How Come "Surf's Up" Wasn't Performed C50?

[Rocker]

Nope, 'twas Surf's Up with Scott, just as stated earlier.

My response was directed at the question which other song(s) was done at soundcheck but not performed. One of them was "Friends" iirc as stated above. Wasn't meaning that SU wasn't soundchecked

[NHC]

Years back I read an interview of some kind with Carl when he was asked about playing Surf's Up live again, and he said, yeah that would be great, I'd love to, but we would need all the instruments like the French horns to do it right - - - lo and behold, a few decades later Brian's band has a - - - - - -  French horn player, and the rest of the C50 ensemble was there to have pulled it off.  But, I think this song is so special it would almost have to have its own special spotlight in the set list. It might have been hard to find a place for it, set the right mood, right moment, etc. Not like dropping in "Car Crazy Cutie" or "Noble Surfer" (which would have been fine with me). I don't know, just random ideas here . . . . . sure would have great to hear it at C50, though.

Maybe Brian could have graciously asked Mike to sing lead on it.

Now THAT'S something that hadn't crossed my mind . . . . .

[Alan Smith]

Years back I read an interview of some kind with Carl when he was asked about playing Surf's Up live again, and he said, yeah that would be great, I'd love to, but we would need all the instruments like the French horns to do it right - - - lo and behold, a few decades later Brian's band has a - - - - - -  French horn player, and the rest of the C50 ensemble was there to have pulled it off.  But, I think this song is so special it would almost have to have its own special spotlight in the set list. It might have been hard to find a place for it, set the right mood, right moment, etc. Not like dropping in "Car Crazy Cutie" or "Noble Surfer" (which would have been fine with me). I don't know, just random ideas here . . . . . sure would have great to hear it at C50, though.

Maybe Brian could have graciously asked Mike to sing lead on it.

+1, and graciously ask Al to take over at "...dove nested towers".  Woulda been nice

[Cabinessenceking]

the band cannot fathom the gravitas of their own music. SU is a song so powerful and well composed that it should be a certainty on their setlist.

PS has SJB, WIBN and GOK
Smile has H&V, GV and SU

if any 6 songs better represent that era, their artistic pinnacle, then please submit them for my reading.

[lee]

I remember before the BW w/ Jeff Beck tour, I read an interview with one of BW's band members.  He said that they wouldn't be playing Surf's Up. He said it was a hard song for Brian to sing.

So with the song being too hard for Brian to sing and (I'm just guessing) Mike wasn't pushing to get the song in the setlist, the idea of performing Surf's Up was probably short lived to nonexistent.

[Nicko1234]

I remember before the BW w/ Jeff Beck tour, I read an interview with one of BW's band members.  He said that they wouldn't be playing Surf's Up. He said it was a hard song for Brian to sing.

So with the song being too hard for Brian to sing and (I'm just guessing) Mike wasn't pushing to get the song in the setlist, the idea of performing Surf's Up was probably short lived to nonexistent.

This is an interesting post.

They did play Surf`s Up on that tour but as a semi-instrumental version with Brian not singing the lead (in the clips I have seen anyway).

I can`t remember the last time that Brian did sing Surf`s Up in concert (maybe someone here can?) but it seems like a while ago.

[baseball95]

I remember before the BW w/ Jeff Beck tour, I read an interview with one of BW's band members.  He said that they wouldn't be playing Surf's Up. He said it was a hard song for Brian to sing.

So with the song being too hard for Brian to sing and (I'm just guessing) Mike wasn't pushing to get the song in the setlist, the idea of performing Surf's Up was probably short lived to nonexistent.

This is an interesting post.

They did play Surf`s Up on that tour but as a semi-instrumental version with Brian not singing the lead (in the clips I have seen anyway).

I can`t remember the last time that Brian did sing Surf`s Up in concert (maybe someone here can?) but it seems like a while ago.

Looks like the last Smile show was the last time it was played with him singing.

http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/the-beach-boys-3d6c17b.html?song=Surf's+Up

[halblaineisgood]

.

[Nicko1234]

Looks like the last Smile show was the last time it was played with him singing.

http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/the-beach-boys-3d6c17b.html?song=Surf's+Up

Thanks.

I guess that confirms that it is probably is down to Brian (either finding it difficult to sing or not wanting to sing it) that it wasn`t performed.

[Niko]

Looks like the last Smile show was the last time it was played with him singing.

http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/the-beach-boys-3d6c17b.html?song=Surf's+Up

Thanks.

I guess that confirms that it is probably is down to Brian (either finding it difficult to sing or not wanting to sing it) that it wasn`t performed.

How does it confirm that? That's a possible reason, but it doesn't rule out all other reasons.

[Nicko1234]

How does it confirm that? That's a possible reason, but it doesn't rule out all other reasons.

I said it means it is probably down to Brian (or his people if you prefer).

As he wasn`t singing it in 2011 and before and he wasn`t singing it in 2013, I would still say that is the case.

[Capitol Punishment]

How does it confirm that? That's a possible reason, but it doesn't rule out all other reasons.

I said it means it is probably down to Brian (or his people if you prefer).

As he wasn`t singing it in 2011 and before and he wasn`t singing it in 2013, I would still say that is the case.

I assumed that Brian just didn't feel like singing Surf's Up. In the 2012 RS interview, I believe Brian was asked if they were going to perform any Smile tracks and he said something like "Nah, we don't wanna do any of that stuff" and Mike then told Brian that they had to at least play Heroes and Villains (which they did, at least at the show I went to). I thought that Brian comment was very Brian-like if you know what I mean.    Surf's Up live in 2012 would have been cool though.

[Phoenix]

PS has SJB, WIBN and GOK
Smile has H&V, GV and SU

if any 6 songs better represent that era, their artistic pinnacle, then please submit them for my reading.

Word.  

[halblaineisgood]

.

[Eric Aniversario]

It's interesting to read from the above posts that the four songs that were rehearsed during sound check but never performed were "Friends", "I can hear music", "surf's up", and "the warmth of the sun".

These were the only 4 songs on the "50 big ones" compilation that were not performed during the c50 tour. Cool to know that they were all considered. I imagine that "the warmth of the sun" may have been Scott as well, as he also sang lead on this with Mike & Bruce's Beach Boys last year, I believe (maybe it was early this year).

[halblaineisgood]

.

[puni puni]

Lyrics don't matter, only the way in which a collection of syllables associate phonetically and grammatically with melodic lines that soar over, under, and around the rhythmic devices they occupy in order to convey some abstract scene or emotion... Smile's main point. That being said, Surf's Up isn't Surf's Up without the tape delay, muted guitar, glockenspiel, and jewelry.

[halblaineisgood]

.

[puni puni]

"Ooooh," "bidow," and "wadoo" are not considered lyrics, you know...

[Moz from Oz]

I remember before the BW w/ Jeff Beck tour, I read an interview with one of BW's band members.  He said that they wouldn't be playing Surf's Up. He said it was a hard song for Brian to sing.

So with the song being too hard for Brian to sing and (I'm just guessing) Mike wasn't pushing to get the song in the setlist, the idea of performing Surf's Up was probably short lived to nonexistent.

 After a C50 gig, myself and a few others were having a beer in a pub with Nelson and Probyn. Someone asked Nelson why SU hadn't been played and his response was that it was now too difficult for Brian to sing. He also said something along the lines of no one else being able to sing it and were conscious not to give too many leads to non principles. Words to that effect anyway. It was 2.00 in the morning and a belly full of beer, but he definitely said  Brian could no longer do it

[Rocky Raccoon]

I remember before the BW w/ Jeff Beck tour, I read an interview with one of BW's band members.  He said that they wouldn't be playing Surf's Up. He said it was a hard song for Brian to sing.

So with the song being too hard for Brian to sing and (I'm just guessing) Mike wasn't pushing to get the song in the setlist, the idea of performing Surf's Up was probably short lived to nonexistent.

Surf's Up was a huge part of the Jeff Beck tour though.  They played it at every show with Our Prayer as an intro, but Brian didn't sing lead, Beck's guitar did the lead singing for him.  And it was pretty awesome.  Brian did however sing the "A children's song" coda.

[Alan Smith]

I remember before the BW w/ Jeff Beck tour, I read an interview with one of BW's band members.  He said that they wouldn't be playing Surf's Up. He said it was a hard song for Brian to sing.

So with the song being too hard for Brian to sing and (I'm just guessing) Mike wasn't pushing to get the song in the setlist, the idea of performing Surf's Up was probably short lived to nonexistent.

 After a C50 gig, myself and a few others were having a beer in a pub with Nelson and Probyn. Someone asked Nelson why SU hadn't been played and his response was that it was now too difficult for Brian to sing. He also said something along the lines of no one else being able to sing it and were conscious not to give too many leads to non principles. Words to that effect anyway. It was 2.00 in the morning and a belly full of beer, but he definitely said  Brian could no longer do it

Only a belly full?  And then some, I'll bet    Great info, man - Hope all is well - A

[Rocker]

I remember before the BW w/ Jeff Beck tour, I read an interview with one of BW's band members.  He said that they wouldn't be playing Surf's Up. He said it was a hard song for Brian to sing.

So with the song being too hard for Brian to sing and (I'm just guessing) Mike wasn't pushing to get the song in the setlist, the idea of performing Surf's Up was probably short lived to nonexistent.

 After a C50 gig, myself and a few others were having a beer in a pub with Nelson and Probyn. Someone asked Nelson why SU hadn't been played and his response was that it was now too difficult for Brian to sing. He also said something along the lines of no one else being able to sing it and were conscious not to give too many leads to non principles. Words to that effect anyway. It was 2.00 in the morning and a belly full of beer, but he definitely said  Brian could no longer do it

I bet Stamos could've done it