The last GREAT Beach Boys song in your opinion

[Heysaboda]

were they autotuning you??

 

[Andrew G. Doe]

were they autotuning you??

 

Don't think God himself could correct something that far off pitch.

[Wall of (Pet) Sound(s)]

Last GREAT song? Sail On Sailor.

[runnersdialzero]

"Good Timin'", but even then, that's a lesser great than, say, some of the late 60s or early 70s stuff. Even after that period, after "Good Timin'", there's certainly still plenty of good.

Solo careers included, "Midnight's Another Day" or "Live Let Live" (one of Brian's best songs imo - all eras included), although again, certainly plenty of good to be found afterwards.

P.S. Also, imo, "Sail On Sailor" is... well, it's good. It's just good. Pretty darn good, but good. imo. Never got why this one is included in everyone's top tracks or is considered the last "great" song by the d00dz. Great Blondie vocal, but the melody and arrangements feel kind of uninspired. Drenched and tired. NO OFFENSE SRY

[Jonas]

You're Still a Mystery

[buddhahat]

"Good Timin'", but even then, that's a lesser great than, say, some of the late 60s or early 70s stuff. Even after that period, after "Good Timin'", there's certainly still plenty of good.

Solo careers included, "Midnight's Another Day" or "Live Let Live" (one of Brian's best songs imo - all eras included), although again, certainly plenty of good to be found afterwards.

P.S. Also, imo, "Sail On Sailor" is... well, it's good. It's just good. Pretty darn good, but good. imo. Never got why this one is included in everyone's top tracks or is considered the last "great" song by the d00dz. Great Blondie vocal, but the melody and arrangements feel kind of uninspired. Drenched and tired. NO OFFENSE SRY

I like Sail On Sailor but I hear what you're saying. It doesn't have the lush chord changes that I associate with Brian's greatest songs.

I never got on with Live Let Live. That sounds uninspired to my ears. From TLOS, I'd say MAD, Oxygen To The Brain, Southern California, Message Man and Just Like Me & You have that Wilson magic.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I have a feeling that, as someone else has said, the Last Great Beach Boys Song is yet to come. And we might not have to wait too long.

[phirnis]

I'll go with Good Timin' and Baby Blue (one of DW's very best as far as I'm concerned).

Still, even after that came several very good ones, most notably Kokomo, Getcha Back (too much of a rewrite in order to be called truly great, I guess), Santa Ana Winds, Goin' On, Somewhere Near Japan, Male Ego, and Lahaina Aloha (again, very derivative but still a personal favorite of mine).

[Lonely Summer]

I have a feeling that, as someone else has said, the Last Great Beach Boys Song is yet to come. And we might not have to wait too long.

Been way too long...can't wait too long..

[buddhahat]

I have a feeling that, as someone else has said, the Last Great Beach Boys Song is yet to come. And we might not have to wait too long.

 ... and for some reason I had you down as a pessimist! Well, that's a bold prediction. Surely, the strongest song from this reunion project would have been the one already released, i.e. twgmtr, but would be great if you're right. I won't be holding my breath though.

[Chris Brown]

I have a feeling that, as someone else has said, the Last Great Beach Boys Song is yet to come. And we might not have to wait too long.

 ... and for some reason I had you down as a pessimist! Well, that's a bold prediction. Surely, the strongest song from this reunion project would have been the one already released, i.e. twgmtr, but would be great if you're right. I won't be holding my breath though.

I actually get the feeling that "That's Why God..." may be the most commercially/artistically balanced track, but that the best track(s) from the album are yet to be heard.  I really think Brian has one more stone-cold Beach Boys classic left in him - maybe I'm just falling for the hype, but my money is on the suite.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I have a feeling that, as someone else has said, the Last Great Beach Boys Song is yet to come. And we might not have to wait too long.

I was right. 

[pixletwin]

I have a feeling that, as someone else has said, the Last Great Beach Boys Song is yet to come. And we might not have to wait too long.

I was right. 

Which song then? Come on, spill dem beans.

[southbay]

I have a feeling that, as someone else has said, the Last Great Beach Boys Song is yet to come. And we might not have to wait too long.

 ... and for some reason I had you down as a pessimist! Well, that's a bold prediction. Surely, the strongest song from this reunion project would have been the one already released, i.e. twgmtr, but would be great if you're right. I won't be holding my breath though.

Why is TWGMTR surely the strongest on the album? Just because it was the first single?  Beacuse the group is talking it up (because it is the first single)?  Those who have heard the album don't seem to agree with that sentiment.

[buddhahat]

I have a feeling that, as someone else has said, the Last Great Beach Boys Song is yet to come. And we might not have to wait too long.

 ... and for some reason I had you down as a pessimist! Well, that's a bold prediction. Surely, the strongest song from this reunion project would have been the one already released, i.e. twgmtr, but would be great if you're right. I won't be holding my breath though.

Why is TWGMTR surely the strongest on the album? Just because it was the first single?  Beacuse the group is talking it up (because it is the first single)?  Those who have heard the album don't seem to agree with that sentiment.

I haven't been following these threads so was just assuming that the strongest track was the one released. Will be happy to be proved wrong! Has agd heard the album then, hence the confident predictions?!

[Alan Smith]

Are we strictly talking about a song off the new album - or a song on an archival release (eg, the much discussed WIBNTLA)?

[sheknowsmetoowell]

Why is there so little love for TWGMTR?

[the captain]

Why is there so little love for TWGMTR?

Because for Beach Boys fans, there is nothing worse than what really exists in commercially available form. It's only what is rumored to have been or what theoretically might yet be that gets anyone excited. Once something is real, it's all about finding the warts.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Why is there so little love for TWGMTR?

I love it. Don't care what anyone else thinks, just scroll on by......

[Phoenix]

I've been thinking about this for days, and as much as it pains me to say it (because of the thrashing I fear), I have to say that I honestly think the live version of "Summer In Paradise" is a great song.  I like it a lot more than many of the band's early hits and I feel the same way about "Somewhere Near Japan".  Not only do I think SNJ is a great song but I rank it above anything new (and just right behind "Soulful Old Man Sunshine") the band has released since Holland. 

But as it's been said, I think there's still some greatness left in the band.  (I like TWGMTR and it's still growing on me but it hasn't quite achieved "great" status with me yet.)  I'm sure I'll find something great on the new album.

[buddhahat]

Why is there so little love for TWGMTR?

May be the way I phrased it - I like twgmt. The natural pessimist in me feels it unlikely that there will be a better song from this reunion but I obviously hope I'm wrong! I haven't been following the discussion much so have no idea who knows what and what the general level of expectation is here.

[Alan Smith]

I haven't been following the discussion much so have no idea who knows what and what the general level of expectation is here.

The general level of expectation here seems to be Very high, really low or as expected  

Personally, I'm lovin' it and taking it as it comes - exciting times (and please, BBs, finalise those Australian dates)

[runnersdialzero]

"That's Why God Made The Radio" is certainly tolerable enough, but probably has no business being named in this thread. imo.

[Wirestone]

"That's Why God Made The Radio" is certainly tolerable enough, but probably has no business being named in this thread. imo.

Tolerable = pleasant in my estimation, but otherwise you're right on.

[Micha]

Classic is one that makes you go "oh wow" first time you hear it, usually with the first few bars.

The last Beach Boys recording that stuns me every time I hear it has the first few bars ruined by a totally pointless voice over. It's "Santa Ana Winds" from KTSA. I know many of you prefer the earlier version, but the released version has such a great build up, so well arranged vocal harmonies, so well arranged strings, to my mind it is so beautiful that it moves me to an extent the better songs from Pet Sounds do. No kidding.

The only other song who achieved that is the mentioned Midnight's Another Day. Close to that is "It's Not Easy Being Me" from the Paley sessions.

I also have a weak spot for "Getcha Back" and the song "Summer In Paradise" (EU version).

I listened to some of the songs mentioned in this thread. I found that "Where I belong" is better than I remembered, but it should have a more heartfelt instrumental track recorded under those vocals...

Lastly, I listened to TWGMTR again and I must say... the vocal arrangement is absolutely great, so is the composition, but the backing track could have used some more interesting ideas. How about bringing back the Theremin or have the drums have an AM sound during the verses? Some nice strings?