Which Beach Boys "Classics" are.. 'Not to your taste?'

[Puggal]

To reply to earlier comments (regarding my post):

To me, Shut Down's and Little Deuce Coupe's melodies are pretty generic old school rock and roll. Both of the songs have kind of silly hooks too. SHE'S MY LITTLE DEUCE COUPE... YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I GOT!!!

Just not my taste I suppose.

[I. Spaceman]

However, that doesn't stop me creating my own understanding of the song. I reckon everyone sometimes sees one or another song as sth. different than its original meaning. 

Absolutely! For instance, my own personal reading of God Only Knows relates to how incredible it is to eat roast potatoes with gravy on them. Yumsville.

I thought we all agreed that song was about blowing your f***ing head off.

Of course. And then serving that head up with roast potatoes and gravy. Cannibalism included there! (Brian is some sick-minded freak!)

That's why I like this community - because every time I discover something new here. Shame on me that I thought GOK is a ballad. Thanks to 3 of you for opening my eyes (or ears?). Hooray!

I do hope that you don't actually think that God Only Knows is in any way about eating human heads and roast potatoes.

Of course not! God Only Knows is clearly a homophobic statement.

[EgoHanger1966]

To reply to earlier comments (regarding my post):

To me, Shut Down's and Little Deuce Coupe's melodies are pretty generic old school rock and roll. Both of the songs have kind of silly hooks too. SHE'S MY LITTLE DEUCE COUPE... YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I GOT!!!

Just not my taste I suppose.

That's not a silly hook - that's just ear candy.

[Aegir]

However, that doesn't stop me creating my own understanding of the song. I reckon everyone sometimes sees one or another song as sth. different than its original meaning. 

Absolutely! For instance, my own personal reading of God Only Knows relates to how incredible it is to eat roast potatoes with gravy on them. Yumsville.

I thought we all agreed that song was about blowing your f***ing head off.

Of course. And then serving that head up with roast potatoes and gravy. Cannibalism included there! (Brian is some sick-minded freak!)

That's why I like this community - because every time I discover something new here. Shame on me that I thought GOK is a ballad. Thanks to 3 of you for opening my eyes (or ears?). Hooray!

I do hope that you don't actually think that God Only Knows is in any way about eating human heads and roast potatoes.

Of course not! God Only Knows is clearly a homophobic statement.

Fuck you, man. I'm not gonna have you or anyone else following me around the board now making fun of me.

[I. Spaceman]

Don't say that to me, bitch. You just guaranteed I'll make fun of you forever. What are ya gonna do about it?

[Aegir]

whooops, oh well

[Dudd]

Honestly not that fond of Fun Fun Fun. Not a fan of Barbara Ann either, though The Who's cover from the Kids Are Alright documentary kicked major ass.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I've probably posted this already, as this thread is old, but Sail On Sailor I find very boring

[Mendota Heights]

The entire Pet Sounds album.

Love Sloop John B though.

[Cabinessenceking]

I don't like the studio version of Surfer Girl. Maybe the Candix records version, but the one from 1963 is pretty dull imo. Great song live though!

[TimmyC]

I've probably posted this already, as this thread is old, but Sail On Sailor I find very boring

+1 (and that goes for the entire Holland album... sorry...)

having said that, my 6 year old LOVES Sail On Sailor - which I think is such a funny song for a 6 year old to like.

Have to say that I pretty much love all of their other classics (e.g. I love every other song 50 Big Ones...)

[Disney Boy (1985)]

A Day in the Life of a Tree

I hate the lead vocal.

You need to get past the dire vocals and hold out for the coda, pure magic.

You will understand one day

Those vocals don't bother me at all, for whatever reason.  Although, a Brian or Dennis sang version could have really been something.

Re A Day In The Life Of A Tree: Anyone who complains about Rieley's lead vocal has just completely missed the point... His 'dire' vocal works perfectly within the context of the song and it just wouldn't have had the same emotional effect had it had a nice, angelic lead vocal.

[Dudd]

Not sure if you'd call Getcha Back a classic (people seem to be calling it one of the best tracks from their crappy album period), but I'm really not a fan. I'd take Summer of Love over that one any day. 

[bonnevillemariner]

I love the Pet Sounds sound, but I find myself skipping the majority of the tracks.  Least favorites: That's Not Me, Caroline, No, Pet Sounds.  However, WIBN, Sloop JB, and GOK are among my favorite BB tracks.

EDIT: While I'm thinking about it, I can't stand Disney Girls.  HATE that song.  Sounds like something I'd hear in an elevator of a proctologist's office.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I can't stand Disney Girls.  HATE that song.  Sounds like something I'd hear in an elevator of a proctologist's office.

This song will never be the same for me again.!

Clearing skies (The snap of a latex glove)

And drying eyes (The squelch of the lube)

Now I see your smile..................

[Wrightfan]

Most of POB. Actually, almost all of it except for River Song really.

Dennis' voice ruins it. Like Randy Newman drinking 10 bottles of tequila a day.  Sometimes his voice from this era does work (River Song, Baby Blue, etc...) but ugh, here it really is not great at all.

[Gertie J.]

I can't stand Disney Girls.  HATE that song.  Sounds like something I'd hear in an elevator of a proctologist's office.

This song will never be the same for me again.!

Clearing skies (The snap of a latex glove)

And drying eyes (The squelch of the lube)

Now I see your smile..................

ewwwwwwwww

[Gabo]

Songs from Sounds of Summer I don't like much. I don't think the 80s songs on the compilation are classics so I won't count thos.

Little Deuce Coupe - It just sounds like a basic 50s rock n roll song to me.
Shut Down - ^. I think this might be the weakest 60s song on the disc.
Help Me Rhonda - It's okay...

[Generation42]

I don't suppose anyone would call it a Beach Boys "classic," but "Hey, Little Tomboy" just makes me squirm.

It starts off well-intentioned enough, I think (as if the guys were going for an innocent, "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen" type of coming-of-age vibe).

But when listening to the Adult/Child boot, at about :50 seconds in, things start to turn and by the time we get to the "lipstick" and "shave your legs, for the first time" voice-overs, I'm actually uncomfortable listening to the track.  Frankly, it creeps me out to the point that, before listening to it to use as reference for this post, it's something I haven't played back since the first time I heard it, and honestly, that first time I did hear the damned thing, it had the effect of making me look at the guys in the group differently for quite a time.

Maybe it's because I first heard "Tomboy" not long after my daughter was born, but it contrasted so sharply with something like "I Wanna Pick You Up," which to me, was like a joyous ode to new parenthood.  That sounded like the innocent type of song that I hope the guys were striving for with "Tomboy."

[runnersdialzero]

I feel like I said this before, but songs like "Tomboy" just strike me as songs where Brian is writing about something to have something to write about. This is especially true of the stuff he was writing from 75-78 or so. "Honkin' Down The Highway", "Roller Skating Child", "Hey Little Tomboy", "Let Us Go On This Way", "Mona", "She's Got Rhythm", "Lazy Lizzie", "It's Trying To Say", etc.

Some are "character songs" of sorts where he's definitely not singing from the perspective of a guy in his 30s and/or Brian Wilson. I don't think that's rationalizing it, I think Brian just said "Need something to write about. Hm. What about a tomboy who decides to be more feminine?" etc. etc. etc. Keep in mind this was the era when Landy was trying to get him more active with writing songs, too.

Yes, I realize the end result is hilariously inappropriate in the case of "Tomboy", but then it wasn't the first time he wrote or said something that was hilariously inappropriate. That's part of why we love 'im, amirite? ^_^ On that note, nor was Brian ever a surfer, nor did he ever really strike me as a full-blown "car guy", nor did he date a girl who was a hardcore roller-skater in 1977, nor was he ever a tree, etc. etc. etc.

Don't get me wrong, not saying those songs are insincere, I'm sure the guys were really into writing the songs when they were doing so, just saying with some people, it's just writing and not every single song is a super-personal confession. Considering how impersonal some of the songs are from the late 70s, I think it's really cool that Brian was able to make the lyrics so unique, occasionally clever, often convincing, and above all else really interesting. Not many people are especially good at that.

[Generation42]

I feel like I said this before

I'm certain you probably have.  I can't imagine my take on the recording is unique. 

I think I've got as healthy a sense of humor as the next guy (and certainly, Brian's off-beat work is something I embrace), and there just might be something to your 'song-a-day' theory, but when it comes to this one piece, I can't see my way to "hilariously inappropriate."  Just inappropriate.

Life, eh?

[The Heartical Don]

You're So Good To Me is not so good...to me.

Listen to Stebbins at this point.

YSGTM is too simple a fairground ditty.

*that said, in theory it could have fitted in on Love You, radically reworked, with burping synths, snares, and lead vocs. By you-know-who.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

You're So Good To Me is not so good...to me.

Listen to Stebbins at this point.

YSGTM is too simple a fairground ditty.

*that said, in theory it could have fitted in on Love You, radically reworked, with burping synths, snares, and lead vocs. By you-know-who.

Tish and piffle! You're So Good To Me is the greatest song the Who never wrote. Bow-bow-da-da-baa-da. What's not to love?

[RangeRoverA1]

You're So Good To Me is not so good...to me.

Listen to Stebbins at this point.

YSGTM is too simple a fairground ditty.

You've already posted similar thing about the song. I even had some argument with you on the subject. At one of the latest pages, if I recall.

[Vegetable Man]

Catch A Wave, Be With Me and The Trader are the three biggest favorites that i tend to stay away from. I know that I should like them, but I just... don't. Catch A Wave is too hokey (I hope that's a word) to me, and the other two come off as slightly pretentious. Hey, what can I say? To quote Gary Usher, "That's just the way i feel".