The Man with All the Toys (BW 2005 version)

[CenturyDeprived]

The Man with All the Toys (BW 2005 version) is surprisingly really, really good. I think it rivals the original, and that's probably the only BB-related decades-later remake of one of their old songs that I think comes close to holding a candle to its original. It just has a great punchy vibe to it, and Brian sounds like he's having a lot of fun. Nobody can ever hold a candle to the BBs' original vocals of course, but I think this version has enough going for it for me to rate it very close to as good.

Thoughts?
And does anyone else think any other BB remake rivals the original?

[Michael Edward Osbourne]

I completely agree with you, CenturyDeprived, and I believe I even mentioned it on this board some time back. It's the only BB remake that is better than the original version imho. The problem with the original, for me anyway, is the lack of booming drums. Brian's solo version has the hard-hitting drums and it's way more energetic. It rocks harder.

[Wirestone]

Totally agree. I always thought the original sounded somewhat unfinished, and I love the extra little chugging riff that's been added (shades of Shortnin' Bread, but not quite). The tag is cool and funny too. It just sounds, to me, like a song that BW had some extra arrangement ideas for, and he just did it.

The entire XMas album, to me, is one of Brian's overlooked solo works. Some folks hate it, and I understand it's odd that he does so many verses of so many traditional numbers, but there's a lot of wit in the arrangements, the new songs are terrific, and there are fun surprises throughout. Maybe it's a bit too long, but overall a great time.

As for remakes versus originals, I have a real soft spot for several of the IJWMFTT takes. The weird-voiced Brian version of "This Whole World" slays me every time, as does the fact that Was's session players seem to not quite know how to play the damn thing. They make the changes, but it all sounds the tiniest bit rickety. I love it.

For that matter "She Says that She Needs Me" has the benefit of actually having vocals that weren't recorded 10 years after the backing track ... There are some arrangement hiccups (the dreaded acoustic guitar fills), but I think it gets more right than it gets wrong.

[HeyJude]

I think the main problem with the original '64 version is indeed that it sounds like of limp and unfinished. It lacks the punch of something like "Little Saint Nick."

I would say, though, that the mono mix (or some iterations of the "Sea of Tunes" takes) have more punch and sonically work better than the spread-out stereo mix.

I enjoy a lot of the vocals on Brian's X-Mas album. I dig the vocal arrangement on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." I do wish the album was a little more dry, and a bit more subdued. It tends to occasionally sound a bit shrill and a bit too wet, with occasionally over-worked arrangements.

[MaryUSA]

Hi all,

The Man with All the Toys (BW 2005 version) is excellent!!!  I like every song on Brian's Christmas CD.  That is the best Christmas gift Brian could give us.  He cares to send the very best. 

[Chocolate Shake Man]

In some sense, we can almost say that Brian himself is the man with all the toys.

[Micha]

I remember being very skeptical back then about the idea of Brian making another Christmas album, but I was pleasantly surprised, there's no Christmas season where I don't give the album several spins, and be it as accompaniment to preparing a meal or doing the dishes!

The two versions of TMWATT are both good but in completely different ways. I think the old one could have been vastly improved by just a little bit of percussion, even with just some stereotypical sleighbells.

[elnombre]

Agreed, it's superior and has a great kick to it. That and 'O Holy Night' blew me away.

[Jim Rockford]

Damn. It is nice. I need to get this by next Christmas. 

[RangeRoverA1]

Have you heard this cover?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL8LzqJxsmk
It's clear this guy's a fan of Brian, he did it almost identical to his solo version, only punchier. Good vox too.
As for the BBs, this is my No. 1 song on their Christmas album. Even prefer it to LSN, tho I like it as well (and LSN w/ "Drivin'" melody. I think it's funny).

[RangeRoverA1]

Damn. It is nice. I need to get this by next Christmas. 

It is more than 'nice'. And why wait? Christmas music isn't supposed to be heard only during, uh,,, Christmastime. You can play it all summer long (pun intended). Smb. - I think it was mikeddonn - related on another thread that Brian & the band introduced the album in one of their summer sets. So there.

[rab2591]

I really thought I was the only one who cared for this version over the original!

Fully agree with others about the original - it sounds sparse, incomplete. The 2005 version sounds perfect.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Damn. It is nice. I need to get this by next Christmas. 

It is more than 'nice'. And why wait? Christmas music isn't supposed to be heard only during, uh,,, Christmastime. You can play it all summer long (pun intended). Smb. - I think it was mikeddonn - related on another thread that Brian & the band introduced the album in one of their summer sets. So there.

Good job. A post like that really needs to be put in its place.

[Jim Rockford]

Damn. It is nice. I need to get this by next Christmas. 

It is more than 'nice'. And why wait? Christmas music isn't supposed to be heard only during, uh,,, Christmastime. You can play it all summer long (pun intended). Smb. - I think it was mikeddonn - related on another thread that Brian & the band introduced the album in one of their summer sets. So there.

Good job. A post like that really needs to be put in its place.

I'm so ashamed. Please forgive me.   

[RangeRoverA1]

Told ya:

It sounds great at any time of the year!

I once had the pleasure of hearing Brian sing "Little Saint Nick" live in June or July.  They had just recorded his Christmas album so he played it.  Only Brian could get away with that!  I also remember thinking during the line "Christmas comes this time each year".  No it doesn't!  

Also in January 2002 when they played Glasgow Brian and the band did "Auld Lang Syne" "in honour of the great Scottish poet, Robert Burns"!

Brian is cool like that. Just stop being 'normal' & get the album now. Or better yet - play it in the car, so people hear you listen to Christmas album in the summer. Quirky, maybe, but so what? Who cares about boring folks in the street?

[Ron]

The Man with All the Toys (BW 2005 version) is surprisingly really, really good. I think it rivals the original, and that's probably the only BB-related decades-later remake of one of their old songs that I think comes close to holding a candle to its original. It just has a great punchy vibe to it, and Brian sounds like he's having a lot of fun. Nobody can ever hold a candle to the BBs' original vocals of course, but I think this version has enough going for it for me to rate it very close to as good.

Thoughts?
And does anyone else think any other BB remake rivals the original?

I don't find it surprising.  I'll go ahead and commit COMPLETE blaspheme too and say that I think the Brian Wilson Presents: SMILE version of Good Vibrations rivals the original. 

[Ron]

My favorite on that album is The First Noel, just an awesome song... and I really like "What I Really Want For Christmas"... I like how he does the little phrases several different ways.  So one line will have just Brian singing acapella, then one will be doubled, and one will have the band singing too, and one will have just the piano, etc.  It has a lot of different textures.  I really like "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" too, because of the way he added in the "Whooo, Ooh Ooh Ohh... Merry Christmas!" part.   The whole song is a masterpiece.