Post Release MIC Track Discussion

[GhostyTMRS]

Runners, thanks to your post the other day ,I know you love me, and God Only Knows I love you too, but to the casual listener, this will ALWAYS be a She's Leaving Home rip-off. Think about the history... Paul played the song for Brian in April 1967 while the latter was trying to finish SMiLE, Marilyn cried and Brian obviously felt intimidated. Brian must have started playing around with that line of melody and WiS results. Consider: on the one hand you've got a song about a girl leaving home, and in the case of the Brian recording it's about wanting a girl to COME home. And Brian's song is clearly indebted to Paul's melodically — with no prompting and no idea what the song sounded like in advance, I heard the connection right away.

But d00d, it's a strong (but not exact) melodic similarity in one section. Different chords, different arrangement, different production and moon, different style, and the rest of both songs are very, very different from one another. "She's Leaving Home" is about a daughter running away, "Where Is She?" is about teh wifey being away.

Also, you and a few other folks are talking like "Where Is She?" was recorded within days of Brian rushing home after hearing the song, but nop, it took place over two years later. To accuse Brian of deliberately lifting part of it for his own song or liken it to what he did with "Surfin' USA" is silly and extremely presumptuous.

Sorry, I will only "man up to" and acknowledge one section has an extremely similar melody to the other, but that's it. I wouldn't doubt it may have been Brian unconsciously using a variation on something he'd heard prior, but every songwriter under the sun is guilty of that.

Sorry, it's just some folks are doing the tired and predictable "BEATLEZ DID IT BEATLEZ DID IT" and no, they're two different songs, great and unique in their own ways with one similarity. For a casual listener to dismiss it as a Beatles "rip-off" shows how limited their knowledge and appreciation of art is and ultimately, it's their loss.

I like Where Is She, but it's not a mindblowingly brilliant lost gem or anything.

To me, it's one of the best things he did in the somewhat spotty late 60s/early 70s, which is why it upsets me to see people Beatles-shitting all over it. I actually saw someone saying there's a "With A Little Help" reference because Brian used the words "How do I feel" in the song, as if The Beatles invented those words. Just, enough with it all, already.

Since I was the one who brought this up none of this was really my intention to denigrate the song or suggest it was a whole-cloth rip-off.  This tune is totally something to be cherished, a newly-unearthed original (!), non-fragmentary (!!) non-instrumental (!!!) 60s-era Brian Wilson tune - that's a big deal!  I don't mean to suggest that the She's Leaving Home quote is even the most interesting thing about it.

It doesn't constitute shitting on the song to point out the similarity.  It also doesn't really serve to get legalistic and try to winnow it down to just "four notes" in common or whatever...I think there's just an overall similarity in feel, and it  sounds like Brian had She's Leaving Home on the brain as much as he did "Ticket to Ride" with "Girl Don't Tell Me", as somebody else pointed out.  Brian had a lot of amazing, made-out-of-whole-cloth moments in his writiing, and then he also had moments where he did something really interesting with other people's fabric.  And to uh, belabor a metaphor, pointing out the seams shouldn't be all that troublesome.

Agreed. I'd never go so far as calling it a rip-off but "She's Leaving Home" does sound like an influence...and what the hell's so bad about that? Nobody says boo when making Brian Wilson/Phil Spector comparisons (Phil of course being about 100 times more influential on Brian) but Beach Boys/Beatles is so off putting for people? If it makes runners feel better I know Beatle fans who are sick to death of hearing about Pet Sounds influencing McCartney. They don't want to know about "God Only Knows". They'll scream to high heaven that "Here, There and Everywhere", "Fixing A Hole", etc weren't influenced by Brian. They HATE hearing that. So eventually there may be such a thing as "Beach-shitting".   

[zachrwolfe]

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[Shady]

I no longer hate Rock n Roll music. This new version is great.

Oh man, good thing the extended version of "mean for you" didn't end up on Friends, those pony lyrics kill the beauty of the song  

[drbeachboy]

I fully approve of the decision to put Transcendental Meditation on the set. Kicks all sorts of ass. Too bad we didn't get vocals-only as well. Speaking of which, Slip on Through et al. are another mind-blower from Sunflower. When are we getting a box for that one?!

Me too! What a jazzy dissonant number. Kick ass drumming on it too. I wonder if they use some kind of tape delay on Slip On Through? It's really spacey how they sing on the verses.

[Amazing Larry]

I fully approve of the decision to put Transcendental Meditation on the set. Kicks all sorts of ass. Too bad we didn't get vocals-only as well. Speaking of which, Slip on Through et al. are another mind-blower from Sunflower. When are we getting a box for that one?!

Me too! What a jazzy dissonant number. Kick ass drumming on it too. I wonder if they use some kind of tape delay on Slip On Through? It's really spacey how they sing on the verses.

Sounds like a Leslie speaker.

[punkinhead]

did Why? have anything done to it post MIU?
That's when it was recorded, right? It just sounds so new, granted, it's nothing we've heard but it just doesn't sound like anything from the era it came from.

[doinnothin]

Oh man, good thing the extended version of "mean for you" didn't end up on Friends, those pony lyrics kill the beauty of the song  

Ha! I feel the other way. They take one of my favorite Beach Boys pieces to another level. Love them and can't believe they left them off the album!

[Marcella]

[/quote]

Ha! I feel the other way. They take one of my favorite Beach Boys pieces to another level. Love them and can't believe they left them off the album!
[/quote]

I agree. The melody and the singing are just so beautiful he could be singing about just about anything and I'd dig it. Went from 38 seconds of beauty to 110 seconds of wonder

[bgas]

Ha! I feel the other way. They take one of my favorite Beach Boys pieces to another level. Love them and can't believe they left them off the album!
[/quote]

I agree. The melody and the singing are just so beautiful he could be singing about just about anything and I'd dig it. Went from 38 seconds of beauty to 110 seconds of wonder
[/quote]

Damn!  That's almost enough to make me want to open the box and listen

[anazgnos]

Oh man, good thing the extended version of "mean for you" didn't end up on Friends, those pony lyrics kill the beauty of the song  

Ha! I feel the other way. They take one of my favorite Beach Boys pieces to another level. Love them and can't believe they left them off the album!

It's funny that on an album that proudly represents the Beach Boys at their peak unhipness, there was still a discussion where somebody said "you know, is that line about puppies and ponies is just a little too much".

[Andrew G. Doe]

I have just discovered "Sound of Free" for the first time ever and already I've played it 5 times in a row.

... and this, gentlemen, is why this set is pretty much above criticism.  People will learn... people will discover. 

[SonicVolcano]

The synth bass in Solar System...wow. It sounds so different from the two-fer. In a good way.

[Alan Smith]

I have just discovered "Sound of Free" for the first time ever and already I've played it 5 times in a row.

... and this, gentlemen, is why this set is pretty much above criticism.  People will learn... people will discover. 

Grrreat!!!  Picking up my copy in 15 hours and 16 minutes.

[Matt Bielewicz]

The synth bass in Solar System...wow. It sounds so different from the two-fer. In a good way.

Can't hear a huge difference to the twofer myself. But I never get the hate around here for Solar System. I think it's a brilliantly unique bit of songwriting and production with only two things to drag it down: the "Mars... wife" line, and Bdub's slightly shaky vocal.

Brian Wilson and a big f**k-off Moog modular, ranting about planets and stars to a big raspy analogue bass line. For the win!

[TV Forces]

... and this, gentlemen, is why this set is pretty much above criticism. 

lmao

[Disney Boy (1985)]

The synth bass in Solar System...wow. It sounds so different from the two-fer. In a good way.

Can't hear a huge difference to the twofer myself. But I never get the hate around here for Solar System. I think it's a brilliantly unique bit of songwriting and production with only two things to drag it down: the "Mars... wife" line, and Bdub's slightly shaky vocal.

Brian Wilson and a big f**k-off Moog modular, ranting about planets and stars to a big raspy analogue bass line. For the win!

The "Mars... wife" line is the only decent line in the entire song!!

[buddhahat]

Bit late to the discussion here but just realised that I Believe In Miracles is the a cappella bit CWTL intro. Finally, an official release for this most bewitching of BB sections! I just wish it had continued into the next section which is equally as beautiful and the most Smile-like of anything recorded outside of the Smile Sessions proper. Makes me sad to think that bit may remain in the vaults now but great to see they've included at least part of it on this set.

Anyone have any info on the title though? Is that just what was written on the tape box for that piece? Was that the initial title before it was expanded into Been Too Long/Can't Wait Too Long?

[Mike's Beard]

Just played disk 3, what a fantastic representation of the guys post Smile/Smiley period. The stereo mix of Darlin' is just mindblowing, things that I never really noticed before just leap out and DEMAND your attention.
The extended version of Meant For You is erm interesting, bad lyrics but the extended vocalising really puts the song in a different light.
The strings really add to We're Together Again, which was a stunning song to begin with. Honestly I think if this had been made a couple of years earlier it could have been a #1 single.
The new mix of Susie Cincinnati - WTF? Lots of Al whoopin' and hollering which was never there before and only detracts from a groovy song.
Sound of Free - I've only ever had this in shitty bootleg form before and it really is like hearing the song for the first time ever. Dennis seems to have become somewhat of a sacred cow around these parts to the point that you can't say anything negative about the guy but damn! he really hit it out of the park with this song ("and great lyrics by Mike Love" - Bruce Johnston).

Next up Disk 5. (I never listen to these things in chronological order!)

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Just some random observations.

Had no idea it was Carl singing Lead on All Dressed Up For School and Pom Pom Play Girl. Very similar to God Only Knows early take falsely attributed to Brian

Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Those horns in the instrumental break. Wow!!!

As noted, in a lot of ways this box set belongs to Dennis. Be With Me demo is my favourite.

Harpsichord denial in I Get Around now outlawed.

But cannot hear Autotune in Sherry She Needs Me - will listen again.

Loving the new vocal in Still A Mystery.

Not to keen on a few of the tracks marked '2012 mix' Too tinny. The new Suzie Cincinaati took an awful song and made it sound worse.

No hidden tracks.

[Mike's Beard]

Disk 5.

Very glad to have a decent version of Doo Ron Ron, Carl's vocal on it is great.
The two Paley songs are sorta 'Meh' for me.
Little Bird live is underwhelming just like the studio version. The ad-libbing is rather funny though.
All I Wanna Do and It's About Time rock live.
Wild Honey live is one of the coolest things I've ever heard. Blondie owned this song.
Tracks 22 & 23 prove that you don't need ex Wondermints in your band to do decent Smile renditions, these were both really good.
SIP live ain't actually that bad. Bruce shines on the last verse.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Was really looking forward to the alternative Amusement Parks USA - but it sounds almost exactly the same as the Summer Days... version! Bit of anti-climax that one.

[Banana]

I have just discovered "Sound of Free" for the first time ever and already I've played it 5 times in a row.

... and this, gentlemen, is why this set is pretty much above criticism.  People will learn... people will discover. 

Amen!  Speaking of SOF...it's so great to have a "clean" sounding release of this track.  It's such a great song...and for too long all I've had is a somewhat scratchy sounding version taped off of an original 45.  They did a nice job with this set...most definitely!

[Mike's Beard]

Disk 5

WIBNTLA - there's nothing else left to really say about this is there, other than it's a crying shame it wasn't released back in the day.
I really wish a Blondie/Ricky song had been included if for no other reason than this is pegged as a complete career retrospective and their songwriting talents did play a big part of early 70's BBs. This would have been the perfect time to get the studio cut of We Got Love out to the masses.
The 'hot mix' of Rock and Roll Music is a MILLION times better than the version Brian crapped out for 15BO.
Ditto for It's OK. They still represent everything I dislike about the "Brian's Back!" era but do a good job of showing what Carl could have done with material.
ARRRRGHHH!!! SOLAR SYSTEM ALERT! Still for me, hands down the worst thing they ever did until Boy George started offering them songs. Instant skip.
Nice to hear It's Over Now with the correct vocal speed. I'd forgot how good this song was.
Calfornia Feeling is nice enough but it's no latter day BW masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination.
I prefer the Endless Harmony version of Brian's Back.
Goin' To the Beach = Mike Love on autopilot.

[Robert James]

that is a bit screwed up.

the only hint of Blondie is Wild Honey (live) and Sail On Sailor.

If you're gonna embrace some 80s stuff, embrace the Blondie era!

[Justin]

I have just discovered "Sound of Free" for the first time ever and already I've played it 5 times in a row.

... and this, gentlemen, is why this set is pretty much above criticism.  People will learn... people will discover. 

Absolutely.  For a relatively "new" (compared to everyone here at least!) fan like myself this set just keeps on giving.  I had never heard "It's A Beautiful Day" before and that was another one that blew me out.  Couple that with the alternate takes ("Meant For You") and the instrumental only tracks like "Don't Go Near The Water"...I have been in love with this set.  I'm taking my time absorbing each disk.

Okay onto playing "Sound of Free" a few more times...