I'd rather listen to Kokomo than.........

[KDS]

It's Friday.  It's summertime, so I just wanted to start a fun, opinion based thread. 

I had an aside about the song Kokomo in another thread.  I know it's a very polarizing song.  Most people seem to dislike it, but I'm on the other side of the fence.  For a band past their 25th year, that's a pretty good song in my opinion. 

I also said that I'd rather hear Kokomo than plenty of other songs in the BB catalog, some of which were released during their creative years 62-73.

I hope this doesn't evolve into a Mike v. Brian type thread, and I don't wish to be accused of not being a Brian fan for a couple of my choices, but here it goes....

I'd rather listen to Kokomo than:

1.  Sonny v Cassius / Our Favorite Sessions / Bull Session - I know it was a different time, and the full length album was not exactly an art form.  But these tracks mar the otherwise great Shut Down Vol 2, All Summer Long, and Today albums. 

2.  Vegetables - In any form, it's one of my least favorite BB songs.  I think its a weak link on Smile, and for the life of me, I can understand why this song is so well liked. 

3.  Take a Load Off Your Feet - This song might keep Surf's Up from being my favorite Beach Boys album.

4. Rock and Roll Music - I really had my pick of 15 Big One tracks, but I'm going with this because it should have been a classic.  The arrangement is not very rock and roll. 

5.  I Wanna Pick You Up - I could pick a couple tracks from Love You also.  It will never be in my top ten BB records.  I know it's supposed to sound innocent, but I think it sounds creepy. 

6.  Here Comes the Night (LA Version) - There's nothing I can say.  This is just bad, and at 11 painful minutes, it's borderline torture. 

7.  Keeping the Summer Alive - No offense to Carl Wilson or Randy Bachman.  I see what they were trying to do here, but it just doesn't seem to work for me. 

8.  Wipe Out - I suppose The Beach Boys saw the shot in the arm that Run DMC gave Aerosmith and decided to do a track with The Fat Boys.   I'm not a fan of the rap genre, so I can't get into this. 

9.  Summer of Love - Hands down, the first thing The Beach Boys have ever committed to tape.  Although their awful version of Under the Boardwalk gives it a run for its money.  (How did The Beach Boys screw that one up???)  It's so bad, it's laughable.

10. Barbara Ann - Thought I was going to skip this one?  I don't hate this track.  I just like Kokomo better.  And I do like Barbara Ann live. 

[cant wait]

11. "Hey Little Tomboy"  (also creepy)

[KDS]

11. "Hey Little Tomboy"  (also creepy)

I almost included that one, but I wanted to limit my list to just ten.  I agree though. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

... anything by that sanctimonious twat Morrissey.

[KDS]

... anything by that sanctimonious twat Morrissey.

Andrew,

I agree with you 150%. 

But, I was strictly speaking Beach Boys tracks. 

 

[cant wait]

12. "Ten Little Indians"   (Bombay?)

[sea of tunes]

"Bluebirds over the Mountain"

[Andrew G. Doe]

... anything by that sanctimonious twat Morrissey.

Andrew,

I agree with you 150%. 

But, I was strictly speaking Beach Boys tracks. 

 

Ah, well, in that case... "Barbara-*******-Ann", of course ! 

[Summer_Days]

I'd rather listen to 'Kokomo' than...

1. 'My Little Tomboy', the worst BW-involved Beach Boys song in my opinion.

2. Actually, the entire M.I.U. Album besides 'My Diane' and maybe 'Wontcha Come Out Tonight'

3. 'Here Comes The Night' 1979 disco. I don't think "bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeccccchhhhh" is a strong enough word to describe that monstrosity.

4. The entirety of the rest of Still Cruisin', minus of course the three '60s classics, and also the entirety of Summer in Purgatory.

5. Most of 15 Big Ones, with the exception of 'Had To Phone Ya', 'It's OK' and on a good day, 'Back Home'.

6. Much of the Surf's Up album. Basically anything that isn't 'Long Promised Road', 'Disney Girls', 'Feel Flows', 'Day in the Life of a Tree', 'Till I Die' and 'Surf's Up'.

7. Stupid filler like 'Denny's Drums', 'Shut Down, Part II', 'Louie, Louie', 'Our Favorite Recording Sessions', 'Bull Session with Big Daddy', 'Carl's Big Chance',  etc., etc., et f*cking cetera.

8. Most of the surf instrumentals on the first coupla albums, even though I like surf instruments and hey they're not that bad

9. Every cheesy, glossy turd of a song on the Beach Boys 1985 album (basically everything but 'It's Gettin' Late', 'Maybe I Don't Know', 'I'm So Lonely', 'Where I Belong' and 'It's Just a Matter of Time').

10. Most of Keepin' the Summer Alive, except the title track, 'Oh Darlin'', 'Livin' with a Heartache' and 'Goin' On'.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

I could make a pretty big list, actually, but I'll limit it to a couple per decade.  Also going to ignore obvious novelty songs or clunkers.

60s: Surfin USA,  Surfin Safari

70s: Rock and Roll Music, Sail On, Sailor

80s: Getcha Back, Still Cruisin'

90s: Summer in Paradise, Island Fever

00s: Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl,  Live Let Live

10s: Strange World, Sail Away

Mind you, these are all songs I like.

[Steve Latshaw]

Summer of Love for obvious reasons.

When Girls Get Together.  Leaden.

[bgas]

Anything by the Minutemen

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

"Honey(I Miss You)-Bobby Goldsboro...no, wait a minute..."Sumaha...no, hold on "Everyon...no, I've got it," Anna L...   

[SMiLE Brian]

OSD!

[Pretty Funky]

... read most "My cousins did drugs" and "My music is about love" Mike/ Brian touring PR bullsh!t stories.

[NateRuvin]

Great thread idea!

I'd rather listen to Kokomo than...

FINDER'S KEEPERS!! (GAH! I HATE THAT SONG! I think it's worse than Summer of Love!)

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

Literally any song Mike wrote about Transcendental Meditation.

Pisces Brothers

Amusement Parks USA

Barbara Ann

Take Good Care of Your Feet

[Lee Marshall]

I'd rather listen to 'Kokomo' by the Beach Boys [but only if it's the version with Carl] than to listen to 'Kokomo' by John Phillips.  First time I EVER heard Kokomo...it was coming out of a speaker just outside of the original 'Sam the Record Man' on Yonge St...in Toronto. I stopped, stood and listened.  [and said "Wholly Shyte!!!  THAT'S a new Beach Boys' song!!!!!!!!!"  T'was the first one in quite awhile.

I liked it.  I was 100% GLAD to hear it.  I was also 100% glad that it was entirely successful.  No poilitics.  Just a great Beach Boys' song.  Summer in Pair of Dice?  Not so much.

I guess that'll NEVER happen again.

[JimC1702]

I'd rather listen to "Kokomo" than "Santa's Got An Airplane".

[Alan Smith]

Passing Friend

Summer of Love

Lady Liberty

Kokomo (Spanish version)

[The Foot Fetish Man]

I rather enjoy "Kokomo" (AND my cassette of "Summer In Paradise" and CD of BB'85) so it'll be easier for me to pull this off than most other fans.

I'd rather listen to "Kokomo" than:

1. A Day In The Life Of A Tree-Sheer embarrassment. When I try to turn somebody on to the true talents of the Beach Boys I would NEVER dream of using this track...It's be like trying to turn on somebody to Uriah Heep with "Come Away Melinda" or somebody to the mighty Todd Rundgren with "Emperor of the Highway"!

2. Take A Load Off Your Feet-..........and I'm the guy with the friggin' foot fetish and I STILL can't get into this track!

3. School Day-I've heard rock'n'roll played with more authority on the 80s children's TV show, Fraggle Rock......and that has to be the most retarded sounding background vocals I've ever heard....even if it is on key.

4. When Girls Get Together-Shows that even during the musical highpoint of the Sunflower days there could still be really awful crap that could be recorded. There doesn't need to be an explanation why this was left on the cutting room floor (originally). Maybe they had to have SOMETHING on Keepin' The Summer Alive to make the rest of the album seem better than it is (and half of the album I like....probably all relative after being exposed to "When Girls Get Together")

5. California Calling-From an album I otherwise love. This may be tied with "School Days". Sounds like a pastiche of Beach Boys cliches by session musicians and session vocalists for a car lot commercial.

6. Heroes and Villains-I just never could 'connect' with this track.....and I really enjoy the rest of Smiley Smile!

7. Luau-Cheesy and dorky enough to be something that Opie and his band would play on the Andy Griffith Show.

Tracks like those listed above may account for why I have much more fondness for BB'85, SIP, and TWGMTR than a lot of other listeners do.

[Toursiveu]

I'd rather listen to Kokomo than the rest of "Still Cruisin'"
But I really like Kokomo because it reminds me of Elisabeth Shue's breasts.

[Mike's Beard]

I'd rather listen to Kokomo over anything off 15 Big Ones, Love You, BWPS, That Lucky Old Sun, TWGMTR or No Pier Pressure.

[Douchepool]

I'd rather listen to Kokomo than:

2.  Vegetables - In any form, it's one of my least favorite BB songs.  I think its a weak link on Smile, and for the life of me, I can understand why this song is so well liked. 

You, sir, are a brave man.

[sockittome]

All I Want to Do

Be Here in the Mornin'

Disney Girls

Don't Go Near the Water

and a little over half of Smiley Smile