Differences to live song versions compared to studio versions - who wrote what?

[CenturyDeprived]

Going back and listening to the tons of live BB shows that have been recorded over the years, there are tons of modifications to songs that simplify, extend, or just alter a certain part here or there.

My question is, what examples can everyone think of, and who wrote these changes? Was it Carl? Denny? Brian? Live backing musicians? Or a combination of everyone? Hard to say, I'd imagine.

A couple off the top of my head:

Do it Again (ends with the standard - and pretty boring/cliche in my opinion - dun-dun-dun-dun-dun....dunnnnnn ending) - this is pretty standard rock show stuff that many, many bands do, I just get tired of it since it's so by-the-numbers, IMO.

God Only Knows - the little bridge part is completely different, I imagine this was done to make it easier to play. Rarely has the band played it like the record, unless I'm mistaken.

[mikeddonn]

When Brian started the solo tours he played GOK bridge the correct way. The touring band quickly followed suit if I remember correctly.

[CenturyDeprived]

When Brian started the solo tours he played GOK bridge the correct way. The touring band quickly followed suit if I remember correctly.

How often did the "BBs" ever play that part the correct studio way?

[Rocker]

When Brian started the solo tours he played GOK bridge the correct way. The touring band quickly followed suit if I remember correctly.

The Beach Boys already did that when Carl was still alive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6rfOFcQ9gQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLmoISRwJBA



Don't know if Mike&Bruce changed it back after '98

[Andrew G. Doe]

When Brian started the solo tours he played GOK bridge the correct way. The touring band quickly followed suit if I remember correctly.

How often did the "BBs" ever play that part the correct studio way?

I want to say during the 1993 box set tour, but I have no supporting evidence, so ignore that.

[Uncle Jesse]

I know whenever they played Good Vibrations live they would a cool little riff in the last bar of the verse before they went into the chorus, and also the harmonica solo at the end of the quiet section would often be extended

[metal flake paint]

AFAIK the first documented live version of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" featuring the slow section was broadcast on the David Frost TV Show March 1 1971.

"Wake The World" was also altered compared to the studio version.

I don't think that the acappella break in "Sloop John B" was performed under Carl Wilson's leadership of the live band.

[punkinhead]

Thinking of some others that are different:
-Funky Pretty (the beginning intro), I really enjoy this version
-Caroline No (added flute solo)
-Feel Flows and All This is That (Charles Lloyd (improved?) solos)
-Country Air (has that evident piano line)
-Help Me, Rhonda (Knebworth and others have that great intro)
-Barbara Ann ("everybody say Yeah")
-Lay Down Burden (Live at Roxy version very different from Imagination version)
-Surfer Girl (Lei'd in Hawaii and Roxy versions have that beautiful vocal ending)
-Pet Sounds (Brian's band has always had solo sections for the instrumental)
-I'm Waiting for the Day segues into Lets go away for a while (on a PS live boot I had on tape, it had a beautiful instrumental part that led right into Lets Go away
-Love and Mercy (Roxy and subsequent live versions have always skipped the wordless vocal part in the middle. It was reincorporated for Brian's version at the 2001 Tribute)
-Airplane (Charles Lloyd really added a lot with his flute and sax playing)
-Heroes and Villains (the rocking version on In Concert and Endless Harmony is really different from the Smiley & Hawaii 67 versions)
-Surfin (speaking of Hawaii 67, Brian's organ lines really add a lot)
-Keepin' the Summer Alive (what is it about the live version rocking over the studio version? Why does the studio cut sound so weak?)

[DennysDrums83]

I really love the version of Help Me Rhonda that they were doing from 71-74.  I like the extended instrumental break in Wild Honey when Blondie sang it.

[Jay]

During the 1967 tour, California Girls often had a different ending.  In the late 60's and throughout the 80's, the intro to Fun Fun Fun and a few other songs often had little "vamps" that led into the songs. But that's getting a little picky. 

[Eric Aniversario]

Not really an answer to the original question, but I've always found it interesting how many radically different intros there have been to Do It Again over the decades.

[KDS]

I know whenever they played Good Vibrations live they would a cool little riff in the last bar of the verse before they went into the chorus, and also the harmonica solo at the end of the quiet section would often be extended

I love that little riff before the GV chorus. 

And on most live versions of California Girls, they inflect alright on:

"The midwest farmer's daughters really make you feel al-ri-ri-ght."  I've heard Brian do it this way too, but he didn't when I saw him last month. 

[HeyJude]

“Darlin’” sounded like a totally different song by 1980 (and probably 1979, and to some degree going back to the earlier 70’s). I actually really like the faster, almost more powerpop-ish arrangement they gave the song, as heard on the Knebworth and Washington DC 1980 shows. It wasn’t quite the same a few years later when Carl returned in 1982 (haven’t heard a recording of one of the rare times when Jeff Foskett sang the song in late 1981 or early 1982 before Carl returned), and by the 90’s they attempted to get the song back somewhat closer to its original arrangement (albeit with awful 90’s synth horns).

When they did “This Whole World” on some dates in 1988, Carl changed a few of the lyrics for some reason (on the one recording I’ve heard anyway).

Very, very minor, but I always liked the slightly alternate bass line Ed Carter would do near the end of “Sloop John B”; it seems to have been Carter’s idea because Joe Chemay doesn’t do it on the Knebworth show, and every BB or Al solo show with Carter on bass features him doing it. It kind of builds the musical tension better for the end of the song.

“Help Me Rhonda” got quite a bit “off model” over the years. In the 70’s it turned into a slightly bluesy jam. By 1980 it morphed into a big bombastic rock song; the song nearly (or in some cases fully) lost the main guitar riff running through the song, Mike would often sing various amounts of the lead on top of Al for some reason. By the mid 80’s the song came back around a bit closer to the original arrangement, and Al brought the key back up.

I have mixed feelings about the big horn section that was with the band in 1976-77, but I always liked the horns they added to “Airplane.”

Definitely never liked how they “medley-ized” “Sloop John B” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” in the 90’s (which may have started in the later 80’s).

Going back to “God Only Knows”, am I the only one who actually likes the more simple arrangement (instead of the staccato-ish original arrangement) on the bridge? I don’t dislike the original arrangement, but I think I like the simpler ascending chords arrangement they did for years (most likely indeed because it was easier). I remember being impressed (and surprised) when the touring BB’s went back to the original arrangement in mid 90’s.

[WickedWaters]

I like the live version of Let The Wind Blow from "in Concert" much better than the "Wild Honey" version. I like the slower, more moody pace and the instrumental solo (not sure if that is a guitar or a synthesizer of some sort)

[Sound of Free]

Two questions about the vocal part Carl added to Good Vibrations (beginning at 5:25).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga1Gvi7F4PU

1. Who wrote it, Carl or Brian.

2. Does anyone know the lyrics Carl is singing? (or is he scat-singing?)

[DC310]

In '87, Do It Again would occasionally be in the set.  When it made its way in, just before the final verse, there was a cool double falsetto (with the higher of the two voices up in the stratosphere) for a "whoa-oo-oh  ohhh" before "well i've been thinkin' bout..."  I believe it was Jeff Foskett and Billy Hinsche singing these two parts. Was a fun little tag.  I assume it left when Jeff and Billy left. I looked on youtube for an example, but can't find the song from that era...  I have it on some audio recordings.

[Aum Bop Diddit]

Dropping the bridge to "Wouldn't it Be Nice" blew IMO.  Of course I feel the same way about the live "Love and Mercy" too.

[coco1997]

And on most live versions of California Girls, they inflect alright on:

"The midwest farmer's daughters really make you feel al-ri-ri-ght."  I've heard Brian do it this way too, but he didn't when I saw him last month. 

That's also on the Lei'd in Hawaii version.