Track talk #9: Can't Wait Too Long

[buddhahat]

And to tie in with the latest twofer poll, a 20/20 outtake and arguably one of the more impressive unfinished songs from the archives.

I love the genesis of this tune, seemingly growing out of a Windchimes riff, sketched out during the Wild Honey sessions with one of the most sublime a cappella intros they ever put to tape (imo), then developed further into a much slower, blissed-out meditative piece during the 20/20 sessions.

There are several released versions: The Wild Honey era outtake wit the aforementioned a cappella intro (that I was convinced was a Smile session for so long) [Edit: This is unreleased, sorry. Maybe one for the boxset Alan Boyd?!], the Friends/2020  Smiley/WH twofer bonus track that has that cool descending bass coda, then the GV boxset version that loses the coda but gains Brian's spoken word section, which are presumably guide vocals. Then finally we have the TLOS version.

There really is no need to poll what are for the most part snapshots of a work in progress but the anal retentive in me simply can't resist ....

[lowellmorris]

My favorite version I've heard so far:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKhb-BJDJT4&

[sockittome]

There are several released versions: The Wild Honey era outtake wit the aforementioned a cappella intro (that I was convinced was a Smile session for so long) [Edit: This is unreleased, sorry. Maybe one for the boxset Alan Boyd?!], the Friends/2020 twofer bonus track that has that cool descending bass coda

Is the WH era outtake the one that starts with very high vocals that sound almost female (at least that's what it sounds like to me; like maybe the Honeys are in the mix), and then an abrupt edit into a fast-paced, heavy-rhythmed section?  If so, then yeah, that shows up on SMiLE b00ts all the time.

And BTW, the twofer bonus is on Smiley Smile/Wild Honey, for the record.

Can't Wait is my absolute favorite BBs lost treasure, other than SMiLE material.  I can't get enough of it.  In fact, I like to piece together my own versions from the available sections.  It's a crying shame the song was never completed.

[rab2591]

AlternateBrianWilsonPresents SMiLE has interludes where this song comes in - it's a great way to hear this song, intermixed with all of SMiLE's beauty.
______

I'll pick the TLOS version - if only because it fits so well in that album.

[Kurosawa]

My favorite version I've heard so far:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKhb-BJDJT4&

Coming up blocked in the US....I loved that version too. 

[Matt Bielewicz]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't there be another version mentioned in this poll, unbooted as far as I know (I've certainly never heard it, worse luck) that was either recorded in 1979 or 1980 for either LA Light, KTSA, or maybe 10 Years of Harmony, but that never got finished or issued?

By Bruce, if I remember rightly?

I seem to recall reading a discussion of that on-line, years and years ago (maybe even with Brad Elliott on the old, old American Band board, in like around 1998 or 2000 or something?). I seem to remember that there was at the very least a string session for said version; it wasn't clear whether it was a 'sweetened' version of the 67 or 68 version, or some edit of the two, with a string overdub recorded over a decade later... or it was a completely new late-70s version/track for which strings were also recorded?

Am I completely out to lunch, or does that ring any bells with anyone here?

Now of course, even if it exists, a 1979-era Bruce-recorded CWTL might be a cheese-fest of the first water, and an insult to the majesty of the (in my opinion) brilliant but frustratingly incomplete late 60s version. But it would be interesting to hear it, right?

File under 'more (possibly) great Beach Boys stuff we'll probably never get to hear'...   

[Matt Bielewicz]

...along with the original lyrics to this song. If I remember rightly, there's a rehearsal track on SOT of Brian hashing this track out at the piano (no pun intended...), but it's in mono, and even though he's singing lyrics of some kind (possibly just placeholders, but we'll never know...) because he's pounding away at the piano so hard, you can't hear them.

Furthermore, because it's in mono, you can't isolate the lyrics, like in the Barnyard demo - it sounds like they were just yelled along with the piano track live. And Brian almost certainly won't remember what they were now...

...so again: file under 'more (possibly) great Beach Boys stuff we'll probably never get to hear'.

Unless anyone with demon EQ skills can get the mumbled words out of the mono piano track with any greater clarity...

[sound of gauntlet hitting floor, in a hopeful kinda way]

[Andrew G. Doe]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't there be another version mentioned in this poll, unbooted as far as I know (I've certainly never heard it, worse luck) that was either recorded in 1979 or 1980 for either LA Light, KTSA, or maybe 10 Years of Harmony, but that never got finished or issued?

By Bruce, if I remember rightly?

I seem to recall reading a discussion of that on-line, years and years ago (maybe even with Brad Elliott on the old, old American Band board, in like around 1998 or 2000 or something?). I seem to remember that there was at the very least a string session for said version; it wasn't clear whether it was a 'sweetened' version of the 67 or 68 version, or some edit of the two, with a string overdub recorded over a decade later... or it was a completely new late-70s version/track for which strings were also recorded?

Am I completely out to lunch, or does that ring any bells with anyone here?

Now of course, even if it exists, a 1979-era Bruce-recorded CWTL might be a cheese-fest of the first water, and an insult to the majesty of the (in my opinion) brilliant but frustratingly incomplete late 60s version. But it would be interesting to hear it, right?

File under 'more (possibly) great Beach Boys stuff we'll probably never get to hear'...   

There was a February 11th 1980 session for "Been Way Too Long" at Rumbo to overdub strings and the like on to the original 60s recordings. Just the one session, and nothing more was done with it.

[buddhahat]

...along with the original lyrics to this song. If I remember rightly, there's a rehearsal track on SOT of Brian hashing this track out at the piano (no pun intended...), but it's in mono, and even though he's singing lyrics of some kind (possibly just placeholders, but we'll never know...) because he's pounding away at the piano so hard, you can't hear them.

Furthermore, because it's in mono, you can't isolate the lyrics, like in the Barnyard demo - it sounds like they were just yelled along with the piano track live. And Brian almost certainly won't remember what they were now...

...so again: file under 'more (possibly) great Beach Boys stuff we'll probably never get to hear'.

Unless anyone with demon EQ skills can get the mumbled words out of the mono piano track with any greater clarity...

[sound of gauntlet hitting floor, in a hopeful kinda way]

I'd forgotten about this demo. Will have to have a listen.

Now of course, even if it exists, a 1979-era Bruce-recorded CWTL might be a cheese-fest of the first water, and an insult to the majesty of the (in my opinion) brilliant but frustratingly incomplete late 60s version. But it would be interesting to hear it, right?

File under 'more (possibly) great Beach Boys stuff we'll probably never get to hear'...  

I've never heard talk of this. A late 70s Johnstonized CWTL could be fascinating to say the least!

And BTW, the twofer bonus is on Smiley Smile/Wild Honey, for the record.

Oops I'd forgotten that - thanks.

[buddhahat]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't there be another version mentioned in this poll, unbooted as far as I know (I've certainly never heard it, worse luck) that was either recorded in 1979 or 1980 for either LA Light, KTSA, or maybe 10 Years of Harmony, but that never got finished or issued?

By Bruce, if I remember rightly?

I seem to recall reading a discussion of that on-line, years and years ago (maybe even with Brad Elliott on the old, old American Band board, in like around 1998 or 2000 or something?). I seem to remember that there was at the very least a string session for said version; it wasn't clear whether it was a 'sweetened' version of the 67 or 68 version, or some edit of the two, with a string overdub recorded over a decade later... or it was a completely new late-70s version/track for which strings were also recorded?

Am I completely out to lunch, or does that ring any bells with anyone here?

Now of course, even if it exists, a 1979-era Bruce-recorded CWTL might be a cheese-fest of the first water, and an insult to the majesty of the (in my opinion) brilliant but frustratingly incomplete late 60s version. But it would be interesting to hear it, right?

File under 'more (possibly) great Beach Boys stuff we'll probably never get to hear'...   

There was a February 11th 1980 session for "Been Way Too Long" at Rumbo to overdub strings and the like on to the original 60s recordings. Just the one session, and nothing more was done with it.

Thanks AGD. Do you or anyone else know if this overdubbed version is still in the archives?

[Matt Bielewicz]

OK, thanks Andrew - so it's just a 1980s overdub on 60s recordings, not a full new version. And I guess this approach didn't meet with a favourable response, as nothing got done with it... (mind you, wouldn't be the first time in BBWorld that something great got canned for reasons the rest of the world will never understand...!)

It would still be cool to hear it. I just went back to my copy of SOT 19 to listen to Brian's piano demo, and in WHATEVER form this track comes, it absolutely smokes. Just late-60s Brian and a piano knocks most of their 70s output dead...!

In my opinion, of course! 

[I. Spaceman]

One of the greatest pieces of music I have ever heard. I prefer it to most of Smile.

[bgas]

...along with the original lyrics to this song. If I remember rightly, there's a rehearsal track on SOT of Brian hashing this track out at the piano (no pun intended...), but it's in mono, and even though he's singing lyrics of some kind (possibly just placeholders, but we'll never know...) because he's pounding away at the piano so hard, you can't hear them.

Furthermore, because it's in mono, you can't isolate the lyrics, like in the Barnyard demo - it sounds like they were just yelled along with the piano track live. And Brian almost certainly won't remember what they were now...

...so again: file under 'more (possibly) great Beach Boys stuff we'll probably never get to hear'.

Unless anyone with demon EQ skills can get the mumbled words out of the mono piano track with any greater clarity...

[sound of gauntlet hitting floor, in a hopeful kinda way]

Isn't this right up the alley of the guy that has refined his process for extracting each note(practically) for tunes?  Or is his a stereo only deal? 

[punkinhead]

If CWTL were to be on an album, which album would it fit into well?

I think it was proposed for 20/20, KTSA, 10 Years of Harmony, and maybe another one, I can't remember.

I think it'd sound great as an opening track (like the Hawthorne CA vocals only) and then at the end of 20/20, the whole song.

it'd be the most harmonious track on KTSA had it been on there.

[EgoHanger1966]

If CWTL were to be on an album, which album would it fit into well?

It feels like it would be nice on Wild Honey.

[Cabinessenceking]

the booted upbeat version with the bongos should be released as another section. I've only heard low quality versions of that part.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

If CWTL were to be on an album, which album would it fit into well?

Rendezvous.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,12681.0.html

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Really love this song, especially the "Do doodoo do doodoo do doo doo doodoo"
Vibe line, that's really something!

[Rocky Raccoon]

The version on the Good Vibrations box set is probably one of my all-time favorite Beach Boys tracks.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

I like the long 2-fer version....with the spoken word part inserted into it.

There's that part floating around out there that Mark didn't use on his edit....that acapella thing....I've never been able to get a hold of it....do we know if there are more unused parts in the can somewhere?

[AllIWannaDo]

does anyone know why it was never used, or completed?

its such a shame - this piece of music is perhaps one of my top 5 beach boys pieces of music of all time
To find this tagged onto the end of the twofer as a fesh BB fan way way back was an astounding find

This twofer has perhaps the best bonus tracks released together

magic piece of modular music!!!

[Quzi]

I had a dream the other night that the band used this track along with the Mount Vernon and Fairway song sketches as the foundation for a new album. Sh*t slayed.

[I. Spaceman]

First heard the cut in the 8-minute version heard on the 2-LP Smile bootleg based on the first Linett assembly, back in late 1989. I was highly disappointed when I found out it wasn't actually a Smile track.

[Jason Penick]

There's another snippet that's out there called "Been Way Too Long" that no one has mentioned.

[Tristero]

There's another snippet that's out there called "Been Way Too Long" that no one has mentioned.

If I'm not mistaken, that's the Wild Honey era outtake that sockitome referred to earlier, which is basically just an earlier, shorter version of the song we know with a more elaborate SMiLE-style vocal intro and a more propulsive beat.  It was on some key boots back in the day.  I hope it's included on the forthcoming box set, or maybe they'll attempt some sort of remix.  

So who was playing on these sessions?  If it was originally recorded during the Wild Honey period, when exactly were the later sessions held?  

I think that "Can't Wait Too Long" would have made an outstanding addition to any of their late 60's albums.  It might have fit best on the hodge podge that is 20/20, but I also think that it would have made a great closer on Friends (much better than TM!).  It's definitely one of the top Beach Boys outtakes outside of SMiLE.