Johnny Carson isn't really a strange song for that time period..

[joshferrell]

I was just thinking about how people seem to think that Johnny Carson is a strange song for that time period but it seems like there were other groups/singers that were doing similar type songs with either real life people or fictional Characters.. here are some examples.

"Jack Palance-Van Dyke Parks"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PAOCqoMBHQ

"Roy Rogers-Elton John"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJurH2LG1XI

"Tom Sawyer- Rush"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsKBIBJj-4M

"McCartney -Megneto and titanium man."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTBukDar6vE

[puni puni]

The lyrics read like something out of new wave, not pop/rock, which is why it's weird. "He sings in such a manly tone. Who's the man that we admire? Johnny Carson is a real live wire!"

[Mr. Cohen]

The production adds to its weirdness. It has a bizarre rhythm to it that only Brian could conjure up at that time period. Just listen to the bridge to the ending. Coupled with his crazy theater organ and farting bass, and well, that's what really makes it as strange as it is funny.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Is it just me, or does everyone sound drunk on this track?

[bgas]

it's just you

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

it's just you

seriously.... listen to it

I HOPE they were all drunk

[William Bowe]

Would you actually say Jack Palance was by Van Dyke Parks? Surely it's an old calyspo record he put on there as a bit of audio verite, for reasons to do with theme of the album. In any case, the song is not so much about Jack Palance as a woman bearing an unfortunate facial resemblance to him.

[Smilin Ed H]

Always loved this song.

[HeyJude]

Wait, Jack Palance wrote and sang a song about Van Dyke Parks? 

[Disney Boy (1985)]

it's just you

seriously.... listen to it

I HOPE they were all drunk

They do a tad. It's a great song though; the subject matter causes people to overlook that - in terms of melody and production - it's one of Love You's finest moments.

(Rhianna, incidentally, always sounds pissed when she sings. Whether she thinks that slurry thing she does sounds sexy or what I don't know, but to me she just sounds permanently half sloshed...)

[Firemellow]

Wait, Jack Palance wrote and sang a song about Van Dyke Parks? 

Yes.  Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IfzRf1DtxQ

[ontor pertawst]

Would you actually say Jack Palance was by Van Dyke Parks? Surely it's an old calyspo record he put on there as a bit of audio verite, for reasons to do with theme of the album. In any case, the song is not so much about Jack Palance as a woman bearing an unfortunate facial resemblance to him.

Yeah, it's not VDP it's the Mighty Sparrow. VDP produced his album Hot and Sweet a bit later.

[Ron]

I was just thinking about how people seem to think that Johnny Carson is a strange song for that time period but it seems like there were other groups/singers that were doing similar type songs with either real life people or fictional Characters.. here are some examples.

"Jack Palance-Van Dyke Parks"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PAOCqoMBHQ

"Roy Rogers-Elton John"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJurH2LG1XI

"Tom Sawyer- Rush"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsKBIBJj-4M

"McCartney -Megneto and titanium man."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTBukDar6vE

I think you've got a good point that's really hard to understand unless you were there.  Some songs sound incredibly bad once removed from the context of the times they were recorded in... and you can't get all that context back without an incredible amount of studying and pondering what was going on.  There are lots of songs like that; you hear them now and think 'wtf?' but at the time it all made perfect sense.  Kind of like parachute pants in the early 90's, and how women used to make their hair stick at least 8 inches above their head.  It was hot for a little while. 

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I'm not the biggest Love You fan, but Johnny Carson is a definite highlight. The groove! How does one keep all of those varying "syncopated" keyboard parts in time while tracking them?! How does this song get from the slightly spooky verses to the ebullient tag?!  Why would Mike even agree to sing the lyrics?!

Who cares about teh lyrics! Just play the fucking song again!!!!

[Ron]

Mike will agree to ANY lyrics unless he's pissed off at you (i'm looking at you, Van Dyke Parks).  Mike would be COMPLETELY down with the lyrics to Johnny Carson because any of that pseudo celebrity hob nobbing with b listers stuff Mike is really into. .. and Carson was an A lister. 

[Mr. Cohen]

How does one keep all of those varying "syncopated" keyboard parts in time while tracking them?

I know! The song is, when reduced to its individual parts, incredibly dumb and simplistic on a rhythmic level. But Brian combines all those elements in such a bizarre and unexpected way that it somehow becomes shockingly complex. Like you know you never would've come up with that.

It has also does his Phil Spector blend of sound trick with the piano during the verses, too. If you listen closely you'll notice that the piano bass line is in fact doubled by other keyboard instruments.

[groganb]

Hey, young 'uns. I was there, and "Johnny Carson" sounded absolutely idiotic.

[drbeachboy]

Hey, young 'uns. I was there, and "Johnny Carson" sounded absolutely idiotic.

I found the song fun and performed with tongue firmly in cheek.

[JK]

That cymbal crash on "guy" (in "Don't you think he's such a natural guy", around 1:20) is worth the price of admission alone. 

[CenturyDeprived]

That cymbal crash on "guy" (in "Don't you think he's such a natural guy", around 1:20) is worth the price of admission alone.  

I've often wondered if that cymbal crash was intended to be there, or if it was a goof that happened while Brian (?) was playing the drums.

Its presence and placement is bizarro, that's for sure. And it's kinda rad too.

[Sheriff John Stone]

After almost 40 years, I'm still shaking my head at Brian's arrangements on Love You. Every time I listen to "I'll Bet He's Nice", I find myself thinking, "How did he come up with something like that?" It comes across as a simple song but there's soooooooo much going on in there.

[phirnis]

After almost 40 years, I'm still shaking my head at Brian's arrangements on Love You. Every time I listen to "I'll Bet He's Nice", I find myself thinking, "How did he come up with something like that?" It comes across as a simple song but there's soooooooo much going on in there.

Absolutely agree. The coda is particularly stunning, with that strange interplay between synth meldody and voices.

[Dave in KC]

it's just you

seriously.... listen to it

I HOPE they were all drunk

I guess you lose on this one sir.

[RangeRoverA1]

it's just you

seriously.... listen to it

I HOPE they were all drunk

They do a tad.

No, they don't. Sorry to bring a fly in the ointment, but it's just a manner of singing, no more. And I'm glad for that (of course).

[JK]

That cymbal crash on "guy" (in "Don't you think he's such a natural guy", around 1:20) is worth the price of admission alone.  

I've often wondered if that cymbal crash was intended to be there, or if it was a goof that happened while Brian (?) was playing the drums.

Its presence and placement is bizarro, that's for sure. And it's kinda rad too.

The same effect----whacking the crash cymbal at a moment you wouldn't expect ----occurs in three tracks I can think of (there are probably dozens more):

"Mouldy Old Dough" (Lieutenant Pigeon)
"The Spotlight Kid" (Captain Beefheart)
"Don't Stop" (Fleetwood Mac)