What if Never Learn Not to Love had become a hit?

[CenturyDeprived]

Let's say the radio DJs flipped over the Bluebirds Over the Mountain single, and started playing the B-side... And unexpectedly it became a hit for the band.

What would have happened? Would Manson have come asking for more money?

And post 8/1969, would the band have similarly tried to pretend the song didn't ever exist  (much as they seem to want to do today) even if it burned up the charts and became a famous tune? Would have put them in a tough spot for sure...

[NateRuvin]

I think it may have revitalized the public's interest in the band as a non surfing act. Sure Do It Again was a big hit at the time, but it's a surf song, albeit with a modern twist. I think it would've made people say "Hey, these guys are STILL on to something great here!"

[Mike's Beard]

I don't think Manson was ever formally paid for Never Learn Not to Love. The details are murky, from what I can gather the consensus was that he'd already been given more than enough through Dennis.

[alf wiedersehen]

What if Dennis was a flamingo?

[Bicyclerider]

Slightly more likely would be the scenario what if Slip on Through had been a hit . . . the Surf's Up album would have looked very different and Dennis might have become the "upfront" person and face of the band, at least for a few years until his substance abuse sidelined him.

[puni puni]

What if someone asked a question that couldn't be answered definitely?

[CenturyDeprived]

What if someone asked a question that couldn't be answered definitely?

Obviously a definite answer is not possible, but the purpose of the question was to ponder possibilities. Isn't that what we often do on this board?

[joshferrell]

if it had became a hit Manson would have been signed to a record label and he would have been the voice of a generation bigger than Dylan, he would have won multiple music awards, would have had more #1 hits than anyone, he would have been the most respected artist of his generation selling billions..oh yeah the Manson murders would have never happened. Darn those DJ's for causing the murders!!!

[CenturyDeprived]

I guess my original question was more in line with, if it became a famous hit in late '68, and the murders still occurred in 8/69, what would the band then do?

Would they have then downplayed the existence of the song by never putting it on any future compilations (despite it being a hit)? Or would they have continued to grudgingly embrace it, since it was a hit?  It seems impossible to think the band would abandon a hit song that was getting them fame and making money for them, but perhaps under the circumstances?

Safe to say that if Forever had been cowritten by Manson, that the band would never have done a 1992 re-record, and would have maybe tried to block Stamos from playing it on Full House to avoid anyone remembering its existence whatsoever...

And at what point was it public knowledge that Manson co-wrote this song? If it was not known for years after, I suppose it could have been  possible for the song to have become popular and gained airplay after the murders, with DJs and fans being none the wiser of its origins.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

I guess my original question was more in line with, if it became a famous hit in late '68, and the murders still occurred in 8/69, what would the band then do?

Would they have then downplayed the existence of the song by never putting it on any future compilations (despite it being a hit)? Or would they have continued to grudgingly embrace it, since it was a hit?

Safe to say that if Forever had been cowritten by Manson, that the band would never have done a 1992 re-record, and would have maybe tried to block Stamos from playing it on Full House to avoid anyone remembering its existence whatsoever...

And at what point was it public knowledge that Manson co-wrote this song? If it was not known for years after, I suppose it could have been  possible for the song to have become popular and gained airplay after the murders, with DJs and fans being none the wiser of its origins.

If it became popular, don't you think someone would have mentioned that Manson wrote it?  Surely Manson would have made a big deal about it?  At that point I think it would have been immediately pulled from airplay and off setlists.  Now depending on the level of hit it was would determine if it would see the light of day again.  I think it would have to have been a top 10 hit for it to be considered again. 

[CenturyDeprived]

I guess my original question was more in line with, if it became a famous hit in late '68, and the murders still occurred in 8/69, what would the band then do?

Would they have then downplayed the existence of the song by never putting it on any future compilations (despite it being a hit)? Or would they have continued to grudgingly embrace it, since it was a hit?

Safe to say that if Forever had been cowritten by Manson, that the band would never have done a 1992 re-record, and would have maybe tried to block Stamos from playing it on Full House to avoid anyone remembering its existence whatsoever...

And at what point was it public knowledge that Manson co-wrote this song? If it was not known for years after, I suppose it could have been  possible for the song to have become popular and gained airplay after the murders, with DJs and fans being none the wiser of its origins.

If it became popular, don't you think someone would have mentioned that Manson wrote it?  Surely Manson would have made a big deal about it?  At that point I think it would have been immediately pulled from airplay and off setlists.  Now depending on the level of hit it was would determine if it would see the light of day again.  I think it would have to have been a top 10 hit for it to be considered again. 

Well that's the question... who at that point in time had the insider knowledge that Manson wrote that specific song? The BBs would surely want to keep that hush-hush. I guess Manson would have publicly bragged about it though.

[Mike's Beard]

I think you can apply the butterfly effect and safely say that if the song had hit big the murders would never have happened.

[Lee Marshall]

'Bluebirds' was a turd release.  'Never' was WAY better.  Chuck was a broken machine.

Man!!!  The D U M B sh*t we do just to get laid!!!

[puni puni]

the purpose of the question was to ponder possibilities. Isn't that what we often do on this board?

Unfortunately!

[Moon Dawg]

  Manson would have insisted on replacing Bruce in the band.

[KDS]

If Capital ever stopped trying to market The Beach Boys as a surf/car band, it could've become a hit. 

If this happened, and songs like this, Little Bird, and Forever had become huge, I think Dennis Wilson would get a lot more respect outside of the Bri-universe.