California Girls Harmony

[Chocolate Shake Man]

This may be one for the "insignificant" thread, but I was curious if anyone knows what the harmony parts are that are underneath section that goes, "The West Coast has the sunshine and the girls all get so tanned." It may be simple (or it may not -- I really don't know) but it's a really brief, wonderful moment.

Also, this perhaps begs a larger question - apart from the few charts that are on the Surfer Moon site, is there any other accessible place that has worked out the Beach Boys harmonies?

[Kirk]

I've used this site in the past.... It seems pretty good (and they're free!). Caveat Emptor: I haven't double checked the keys for them all

http://okeverybody.com/beach_boys/California_Girls

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Thanks very much! I'll check it out.

[Kirk]

If I'm remembering that section you're talking about, what makes the bgs cool is that in a progression that goes from B to A/B bass, Brian's top note goes UP from B to C# instead of from B down to A, which is what we'd expect since it's the root (despite the B bass). Of course, this is off the top of my head, so I could be dreaming.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

If I'm remembering that section you're talking about, what makes the bgs cool is that in a progression that goes from B to A/B bass, Brian's top note goes UP from B to C# instead of from B down to A, which is what we'd expect since it's the root (despite the B bass). Of course, this is off the top of my head, so I could be dreaming.

You are exactly right.

Total coincidence of course but the chord pattern the harmony goes into in that section is: B E A C # - looks almost like a fairly familiar word and no wonder those guys sound so good singing that!

[guitarfool2002]

Yes! Just to clarify, I have that part transcribed and what I can do short of importing some kind of notation software here is list the notes of those harmonies, and how they're stacked. The surprising thing to realize is that there is one lead and only three harmony voices, and it was such an economical way to arrange and sing those harmonies that at times the three notes can sound like more notes than are actually sung. This is where doubling was such a crucial part of Brian's arranging style.

here is the stacking:

"west coast has the sunshine..." is a B chord, stacked low to high: D# F# B

"girls all get so tan..." is F#m/B, low to high: E A(natural) C#

"ooo waa ooo waaa" is an E chord, 1/4 notes stacked: G# B E

the "ahhh" under "palm tree" is an F# chord, stacked C# F# A#


Brian is using simple triads and inversions, and the only "jazzy" note is the b7 note E on the F#m7 chord.

Yet it sounds like a thicker harmony than what this part actually is. Otherwise it's simple triads of whatever chord the song is sitting on, and it is a great sounding part.

If I'm missing something in the transcription, please add corrections!

[Chris Brown]

Well said guitarfool, that looks perfect.  You're absolutely right about the double tracking too - it makes relatively simple 3/4 part harmony just sound huge.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Yes! Just to clarify, I have that part transcribed and what I can do short of importing some kind of notation software here is list the notes of those harmonies, and how they're stacked. The surprising thing to realize is that there is one lead and only three harmony voices, and it was such an economical way to arrange and sing those harmonies that at times the three notes can sound like more notes than are actually sung. This is where doubling was such a crucial part of Brian's arranging style.

here is the stacking:

"west coast has the sunshine..." is a B chord, stacked low to high: D# F# B

"girls all get so tan..." is F#m/B, low to high: E A(natural) C#

"ooo waa ooo waaa" is an E chord, 1/4 notes stacked: G# B E

the "ahhh" under "palm tree" is an F# chord, stacked C# F# A#


Brian is using simple triads and inversions, and the only "jazzy" note is the b7 note E on the F#m7 chord.

Yet it sounds like a thicker harmony than what this part actually is. Otherwise it's simple triads of whatever chord the song is sitting on, and it is a great sounding part.

If I'm missing something in the transcription, please add corrections!

This is great! Thanks so much.

[Landlocked]

I have nothing to add except my respect and admiration! So glad to see a bunch of literate musicians talking theory here! Has there ever been a thread here where everyone's gotten together and talked at length about the theory of some of Brian's works? That'd be great. Time to do a search...

[guitarfool2002]

Yes! Just to clarify, I have that part transcribed and what I can do short of importing some kind of notation software here is list the notes of those harmonies, and how they're stacked. The surprising thing to realize is that there is one lead and only three harmony voices, and it was such an economical way to arrange and sing those harmonies that at times the three notes can sound like more notes than are actually sung. This is where doubling was such a crucial part of Brian's arranging style.

here is the stacking:

"west coast has the sunshine..." is a B chord, stacked low to high: D# F# B

"girls all get so tan..." is F#m/B, low to high: E A(natural) C#

"ooo waa ooo waaa" is an E chord, 1/4 notes stacked: G# B E

the "ahhh" under "palm tree" is an F# chord, stacked C# F# A#


Brian is using simple triads and inversions, and the only "jazzy" note is the b7 note E on the F#m7 chord.

Yet it sounds like a thicker harmony than what this part actually is. Otherwise it's simple triads of whatever chord the song is sitting on, and it is a great sounding part.

If I'm missing something in the transcription, please add corrections!

I realized yesterday I had never done the chorus, so here it is! If playing on a keyboard, or trying to sing each part, just keep in mind the soprano-alto-tenor-bass ranges when playing the same notes in the stack, and separate them. It's hard to do this short of posting a notated score, but this way anyone with a voice and keyboard can give these a try. And it shows how the chords were implied by sometimes only 2 chord tones - it's a pretty neat style of arranging that reminds me of how Bacharach instrumentally would make his arrangements sound like many more parts and instruments were playing in the studio than he actually had.

Not the best way to notate vocals but it's workable...

BTW - The ending/coda with Bruce singing the counter line is a B to a C#min7 in close voicing...maybe I'll post that too if anyone is interested.  

                    B                       C#min7
              I    wish they all could be Cal - i - for- nia girls
Melody:   D#   F#    G# B     D#  C#  B    G# F#   G#  A
Harmony  B     B      D# D#   D#  E    E    E    D#   E
Harmony  B     B      G# F#   G#  C#  D#  E    F#   G#

              A                        Bmin7
              wish they  all could be Cal - i - for- nia -
Melody:   (sustained A).....
Harmony C#    D      E   F#    E   C#   B  A    B
Harmony C#    F#    E   F#    B   C#   D  E    F#

                  G                             Amin7                       B
              I   wish  they  all  could  be  Cal - i - for - nia    girls
Melody:   C#  D      E      G     B      A   G    E   D    E       F F#
Harmony  C#  D      B       D    D      E   B    C   B    C       D D#
Harmony  F#  G       E      G    E      A   B    C   D    E       A B
Bass (double)                  D           A                            F F#


                    

EDIT: apologies for the formatting, something is messed up with the tabs and spacing that I cannot fix but I hope it's still readable.

            

[Lee Marshall]

So then guitarfool...just to 'tinkle' on a perfectly informative thread...IS...even though the Beach Boys were all fellas...they were well stacked? 

Good to know. 

[Mike's Beard]

Does Bruce realise that when he sings "I wish you all could be California Girls" to the crowd that he's actually kinda insulting all the non Californian women in attendance?

[SBonilla]

Yes! Just to clarify, I have that part transcribed and what I can do short of importing some kind of notation software here is list the notes of those harmonies, and how they're stacked. The surprising thing to realize is that there is one lead and only three harmony voices, and it was such an economical way to arrange and sing those harmonies that at times the three notes can sound like more notes than are actually sung. This is where doubling was such a crucial part of Brian's arranging style.

here is the stacking:

"girls all get so tan..." is F#m/B, low to high: E A(natural) C#

Brian is using simple triads and inversions, and the only "jazzy" note is the b7 note E on the F#m7 chord.

There are no jazz chords. and flatted 7th's are no big deal in most western pop genres.  The idea of jazz chords came after bebop. What the jazz dudes did was to use chords that the modern classical composers were using (chords that used regular, flatted and augmented chordal extensions ie. 7th's, 9th's, 11th's, 13's ) to re-harmonize broadway and tin pan alley standards such as I've Got Rhythm, Cherokee, How High The Moon, etc.
Anyway, I always viewed the chord for the 'girls get so tanned' part as A/B bass or B11, because of the ostinato bass line. To my way of hearing,  it's not a F#mi type chord, despite the vocal melody ending on an f# note.

[HeyJude]

I think that goes back to the old (and I'm sure run through numerous times on boards) debate about whether the lyrics mean that they wish all girls were *like* the girls in California, or that they wish all girls could *be* California Girls, as in they wish they all would come out to California so they could *be* with them.

[guitarfool2002]

Yes! Just to clarify, I have that part transcribed and what I can do short of importing some kind of notation software here is list the notes of those harmonies, and how they're stacked. The surprising thing to realize is that there is one lead and only three harmony voices, and it was such an economical way to arrange and sing those harmonies that at times the three notes can sound like more notes than are actually sung. This is where doubling was such a crucial part of Brian's arranging style.

here is the stacking:

"girls all get so tan..." is F#m/B, low to high: E A(natural) C#

Brian is using simple triads and inversions, and the only "jazzy" note is the b7 note E on the F#m7 chord.

There are no jazz chords. and flatted 7th's are no big deal in most western pop genres.  The idea of jazz chords came after bebop. What the jazz dudes did was to use chords that the modern classical composers were using (chords that used regular, flatted and augmented chordal extensions ie. 7th's, 9th's, 11th's, 13's ) to re-harmonize broadway and tin pan alley standards such as I've Got Rhythm, Cherokee, How High The Moon, etc.
Anyway, I always viewed the chord for the 'girls get so tanned' part as A/B bass or B11, because of the ostinato bass line. To my way of hearing,  it's not a F#mi type chord, despite the vocal melody ending on an f# note.

Notice I said specifically "jazzy" chords and not "jazz chords", as in the way a lot of people hear a minor 7th played in a certain inversion is "jazzy sounding" versus a normal minor triad.

Note as well the chordal instruments providing the backing on that chord you singled out are playing an F#minor triad, and the bass is emphasizing the B as part of a pedal bass figure.

In analyzing a phrase like this, consider the emphasized melody notes on the stronger beats as well as the ending note of the phrase are A and F#. In other words, the strong notes of that melody are the root and b3 of F# minor. Adding to that the harmony triad being sung is E (the flat 7th), A (the flat 3rd) and C# (the 5th) of an F# minor chord, we're hearing all four notes of an F# minor 7th chord, which is also played by the chordal instruments. The only part veering away from that is the bass, pedaling a B as part of a repeated figure.

If I were to write this chord chart for a band to play, the guitar and/or keyboard would be reading and playing an F#minor, and the bass would be pedaling on that repeated figure with "B" on beats 1 & 3. If it were only one guitar and a bass, I'd tell the guitarist to play F#minor7th to go along with the "jazzier" sound implied in the vocal harmony stack. And it would sound exactly like the recording.

[drbeachboy]

I think that goes back to the old (and I'm sure run through numerous times on boards) debate about whether the lyrics mean that they wish all girls were *like* the girls in California, or that they wish all girls could *be* California Girls, as in they wish they all would come out to California so they could *be* with them.

Carl always explained it as the latter.

[guitarfool2002]

Here's a basic rundown of traditional, jazz, "jazzy", and "Brian Wilson" ways to reharmonize the most common chord cadence in Western music. Done in the key of G major.

Basic/traditional: IV - V7 - I   
C - D7 - G

"Popular"/"jazzy" - substitute ii minor7th for the IV, and get the most common resolution in jazz, ii - V - I:
Aminor7 - D7 - G

Add tensions and 7ths for even more "jazzy" sounds:
Amin7 - D9 - Gmajor7th

Further:
Amin7 - D7(b9) - Gmaj7

Bebop substitution:
Amin7 - Ab7 - Gmaj7  (play an A diminished scale over Ab7 when soloing)

Tension crazy stuff:
Amin9 - Ab7(b9) - Gmaj 6/9

The "Brian Wilson Chord" (C/D substituting for V7) :
Amin7 - Cmaj/D bass - Gmaj7

[JK]

If I'm remembering that section you're talking about, what makes the bgs cool is that in a progression that goes from B to A/B bass, Brian's top note goes UP from B to C# instead of from B down to A, which is what we'd expect since it's the root (despite the B bass).

I've always assumed that that C# was what Brian was alluding to when he said that the vocals could have done with more work but that there was no time. Something along those lines. To a self-critical perfectionist like BW that note may have sounded just a tiny bit flat. I wouldn't change it for the world. ;=)      

[SBonilla]

Yes! Just to clarify, I have that part transcribed and what I can do short of importing some kind of notation software here is list the notes of those harmonies, and how they're stacked. The surprising thing to realize is that there is one lead and only three harmony voices, and it was such an economical way to arrange and sing those harmonies that at times the three notes can sound like more notes than are actually sung. This is where doubling was such a crucial part of Brian's arranging style.

here is the stacking:

"girls all get so tan..." is F#m/B, low to high: E A(natural) C#

Brian is using simple triads and inversions, and the only "jazzy" note is the b7 note E on the F#m7 chord.

There are no jazz chords. and flatted 7th's are no big deal in most western pop genres.  The idea of jazz chords came after bebop. What the jazz dudes did was to use chords that the modern classical composers were using (chords that used regular, flatted and augmented chordal extensions ie. 7th's, 9th's, 11th's, 13's ) to re-harmonize broadway and tin pan alley standards such as I've Got Rhythm, Cherokee, How High The Moon, etc.
Anyway, I always viewed the chord for the 'girls get so tanned' part as A/B bass or B11, because of the ostinato bass line. To my way of hearing,  it's not a F#mi type chord, despite the vocal melody ending on an f# note.

Notice I said specifically "jazzy" chords and not "jazz chords", as in the way a lot of people hear a minor 7th played in a certain inversion is "jazzy sounding" versus a normal minor triad.

Note as well the chordal instruments providing the backing on that chord you singled out are playing an F#minor triad, and the bass is emphasizing the B as part of a pedal bass figure.

In analyzing a phrase like this, consider the emphasized melody notes on the stronger beats as well as the ending note of the phrase are A and F#. In other words, the strong notes of that melody are the root and b3 of F# minor. Adding to that the harmony triad being sung is E (the flat 7th), A (the flat 3rd) and C# (the 5th) of an F# minor chord, we're hearing all four notes of an F# minor 7th chord, which is also played by the chordal instruments. The only part veering away from that is the bass, pedaling a B as part of a repeated figure.

If I were to write this chord chart for a band to play, the guitar and/or keyboard would be reading and playing an F#minor, and the bass would be pedaling on that repeated figure with "B" on beats 1 & 3. If it were only one guitar and a bass, I'd tell the guitarist to play F#minor7th to go along with the "jazzier" sound implied in the vocal harmony stack. And it would sound exactly like the recording.

I understand what you're saying. Although, if you listen to the organ chords on the verse, it's playing major triads.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_a-C6CsvNo
Still, for guitar, that mi7 chord with a 4th in the bass sounds nebulous. The way that chord does sound good is when you play a Bmi7 with an open low E string.

[SBonilla]

Here's a basic rundown of traditional, jazz, "jazzy", and "Brian Wilson" ways to reharmonize the most common chord cadence in Western music. Done in the key of G major.

Basic/traditional: IV - V7 - I   
C - D7 - G

"Popular"/"jazzy" - substitute ii minor7th for the IV, and get the most common resolution in jazz, ii - V - I:
Aminor7 - D7 - G

Add tensions and 7ths for even more "jazzy" sounds:
Amin7 - D9 - Gmajor7th

Further:
Amin7 - D7(b9) - Gmaj7

Bebop substitution:
Amin7 - Ab7 - Gmaj7  (play an A diminished scale over Ab7 when soloing)

Tension crazy stuff:
Amin9 - Ab7(b9) - Gmaj 6/9

The "Brian Wilson Chord" (C/D substituting for V7) :
Amin7 - Cmaj/D bass - Gmaj7

Bars 5 & 6 from the verse of Girl From Ipanema would be the Tension Crazy, yes? And yes, the Cmaj/D is very much a Brian device. And that is why  I called the chord a A/B bass. It's very typical of the way he arranged. At the very rock bottom of the arrangement were major and minor chords which the band could play live, and the fuller harmonies were provided by the bass, bg vocals, horns, or other instruments. It's an excellent arranging technique.

[guitarfool2002]

Yes! Just to clarify, I have that part transcribed and what I can do short of importing some kind of notation software here is list the notes of those harmonies, and how they're stacked. The surprising thing to realize is that there is one lead and only three harmony voices, and it was such an economical way to arrange and sing those harmonies that at times the three notes can sound like more notes than are actually sung. This is where doubling was such a crucial part of Brian's arranging style.

here is the stacking:

"girls all get so tan..." is F#m/B, low to high: E A(natural) C#

Brian is using simple triads and inversions, and the only "jazzy" note is the b7 note E on the F#m7 chord.

There are no jazz chords. and flatted 7th's are no big deal in most western pop genres.  The idea of jazz chords came after bebop. What the jazz dudes did was to use chords that the modern classical composers were using (chords that used regular, flatted and augmented chordal extensions ie. 7th's, 9th's, 11th's, 13's ) to re-harmonize broadway and tin pan alley standards such as I've Got Rhythm, Cherokee, How High The Moon, etc.
Anyway, I always viewed the chord for the 'girls get so tanned' part as A/B bass or B11, because of the ostinato bass line. To my way of hearing,  it's not a F#mi type chord, despite the vocal melody ending on an f# note.

Notice I said specifically "jazzy" chords and not "jazz chords", as in the way a lot of people hear a minor 7th played in a certain inversion is "jazzy sounding" versus a normal minor triad.

Note as well the chordal instruments providing the backing on that chord you singled out are playing an F#minor triad, and the bass is emphasizing the B as part of a pedal bass figure.

In analyzing a phrase like this, consider the emphasized melody notes on the stronger beats as well as the ending note of the phrase are A and F#. In other words, the strong notes of that melody are the root and b3 of F# minor. Adding to that the harmony triad being sung is E (the flat 7th), A (the flat 3rd) and C# (the 5th) of an F# minor chord, we're hearing all four notes of an F# minor 7th chord, which is also played by the chordal instruments. The only part veering away from that is the bass, pedaling a B as part of a repeated figure.

If I were to write this chord chart for a band to play, the guitar and/or keyboard would be reading and playing an F#minor, and the bass would be pedaling on that repeated figure with "B" on beats 1 & 3. If it were only one guitar and a bass, I'd tell the guitarist to play F#minor7th to go along with the "jazzier" sound implied in the vocal harmony stack. And it would sound exactly like the recording.

I understand what you're saying. Although, if you listen to the organ chords on the verse, it's playing major triads.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_a-C6CsvNo
Still, for guitar, that mi7 chord with a 4th in the bass sounds nebulous. The way that chord does sound good is when you play a Bmi7 with an open low E string.

That voicing doesn't sound like the song, though. If I were playing the chords only on a guitar, it would be as simple as this:

Play a B major bar chord barred at the 2nd fret as this:
x2444x

For the next chord lift the third finger and leave the bar in place like this, adding the high F#:
x22222

That chord is basically the "Brian Wilson chord" (the IV chord with the root of the V chord in the bass), and it acts also as the lead-in to the next chord in the progression E major which is what the "BW Chord" usually does acting as the V. It's setting up what could be called an A/B chord, or an F#min7 over B with that added high note on the high E, either way it implies all of the notes going on in the melody and chords at that point in the song.

Great chord all around.

[SBonilla]

Yes! Just to clarify, I have that part transcribed and what I can do short of importing some kind of notation software here is list the notes of those harmonies, and how they're stacked. The surprising thing to realize is that there is one lead and only three harmony voices, and it was such an economical way to arrange and sing those harmonies that at times the three notes can sound like more notes than are actually sung. This is where doubling was such a crucial part of Brian's arranging style.

here is the stacking:

"girls all get so tan..." is F#m/B, low to high: E A(natural) C#

Brian is using simple triads and inversions, and the only "jazzy" note is the b7 note E on the F#m7 chord.

There are no jazz chords. and flatted 7th's are no big deal in most western pop genres.  The idea of jazz chords came after bebop. What the jazz dudes did was to use chords that the modern classical composers were using (chords that used regular, flatted and augmented chordal extensions ie. 7th's, 9th's, 11th's, 13's ) to re-harmonize broadway and tin pan alley standards such as I've Got Rhythm, Cherokee, How High The Moon, etc.
Anyway, I always viewed the chord for the 'girls get so tanned' part as A/B bass or B11, because of the ostinato bass line. To my way of hearing,  it's not a F#mi type chord, despite the vocal melody ending on an f# note.

Notice I said specifically "jazzy" chords and not "jazz chords", as in the way a lot of people hear a minor 7th played in a certain inversion is "jazzy sounding" versus a normal minor triad.

Note as well the chordal instruments providing the backing on that chord you singled out are playing an F#minor triad, and the bass is emphasizing the B as part of a pedal bass figure.

In analyzing a phrase like this, consider the emphasized melody notes on the stronger beats as well as the ending note of the phrase are A and F#. In other words, the strong notes of that melody are the root and b3 of F# minor. Adding to that the harmony triad being sung is E (the flat 7th), A (the flat 3rd) and C# (the 5th) of an F# minor chord, we're hearing all four notes of an F# minor 7th chord, which is also played by the chordal instruments. The only part veering away from that is the bass, pedaling a B as part of a repeated figure.

If I were to write this chord chart for a band to play, the guitar and/or keyboard would be reading and playing an F#minor, and the bass would be pedaling on that repeated figure with "B" on beats 1 & 3. If it were only one guitar and a bass, I'd tell the guitarist to play F#minor7th to go along with the "jazzier" sound implied in the vocal harmony stack. And it would sound exactly like the recording.

I understand what you're saying. Although, if you listen to the organ chords on the verse, it's playing major triads.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_a-C6CsvNo
Still, for guitar, that mi7 chord with a 4th in the bass sounds nebulous. The way that chord does sound good is when you play a Bmi7 with an open low E string.

That voicing doesn't sound like the song, though. If I were playing the chords only on a guitar, it would be as simple as this:

Play a B major bar chord barred at the 2nd fret as this:
x2444x

For the next chord lift the third finger and leave the bar in place like this, adding the high F#:
x22222

That chord is basically the "Brian Wilson chord" (the IV chord with the root of the V chord in the bass), and it acts also as the lead-in to the next chord in the progression E major which is what the "BW Chord" usually does acting as the V. It's setting up what could be called an A/B chord, or an F#min7 over B with that added high note on the high E, either way it implies all of the notes going on in the melody and chords at that point in the song.

Great chord all around.

I agree. But, I never have liked that guitar chord in that voicing. That's why I don't use it. The chord, itself, is fine; don't get me wrong.
It seems now we are talking about arranging preferences. My piano teacher didn't like Burt Bacharach because he thought his chord progressions were weak (my teacher had a very angular sense of harmony). I love Burt's chords progressions. But, I also understood why my piano teacher felt the way he did about Burt's sense of harmony.

[mikeddonn]

For what it's worth I play B, A, E, F#7 on the verses.  That's not how I learned it originally but how I saw Al play it and I think it sounds good. That works on guitar or organ/piano (which sounds good along with the left hand bass riff).

[Generation42]

I think that goes back to the old (and I'm sure run through numerous times on boards) debate about whether the lyrics mean that they wish all girls were *like* the girls in California, or that they wish all girls could *be* California Girls, as in they wish they all would come out to California so they could *be* with them.

I always, always (for decades, since I was a little kid) heard it as the former.  As in, "Yes, all of these other girls are wonderful (and offer wonderful things), but they still cannot compare to our girls back in Californ-i-a."

But was it during the QVC visit in 2012 where Mike said that, to him, it was meant as the latter?

[mikeddonn]

I suspect it may have been the former but as the years went by the story changed (as so often happens in Beach Boys land) to be the latter so as not to offend other girls.  Same with the Caledonia Airlines advert.  That was about he best girls being Caledonia girls