gfxgfx
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
logo
 
gfx gfx
gfx
680597 Posts in 27600 Topics by 4068 Members - Latest Member: Dae Lims March 28, 2024, 02:15:17 PM
*
gfx*HomeHelpSearchCalendarLoginRegistergfx
gfxgfx
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.       « previous next »
Pages: [1] Go Down Print
Author Topic: The Monkey's Uncle  (Read 8934 times)
ShenzhenLost
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 14


View Profile
« on: May 18, 2012, 11:09:04 AM »

hi there,

unbelievably i had no idea that The Beach Boys did this one.  i happened upon it one evening whilst wondering whether or not i could find anything interesting on the net.  does anyone have the story on how they became involved with this Disney production?  i'd love to know a little more about it. 

thanks!
Logged
Lowbacca
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 3598


please let me wonder


View Profile
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2012, 11:14:54 AM »

It was common in the mid-60s for popular teen bands to appear in similarly themed movies. The Monkey's Uncle wasn't the only movie the Beach Boys appeared in (see Girls on the Beach for instance). Regarding Monkey's Uncle: I've never seen the film, but as far as I know their only appearance in the movie is them doing the backup vocals for Funicello in the opening credits. I doubt there's an interesting story about how that came to be..

By the way, have you seen the cover version of the excellent Fendertones? Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3hVqPhlMMw
Logged
ontor pertawst
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2575


L♡VE ALWAYS WINS


View Profile WWW
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2012, 11:28:34 AM »

God, I love this song. It's infectious, ridiculous, stupid beyond belief, and I want to give it a big hug.
Logged
Ebb and Flow
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Gender: Male
Posts: 599



View Profile WWW
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2012, 11:29:04 AM »

Here's an image of the boys at the Disney Studios with Annette and the Sherman Bros.



Brian produced the backing track, and to me it sounds like wrote the music for the song (or had a lot of input) and left the lyrics entirely to the Shermans.
Logged
Freddie French-Pounce
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 1571


A.K.A. mrmoustachioto


View Profile
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2012, 11:30:17 AM »

Here's an image of the boys at the Disney Studios with Annette and the Sherman Bros.



Brian produced the backing track, and to me it sounds like wrote the music for the song (or had a lot of input) and left the lyrics entirely to the Shermans.

Dennis looks incredible bored in that photo  Grin
Logged

Check out the Mono/Stereo Mix Breakdown podcast Mixology here: https://mixology.podbean.com/
Lowbacca
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 3598


please let me wonder


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2012, 11:31:17 AM »

Haha, Denny is THRILLED to be there.  Grin Carl doesn't look that psyched, either. Or maybe he's just reading a comic book.
Logged
ontor pertawst
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2575


L♡VE ALWAYS WINS


View Profile WWW
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2012, 11:32:14 AM »

Shades and Pipe Man is looking pretty sinister!
Logged
Landlocked
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 122


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2012, 11:33:05 AM »

Al looks more like band manager than member in that shot. Focused and formal.
Logged
ontor pertawst
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2575


L♡VE ALWAYS WINS


View Profile WWW
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2012, 11:37:03 AM »

Brian looks like he's getting into position to impress Marcella. Amazing photo!
Logged
Roger Ryan
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1528


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2012, 11:44:06 AM »

Brian produced the backing track, and to me it sounds like wrote the music for the song (or had a lot of input) and left the lyrics entirely to the Shermans.

But the song is credited to the Sherman Brothers only, right? It sounds like the brothers were simply emulating Brian's style in their own way, meaning they incorporated a bit of show music into the pastiche.
Logged
onkster
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 882


View Profile
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2012, 12:08:21 PM »

I haven't compared shots, but it feels to me like the Girls on the Beach on Monkey's Uncle music shots were filmed at the same time on the same set.

If that's not the case...I guess cheap 60s rock exploitation spots are just so similar in nature!
Logged
Ebb and Flow
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Gender: Male
Posts: 599



View Profile WWW
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2012, 12:38:51 PM »

Brian produced the backing track, and to me it sounds like wrote the music for the song (or had a lot of input) and left the lyrics entirely to the Shermans.

But the song is credited to the Sherman Brothers only, right? It sounds like the brothers were simply emulating Brian's style in their own way, meaning they incorporated a bit of show music into the pastiche.

Could be...but it doesn't really sound like a Sherman Brothers song to me and lines up perfectly with what Brian was writing during the All Summer Long/first side of Today! period.  I don't think a lot of ink has been spilled about the authorship of this song, so it's hard to get facts.

Here's an example of the Sherman's writing a "teen-oriented" song without Brian's input...this is from the predecessor to "The Monkey's Uncle", "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mdAXgZAlHk
Logged
ShenzhenLost
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 14


View Profile
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2012, 12:53:58 PM »

thanks for the info.  i was aware of "Girls on the Beach" but like i said, this one just seemed to pass me by.  it's a bit of a strange performance of the song too.  Annette Funicello seems a little "animatronic" in her movements. 
Logged
monicker
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 746



View Profile
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2012, 01:36:41 PM »

Here's an image of the boys at the Disney Studios with Annette and the Sherman Bros.



Brian produced the backing track, and to me it sounds like wrote the music for the song (or had a lot of input) and left the lyrics entirely to the Shermans.

Dennis looks incredible bored in that photo  Grin

Al is doing his taxes.
Logged

Don't be eccentric, this is a BEACH BOYS forum, for God's sake!
ontor pertawst
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2575


L♡VE ALWAYS WINS


View Profile WWW
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2012, 02:19:53 PM »

Could be the Wall Street Journal
Logged
SamMcK
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 584



View Profile
« Reply #15 on: May 18, 2012, 02:24:25 PM »

Brian's falsetto is amazing on this song. (Come to think of it when is it not?)
Logged
anazgnos
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 384



View Profile
« Reply #16 on: May 18, 2012, 03:25:09 PM »

After the session they all went back to the Sherman brothers house, where the boys were forced to sing a round of "It's a Small World After All" for over an hour, until Brian proclaimed that the scene was "too weird" and left.
Logged
Disney Boy (1985)
Guest
« Reply #17 on: May 18, 2012, 11:44:50 PM »

It was common in the mid-60s for popular teen bands to appear in similarly themed movies. The Monkey's Uncle wasn't the only movie the Beach Boys appeared in (see Girls on the Beach for instance). Regarding Monkey's Uncle: I've never seen the film, but as far as I know their only appearance in the movie is them doing the backup vocals for Funicello in the opening credits. I doubt there's an interesting story about how that came to be..

By the way, have you seen the cover version of the excellent Fendertones? Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3hVqPhlMMw

Well, that's officially just leapt into my all-time top ten favourite Beach Boys covers...
Logged
Andrew G. Doe
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 17767


The triumph of The Hickey Script !


View Profile WWW
« Reply #18 on: May 19, 2012, 12:41:35 AM »

Brian produced the backing track, and to me it sounds like wrote the music for the song (or had a lot of input) and left the lyrics entirely to the Shermans.

No, he didn't. Brian's only contribution, aside from the obvious, was possibly to come up with the backing vocals arrangement on the fly during the vocal session. Tutti Camarata produced the track & vocals at his Sunset Sounds (which while not the official Disney Studio, was pretty much so by default).
Logged

The four sweetest words in my vocabulary: "This poster is ignored".
Ebb and Flow
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Gender: Male
Posts: 599



View Profile WWW
« Reply #19 on: May 19, 2012, 01:18:17 AM »

Brian produced the backing track, and to me it sounds like wrote the music for the song (or had a lot of input) and left the lyrics entirely to the Shermans.

No, he didn't. Brian's only contribution, aside from the obvious, was possibly to come up with the backing vocals arrangement on the fly during the vocal session. Tutti Camarata produced the track & vocals at his Sunset Sounds (which while not the official Disney Studio, was pretty much so by default).

Sad Oh, damn...I was misremembering Brad Elliot's sessionography. 

It does sound very much like a Brian production from that period and features the usual crew members.
Logged
Surfer Joe
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 925



View Profile
« Reply #20 on: May 19, 2012, 04:10:20 AM »

As somebody with a little familiarity with Camarata (I'm also a former Disney artist), I would be more than a little surprised if he was able to knock off something like this without some input.  The guitar sounds, the surf bass, and especially the drums (right out of "Don't Back Down") just scream Brian Wilson- not  Jan and Dean or anything else but Brian, and the little horn swell under the solo just seals it for me.  Camarata was most associated with brass, and that's clearly Brian's unique sound. There was some input at some point, either from Brian or from whoever worked the session.
Logged

"Don't let the posey fool ya."

-Prof. Henry R. Quail-
Cam Mott
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 4171


View Profile
« Reply #21 on: May 19, 2012, 04:24:41 AM »

There is a hot cover by The Fendertones.
Logged

"Bring me the head of Carmen Sandiego" Lynne "The Chief" Thigpen
Disney Boy (1985)
Guest
« Reply #22 on: May 20, 2012, 12:08:07 AM »

Here's an image of the boys at the Disney Studios with Annette and the Sherman Bros.



Brian produced the backing track, and to me it sounds like wrote the music for the song (or had a lot of input) and left the lyrics entirely to the Shermans.

Dennis looks incredible bored in that photo  Grin

Al is doing his taxes.

Iwonder if this is from the same period referenced in Peter A Carlin's book when Al is rather embaressingly discovered by a BB assosciate one morning sat in a hotel reading the Financial Times and wearing a suit: "I've really no idea what he was thinking?"
Logged
gfx
Pages: [1] Go Up Print 
gfx
Jump to:  
gfx
Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines Page created in 0.907 seconds with 21 queries.
Helios Multi design by Bloc
gfx
Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!