Why did Brian go with the title Then I Kissed Her instead of Then She Kissed Me?

[CenturyDeprived]

are we talking the same Al Jardine here, of the Beach Boys, who Dennis once termed as "a man waiting for a bus"

I've never really understood that quote. Is there some subtext to the "man waiting for a bus" thing that I'm missing? Was it supposed to mean that Denny was bored and disengaged?

[RangeRoverA1]

I've never really understood that quote. Is there some subtext to the "man waiting for a bus" thing that I'm missing?

This is good question, would like to know as well.

[Rick5150]

We're talking an Al Jardine lead - he's a man of action, a lover and a fighter, a kisser not a kissee, thus the lyrics were possibly changed to reflect his character.

I guess he's got a way with girls 

[wantsomecorn]

So, anyone remember when Brian sang "I Loves You, Porgy" without changing any of the words?

And, I'm not going to say anyone's a bigot or a homophobe for changing the words of a song around, but do we really have to be so paranoid about a few lyrics of a song?

[JK]

are we talking the same Al Jardine here, of the Beach Boys, who Dennis once termed as "a man waiting for a bus"

I've never really understood that quote. Is there some subtext to the "man waiting for a bus" thing that I'm missing? Was it supposed to mean that Denny was bored and disengaged?

Apparently, Dennis was describing how boring he thought Al was. No one seems to know when and where he made that remark.

I'm happy to be corrected but it sounds apocryphal to me. ...

[JK]

Ah, Then I Kissed Her! As many of you young people know, Al the folkie pushed hard for Brian Wilson to record this calypso classic, often calling the great man at two in the morning and in a drunken slur insisting “Ve jould record Zen He Kisshed Me.”

Brian misheard once, thinking Al had said, “Zen, gee, kissh me,” and was nonplussed at the quiet rhythm guitarist’s bold pass. Thus began a Three Stooges-like dialogue during which Lynda heard Brian shout, “I’m not going to kiss you, Al!” Lynda’s dark stare caused a quickly sobering Al to blurt out “He misheard!”

But Brian thought Al had said, not “he misheard,” but rather “He kissed her.”

Brian said, “Record it as Then He Kissed Her?”

Cutting his losses, Al said “Yes, Brian, Then He Kissed Her.”

Brian said, “Al that doesn’t make sense. It should be Then I Kissed Her.”

Cleverly, Al said, “Of course, Brian, Then I Kissed Her!”

“Marilyn?!!! Dammit Al!”

“No, Brian, I didn’t kiss Marilyn. Lynda was saying…”

“Lynda kissed Marilyn???”

“Well, just the once.”

When all was straightened out, of course, the Beach Boys recorded their brilliant rendition of the song. And that, my friends, is the inside story of how it became Then I Kissed Her – a typically complicated misunderstanding that the boys turned to gold.

 

It's about time this post was given some credit. Hank rules!

So, anyone remember when Brian sang "I Loves You, Porgy" without changing any of the words?

And, I'm not going to say anyone's a bigot or a homophobe for changing the words of a song around, but do we really have to be so paranoid about a few lyrics of a song?

To say nothing of Astrud Gilberto's definitive rendering of "The Girl From Ipanema"...

[thorgil]

Just after the release of BWRG, by complete luck I happened upon a radio broadcast featuring a lenghty interview with Brian, who was enthusiastic about the new album and firing on all cylinders (imagine a chapter from his book). The interviewer, who was very good, among many questions asked why Brian had not changed the lyrics to "I Loves You Porgy". Brian gave a very lively and heartfelt answer, and I don't remember his exact words, but it was something like: "So, I sang a love song to a man. I know there is still someone who thinks it's unappropriate, but I am not among them."

[CenturyDeprived]

Just after the release of BWRG, by complete luck I happened upon a radio broadcast featuring a lenghty interview with Brian, who was enthusiastic about the new album and firing on all cylinders (imagine a chapter from his book). The interviewer, who was very good, among many questions asked why Brian had not changed the lyrics to "I Loves You Porgy". Brian gave a very lively and heartfelt answer, and I don't remember his exact words, but it was something like: "So, I sang a love song to a man. I know there is still someone who thinks it's unappropriate, but I am not among them."

Brian's version of I Loves You Porgy rules. I really like the idea of Brian not giving a f*ck about the "appropriateness" of that lyric.

It really shouldn't matter, though I'm not quite sure that same attitude would have passed muster in the '60s if, say, The BBs wanted to cover it. Or in the late '70s if Brian had tried to cover it with unchanged lyrics for Adult Child, I could see  potential band member pushback (beyond the pushback for covering a Gershwin song in and of itself).