Favorite songs by Carl Wilson

[Lonely Summer]

Youngblood is better than Heaven I think. Horrible titles for albums though. Shame Carl didn't continue with his solo stuff, the Beach Boys were done for by this point so would've been no difference disbanding the whole deal.

I heard some talk circa 1986-87 that Carl was going to do another album. I was surprised, though, that the group didn't attempt to follow up the 1985 album. True, it wasn't a commercial blockbuster, but it sold better than the last few albums, and got them back onto top 40 radio again. Then I remember reading about the Beckley/Lamm/Wilson project in late 1992...and waited, and waited for something to come out.

[metal flake paint]

I find Where I Belong is a bit overrated. I can't be the only one who cringes at the "don't need to search no more exotic islands" lyric, right?

that lyric is really horrid, really cheeses the album up. perhaps he wanted it to be more 'beach boys/summerish'? After all, he was the bloke that wrote the atrocious Keeping The Summer Alive

As per Carl's comments on Goin' Platinum program, he wrote the music. The lyrics were provided by Randy Bachman.

http://youtu.be/XZUqZ1QDFDw?t=7m51s

[Watch a Cave]

"Our Sweet Love" is such a perfect, perfect, perfect recording in every way -- sometimes I can't believe that it really exists!

Agreed.  I mentioned this song earlier in this thread.. it is a perfect vocal performance.  Carl at his peak.

[RangeRoverA1]

"Feel Flows" is a very strong composition & he played just about everything there! As a fan, I like to find out when/if the band did the backing track on it's own. Carl had beautiful voice, no doubt, however, during the 70s it became a wee lazy & incoherent. He was great all along the 60s, even the early years. My favorite Carl lead is "How She Boogalooed It", so groovy & fun, big evidence he wasn't a quiet one & could easily overshadow his "angelic" side if it required so. Conversely, "GOK" remains to be his best 3 minutes.

Should be noted too, he's been known to utter zingers, no less funny than Brianism.

[Lonely Summer]

"Feel Flows" is a very strong composition & he played just about everything there! As a fan, I like to find out when/if the band did the backing track on it's own. Carl had beautiful voice, no doubt, however, during the 70s it became a wee lazy & incoherent. He was great all along the 60s, even the early years. My favorite Carl lead is "How She Boogalooed It", so groovy & fun, big evidence he wasn't a quiet one & could easily overshadow his "angelic" side if it required so. Conversely, "GOK" remains to be his best 3 minutes.

Should be noted too, he's been known to utter zingers, no less funny than Brianism.

Carl had a great sense of humor. Didn't show it publicly very often, but yeah, he could be hilarious...and oh so perceptive.

[Mike's Beard]

The Trader is my favourite Beach Boys song hands down. My favourite BB era is the early 70's where Carl is easily the glue that held everything together. As others have mentioned, in the 1980s his singing made weaker material sound so much better. Simply put, post '68 Carl is the main reason the Beach Boys are my favourite band.

[wantsomecorn]

"Feel Flows" is a very strong composition & he played just about everything there! As a fan, I like to find out when/if the band did the backing track on it's own.

Carl played every instrument on Feel Flows except for the flute and sax (Charles Lloyd) and some additional percussion played by someone named Woodie Thews.

[RioGrande]

Carl was the best voice in the group and one of the best ever in pop music (I'd say THE best, even). As a songwriter, he had not the melodic genius of Brian and Dennis (who has?), but could craft excellent songs. "The Trader" is one of the best in BB canon.

Also, the early '70s period with Carl at the helm is my fav period of the BBs as a band. I am not alone in that, I see. 

[JK]

Carl played every instrument on Feel Flows except for the flute and sax (Charles Lloyd) and some additional percussion played by someone named Woodie Thews.

Woody Theus: http://www.moderndrummer.com/site/2011/08/woody-sonship-theus/#_

[Smilin Ed H]

Feel Flows, Long Promised Road, The Trader, Angel Come Home, Where I Belong.

[Summer_Days]

1. 'Our Sweet Love' (co-written by Carl)
2. 'Long Promised Road'
3. 'Where I Belong'
4. 'The Trader'
5. 'It's Gettin' Late'

[Emily]

Carl Wilson has been the love of my life since I was about 8 (though he faced some fierce competition from Barney Rubble for a time). Him singing Caroline No on The Beach Boys in Concert started it, but the second part of "The Trader" clinched it.

[BSummers]

Carl is my favorite Beach Boy.  I can't get enough of his voice and he makes everything he sings extra special and beautiful.  This is really a tough topic because there's so many songs that are just incredible.

I guess my number one song would be God Only Knows.  Though Brian and Tony Asher penned this beauty, Carl made it his own because he always sang it. 

Heaven is superb.  Love the lyrics, the soft melody and that voice.  Hurry Love, from his first solo album is another soft one that just has me melting whenever I hear it - a kind of sitting on the beach drifting away kind of song.  What You Do To Me and One More Night Alone, from his 2nd album, Youngblood, are very good.  WYDTM is fine example of how versatile and strong Carl's vocals were.  Towards the end of the song, it's incredible!

Some really great vocal achievements from Carl would have to be in Surf's Up, All This Is That (the Brian's back part that was added in 1976).  The ending part really astounds me.  But, I have to say that the number one song for me would have to be his background vocals from Elton John's Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me.  Towards the end of the song, at the crescendo, with the ahs and oohs, Carl's voice doubles perfectly with the french horns.  Just superb!  Goosebumps.

[Lonely Summer]

Carl is my favorite Beach Boy.  I can't get enough of his voice and he makes everything he sings extra special and beautiful.  This is really a tough topic because there's so many songs that are just incredible.

I guess my number one song would be God Only Knows.  Though Brian and Tony Asher penned this beauty, Carl made it his own because he always sang it. 

Heaven is superb.  Love the lyrics, the soft melody and that voice.  Hurry Love, from his first solo album is another soft one that just has me melting whenever I hear it - a kind of sitting on the beach drifting away kind of song.  What You Do To Me and One More Night Alone, from his 2nd album, Youngblood, are very good.  WYDTM is fine example of how versatile and strong Carl's vocals were.  Towards the end of the song, it's incredible!

Some really great vocal achievements from Carl would have to be in Surf's Up, All This Is That (the Brian's back part that was added in 1976).  The ending part really astounds me.  But, I have to say that the number one song for me would have to be his background vocals from Elton John's Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me.  Towards the end of the song, at the crescendo, with the ahs and oohs, Carl's voice doubles perfectly with the french horns.  Just superb!  Goosebumps.

I have heard that song hundreds of times on oldies radio, and never noticed Carl's voice on there. Not an Elton fan.

[Carl Forever]

I LOVE LOVE CARL on the 1985 self titled album, it doesnt seem to be a favorite of others but I love it, Bruce Johnston says he doesnt care for it because of autotune but I love it, Im curious if they have original tapes of it before it was autotuned. Maybe Autotune was done at the time of recording so there is no way to hear original. Anybody know? Kind of cool to have Ringo and Stevie Wonder on there also. There is alot of sweet Carl Giveaways right now on ESQ, no entry needed, just have a subscription: https://www.facebook.com/ESQ.Editor/photos/pcb.10153629932757487/10153629930047487/?type=3&theater
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[Lonely Summer]

I LOVE LOVE CARL on the 1985 self titled album, it doesnt seem to be a favorite of others but I love it, Bruce Johnston says he doesnt care for it because of autotune but I love it, Im curious if they have original tapes of it before it was autotuned. Maybe Autotune was done at the time of recording so there is no way to hear original. Anybody know? Kind of cool to have Ringo and Stevie Wonder on there also. There is alot of sweet Carl Giveaways right now on ESQ, no entry needed, just have a subscription: https://www.facebook.com/ESQ.Editor/photos/pcb.10153629932757487/10153629930047487/?type=3&theater
AL JARDINE PRIZE PACKAGE
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Carl Wilson didn't need no freaking auto tune. Not so sure about Brian or Mike.