Singles that should have been...

[Moon Dawg]

 "School Girl" has a bit of a 70's AOR rock touch, with an eccentric edge. I've imagined it as a cut off KTSA as well.

[CenturyDeprived]

"School Girl" has a bit of a 70's AOR rock touch, with an eccentric edge. I've imagined it as a cut off KTSA as well.

Man... how much would KTSA have been elevated just by the inclusion of that *one* song. I think a lot. It wouldn't cancel out the turdiness of some of the other tracks, but it would at least have been a major plus.

[Nicko1234]

For KTSA I think Goin to the Beach would have been a better choice than either Livin with a Heartbreak or School Days. It is catchy at least.

And it`s been mentioned a few times that Mike`s Runnin Around the World seemed to have hit possibilities but other things got in the way of it being released.

[urbanite]

Why wasn't Going to the Beach on KTSA?  It's an okay song and miles ahead of School Days and other junk on that album.

[Steve Latshaw]

KTSA suffers, I think, from what was left off, as does LA LIGHT. 

To me, KTSA is not so much a bad album as it is simply gutted... like a movie badly edited for television.

Goin to the Beach, Da Doo Ron Ron, Wild Situation, School Girl, It's Not Too Late from Dennis, the as-yet-to-surface Surfer Susie... Can't Wait Too Long... San Miguel... I'll Always Love You... all could have helped the record.  I understand there was a certain amount of label politics involved, including a requirement that there be at least 6 Brian Wilson songs on the record.  With close to 30 tracks considered for the album the only two that really disappoint me are Oh Darlin' (there's a great song in there somewhere) and When Girls Get Together.  With all the wonderful stuff in the vault, why that one?  Bruce Johnston told me in 1982 he found it in the vault and fell in love with it, particularly the tympani.  So you can blame him for that one.

Clearly there was a lot under consideration for LA Light as well, including Do You Like Worms as an album opener, Can't Wait Too Long as a closer (apparently the preference of Jim Guercio).  To my ears, Bruce was trying to make another Sunflower with this album, with multiple contributions, albeit updated to 1979 radio play.  For the style he went for, and my reaction at the time, side one was, for the most part, well sequenced - although I've always though there needs to be a track between Angel Come Home and Love Surrounds Me to break up the back to back Dennis.  Side two is weak by comparison.  Like many, I never understood why the almost 11 minute mix of Here Comes The Night is on the album, followed by three short songs... and that's it.  I love Baby Blue - and Bruce did a great job adding vocals and sweetening the track (can anyone tell me if that's Brian doing an almost gospel falsetto behind Dennis during the middle 8?  During the lines... "late at night... late at night... honey, late at night...").

California Feeling was in the hopper, unfinished... reportedly they had re-recorded Endless Harmony already... Calendar Girl had been tracked.  Santa Ana Winds (though the first version sounds pretty shaky) For some reason Bruce didn't like California Feeling and Brian's Back (I can understand the reasons for leaving off that one - I like it... but would sound a little strange on the album).  Wild Situation, which features Carl, and I think Bruce on BGs would have been a good one, except that there are so many Dennis and Carl leads on this record that it might have turned this into a Dennis & Carl album, with guest vocals from Mike and Al, which it pretty much is, anyway.  It could use another Al song and another Mike lead.

The album was overdue... it may be simply that Bruce, Guercio, et. al simply felt that they didn't have enough tracks close to finishing... so the long mix of HCTN was used to fill out the space.

[Summertime Blooz]

I always thought Roller Skating Child was the most commercial track from Love You, at least in terms of radio play.  Having said that, I did always think it was missing something.  I recently heard a live show from 1979 featuring the song, which had been featured again in that tour.  The live version has a great bass line... almost a disco bass line that really drives the song along.  I remember hearing some scuttlebutt that year regarding the song... prior to the demise of Here Comes the Night. I had heard there was some talk of putting out a live "disco" versioin of RSC as a single.  Obviously nothing every came of it - but it might have made a better choice as their foray into disco instead of Here Comes the Night.

Other missed single opportunities... Keepin' the Summer Alive... Matchpoint of Our Love... Angel Come Home... California Calling... Runaway (live)... a summer 1978 Beach Boys version of Country Pie... any thoughts?

Well, Roller Skating Child does sound like a logical follow-up to Rock N Roll Music. They're not that far apart musically even though RSC is more synthed out. I guess it could have a hit since Roller Disco was all the rage at the time, and Disco music never shied away from the use of synthesizers.

[Steve Latshaw]

Regarding Roller Skating Child... I love the track... don't get me wrong... and Carl did an excellent job mixing Brian's tracks... making them sound like a synth wall of sound.

But RSC is missing the bottom.  It's got real life guitar all through it but only synth bass.  It needs a real rocking, driving bass sound to push it along.  That bass sound is present in the live version but missing in the studio track.  A tricked out mix with additional bass and vocals ala Alan and Mark's 2012 remix of Rock & Roll Music might have been a major hit in the summer of 1977.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I love "Roller Skating Child"; it might be the best song on the album IMO. But, for that song to be a single - even in 1977 - they would've had to tweak the lyrics and have somebody other than Brian sing the closing line/tag.

[Nicko1234]

KTSA suffers, I think, from what was left off, as does LA LIGHT. 

To me, KTSA is not so much a bad album as it is simply gutted... like a movie badly edited for television.

Goin to the Beach, Da Doo Ron Ron, Wild Situation, School Girl, It's Not Too Late from Dennis, the as-yet-to-surface Surfer Susie... Can't Wait Too Long... San Miguel... I'll Always Love You... all could have helped the record.  I understand there was a certain amount of label politics involved, including a requirement that there be at least 6 Brian Wilson songs on the record.  With close to 30 tracks considered for the album the only two that really disappoint me are Oh Darlin' (there's a great song in there somewhere) and When Girls Get Together.  With all the wonderful stuff in the vault, why that one?  Bruce Johnston told me in 1982 he found it in the vault and fell in love with it, particularly the tympani.  So you can blame him for that one.

Clearly there was a lot under consideration for LA Light as well, including Do You Like Worms as an album opener, Can't Wait Too Long as a closer (apparently the preference of Jim Guercio).  To my ears, Bruce was trying to make another Sunflower with this album, with multiple contributions, albeit updated to 1979 radio play.  For the style he went for, and my reaction at the time, side one was, for the most part, well sequenced - although I've always though there needs to be a track between Angel Come Home and Love Surrounds Me to break up the back to back Dennis.  Side two is weak by comparison.  Like many, I never understood why the almost 11 minute mix of Here Comes The Night is on the album, followed by three short songs... and that's it.  I love Baby Blue - and Bruce did a great job adding vocals and sweetening the track (can anyone tell me if that's Brian doing an almost gospel falsetto behind Dennis during the middle 8?  During the lines... "late at night... late at night... honey, late at night...").

California Feeling was in the hopper, unfinished... reportedly they had re-recorded Endless Harmony already... Calendar Girl had been tracked.  Santa Ana Winds (though the first version sounds pretty shaky) For some reason Bruce didn't like California Feeling and Brian's Back (I can understand the reasons for leaving off that one - I like it... but would sound a little strange on the album).  Wild Situation, which features Carl, and I think Bruce on BGs would have been a good one, except that there are so many Dennis and Carl leads on this record that it might have turned this into a Dennis & Carl album, with guest vocals from Mike and Al, which it pretty much is, anyway.  It could use another Al song and another Mike lead.

The album was overdue... it may be simply that Bruce, Guercio, et. al simply felt that they didn't have enough tracks close to finishing... so the long mix of HCTN was used to fill out the space.

Is it Bruce who didn`t like California Feelin? I`ve always assumed that it was Brian who said no to this (and presumably Do You Like Worms and Can`t Wait Too Long as well).

[Sound of Free]

Since Pet Sounds was an album that took some time to grow on some listeners, I wish that Gold Only Knows hadn't been the B side to Wouldn't It Be Nice.

Let WIBN have the spotlight, and after that's peaked, THEN put out God Only Knows to keep Pet Sounds selling and maybe keep Capitol from putting out Beach of the Beach Boys.

I also think the lead single from LA should have been Angel Come Home. Even though Dennis' voice was rough, I think it suited the song well and it could have been a hit.

I agree with Catch A Wave.

[bluesno1fann]

Since Pet Sounds was an album that took some time to grow on some listeners, I wish that Gold Only Knows hadn't been the B side to Wouldn't It Be Nice.

Let WIBN have the spotlight, and after that's peaked, THEN put out God Only Knows to keep Pet Sounds selling and maybe keep Capitol from putting out Beach of the Beach Boys.

I also think the lead single from LA should have been Angel Come Home. Even though Dennis' voice was rough, I think it suited the song well and it could have been a hit.

I agree with Catch A Wave.

I agree with the Pet Sounds idea. I suppose Angel Come Home should have been the second single, with Good Timin' as the B-side, and Lady Lynda as the main single with Love Surrounds Me as the B-side.

And I completely disagree with Catch A Wave.

[Nicko1234]

Didn`t Good Timin get loads of airplay? I would say it is much more commercial than Angel Come Home.

[Steve Latshaw]

I think had Good Timin' been the lead single it would have been a bigger hit.  But hindsight...

From an interview with Bruce in 1978, he was really pushing Angel Come Home as a hit single.  I think there was a conscious attempt to create a sound with that record similar to Exile (I Want to Kiss You All Over) and Eddie Money... and I think it could have been a huge hit had it been properly promoted... it really fit right in with the top 40 sound that year.  But it wasn't chosen... and as Dennis was a bit erratic that year... it probably wouldn't have had as much of a chance. 

Anyone remember the radio commercials for LA Light?  They were very good...

[Steve Latshaw]

By the way... has anybody heard this Mick Fleetwood remake of Angel Come Home from 1983?  First time I've heard it..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guEtDXIGgvE

[urbanite]

Good Timin's should have been the first single off the album, instead of the botched disco version of HCTN.

What is the song School Girl?

[Matt H]

Good Timin's should have been the first single off the album, instead of the botched disco version of HCTN.

What is the song School Girl?

Dennis song released on the re-issue of Pacific Ocean Blue in 2008.

[Sheriff John Stone]

By the way... has anybody heard this Mick Fleetwood remake of Angel Come Home from 1983?  First time I've heard it..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guEtDXIGgvE

That version ^ received steady airplay on MTV for a couple of weeks. I've sure the overwhelming number of BB/Dennis fans prefer The Beach Boys' version, but I liked Fleetwood's take, mainly because I thought The Beach Boys' version dragged. I like "Angel Come Home" a lot but the production let it down. That song is dying to rock; the Midnight Special version hints at how good the song could've/should've been.

[Mark H]

...and I always wish(ed) they would re-release "God Only Knows" as a single in the 2000's - with promotion - maybe when it appeared in a movie or something. I am curious how that song would be received by an entirely new/young/different generation. On a different subject, and not to derail this thread, but if I were running a record company, I would be re-releasing old, classic, timeless singles from the 1960's and 1970's to generations who missed it!

Sad but true story, a co-worker who loves the Beatles but once mocked me for liking the Beach Boys was humming GOK (it had been used in a British Gas advert) and I said 'good tune' she was like 'yeah it's a classic'.  She had no idea it was the Beach Boys....

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Chug a Lug/Coo Coo Clock
Catch a Wave/ Your Summer Dreams
Wendy/Pom Pom Play Girl
Good to My Baby/All Dressed Up for School
Girl from NYC/Amusement Parks USA
Hang on To Your Ego/Pet Sounds
Vegetables/Wind Chimes (Smile)
It's About Time/All I Wanna Do
Marcella/Wouldn't it Be Nice to Live Again
Johnny Carson/The Night Was So Young
Match Point/Bells of Paris
Keepin the Summer Alive/Santa Anna Winds(early version)
Male Ego/Where I Belong

And if any of these were singles they should've been hits!

[Joel Goldenberg]

I wonder how "It's About Time" would have done as a pre-Sunflower roll-out singe instead of Add Some Music.

Rockin' track like that might have managed some FM play.

As great as "Add Some Music" is, people must've heard it and thought "Ah, same ole dorky Beach Boys" ....

Unfortunately, It's About Time was recorded after the first version of Sunflower was rejected, later in 1970.

[Steve Latshaw]

Here's that live version of Roller Skating Child from 1979... with the missing bass part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cu0SCxEths

[Moon Dawg]

Chug a Lug/Coo Coo Clock
Catch a Wave/ Your Summer Dreams
Wendy/Pom Pom Play Girl
Good to My Baby/All Dressed Up for School
Girl from NYC/Amusement Parks USA
Hang on To Your Ego/Pet Sounds
Vegetables/Wind Chimes (Smile)
It's About Time/All I Wanna Do
Marcella/Wouldn't it Be Nice to Live Again
Johnny Carson/The Night Was So Young
Match Point/Bells of Paris
Keepin the Summer Alive/Santa Anna Winds(early version)
Male Ego/Where I Belong

And if any of these were singles they should've been hits!

 "Marcella" b/w "Hold On Dear Brother" peaked at #110 on Billbord's Bubbling Under Chart, July 29, 1972!

[BillA]

I can't remember the last time that they had the correct first single from an album.  'It's OK'

As for singles that should been:

"Love Surrounds Me" and "Full Sail" from LA.  Both fit the times well.  If you look at the Billboard Top 100 for 1979 it is littered with things such as "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", "Lady" (LRB), "She Believes in Me" and "Time Passages".

"Maybe I Don't Know" from BB85

"From There to Back Again"/Pacific Coast Highway" - There is something to be said about releasing the best damn Brian Wilson song in 40 years.

"Marcella" and "Funky Pretty" from "In Concert" - Both blow the originals away and provide a great example of how powerful the Beach Boys were as a live act.   

[Nicko1234]

Where I Belong should have been a single from BB85. Simply because it is by far the best song.