Most Blatant Rip-off of a BB Song to Make the Singles Charts?

[Eric Aniversario]

Well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk9SYy5RRkM

...um, WOW.

[rogerlancelot]

The Beales "Back In The USSR" is a good contender. Capitol released it as a single in 1976 to promote the Rock And Roll compilation and it peaked at #19 on the charts (US). And it definitely qualifies as a Beach Boys rip-off even if some of it was "inspired" by Mike Love.

[runnersdialzero]

Well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk9SYy5RRkM

...um, WOW.

is dat "Ding Dang"?

[Gohi]

That Mad Men episode was a standout because not only were the references cool but as mentioned the attention to detail - as the show usually does - was spot on, down to tracing it back to an actual Stones show at an actual location, rather than a fictional invention to enhance the storyline as other shows might do.

Long story short, in the episode Don and Harry Crane go backstage to the Stones show and they hoped to sign the Stones to do a commercial jingle for a client. Crane gets in, thinks he's meeting the Stones, comes out with an agreement, but he actually signed the Tradewinds to sing the jingle rather than the Stones. They never took it beyond that.

But like Mad Men does often, it sent their fanbase on a search for who or what the Tradewinds were, they found "New York...", and there was a bit of a buzz around the song. AMC shows do that so well, it's great how many fans have discovered new music that way. And it's all 100% period correct on Mad Men, the attention to detail is amazing.

That Vini Poncia was something of a Zelig character around pop music, wasn't he? 

I really am not a big fan of that episode. Pretty sloppily written. That gypsy popping up out of nowhere makes me laugh, as does Don and Harry's conversation with those stupid Stones girls.

[hypehat]

The Raspberries - Cruisin' Music.... Kinda the spit of Do It Again, with the riff and melody.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjTkiq8HAkw

[guitarfool2002]

That Mad Men episode was a standout because not only were the references cool but as mentioned the attention to detail - as the show usually does - was spot on, down to tracing it back to an actual Stones show at an actual location, rather than a fictional invention to enhance the storyline as other shows might do.

Long story short, in the episode Don and Harry Crane go backstage to the Stones show and they hoped to sign the Stones to do a commercial jingle for a client. Crane gets in, thinks he's meeting the Stones, comes out with an agreement, but he actually signed the Tradewinds to sing the jingle rather than the Stones. They never took it beyond that.

But like Mad Men does often, it sent their fanbase on a search for who or what the Tradewinds were, they found "New York...", and there was a bit of a buzz around the song. AMC shows do that so well, it's great how many fans have discovered new music that way. And it's all 100% period correct on Mad Men, the attention to detail is amazing.

That Vini Poncia was something of a Zelig character around pop music, wasn't he? 

I really am not a big fan of that episode. Pretty sloppily written. That gypsy popping up out of nowhere makes me laugh, as does Don and Harry's conversation with those stupid Stones girls.

To each his own - I remember that one because of the attention to detail and the fact that I was still thinking about various parts of it during the week. And yes, I also looked up that Stones gig referenced in the episode and it led me to some other interesting websites and factoids I would not have seen had it not been for Mad Men - and it was also neat to see the actual commercial The Stones made in real life in the 60's...cereal!

If there were some plot or writing issues - which I didn't see or just don't remember personally - I think the history geek in me wrote them off in favor of the detail and the accuracy of the various things going on.

The blessing and curse with a high quality show like Mad Men is that the best episodes are literally *so well done* that even an episode which may not have as many moments of greatness or certain writing flaws is still exceptional television, especially compared to the competition.

When is it coming back with new episodes, anyway?

[guitarfool2002]

Knowing your musical tastes, I will have to suggest you check this out. It collects early 60s Poncia and Anders demos, Tradewinds, Innocence, some Videls, and other assorted rarities. The same company does a Neil Sedaka one that is out of this world as well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANDERS-PONCIA-Masterworks-2CD-Set-64-Tracks-/280421096027

Thank you for this tip, I will check it out! I'm not familiar with this collection, it looks interesting.

[EgoHanger1966]

Well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk9SYy5RRkM

...um, WOW.

It's like Love You meets MIU.

[guitarfool2002]

The thing to remember is the original question was asking for records which actually made the single charts - maybe all of them listed did just that, I don't know but some entries seem iffy at best - But it was that point which kept some off of my list, including the original version of "Come To California" by Matthew Sweet, which is a spot-on production tribute to late 60's BB's. And that version never charted.

[EgoHanger1966]

...including the original version of "Come To California" by Matthew Sweet, which is a spot-on production tribute to late 60's BB's. And that version never charted.

But the video needs to be posted anyway - spot the pretty awesome Brian/BB reference at around 2:24!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8XOQyOHIho

[joshferrell]

This one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHr8mcWqy9U

[EgoHanger1966]

This one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHr8mcWqy9U

Didn't make the singles charts.

[Aomdiddlywalla]

Well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk9SYy5RRkM

...um, WOW.

As the comments say...................
In my opinion the only thing wrong with this video is that the girl in the middle isn't the only one in it.

[guitarfool2002]

...including the original version of "Come To California" by Matthew Sweet, which is a spot-on production tribute to late 60's BB's. And that version never charted.

But the video needs to be posted anyway - spot the pretty awesome Brian/BB reference at around 2:24!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8XOQyOHIho

Absolutely! That video didn't air all that often, and I would record MTV's 120 Minutes every week at that time. The BW reference floored me at that time, especially a reference to Wild Honey showing up on MTV!

You can't get much closer to wearing a Brian Wilson influence on your sleeve than wearing a beard, bathrobe, and holding a copy of Wild Honey in your video...

[Aomdiddlywalla]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEJX6SmMw1s

Who is this guy?

[hypehat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEJX6SmMw1s

Who is this guy?

He posted this here not so long ago, try searching the board. Dude with a ukelele sorta-kareokes Smile, it's not bad.

[donald]

Henry Gross's tribute to Carl's deceased canine "Shannon" may have been the highest-charting record to be thoroughly BBs-influenced....and as it happens was released by Lifesong, the label that issued the Carvells' "LA Run" Stateside.

But I hadn't heard that Carvells song before. Pretty rockin'. I see the song was covered in Swedish by an outfit called Magnum Bonum and topped the charts there. That version lets us know what Swedes think about when they think about skating - namely, Big Macs and Skate City itself....New Orleans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uquCLdtzJfk

I would go for Shannon as being a big hit sounding like the BBs.

How didi Henry Gross happen to make a song about Carl Wilson's dog anyway?  Always wondered about that....

[Dr. Tim]

Shannon was also the name of Henry Gross's dog.  She got a barking credit name check on his prior A&M album.

Or to paraphrase Casey Kasem: a song "about a f*cking dog dying!"

Not a chart single but anyone remember "There's No Surf In Cleveland" by the Euclid Beach Band?  A goof track produced by Eric Carmen.  (Maybe it's one of the YouTube videos above, didn't look)

[Newguy562]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk9SYy5RRkM

Seriously this song makes me want to dance and is one of the good later surfing songs...Brian Wilson even enjoys it.

[Gertie J.]

dude, it's already posted. see previous replies.

[The Heartical Don]

It's OK.

Getcha Back.

[Newguy562]

dude, it's already posted. see previous replies.

I didn't check any of the songs I just posted. Lol (I tend to do that.)

[kwan_dk]

The answer is...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yus7IvioR_A

Fun topic. I'd go for 'I Live for the Sun' as well. You know you've got a strong, blatant Beach Boys rip off song when even Jeff Foskett decides to do a blatant rip-off song of your blatant rip-off song!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgSjxacaccs

[rn57]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50_61zrWdgw

...though it never made the charts - NRBQ's "Christmas Wish."

[Amazing Larry]

Well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk9SYy5RRkM

...um, WOW.

It's like Love You meets MIU.

With the insipid lyrics of SIP.