ADULT/CHILD a hit?

[rogerlancelot]

As much as I would love to have an official pristine copy, should songs like "Deep Purple" or the original "Hey Little Tomboy" really be shared with the general public?

[elnombre]

As much as I would love to have an official pristine copy, should songs like "Deep Purple" or the original "Hey Little Tomboy" really be shared with the general public?

The general public will not give a damn about the release of a lost 1977 Beach Boys record any more than they do about the fact that it exists and is unreleased. As for the rest of us, the whole point is that it's flawed, confused, confusing and vulnerable. If they're going to start airbrushing it, why even bother. Some of us liked the awkward nerdy type, not everyone had to be prom queen.

I think the greatest argument for it's release (besides the fact that Still I Dream Of It needs to be heard by anyone with even a passing interest in Brian) is that it does feel like something missing from the official discography rather than a belated addendum.

[Bean Bag]

1977. Elvis dies. Saturday Night Fever is the number one movie in the world, but whilst disco is hitting it's heights a 300+ lb guy in a tuxedo releases an album of 7 minute operatic rock songs written by a Dungeons + Dragons nerd that goes on to sell 30+ million. Alice Cooper is having hits with shitty ballads. Also, Star Wars.

Yeah, I don't think its too out there to say Adult/Child could have been a hit. 1977 was a strange year.

Great points!

A hit? -- who the hell knows.  Was Love You a hit?  Love You was interesting and so is Adult/Child.  With a little more work (or not) I wouldn't be surprised if it would be an equal to Love You, in the minds of fans.  It is to me now.  Or thereabouts.

[the captain]

The idea of Adult/Child being a hit seems to me to be one of fans' dreams. Cultists would argue to convince their friends that this--cigarettes going pfft and smoking grass having gone out a long time ago--was genius; those friends would have promised themselves they'd work on finding new friends with less bizarre taste in, or at least weaker passions for, music.

There are things on this would-be album I do love. In fact, it's easier to list the songs I don't like: "Hey Little Tomboy" (not the worst thing ever, but not very interesting); "On Broadway" (dull enough to make "Hey Little Tomboy seem revolutionary, innovative); and "Shortenin' Bread" (Brian can like it all he wants but that doesn't mean I have to). The two Sunflower/Surf's Up era songs are nice enough, entirely pleasant if awkward in the way "Good Time" was on Love You.

But the band's relative hits of the era were the one sound not represented here: nostalgia, fun, summertime pop. Not to say all of their music of that ilk succeeded, but their music of other styles didn't. So big-band arrangements of bizarre lyrics? Smooth pedophilia rock? A scratchy, simple ode to America's game? I doubt Debby Boone's dominance of autumn 1977 would have been challenged by "Lines."

[VanDykeParksAndRec]

I really hope to find the Brian in Fire hat cover boot one of these days.  I really love these songs.

What's your price range?  
Have to be LP, or is CD OK?  

Go the CD, the vinyl sounds pretty poor

Well I have the CD (sort of....ya know...)   but I really want the LP.   I can get over poor SQ, it's more of the nutty completest type of fun torture I put myself through.    Flipping through the 'ol 12x12's brings a lot of glee.

   For me, it's kinda like you haven't really heard it until you've heard it on vinyl!  Good hunting. 

I'd written off easily/inexpensively getting a copy of this baby (I mean, if you have the clams to drop, it ain't hard), and then it turned up at a record fair.

100% agree

[Beachlad]

I don't know.  A lot of times there is no rhyme nor reason to what becomes a hit.  I think if it was promoted properly something may have caught on but most likely not.