe Thomas, I think I read) is humming the melody.  So just because other people worked on the writing and demoing doesn't mean it's a non-Beach Boys composition.

And we know at least two other songs that have been inspired by Brian's off-handed comments -- "No Wrong Notes in Heaven" by Scott Bennett, which was based on something BW said during the GIOMH sessions, and on which Brian added some harmony and tag things once Scotty finished it, and "Miracle" by the Wilsons, which is a take off of Brian exclaiming "Am I a fool to expect a miracle" while he was trying to write a song with Carnie. Again, he then seems to have added a few harmony bits and chord changes after the basic thing was written.

I wouldn't be surprised if the something similar didn't happen here -- Brian made this comment, and Joe and Jim wrote a tune around it. Brian will then probably add something bridge-y or tagg-y. It would be more than he contributed to Deirdre!

[Chocolate Shake Man]

There is no doubt, that excepting an occasional hit with a non-original composition("Rock n'Roll Music", "Cottonfields", "Kokomo") that the Beach Boys' career has been(mostly) based on original songs. It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

Again, for all we know, the song could've started with Brian (perhaps a title and a hook riff, maybe even a typical Brian chord progression) and was given to Thomas, Peterik, et al, to finish off (which could definitely mean a substantial amount of work:  verse melody, lyrics, complete bridge section, who knows).  Anyone here heard the demo for "Your Imagination"?  Someone other than Brian (Joe Thomas, I think I read) is humming the melody.  So just because other people worked on the writing and demoing doesn't mean it's a non-Beach Boys composition.

And we know at least two other songs that have been inspired by Brian's off-handed comments -- "No Wrong Notes in Heaven" by Scott Bennett, which was based on something BW said during the GIOMH sessions, and on which Brian added some harmony and tag things once Scotty finished it, and "Miracle" by the Wilsons, which is a take off of Brian exclaiming "Am I a fool to expect a miracle" while he was trying to write a song with Carnie. Again, he then seems to have added a few harmony bits and chord changes after the basic thing was written.

I wouldn't be surprised if the something similar didn't happen here -- Brian made this comment, and Joe and Jim wrote a tune around it. Brian will then probably add something bridge-y or tagg-y. It would be more than he contributed to Deirdre!

Eh, if it were true, which we don't know, therefore this is all very speculative. If that is the case with the song then how come he hasn't been given credit from the start.

I agree with Hypehat, it's not totally ideal. Hearing something like, "There's a great new Brian Wilson song!" gives you a different feeling than "There's a great new Joe Thomas and Jim Peterik song!" But who knows? It could very well be marvelous...

Also, I always thought Brian was given credit on Deirdre because of its similarity to We're Together Again.

[Wirestone]

There is no doubt, that excepting an occasional hit with a non-original composition("Rock n'Roll Music", "Cottonfields", "Kokomo") that the Beach Boys' career has been(mostly) based on original songs. It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

Again, for all we know, the song could've started with Brian (perhaps a title and a hook riff, maybe even a typical Brian chord progression) and was given to Thomas, Peterik, et al, to finish off (which could definitely mean a substantial amount of work:  verse melody, lyrics, complete bridge section, who knows).  Anyone here heard the demo for "Your Imagination"?  Someone other than Brian (Joe Thomas, I think I read) is humming the melody.  So just because other people worked on the writing and demoing doesn't mean it's a non-Beach Boys composition.

And we know at least two other songs that have been inspired by Brian's off-handed comments -- "No Wrong Notes in Heaven" by Scott Bennett, which was based on something BW said during the GIOMH sessions, and on which Brian added some harmony and tag things once Scotty finished it, and "Miracle" by the Wilsons, which is a take off of Brian exclaiming "Am I a fool to expect a miracle" while he was trying to write a song with Carnie. Again, he then seems to have added a few harmony bits and chord changes after the basic thing was written.

I wouldn't be surprised if the something similar didn't happen here -- Brian made this comment, and Joe and Jim wrote a tune around it. Brian will then probably add something bridge-y or tagg-y. It would be more than he contributed to Deirdre!

Eh, if it were true, which we don't know, therefore this is all very speculative. If that is the case with the song then how come he hasn't been given credit from the start.

I agree with Hypehat, it's not totally ideal. Hearing something like, "There's a great new Brian Wilson song!" gives you a different feeling than "There's a great new Joe Thomas and Jim Peterik song!" But who knows? It could very well be marvelous...

Also, I always thought Brian was given credit on Deirdre because of its similarity to We're Together Again.

Well, he didn't write We're Together Again, either. Edit: I guess he might have had a co-write. But I was always under the impression it was a Ron Wilson thing.

[c-man]

I beleive that's true in the case of "We're Together Again" (Ron Wilson all the way...but probably Brian's vocal arrangement).  As for "Deirdre", Bruce has said he tried writing the song with Brian, but Brian was tossing out all kinds of unuseable lyrics.  Bruce gave up, but still split the credit with him even though BW only wrote a line or two of the finished song.

[Ron]

WHAT THE f***

I've been reading here, trying to figure out why everybody's so desperate to prove that Brian wrote part of this song, then finally noticed it was because Phil Cohen came out from under his bridge again and said since it's not original the whole reunion is a flop.

Phil, if it's that bad, just end it.  If you have nothing to look forward to, why are you here?

[Wirestone]

I beleive that's true in the case of "We're Together Again" (Ron Wilson all the way...but probably Brian's vocal arrangement).  As for "Deirdre", Bruce has said he tried writing the song with Brian, but Brian was tossing out all kinds of unuseable lyrics.  Bruce gave up, but still split the credit with him even though BW only wrote a line or two of the finished song.

Exactly. This was my understanding, too.

[drbeachboy]

WHAT THE f*ck

I've been reading here, trying to figure out why everybody's so desperate to prove that Brian wrote part of this song, then finally noticed it was because Phil Cohen came out from under his bridge again and said since it's not original the whole reunion is a flop.

Phil, if it's that bad, just end it.  If you have nothing to look forward to, why are you here?

He is what you call, a Killjoy. I am sure he believes in the Mayan calendar too.

[Ron]

I saw a thing the other day explaining that the Mayan Calandar didn't use Leap Years... so the end of the Mayan calandar was about 8 months ago, lol. 

Anyways.  Back on topic.  I just think it's strange that someone who obviously is very learned and studious tends to look at the darkest possible light anytime possible. 

So at first, reading the replies I thought everybody was stretching, saying maybe Brian suggested the title, but hell, up against Mr. Negativity, I agree with their point.  We have no clue whether or not Brian was involved with this, he may have came up with the title. 

[c-man]

I saw a thing the other day explaining that the Mayan Calandar didn't use Leap Years... so the end of the Mayan calandar was about 8 months ago, lol. 

Anyways.  Back on topic.  I just think it's strange that someone who obviously is very learned and studious tends to look at the darkest possible light anytime possible. 

So at first, reading the replies I thought everybody was stretching, saying maybe Brian suggested the title, but hell, up against Mr. Negativity, I agree with their point.  We have no clue whether or not Brian was involved with this, he may have came up with the title. 

It IS a pretty Brian-y title.

[drbeachboy]

I saw a thing the other day explaining that the Mayan Calandar didn't use Leap Years... so the end of the Mayan calandar was about 8 months ago, lol.  

Anyways.  Back on topic.  I just think it's strange that someone who obviously is very learned and studious tends to look at the darkest possible light anytime possible.  

So at first, reading the replies I thought everybody was stretching, saying maybe Brian suggested the title, but hell, up against Mr. Negativity, I agree with their point.  We have no clue whether or not Brian was involved with this, he may have came up with the title.  

Well, we kind of know that whether Brian wrote it or not, as he did with the Gershwin & Disney albums, or the songs they remade over the years, that he will give it the Beach Boy treatment. It doesn't concern me too much if he didn't have a hand in writing it.

[Ron]

Me neither. 

[Awesoman]

There is no doubt, that excepting an occasional hit with a non-original composition("Rock n'Roll Music", "Cottonfields", "Kokomo") that the Beach Boys' career has been(mostly) based on original songs. It doesn't bode well that the song which will be the promoted track from "New Release 2012" will be a cover version of a non-Beach Boys composition.

What are you talking about?  I thought the song they were promoting was "That's Why God Made The Radio".  Wasn't that written by the band?

EDIT: Nevermind...did a little digging around here and found the answer to my question.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Howsabout some of us actually base their comments on having heard the song in question as opposed to who wrote it ?  Rumor has it the song in question isn't too shabby. Maybe not another "Midnight...", but not something built by cowboys* either.

[* obscure Brit reference - google it ]