The Last two Beach Boys/Brian Wilson albums

[ESQ Editor]

Some habits are just hard to  break.

When I was younger, and had a lot more free time on my hands, I spent endless hours putting together multiple versions of Smile…We're talking days on end.  That, combined with years of third shift hours at radio stations…spinning whatever struck my fancy, created a built-in sequencing habit.

Beyond the ESQ CD compilations, the Bamboo Trading Company project was the last opportunity to enjoy the sequencing process.  

It was time to make a Playlist.  For fun.

Having lived with That's Why God Made The Radio for three years, and No Pier Pressure for three months, the idea to construct something closer of what might be Brian's "Life Suite."  I discovered two albums.  Kind of cool.  Not saying this is how it should be… These songs just sound good together, and it feels right to include Matt Jardine and Blondie Chaplin on a Beach Boys listening experience.

What began as an enjoyable exercise turned into something pretty interesting.  

In Music,
David

THAT'S WHY GOD MADE THE RADIO (pop album)

That's Why God Made The Radio
Don't Worry
Isn't It Time (single remix)
Spring Vacation
The Right Time
The Private Life Of Bill & Sue
Beaches In Mind
I'm Feeling Sad
Daybreak Over The Ocean
Shelter
Strange World
Somewhere Quiet
Sail Away


THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY (art album)

This Beautiful Day
What Ever Happened
Tell Me Why
One Kind Of Love
From There To Back Again
Half Moon Bay
Pacific Coast Highway
Think About The Days
Summer's Gone
The Last Song

[Cyncie]

Interesting that you found two distinct stylistic approaches. I like the idea of considering what it would have been like if they had both been Beach Boys albums.

I would have trouble separating out much of "That's Why God Made The Radio", because they are so linked, thematically. I see TWGMTR as more of a concept album that can't be reordered without breaking the theme , though some songs could be pulled to fit elsewhere. "Think About The Days" is certainly more of an artistic piece, but it perfectly sets up the theme of looking back into the past to come full circle to the present. "No Pier Pressure" doesn't have those thematic connections from song to song, to me. So "Beaches in Mind", "Daybreak Over the Ocean" and "Private Life of Bill and Sue", could definitely sit alongside "Runaway Dancer" and "The Right Time" on a different album.

[ESQ Editor]

Interesting that you found two distinct stylistic approaches. I like the idea of considering what it would have been like if they had both been Beach Boys albums.

I would have trouble separating out much of "That's Why God Made The Radio", because they are so linked, thematically. I see TWGMTR as more of a concept album that can't be reordered without breaking the theme , though some songs could be pulled to fit elsewhere. "Think About The Days" is certainly more of an artistic piece, but it perfectly sets up the theme of looking back into the past to come full circle to the present. "No Pier Pressure" doesn't have those thematic connections from song to song, to me. So "Beaches in Mind", "Daybreak Over the Ocean" and "Private Life of Bill and Sue", could definitely sit alongside "Runaway Dancer" and "The Right Time" on a different album.

Try it out.  Give it a isten.   

[Sheriff John Stone]

Great topic, David! I struggled getting two distinct albums out of it like you did because I incorporated too many of the slower ballads. So, just for the fun of it, I combined That's Why God Made The Radio with No Pier Pressure and made a comp for the car. Admittedly, it was hard to cut some songs, especially "Shelter", "It's A Beautiful Day" and "Saturday Night", but I omitted the latter because it was a duet with a non-Beach Boy. It's a little long - 51 minutes - but not too long for the CD/digital age. I like the flow both musically and lyrically. Anyway...

The Beach Boys - Isn't It Time?

01  Think About The Days
02  Isn't It Time?
03  Whatever Happened
04  The Right Time
05  That's Why God Made The Radio
06  Spring Vacation
07  Strange World
08  From There To Back Again
09  Pacific Coast Highway
10  Summer's Gone
11  Tell Me Why
12  Daybreak Over The Ocean
13  One Kind Of Love
14  Sail Away
15  The Last Song

[ESQ Editor]

Cool.

I'll give yours a listen.  I created the art album first, and then worked from the remaining cuts to create the pop album.  The art album is based on instrumentation, etc.…flow.

[Summertime Blooz]

Better yet, I would say you could even boil the two albums down to just one and have something truly great like this:

SIDE 1 (the Pop side)
Don't Worry
Isn't It Time (single version)
Spring Vacation
Somewhere Quiet
The Right Time
Tell Me Why
That's Why God Made The Radio

SIDE 2 (introspective Art side)
This Beautiful Day
Strange World
I'm Feeling Sad
Think About The Days
From There To Back Again
Half Moon Bay
Whatever Happened
Pacific Coast Highway
Summer's Gone

[Malc]

Ha ! I think we're all feeling like minded here as I've combined the two releases to make one heck of a good collection for the car ! However, I felt if needed a couple more of Al's vocals to make it work from a band perspective and both "Drivin'" and "Crumple Car" fit the mood perfectly !

[Smilin Ed H]

I'm game for this sort of crap, but I'll have to think about it and may change my mind... but I'll go for the 14 tracks...

Half Moon Bay
This Beautiful Day
I'm Feeling Sad
Whatever Happened
On the Island
Sail Away
Don't Fight The Sea
Tidepool Interlude
Think About The Days
Strange World
Form There To Back Again
Pacific Coast Highway
Summer's Gone
The Last Song

[ESQ Editor]

For me, this whole process began because of the repeated mentions about Brian's "Life Suite" over the last several years.

That's what I was attempting to create.

[Jonathan Blum]

One transition that I spotted that really works -- going from "Whatever Happened" to "Right Time".  The opening line of the latter -- "Whatever happened to me and you" -- is such a natural fit, and the song neatly shifts the emphasis from reflective to hopeful!

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[Sam_BFC]

I tried to come up with something cohesive from the two albums and posted it another thread.
Here it is...

This Beautiful Day
That's Why God Made The Radio
Whatever Happened
Isn't It Time
Shelter
Half Moon Bay

Sail Away
Tell Me Why
Think Abiut The Days
Strange World
From There To Back Again
Pacific Coast Highway
Summer's Gone

(Honourable mentions for Our Special Love and Saturday Night which I love but don't really fit such is youthfulness of the guests, and Bill and Sue which has terrific background vocals and a great refrain but I guess is a little lightweight if I'm more objective about it).

[Andrew G. Doe]

I note, with no little pleasure, that a certain track is conspicuous by its almost complete absence.  

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

I note, with no little pleasure, that a certain track is conspicuous by its almost complete absence.  

They both have two votes apiece and one of 'em is  "Daybreak Over the Ocean".   

[8o8o]

THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY (art album)

This Beautiful Day
What Ever Happened
Tell Me Why
One Kind Of Love
From There To Back Again
Half Moon Bay
Pacific Coast Highway
Think About The Days
Summer's Gone
The Last Song

Tweaked it a little bit - and came up with the following:

Side A:
This Beautiful Day
I'm Feeling Sad
Don't Fight the Sea
Whatever Happened
Somewhere Quiet
Tell Me Why
One Kind of Love

Side B:
From There to Back Again
Half Moon Bay
Pacific Coast Highway
Think About the Days
Summer's Gone
The Last Song
My Love Lives On

Felt I had to add "Don't Fight the Sea" and include some Dennis as well.