Stevie Wonder and The Beach Boys

[Pablo.]

Tomorrow I'll be covering a Stevie Wonder press conference, and I'll have the chance to ask him a question or two. Does anybody remember Stevie talking about the BBs version of IWMTLH or "I do love you"? I always also assumed that Brian's Moog bass lines were influenced by him, even if the BBs were using the Moog at least a year before Stevie

Thanks

[The 4th Wilson Bro.]

What DID Stevie say about the Boys' version of "I was made to love her?"  I don't recall having read or heard.  I know I'm in the minority, but I thought the band (especially Carl) nailed that recording.  Also, did you learn anything at today's press conference?

[Mitchell]

Ask about Carol Kaye's bass playing. 

[The Shift]

Don't forget he worked with them on the '85 album… at least, on one track.  That was an interesting period for the band, with Brian's odd involvement.  Did SW work with the band or was his contribution phoned-in?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Ask about Carol Kaye's bass playing. 

As I recall, his response last time contained the word "lawyers". 

[CenturyDeprived]

What DID Stevie say about the Boys' version of "I was made to love her?"  I don't recall having read or heard.  I know I'm in the minority, but I thought the band (especially Carl) nailed that recording.  Also, did you learn anything at today's press conference?

I agree that the BBs nailed "I Was Made to Love Her"... although I think the extended version (with bridge) that's on the Rarities album is MUCH better, since it gives the song a chance to breathe a bit, and takes away a bit of the repetition. Even that janky edit of the voices cutting off at the end of the bridge is kinda sorta cool. I used to get bored with the album version upon my initial listenings of it, but the Rarities version made me listen to it in a new light, and it grew on me a lot.

Surprised that whoever made that decision (whether it be Brian or the band) went with the edit for the WH album version.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Don't forget he worked with them on the '85 album… at least, on one track.  That was an interesting period for the band, with Brian's odd involvement.  Did SW work with the band or was his contribution phoned-in?

Semi-phoned in - Levine called on him to ask if he'd contribute, and walked out an hour or so later with the basic track (and presumably a scratch vocal) for "IDLY". SW and the BB were never in the studio at the same time.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Off-topic but "Don't Know Why" is one of the coolest songs ever.

[wantsomecorn]

Don't forget he worked with them on the '85 album… at least, on one track.  That was an interesting period for the band, with Brian's odd involvement.  Did SW work with the band or was his contribution phoned-in?

Semi-phoned in - Levine called on him to ask if he'd contribute, and walked out an hour or so later with the basic track (and presumably a scratch vocal) for "IDLY". SW and the BB were never in the studio at the same time.

So had Stevie already recorded the song, then?

[Pablo.]

Stevie told me that "I do love you" was a song he had written at 17 influenced by the Beach Boys, and that he felt honored recording it with them.  About "I was made...": he just said they covered it, because the translator asked the question wrong, as if it were another donation. Cool fact about "I do love you", anyway... even if I fail to see the influence. He turned 17 in 1967.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Don't forget he worked with them on the '85 album… at least, on one track.  That was an interesting period for the band, with Brian's odd involvement.  Did SW work with the band or was his contribution phoned-in?

Semi-phoned in - Levine called on him to ask if he'd contribute, and walked out an hour or so later with the basic track (and presumably a scratch vocal) for "IDLY". SW and the BB were never in the studio at the same time.

So had Stevie already recorded the song, then?

Not sure - the inference in the article was that he recorded it while Levine waited.

[Rocker]

IIRC Brian once said he wrote "Still I dream of it" for Stevie Wonder. But then he also said he wrote it for Sinatra

[metal flake paint]

Perhaps the genesis of this relationship stems from when Al met Stevie at a reception and became so enamoured by him that he wanted to work with him.


References

Lillie, A., & Perrin, P. (1982). A rap from Al Jardine. BBFUN Newsletter, (7)4, 1-4.

[astroray]

I saw Stevie on some show when one of his albums came out, he included a ep with (more songs he couldn't fit on the LP) he said the only other time it had been done was The Beach Boys "Holland" album. So he knew about that!

[Pablo.]

That's Song In The Key Of Life: a double album plus an ep!