Beach Boys LIVE 1-hour concert on QVC tonight.

[Ron]

Zach, check this one out.  He wrote this when his father passed away.  

It was painted red the stripe was white
It was eighteen feet from the bow to the stern light
Secondhand from a dealer in Atlanta
I rode up with daddy when he went there to get her
We put on a shine; put on a motor
Built out of love, made for the water
Ran her for years, 'til the transom got rotten
A piece of my childhood that will never be forgotten

It was just on old plywood boat
With a '75 Johnson with electric choke
A young boy two hands on the wheel
I can't replace the way it made me feel
And I would turn her sharp
And I would make her whine
He'd say, "you can't beat the way an old wood boat rides"
Just a little lake across the Alabama line
But I was king of the ocean
When daddy let me drive

Just an old half ton shortbed ford
My uncle bought new in '64
Daddy got it right 'cause the engine was smoking
A couple of burnt valves and he had it going
He let me drive her when we'd haul off a load
Down a dirt strip where we'd dump trash off of Thigpen Road
I'd sit up in the seat and stretch my feet out to the pedals
Smiling like a hero that just received his medal

It was just an old hand-me-down Ford
With a three-speed on the column and a dent in the door
A young boy two honds on the wheel
I canö³t replace the way it mode me feel
And I would press that clutch
And I would keep it right
And he'd say, "a little slower son you're doing just fine"
Just a dirt rood with trash on each side
But I was Mario Andretti
When daddy let me drive

I'm grown up now three daughters of my own
I let them drive my old Jeep across the pasture at our home
Maybe one day they'll reach back in their file
And pull out that old memory
And think of me and smile and say

It was just an old worn out Jeep
Rusty old floorboard, hot on my feet
A young girl two hands on the wheel
I can't replace the way it made me feel
And he'd say, "turn it left and steer it right,
Straighten up girl, you're doing just fine"
Just a little valley by the river where we'd ride
But I was high on a mountain
When daddy let me drive

When daddy let me drive

[GoodToMyBaby]

It's good to see Brian plugging away at that keyboard

[Jon Stebbins]

Brian did great. Keep your expectations realistic. This thing is a miracle.

[Ron]

Yeah, he seemed to be playing it a lot in some of the songs.  I think he has his up and down days.  When they tell him he's going to do a show purely to pitch cd's on an infomercial, I doubt that really gets him very excited to be there.  Today was probably a down day.  

[jamsvet]

I love it when BW said " I hope you like Good Vibrations because that's our masterpiece".

[Wirestone]

I'm a big believer with Brian that his interest and engagement can be easily measured by how good he sounds. He has generally sounded great during the tour -- easily on par, and often surpassing, his solo shows. No, he doesn't always look thrilled. But he doesn't always look thrilled during 90 percent of his public appearances. That's just his thing. If he was truly out of it, and truly didn't want to do this, he would not be singing leads at all. And no one could make him.

[the professor]

I just finished the show in lo-fi, I thought it was exceptionally good.  I never thought these guys would be able to perform like this at this age.  I know 70's the new 55 but still.  We basically have 5 guys here who are functioning professionally at a really high level, and nobody's dropped the ball yet.  I hope I have the stamina and the will power to still be doing what I love to do when I'm 70, as well as they're doing it.  

Bruce sounds amazing, when he has a little vocal lick in a song, you see him singing his heart out with that same, classic Bruce smile, and that same, classic Bruce voice he had when he was in his 20's.  It's like time stops for a minute.  Listen to him on the end round in California Girls.... sounds awesome.

David is like a kid at Christmas, he realizes probably more than anybody in the band what the weight of this is, and he's enjoying every minute of it.  Up until a few months ago, his time in the Beach Boys was probably his fondest memories, and something he thought he had lost 50 years ago.  Now he's right back where he was when he was a teenager.  Television shows, world tours, new albums, working with genius musicians and the best friends he ever knew.  The best part about it: He knows it.  

Mike is rising to the occassion and working as hard as he possibly can to be great at what he does.  He comes across as well spoken, he sings to the best of his ability, and he acts like a gentleman for every interview, not just some of them.  If he hasn't turned over a new leaf, he's sure as hell putting on a good show.  

Al looks perpetually stuck in 1974, in a good way.  He's even wearing white suits again.  His ability to bury the hatchet with Mike is inspiring to me... and he comes across as the most down to earth (outside of David) of the group.  His voice still has the most energy in it, just like Murry telling him to enunciate, 45 years later he's still putting the swagger in the vocals where it needs it.  

Finally we have Brian.  Who knows what goes on inside that brilliant, well coiffed, half deaf head of his.  Like the last 30 years of his career, 95% of what you see is a little bit depressing... and then for 5% of the time, he either wows us with another one of those beautiful Wilson brother SMiLEs, or hits a note just right enough that you think it's 1965 again.  Just as soon as your ears or your eyes catch that little glimse of the Brian that once was, he's gone again, sunk back into his chair, slipping off the side of the camera, shrinking back into his oversized shirt.... waiting for the next little flash of hope he shows us.  

God bless these guys, may their music go on and on.  

Great post all around. Bruce really, really stuck out to me on the end of California Girls. He sounded absolutely fantastic.

thank you for this lovely and very serious post; I agree. I too am hoping for a good HD version uploaded and linked here; the laptop youtube did not justice to the BB work.
BB for ever; this was so real and intimate. Only really silly moment was Al and Mike punning on titles, but Dave rightly took us back to direct, genuine expression and made it all real. That was my favorite moment.

the host woman was great; she's a pitch man, and she pitched hear heart out for the Boys; I loved her.

[Jay]

I thought Brian sounded amazingly great, considering the risk factor. I loved how he cut off that lady with "What do you want us to sing now?", as if he was thinking "Shut up airhead".   Mike was ok, but seemed to have trouble on "Dance Dance Dance".  I would have liked to have seen Al have at least one lead. I think that Al often gets overlooked. The Good Morning America show from 1980 is a good example. Poor Al always gets pushed in the background. 

I really love the guitar that Dave has been playing throughout the tour and on the QVC program. 

[Jonathan Blum]

Zach, I agree.  14,000 sales is HUGE right now

Lemme put it this way...  in one hour, they just sold more copies than "Summer In Paradise" ever did.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[sheknowsmetoowell]

Here it is folks!


http://youtu.be/QJJaeva9r_g

[phirnis]

I caught the last half of the show, and I have to say Brian looks miserable.  Not sure if anyone else caught this but towards the end of the show, the camera was panning across the stage, from right to left, and everyone's doing their thing.  It gets to Brian and he looks like he's about to cry.  At the last second, he realizes the camera's on him, straightens his slouch, puts on a fake grin and starts snapping his fingers to the beat.  It took all of five seconds, but felt like an eternity.

Hate to say it, but I'm not believing that his heart and his mind are into this tour.  You can see it in his eyes.  Love Brian Wilson, but it sucks seeing him this way.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJJaeva9r_g&t=57m10s

Not sure if he looks like he's about to cry but he certainly doesn't look too happy either.

[stack-o-tracks]

After hearing Brian sing God Only Knows, I wish he'd get to do it at the shows. They should still dedicate it to Carl & have the video & pictures on the screen, but Brian sounds really good, especially with the Beach Boys singing backup.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Anyone see the guy in the audience with the Summer In Paradise Tour T-Shirt on? 

[superunison]

Who's doubling Al on the WIBN lead? Doesn't sound as distinctly Al as the Fallon performance.

[Eric Aniversario]

Watching now...wow Brian sounded great on his part on Surfer Girl...possibly the closest I've heard him sound to the studio recording in a post-60s performance.

[Quzi]

I agree that they should keep Brian on lead for God Only Knows, he sounds really great doing it. If I were in charge of the live show, I'd use archival footage of Carl singing Darlin' for his tribute as:
- no current Beach Boy can effectively sing Darlin''s lead
- it has been a sore omission from the setlist
- it's as much Carl Wilson's signature song as God Only Knows, he always destroyed it live!

[Jay]

Seeing Brian sing God Only Knows with The Beach Boys on the OVC program is slightly historic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't thnk Brian's done that since 1982 when Carl was doing his solo tour.

[Craig Feldspar]

Brian sounds great on all his vocal leads! Man surfer girl sounds great, I can really hear Al and Bruce in the mix. THE BOYS STILL GOT IT! totally worth dealing with that annoying lady to get to some of these performances.

[Eric Aniversario]

Seeing Brian sing God Only Knows with The Beach Boys on the OVC program is slightly historic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't thnk Brian's done that since 1982 when Carl was doing his solo tour.

He did it at the New Orleans show, I think because there weren't able to use the videos of Carl & Dennis.

[hypehat]

Whoever let out a hearty chuckle at "Mike Love, you sound EXACTLY THE SAME!" is a champion. I like to think it's Brian.

David Marks seems like a total bro.

Ew at 'Appropriate music'. This woman is evil.

They sound ok. Foskett sounds a bit off, mind - he was hurting my ears during TWGMTR.

[ArchStanton]

Sorry if this was pointed out already- So the bonus disc is wrapped in it's own CD package that mimics TWGMTR's art:  http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.F09766.desc.Shp65-The-Beach-Boys-Thats-Why-God-Made-the-Radio-CD

For some reason that looks really cool to me....

[Rocker]

Anyways, if you want something decent he wrote, here's one:

Cowboys dont cry, and heroes dont die
Good always wins, again and again
Love is a sweet dream that always comes true
Oh, if life were like the movies, Id never be blue

But here in the real world
Its not that easy at all
cause when hearts get broken
Its real tears that fall
And darlin its sad but true
But the one thing Ive learned from you
Is how the boy dont always get the girl
Here in the real world

I gave you my love, but that wasnt enough
To hold your heart when times got rough
And tonight on that silver screen
Itll end like it should
Two lovers will make it through
Like I hoped we would

But here in the real world
Its not that easy at all
cause when hearts get broken
Its real tears that fall
And darlin its sad but true
But the one thing Ive learned from you
Is how the boy dont always get the girl
Here in the real world

George Jones' version of this song is great. That guy actually can sing. But Alan Jackson's voice is just so....well....un-authentic in a way.


Thanks for the youtube links ! I'm gonna watch that show now !

[Jimmie_R]

Is there a HD version of this somewhere?

[Shady]

When the woman says 13,000 and Mike points up saying "Go, Go, Go"

Well, that says it all really doesn't it 

[JimC1702]

Brian never seems comfortable on any tv show.  He always has that "deer in the headlights" look and seems ready to bolt at a moment's notice.   I wish he would have sung SOMETHING on WIBN.  I think the reunion with Mike and Bruce is good for him because he doesn't have to be the front man.  Mike takes that role and handles most interviews as well.  Glad to see that it's mostly Brian's band on the tour.