Instruments on BB songs you were surprised to find out a BB member performed

[CenturyDeprived]

The BBs have a history of misunderstood information being imparted to the masses regarding who played what instrument on particular recordings… certainly exacerbated by myths that they didn’t play any of their instruments, etc. Fortunately, thanks to researchers and fans (many on this board), lots of this has been cleared up in recent years, as new info has come to light.

I’m curious if there were times that people on this board were surprised to find out that a particular BB was performing a particular instrument on a particular song (often times this was when an instrument was being played by a BB, that wasn’t the band member’s most well-known instrument, etc). I find it interesting that when, as a fan, having first heard a BB song, I might have been associating or picturing a particular band member (or Wrecking Crew member) with the sound you are hearing, and finding out (sometimes years) later that this information was wrong all along makes the song have a bit of a new vibe sometimes.

For me, for starters, I’d say I was certainly surprised to find out:

- Dennis was playing the organ on Good Vibrations
- The BBs (and not the Wrecking Crew) were the musicians on That’s Not Me (although I guess there remains some questions about this?)
- That Van Dyke Parks (not a BB exactly, but still) played accordion on Kokomo (talk about a strange world)

Anyone got other examples?

[Emdeeh]

Carl, drums on "Moon Dawg"

[Rotat]

Going by ear, listening to a few different unsurpassed masters last night, it sounds like Brian plays the bongos on "Shes Going Bald", which is pretty cool.

There was an outtake I heard from a rehearsal (or perhaps basic track session) of "I Can Hear Music" where Dennis asks Carl if the chords he has in mind/are playing are the correct chords, and you can hear him play piano on there. I don't remember if there's an audible piano on the released version or not as it's mostly acoustic guitars..

I think as well as That's Not Me (which I also did hear the entire band played on and not the wrecking crew), there's also "Girl Don't Tell Me" and "You're So Good To Me" on the previous album. I believe the band is playing that one too from what I remember.

[RiC]

For me, for starters, I’d say I was certainly surprised to find out:

- Dennis was playing the organ on Good Vibrations
- The BBs (and not the Wrecking Crew) were the musicians on That’s Not Me (although I guess there remains some questions about this?)
- That Van Dyke Parks (not a BB exactly, but still) played accordion on Kokomo (talk about a strange world)

This is the best topic for ages, I was totally surprised to find out about these above!

[guitarfool2002]

Brian Wilson, marimba on "All Summer Long"

[Jon Stebbins]

I like the fact that When I Grow Up To Be A Man has only Beach Boys playing the instruments on it, no session musicians at all on that one (except for a tiny bit of harmonica). It's a great track and has great feel and texture, and proves the boys were capable of playing Brian's more sophisticated stuff.

Another one is I Get Around, except for some added percussion and the saxes, nice to know it's all Beach Boys on the track. I mean it went to #1...and they are the musicians on the track. Nuff said.

[bgas]

I like the fact that When I Grow Up To Be A Man has only Beach Boys playing the instruments on it, no session musicians at all on that one (except for a tiny bit of harmonica). It's a great track and has great feel and texture, and proves the boys were capable of playing Brian's more sophisticated stuff.

Another one is I Get Around, except for some added percussion and the saxes, nice to know it's all Beach Boys on the track. I mean it went to #1...and they are the musicians on the track. Nuff said.

Not surprising at all.

[Rotat]

I like the fact that When I Grow Up To Be A Man has only Beach Boys playing the instruments on it, no session musicians at all on that one (except for a tiny bit of harmonica). It's a great track and has great feel and texture, and proves the boys were capable of playing Brian's more sophisticated stuff.

Another one is I Get Around, except for some added percussion and the saxes, nice to know it's all Beach Boys on the track. I mean it went to #1...and they are the musicians on the track. Nuff said.

Didn't know about I Get Around.. I think the rest of the guys don't get enough credit for how awesome their musicianship is. They really pulled those songs together brilliantly and it's funny how you can't tell the difference whether its the wrecking crew or not on some of these songs.

[bringahorseinhere?]

Yes! great thread!   hope those who know these details please post and tell...

I always find it interesting it is Brian tapping on the 'snare' on 'surfin'.... with Al on 'double bass'?.... and Carl on acoustic guitar...

wish there was a photo or two of that session floating about...

RickB

[Phoenix]

Brian's drums on "Funky Pretty" come to mind for me and I agree with the marimba on "All Summer Live".  I'm sure I'll think of a few more.

[adamghost]

Carl:  ukelele on "He Come Down" and drums on "How She Boogalooed It."

[John Stivaktas]

I like the fact that When I Grow Up To Be A Man has only Beach Boys playing the instruments on it, no session musicians at all on that one (except for a tiny bit of harmonica). It's a great track and has great feel and texture, and proves the boys were capable of playing Brian's more sophisticated stuff.

Another one is I Get Around, except for some added percussion and the saxes, nice to know it's all Beach Boys on the track. I mean it went to #1...and they are the musicians on the track. Nuff said.

Jon, firstly let me start by paying due respect to your tremendous journalistic work in regards to the Beach Boys legacy. I don't doubt for a second that the boys are all on this track. I just wanted to add that on the latest Made in California box set release "I Get Around" includes some session chat as an intro. In that intro, Brian talks to Ray and Carl to start the verse on the letter 'A'. So, I think what we have on this track is the original, great and under-rated Wrecking Session musician Ray Pohlman playing a Danelectro 6-string bass with Carl doubling his lines for the majority of the song on guitar.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The case of the "IGA" master is an interesting one, as Brian reused it for the "live" version on the 1964 live album, before (apparently - I may be in error here) deciding to recut a new instrumental track: hence this may be the recording Ray Pohlman is on, and not the original studio version which is, seemingly, lost. Hopefully c-man will shed more light on this thorny topic. Said "sweetening" session was 8/31/64, btw.

Didn't Bruce play celesta on "Girl Don't tell Me" ?

[John Stivaktas]

Oh yes, c-man most definitely will be able to clear it up. By the way, c-man's beachboysarchive site states that Bruce is on the celesta while Brian is leading the band on bass on "Girl Don't Tell Me". The Summer Days CD booklet has Brian credited for both.

I think this is a wonderfully interesting topic. I myself was researching tonight on who played bass on "Here Today" as it is often credited to Carole Kaye. I never felt it fit in with her style of playing and was happy to learn that Carole acknowledges that Ray played that great bass line here.

[Watch a Cave]

For me discovering the Boys played on a lot of the Today tracks was a huge surprise.  When I Grow Up, I'm So Young, dance dance dance, She knows me so well etc..

I always thought it was all wrecking crew.

[Jukka]

Wait, wasn't the album version of DDD all crew (and Carl), and the rest of the guys only played on the early take that's on twofer?

[Jon Stebbins]

I like the fact that When I Grow Up To Be A Man has only Beach Boys playing the instruments on it, no session musicians at all on that one (except for a tiny bit of harmonica). It's a great track and has great feel and texture, and proves the boys were capable of playing Brian's more sophisticated stuff.

Another one is I Get Around, except for some added percussion and the saxes, nice to know it's all Beach Boys on the track. I mean it went to #1...and they are the musicians on the track. Nuff said.

Jon, firstly let me start by paying due respect to your tremendous journalistic work in regards to the Beach Boys legacy. I don't doubt for a second that the boys are all on this track. I just wanted to add that on the latest Made in California box set release "I Get Around" includes some session chat as an intro. In that intro, Brian talks to Ray and Carl to start the verse on the letter 'A'. So, I think what we have on this track is the original, great and under-rated Wrecking Session musician Ray Pohlman playing a Danelectro 6-string bass with Carl doubling his lines for the majority of the song on guitar.

You're right, I forgot that I Get Around has two bassists on the track (Ray Pohlman and Al Jardine)...thanks for reminding me.

[Jon Stebbins]

Wait, wasn't the album version of DDD all crew (and Carl), and the rest of the guys only played on the early take that's on twofer?

No that Dance Dance Dance notion was an unfortunate David Leaf error in the two-fer CD booklet, the group does play on the early Nashville recording, but the core Beach Boys are also on the hit single version as well (Carl lead guitar, Al rhythm guitar, Brian bass, Dennis drums...along with some Wrecking Crew support Glen Campbell acoustic, Ray Pohlman 2nd bass, Hal Blaine extra percussion, Carl Fortina accordion, Steve and Jay saxes). A lot of Beach Boys material has this kind of mix, where the Beach Boys play the core instruments and elements of the Wrecking Crew participate as well.

[zachrwolfe]

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[Andrew G. Doe]

The middle-eight.

[Jukka]

I would love to have a list of Brian's instrumental contributions from 20/20 to Holland. I guess he did play quite a few keyboard parts during that time and bass on a couple of tracks, but more specifics would be nice...

[phirnis]

Didn't he play harmonica on one of the California Saga tracks? Maybe I'm confusing things, not sure about this at all...

[Andrew G. Doe]

I would love to have a list of Brian's instrumental contributions from 20/20 to Holland. I guess he did play quite a few keyboard parts during that time and bass on a couple of tracks, but more specifics would be nice...

Aside from the Fairytale (keyboards) and his piano on the original track for "SO, S" (reportedly recycled), his only confirmed instrumental contribution for Holland was on "Funky Pretty": drums & keyboards. That's the best I can do this time of night - get back to you in the morning. 

[PongHit]

     Brian does the organ solo in "Wendy," right?

     Doesn't Glen Campbell claim to be a guitarist on "Get Around"?

[metal flake paint]

I would love to have a list of Brian's instrumental contributions from 20/20 to Holland. I guess he did play quite a few keyboard parts during that time and bass on a couple of tracks, but more specifics would be nice...

There's some information here about Brian's Sunflower contributions:

http://recordingsunflower.blogspot.com.au/2008/02/track-2-this-whole-world.html
http://recordingsunflower.blogspot.com.au/2008/02/track-3-add-some-music-to-your-day.html

Good Time:
http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,4188.msg68973.html#msg68973

Hopefully, Stephen Desper's updated book will contain band member track contributions.