Which version of Big Sur do you prefer?

[Alan Smith]

Prefer the Holland version - evocative, laid back, a bit world weary, intimate and sets a good mood/atmosphere for Beaks and the eventual lift of California

Landlocked version is very good and I'd love to have an official version on hand.

[alf wiedersehen]

I'll also vote for the Holland version. It helps that I have an affinity for country music from this era.

Has this song ever been used for a movie? It seems like it would fit perfectly in a film setting.

[Steve Mayo]

version on holland

[bgas]

version on holland

hey stranger!

[Steve Mayo]

version on holland

hey stranger!

[Myk Luhv]

Another for Holland, although let it be known I think this question, this forced choice, is heinous since they're both excellent in different ways!

[Mikie]

Steve's no stranger.  He's just a hard workin' guy.

[Steve Mayo]

Steve's no stranger.  He's just a hard workin' guy.

yep..mikie's right, I do work a lot but also been going thru a rough spell. but I stopped by tonight for a visit.. 

[Mikie]

Hang tough and have a brewski on me, man. 

[Ovi]

Easily the Holland version for me. I never understood why most people prefer the 4/4 version.

Not this fan* - the decision to pare it back to campfire basics to fit with the rest of the "California Saga" suite was 100% correct. The so-called Landlocked version is way too lush.

[* - since you asked... "Let The Wind Blow"... "All I Wanna Do"... "Viggie" (the ocarina mix)... "Kiss Me, Baby"]

Agreed 100%.

[Yorick]

They made the right decision to release the version they did!

[bgas]

Hang tough and have a brewski on me, man. 

Man, I'd love to put a brewski on you!

[SMiLE Brian]

Can we have a Mikie and Bgas panel at the next BBs convention?

[Bill M]

Please put me down for the Holland version.  The harmonica, acoustic guitar, & steel guitar add an appropriate feel, imo.  It goes well with "(On My Way to Sunny) California."  I don't hate the 4/4, just find it a bit syrupy.

[chrs_mrgn]

The landlocked version is far superior.

The opening vocal doo doe's and the background vocal in general are glorious.
It sounds much less forced and just flows.

Mike's vocals are beautiful and in fact are probably one of my top 10 by the band.

[runnersdialzero]

Are the great number of votes for the Holland version the result of some kind of backlash against so many people going apewaste over the original? The Holland version's nice, but the original blows it away in every aspect. To me, there's no recording of a Mike song out there that even comes close to the 4/4 version, and while not Brian Wilson, the guy isn't a terrible songwriter or anything. At least not back then.

I'm not even sure if I'd find the Holland version especially worthwhile if not for having gotten into the original version. The humming/harmonica/etc. are nice, but unlike the original version, I don't find myself missing those additions when listening to the original, where as when listening to the Holland version, I find myself missing a lot of the stuff from the original. I can't help but sing the backing vocals from the original.

The original feels much more Beach Boys-y, too (in a good way). I would not hesitate to toss it onto any multi-disc highlights collection that attempts to span/sum up their career where as the Holland version is just kind of cute in the context of the Holland album.

imo imo imo

[RiC]

Please put me down for the Holland version.  The harmonica, acoustic guitar, & steel guitar add an appropriate feel, imo.  It goes well with "(On My Way to Sunny) California."  I don't hate the 4/4, just find it a bit syrupy.

Exactly.
In the Holland version, there's something going on, like unspoken darkness underneath the shiny cover, it's so subtle and every note, every sound and every instrument is just right. Landlocked version comes anywhere near it.

[RangeRoverA1]

The Holland version, on the other hand, reminds me of Bob Dylan and i have no tolerance for Bob Dylan.

Not sure how "Big Sur" Holland could remind you of Dylan, Mike's voice is absolutely different, but I thank you for saying the last bit. Now we're holy trinity of Dylan dislikers; Wrightfan also ignores him like sth. monstrous & tasteless cheap stuff. Dig people who have grits for contradicting the popular notion.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Are the great number of votes for the Holland version the result of some kind of backlash against so many people going apewaste over the original? The Holland version's nice, but the original blows it away in every aspect. To me, there's no recording of a Mike song out there that even comes close to the 4/4 version, and while not Brian Wilson, the guy isn't a terrible songwriter or anything. At least not back then.

I'm not even sure if I'd find the Holland version especially worthwhile if not for having gotten into the original version. The humming/harmonica/etc. are nice, but unlike the original version, I don't find myself missing those additions when listening to the original, where as when listening to the Holland version, I find myself missing a lot of the stuff from the original. I can't help but sing the backing vocals from the original.

The original feels much more Beach Boys-y, too (in a good way). I would not hesitate to toss it onto any multi-disc highlights collection that attempts to span/sum up their career where as the Holland version is just kind of cute in the context of the Holland album.

imo imo imo

And I respect the imo imo imo

I like the original version a lot, but in my opinion, there's something slightly "wimpy" about the feel, whereas the Holland version has a more "pioneering" feel, which is what I get out of the intent of the song.

Can I/we also assume that Mike preferred the Holland version? While he didn't produce the Holland album, did Mike have the final say on his own songs?

[JK]

The Holland version, on the other hand, reminds me of Bob Dylan and i have no tolerance for Bob Dylan.

Not sure how "Big Sur" Holland could remind you of Dylan, Mike's voice is absolutely different, but I thank you for saying the last bit. Now we're holy trinity of Dylan dislikers; Wrightfan also ignores him like sth. monstrous & tasteless cheap stuff. Dig people who have grits for contradicting the popular notion.

I think the harmonica reminds Monicker of Dylan, not the voice. I'm not particularly fond of Dylan myself. A formidable songwriter but impossible to listen to at any length.       

[Sheriff John Stone]

The Holland version, on the other hand, reminds me of Bob Dylan and i have no tolerance for Bob Dylan.

Not sure how "Big Sur" Holland could remind you of Dylan, Mike's voice is absolutely different, but I thank you for saying the last bit. Now we're holy trinity of Dylan dislikers; Wrightfan also ignores him like sth. monstrous & tasteless cheap stuff. Dig people who have grits for contradicting the popular notion.

I think the harmonica reminds Monicker of Dylan, not the voice. I'm not particularly fond of Dylan myself. A formidable songwriter but impossible to listen to at any length.       

You know, I never realized it before, but Mike Love's vocal on Holland's "Big Sur" does resemble Bob Dylan - around that time period - 1970-1973. And, Bob Dylan was a great, great singer.

[Dancing Bear]

The 4/4 version we can listen to is very lo-fi, probably mastered from a cassette copy. That said, I think 3/4 fits better in Holland than 4/4 would fit in Sunflower or Surf's Up.

[RangeRoverA1]

I think the harmonica reminds Monicker of Dylan, not the voice. I'm not particularly fond of Dylan myself. A formidable songwriter but impossible to listen to at any length.       

Well, I'd be really surprised if that's so. Bob Dylan isn't like the 1st harmonica player ever in the whole music industry, is he? Not even a virtuoso. Fwiw, Brian Jones was a much better harmonica player.

We are 4 now, yahoo!

Sheriff, we're going to respectfully disagree with your assessment of Dylan being a "great" singer.

[pixletwin]

I like Holland version better. The Landlocked version sounds like a Folgers coffee commercial  to me.

[RangeRoverA1]

The Landlocked version sounds like a Folgers coffee commercial  to me.

Don't know about that trademark but actually I too had impression after hearing the 4/4 that it could fit for commercial, maybe "Bounty" (boring chocolate, btw, and I'm a big chocolate fan).