"That's Why God Made The Radio" Single!

[the professor]

The song is beautiful. I hear all the BB singing, with Jeff doing, as some have said, Carl's parts, which is fine and tasteful. Dave is clear on the chorus; his "god" is pronounced like the first syllable in PDE "gadget," because he has retained, more than the others,his "South bay" (south west los angeles county" accent (an open front to mid un-rounded vowel: [ae] in phonetic transcription). I hear echos of the songs so far listed (kiss me baby, theme from midnight cowboy, your summer dream, etc) but also from the 50 hit Silhouettes (in the verses).  I don't care about the credits and am sure the BB influence is just as strong here as in Sloop and Sail on Sailor and other songs of mixed provenance.

The BB are together; they are playing tonight; they have an album, a Zine with DIA coming out, and a great single, which is bound to make the top 40, currently in part on youtube and 48 hours away from sale to all in its full glory.

I see cause for only joy; the song played in my head--and heart I am proud to say--all night last night. Say what you will about autotune and JT and the like, the proof is in the celestial result, in hearing the spheres rotate--that's all it's ever been about for me, and I hear them here.

best to all

[Melt Away]

I've really grown to love this song over the last few days. I wouldn't say it harps back to any other era of the BB's, this is a new 21st century updated sound. This is the first new record I've really been excited for since Chaos and Creation by McCartney. Waves of Love is good but it's seems a little outdated and while I love Don't Fight the Sea it's so 80's it's ridiculous. I'm hoping an album full of 21st century BB's and nothing else!

[Ron]

IT's got a little bit of "Good Timin' thrown in for good measure... if you listen to the amazon sample towards the end, Brian does with his 'crazy' voice "whooo oohhh ohhhh!!" instead of "You need good Timin!"  Kinda takes 30 years off of him for a minute there

[the professor]

ONE ADDED QUESTION:SO FAR ON THE AMAZON SAMPLE AND THE VIDEO i DO NOT YET HEAR MIKE SINGING BASS OR BARRITONE. WHERE IS THE BOTTOM AND WHO IS SINGING WHAT DENNIS AND MIKE WOULD NORMALLY SING TOGETHER? I HOPE WE CAN DO A FULL VOCAL ACCOUNTING LINE BY LINE ON THURSDAY. I CAN HEAR LOTS OF AL AND BRUCE TOGETHER AND AL AND BRIAN TOGETHER (2ND VERSE) AS IN SLOOP.

[aaktt]

I don't remember being this excited about something in my whole life
After hearing this short fragment I'm perfectly sure it's gonna be great and can't wait to hear the full version.

I feel like I'm 13 or something. Incredible

[Wirestone]

ONE ADDED QUESTION:SO FAR ON THE AMAZON SAMPLE AND THE VIDEO i DO NOT YET HEAR MIKE SINGING BASS OR BARRITONE. WHERE IS THE BOTTOM AND WHO IS SINGING WHAT DENNIS AND MIKE WOULD NORMALLY SING TOGETHER? I HOPE WE CAN DO A FULL VOCAL ACCOUNTING LINE BY LINE ON THURSDAY. I CAN HEAR LOTS OF AL AND BRUCE TOGETHER AND AL AND BRIAN TOGETHER (2ND VERSE) AS IN SLOOP.

Mike seems to be singing a midrange part.

I'm not hearing anyone lower, particularly. Maybe Dave?

Very odd.

[Zach95]

This is absolutely spectacular.  Just LISTEN to that! It sounds fantastic!  Better than I could have ever expected, hands down.

[doc smiley]

ONE ADDED QUESTION:SO FAR ON THE AMAZON SAMPLE AND THE VIDEO i DO NOT YET HEAR MIKE SINGING BASS OR BARRITONE. WHERE IS THE BOTTOM AND WHO IS SINGING WHAT DENNIS AND MIKE WOULD NORMALLY SING TOGETHER? I HOPE WE CAN DO A FULL VOCAL ACCOUNTING LINE BY LINE ON THURSDAY. I CAN HEAR LOTS OF AL AND BRUCE TOGETHER AND AL AND BRIAN TOGETHER (2ND VERSE) AS IN SLOOP.

I would assume that Dave is singing what would have been Dennis and Brian is singing Carl's part...
that would leave Jeffrey F. or Matt J.  singing on top.  If Mike is singing mid-range not bass, I would assume that another band member would be covering for him... however I think he is singing bass as well, but his voice isn't very strong anymore, so its well back in the mix.  (imho)

[Ron]

Yeah, I think Mike probably sang bass (who else would?) and since his voice is so... understated... anymore, it's almost impossible to hear in the mix.  Once we get a nice clean sounding copy we'll probably be able to pick out more vocal lines!

[Aegir]

I don't think anyone is singing a bass vocal. The lowest voice is probably one of the three or four fosketts on the track.

[NatureShowInStereo]

I didn't know about that Amazon preview, though it's just the chorus basically. But the single will be out within 2 days? April 26th it says on Amazon?

And how crazy would it be if we had the album title and cover all along and just thought it was the single/art? They're being so tricky and clever with us, it's bittersweet.

[Runaways]

No idea who's singing at the start Of that amazon clip, "in my car" .  Then I hear Jeff and Brian together, then Bruce and Jeff together

[Shady]

No idea who's singing at the start Of that amazon clip, "in my car" .  Then I hear Jeff and Brian together, then Bruce and Jeff together

That's Al

[Chris Brown]

I don't think anyone is singing a bass vocal. The lowest voice is probably one of the three or four fosketts on the track.

I don't hear a bass vocal either, but it's hard to tell with what we've got.  Even if it turns out that there isn't one, I doubt it's a matter of Mike's voice not being strong enough - good miking (pardon the pun) can take care of that - maybe Brian (or whoever) just didn't feel that a bass vocal fit the tune. 

[aaktt]

IT's got a little bit of "Good Timin' thrown in for good measure... if you listen to the amazon sample towards the end, Brian does with his 'crazy' voice "whooo oohhh ohhhh!!" instead of "You need good Timin!"  Kinda takes 30 years off of him for a minute there

Yeah, I can hear it too. The chorus seems to be recorded in a similar way.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I didn't know about that Amazon preview, though it's just the chorus basically. But the single will be out within 2 days? April 26th it says on Amazon?

And how crazy would it be if we had the album title and cover all along and just thought it was the single/art? They're being so tricky and clever with us, it's bittersweet.

No, they're keeping us in the dark and feeding us insufficient scraps. The Cohen of Silence has thus decreed.

[CarlTheVoice]

I am singing this in my head (along with all the other songs it sounds like!) over and over again. That is a good thing! I can't wait until it's released.

[RONDEMON]

I'm a journalist and Capitol just sent out the stream of the single. It sounds great. Not a ton of surprises as that video is pretty thorough and the bridge is pretty short and leads right into the acapella section.

I obviously can't link it as it's password protected but here's a long press release I just received...



Hollywood, California – April 25, 2012 – The founding members of The Beach Boys, one of the world’s most legendary bands in popular music history, have reunited for a global 50th Anniversary celebration, including a new album release, a major international tour, and commemorative catalog releases.  Today, The Beach Boys announce details about their new studio album, That’s Why God Made The Radio, to be released June 5 by Capitol/EMI.

 Beach Boys Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks recently completed their recording sessions at Los Angeles’ Ocean Way Studios for That’s Why God Made The Radio, the band’s 29th studio album (including 2011’s The SMiLE Sessions), the first in decades to feature all of the band’s surviving original members.  Produced by Brian Wilson and executive produced by Mike Love, the album’s 11 new songs illustrate The Beach Boys’ unique and evocative West Coast story with the band’s timeless signature sound.

                                                     

The album’s lead single, “That’s Why God Made The Radio,” showcases The Beach Boys’ soaring harmonies in an upbeat, beaming ode to music’s radio champions around the world.  Beginning today, the song is available for download purchase from all major digital service providers, and it makes its national radio premiere today on “Mike & Mike In the Morning” on ESPN Radio and ESPN 2 (6 AM-10 AM ET/PT, check local stations).  A new lyrics video for the single has been launched today on VEVO and The Beach Boys’ YouTube channel, where a video about the making of the song is also available for streaming.

 

“Radio was my whole education,” says Brian Wilson.  “Chuck Berry, Rosemary Clooney, The Four Freshmen, Phil Spector, Little Richard... To hear ‘That’s Why God Made The Radio’ on the radio would be a thrill beyond belief, it really would.  It would be a thrill beyond belief.”

 

“I got a lot of my appreciation for all of the creativity in the world, in terms of music, through the radio,” says Mike Love.  “For all of us who grew up in the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and beyond, the radio has played such a huge, important part in our lives.  When we were kids, we’d sneak out of the house and go and sit in Brian’s car and listen to the local radio stations on his car radio.”

 

The album’s other new songs include “Think About The Days,” “Isn’t It Time,” “Spring Vacation,” “Private Life Of Bill And Sue,” “Shelter,” “Daybreak Over The Ocean,” “Beaches In Mind,” “Strange World,” “My Life Suite,” and “Summer’s Gone.”

 

The Beach Boys’ collaborative approach to writing and recording their new music is evidenced throughout the album, with all of the band members participating to create its glorious harmonies, lyrics, and arrangements.

 

“We’ve come full circle,” says Al Jardine.  “Sharing our memories and our present in the studio has been really remarkable.  I can especially feel it when we’re all singing around the mic together, because we all hear each other and we really lock in.”

 

“We have reunited as a band, but we never ‘un-reunited’ as friends,” says Bruce Johnston.  “To be back in the studio with these guys is like a prayer that’s been answered and I am thrilled to be sharing it with everybody.”

 

“This is more like a family reunion than anything,” says David Marks.  “When we’re together, we get along great.  The chemistry always works the same as the last time we were together, and the five of us become a single element.”

 

The Beach Boys’ 50th Anniversary tour, the band’s first major outing to include Brian Wilson in more than two decades, began this week in Tucson, with other North American stops including their first concert at the Hollywood Bowl since 1965, headlining performances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (“Jazz Fest”) and Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, and concerts in major cities including New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Washington, DC, Toronto, and Montreal.

 

The Beach Boys have also confirmed concerts throughout Europe with additional European territories to be announced shortly.  The Beach Boys will also perform shows in Japan, and concerts in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia will be announced soon.  All confirmed tour dates can be found on TheBeachBoys.com.

 

Starting May 1, a custom 72-page Beach Boys ‘ZinePak magazine, bundled with an exclusive CD featuring 11 of the band’s classic hits and their 2012 version of “Do It Again,” will be available for purchase in the music department at Walmart stores nationwide.  For more information and to purchase the ‘ZinePak online, visit http://www.walmart.com/ip/20678933.

 

The Beach Boys are scheduled to head to QVC Wednesday, May 16 to unveil their much-anticipated new release with a special hour-long live performance at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT. During The Beach Boys’ QSessions Live broadcast, fans will have the opportunity to order the new album, which has been specially packaged just for QVC shoppers with a greatest hits bonus CD, nearly a month before the new album’s release date. The QVC-exclusive album package with bonus CD will be available starting May 16 at QVC.com or (800) 345-1515, while supplies last.

 

The Beach Boys have confirmed several other national television appearances, including an interview on “CBS Sunday Morning” to air this Sunday, April 29, a multi-song performance and interview on NBC’s “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” on May 7, a performance on NBC’s “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” on June 6, and more to be announced.

 

Special radio events have also been confirmed, including a SiriusXM “Artist Confidential” performance and Q&A special to air Saturday, May 26 at 12 PM ET within the satellite network’s “Beach Boys Endless Summer Weekend,” a four-day Memorial Day Weekend tribute airing on ‘60s on 6, channel 6.  Also during Memorial Day Weekend, Cumulus Radio Networks will premiere an exclusive, hour-long Beach Boys 50th Anniversary special on more than 150 Classic Hits/Oldies and AC stations across the U.S.

 

The Beach Boys and Capitol/EMI have also partnered for 50th Anniversary commemorative releases celebrating the band’s entire catalog, with a new hits collection and a career-spanning box set planned for later this year.

 

[Roger Ryan]

Sorry if I missed it, but have we determined which piece of John Barry music the chorus resembles?

It must be the same music that Ray Davies copped a bit of for the Kinks' song "A Face In The Crowd" (1974)...which I was just listening to a day or so back! Anyway, the descending chords have a sad elegance that give the song a nice, mature feel. It's a mainstream ballad without being obnoxiously so. If it resembles anything from the Beach Boys' own catalog, I'd say it recalls "Keep An Eye On Summer".

EDIT: O.K. - thanks to another thread, I realize the chorus is a lift from John Barry's theme score for the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice". No problem for me, that's a great piece of music to "borrow"!

[The Shift]

The Beach Boys have also confirmed concerts throughout Europe with additional European territories to be announced shortly.  The Beach Boys will also perform shows in Japan, and concerts in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia will be announced soon.  All confirmed tour dates can be found on TheBeachBoys.com.

Hell yeah!

[CarlTheVoice]

Wow! Thanks for this! It's really informative, just what we needed!

Am I looking into the "additional EUR dates" bit too much, or could this be the UK? Please?!

If so, I am going to save all my wedding money and spend it on tickets!

[hypehat]

The Beach Boys have also confirmed concerts throughout Europe with additional European territories to be announced shortly.  The Beach Boys will also perform shows in Japan, and concerts in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia will be announced soon.  All confirmed tour dates can be found on TheBeachBoys.com.

Hell yeah!

*Giggles like a schoolgirl*

[Wirestone]

Holy crap! We're getting Life's Suite!

[rab2591]

Thanks for the info RONDEMON!!

TWGMTR released today!

[The Shift]

Thanks for the info RONDEMON!!

TWGMTR released today!

Hmm… maybe on one side of the Atlantic Channel…