Salt Lake City?

[Newguy562]

I guess my favorite song from that album is a toss up between California Girls & Let Him Run Wild..

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Count me in as one who appreciates the lyrics of Salt Lake City.

I think in the Western World, and the US in particular, probably, we have developed a bit of an allergy to earnestness.

And there's no denying that the lyrics are somewhat corny, I think.  Nevertheless, the message of the song is very similar to something like California Girls, only more specific.  California Girls lists the qualities of girls from around this great big world, but then prefers US girls, and indeed, California Girls.  But it never really gives a justification of why California Girls are best.

Salt Lake City is a tightly reasoned argument.  Salt Lake City is a great place and we want to go there often.  Why?

1.  Groovy Kids
2.  The kids talk cool
3.  The Radio station is good
4.  Great outdoor recreational facilities, including the Lagoon
5.  Ample opportunity to meet girls and to go on rides
6.  Cutest Girls in the western states, when you pit them girl-for-girl.
7.  One gets to experience the best elements of all seasons.


What more do you want?

[guitarfool2002]

As a sidetrack topic, it should be noted that when the Monkees needed an enthusiastic live audience to film the concert sequence for the movie "Head", they went to Salt Lake City in May 1968:



Parallel to the Beach Boys saying the same thing about the enthusiasm of that city's fans, Salt Lake seems to have been a good place to play in the 60's. At least for these two bands. 

[pixletwin]

Along those lines, ever seen the movie SLC Punk? 

[Lowbacca]

"Salt Lake City" is a great rocker including all the BBs-ingredients. One of my favourite mid-60s tracks. And it's awesome live (especially when played by BW's backing bad): clip of a show I attended.

I hope to hear it in Berlin in August...

[rn57]

As a sidetrack topic, it should be noted that when the Monkees needed an enthusiastic live audience to film the concert sequence for the movie "Head", they went to Salt Lake City in May 1968:



Parallel to the Beach Boys saying the same thing about the enthusiasm of that city's fans, Salt Lake seems to have been a good place to play in the 60's. At least for these two bands.  

Incredible how ahead-of-their-time the Prefab Four could be - well over a decade before those stark white packages with product name in black lettering started showing up in grocery stores (and vanished once the big chains realized they might as well put their own brands on them), here's Micky's twin DRUM heads. Pioneering conceptual art - and in Utah, no less.

[Aegir]

I've always wanted to buy a generic product like that. "CHEESE", for example. or "TOOTHPASTE".

[Paulos]

Along those lines, ever seen the movie SLC Punk? 

Yes, great film.

[rn57]

I've always wanted to buy a generic product like that. "CHEESE", for example. or "TOOTHPASTE".

If you put generic can into the search at eBay you'll find examples of generic soda and beer being offered - some in white cans, some in yellow. Products other than beverages turn up less often. Cheese probably would not show up as I figure eBay is forbidden to allow trafficking in perishables that perished when Dennis still walked or staggered across the earth.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-St-Petersburg-Florida-Webbs-City-Grocery-Generic-Items-Press-Photo-/250998520128?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item3a70ad7940
is a photo of some very early generic-label products - being sold just ten years after Micky's DRUM(s).

[Aegir]

oh oh yeah! that's the kinda stuff I want.

but I mean, I don't want 30 year old cheese, I want to buy new cheese in a package like that. I want to USE the generic products. if they still sold things like that today I'd buy them just for the novelty. (and indirectly save money in the process!)

[Newguy562]

Salt Lake City we'll be coming soon (wooooooooooo) the backing vocals on that part is so fuckin sweet!

[MyGlove]

Can't we start a new thread discussing track by track all the albums, beginning with Surfin' Safari? These one off threads are getting really annoying.

Isn't there already a part of the board like that? I mean the album reviews thread would be a good place for it. The only problem is that no one ever goes on those.

[Newguy562]

I guess my favorite song from that album is a toss up between California Girls & Let Him Run Wild..

Yes, they are great indeed but I'll vote for Help Me, Rhonda & Then I Kissed Her as my faves. Today's Rhonda is worse than this catchy rearranged v-n. And the latter has one of the most terrific vocals by Al imo. The way he accentuates a word "walked" in "Well I walked up..." with synchronically sounding drum hit is just magnificent!

i enjoyed both versions ..but my question for you is which do you prefer today or summer days and summer nights? and why?

[Ron]

Then I Kissed Her has it all, although there's not enough backing vocals for my taste.  Which I guess is kind of refreshing.  Al's vocal is awesome.There's something about the tone he strikes on the "And then I Kissed Herrrrrrrrrrrrr" that's just SWAG like Mike swag. 

The melodic part with the 'when we danced... I HELD HER TIIIIIGHTTTT.... when I walked her HOMMMEE THAT NIGHHHTTTTTT"  is just boss. 

Somebody earlier said that the boys sang with more abandon on this album.  I'm not sure if that means what I think it means, but I think a song like this... and lines like that, illustrate it.  They just kind of went for it vocally. 


You hear a small, tiny piece of the same thing on "From there to back again"...   "the clouds are clearin, it's a  Beauuuutiful Day!  For a Wonnnnnderful.... Pacific Coast! Get Away!"

The same abandon.

GOD BLESS YOU AL!!!!!

[Newguy562]

I guess my favorite song from that album is a toss up between California Girls & Let Him Run Wild..

Yes, they are great indeed but I'll vote for Help Me, Rhonda & Then I Kissed Her as my faves. Today's Rhonda is worse than this catchy rearranged v-n. And the latter has one of the most terrific vocals by Al imo. The way he accentuates a word "walked" in "Well I walked up..." with synchronically sounding drum hit is just magnificent!

i enjoyed both versions ..but my question for you is which do you prefer today or summer days and summer nights? and why?

Certainly, Summer Days coz there are much more favorite songs than in Today. From Today I mostly like Good to My Baby, Do You Wanna Dance, In The Back of My Mind & She Knows Me Too Well. Others I listen to very rarely.

wow i'm shocked  you suprised me lol..i'll have to go with today because well the whole album is amazing i think the only song i ever skipped from it is dont hurt my little sister lol

[Newguy562]

I guess my favorite song from that album is a toss up between California Girls & Let Him Run Wild..

Yes, they are great indeed but I'll vote for Help Me, Rhonda & Then I Kissed Her as my faves. Today's Rhonda is worse than this catchy rearranged v-n. And the latter has one of the most terrific vocals by Al imo. The way he accentuates a word "walked" in "Well I walked up..." with synchronically sounding drum hit is just magnificent!

i enjoyed both versions ..but my question for you is which do you prefer today or summer days and summer nights? and why?

Certainly, Summer Days coz there are much more favorite songs than in Today. From Today I mostly like Good to My Baby, Do You Wanna Dance, In The Back of My Mind & She Knows Me Too Well. Others I listen to very rarely.

wow i'm shocked  you suprised me lol..i'll have to go with today because well the whole album is amazing i think the only song i ever skipped from it is dont hurt my little sister lol

What I dislike about DHMLS is that retro-sounding guitar at the begin of the song. The rest of it is nifty. But still I enjoy GTMB more than this.

that's my mom's favorite song from today ..it's actually one of the only songs she likes from the beach boys..she loves the guitar on it..i had to put it on her ipod..
when she told me she wasn't crazy about pet sounds or smile i was shocked and bugged :/ but my dad is the real music nerd in the family besides me and my oldest brother...
my sister and mom pretty much likes anything radio friendly lol

[Newguy562]

I guess my favorite song from that album is a toss up between California Girls & Let Him Run Wild..

Yes, they are great indeed but I'll vote for Help Me, Rhonda & Then I Kissed Her as my faves. Today's Rhonda is worse than this catchy rearranged v-n. And the latter has one of the most terrific vocals by Al imo. The way he accentuates a word "walked" in "Well I walked up..." with synchronically sounding drum hit is just magnificent!

i enjoyed both versions ..but my question for you is which do you prefer today or summer days and summer nights? and why?

Certainly, Summer Days coz there are much more favorite songs than in Today. From Today I mostly like Good to My Baby, Do You Wanna Dance, In The Back of My Mind & She Knows Me Too Well. Others I listen to very rarely.

wow i'm shocked  you suprised me lol..i'll have to go with today because well the whole album is amazing i think the only song i ever skipped from it is dont hurt my little sister lol

What I dislike about DHMLS is that retro-sounding guitar at the begin of the song. The rest of it is nifty. But still I enjoy GTMB more than this.

that's my mom's favorite song from today ..it's actually one of the only songs she likes from the beach boys..she loves the guitar on it..i had to put it on her ipod..
when she told me she wasn't crazy about pet sounds or smile i was shocked and bugged :/ but my dad is the real music nerd in the family besides me and my oldest brother...
my sister and mom pretty much like anything radio friendly lol

Sounds like you all are very into music. I'm quite jealous 'cause nobody, except me of all our relatives, is friendly with music in general - either on radio or TV or whatever. They say it's very unserious to be music fanatics or even casual listeners.

Hmmm well I guess I am ..mostly because when i listen to music it drifts me away from reality..wow that sucks :/ the middle brother..my sister and mom are that way but at times my mom could be ...sh*t if i played the hollies - the air that i breathe at the right time a tear would fall down her cheek cuz she loves it so much

[Griffmanr]

The backing tract for SLC is awesome and the lyrics are alright but I'm actually really not a fan of the vocal melody.  Btw has anyone else noticed that SLC might be the first appearance of the Shortenin' Bread riff in a Beach Boys Song.  Listen during the instrumental break at around 1:20.  You can sing the bass vocal over that part!

[ArchStanton]

Not to get all somber, but my wife's father was a huge BB fan and from SLC, so we played this for him at his funeral.  Listening to it since, I'm not really sure if I've simply projected a slight hint of melancholy in an upbeat song or if it's really there.

[Aegir]

Anything written by Brian Wilson has a slight hint of melancholy.

[Autotune]

It is a marvelous song. I wonder if its very peculiar melody was composed after the track had been finished. The reason is that the melody is unusual in that during Mike's lines so much stress given to the IV degree that it almost makes the chords sound like a V - I progression instead of a I - IV one. The path is cleared completely when Brian comes in, but this is one characteristic trait of this compelling and favorite song.

[Ron]

It's so early in Brian's work with the session musicians, maybe he was still trying to figure out the best way to write when working like that?  OR, maybe he wrote the song, then when the studio musicians got in, they changed it a little bit, Brian couldn't or didn't want to make it fit his melody the way it was originally written, so it's off a little bit. 

With that said though, since it's off... it kind of makes the song even more interesting.  It's not exactly what you expect.

[Quzi]

I can't say I'm a fan of the vocal melody for this one, and since it's married to a rather trite set of lyrics (imo) I prefer listening to the instrumental backing track. Perhaps if the melody got the Don't Back Down upgrade I'd be a little bit more forgiving to the lyrics, but as it didn't, I'm stuck to thinking it's among the nadir of SD(ASN).

[Autotune]

I can't say I'm a fan of the vocal melody for this one, and since it's married to a rather trite set of lyrics (imo) I prefer listening to the instrumental backing track. Perhaps if the melody got the Don't Back Down upgrade I'd be a little bit more forgiving to the lyrics, but as it didn't, I'm stuck to thinking it's among the nadir of SD(ASN).

What's a Don't back down upgrade?

[Quzi]

I can't say I'm a fan of the vocal melody for this one, and since it's married to a rather trite set of lyrics (imo) I prefer listening to the instrumental backing track. Perhaps if the melody got the Don't Back Down upgrade I'd be a little bit more forgiving to the lyrics, but as it didn't, I'm stuck to thinking it's among the nadir of SD(ASN).

What's a Don't back down upgrade?

Well between the alternate version of Don't Back Down and the one that made it to ASL I feel like the melody was substantially improved. It's just my "creative" way of saying "I wish it was tweaked further"