Brian Wilson on 'Kokomo'

[SummertimeMcLovin]

Does anyone know if Brian Wilson enjoyed, or disdains "Kokomo"?

[Sam_BFC]

He thinks it was really great.  Check out the endless harmony documentary,

[Rocky Raccoon]

In this interview, Brian plays a little bit of "Kokomo" on the piano and says he regrets not being on the track.
https://youtu.be/aL5GnkWqO1k?t=2m20s

[Generation42]

I regret it, too.

I've always had a soft spot for "Kokomo."  And I really, really wish Brian had been on the track in some form, whether it be instrumentally, vocally or both.


Now, I'm not 'up-to-the-minute' and devotedly detail-oriented with the Beach Boys in the same manner I am with the Beatles (so I may be mis-remembering this), but I seem to recall some disagreement over the reason why Brian wasn't there (as in, Wilson claiming he was never asked, with the BB guys steadfastly saying they did everything they could to reach him).

But regardless of the reasons why, sometimes when Brian discusses the session, I get the feeling he still hurts a little over not having been there.

[bgas]

I regret it, too.

I've always had a soft spot for "Kokomo."  And I really, really wish Brian had been on the track in some form, whether it be instrumentally, vocally or both.


Now, I'm not 'up-to-the-minute' and devotedly detail-oriented with the Beach Boys in the same manner I am with the Beatles (so I may be mis-remembering this), but I seem to recall some disagreement over the reason why Brian wasn't there (as in, Wilson claiming he was never asked, with the BB guys steadfastly saying they did everything they could to reach him).

But regardless of the reasons why, sometimes when Brian discusses the session, I get the feeling he still hurts a little over not having been there.

well soitenly!!  Had he been there, he could have  pulled a Mike Love and claimed a songwriting credit! 
Just think how much $$ that could have added to his bank account9 not to mention the added prestige)   
AND had he been a part of it, there'd be no way for the Brianistas to bicker about the song

[branaa09]

Regardless Kokomo is bad compared to Brian's Love and Mercy. So all you Mike Lovers out there, no pun intended, think about this Mike wrote one song with a writer, Brian had a whole album completed with the help of some good and bad writers  by then and released. If Brian was on it I still would hate it, he's on the Spanish version and I don't even like that!

[Douchepool]

Kokomo is a great song. I agree with Brian's appraisal.

[bgas]

Regardless Kokomo is bad compared to Brian's Love and Mercy. So all you Mike Lovers out there, no pun intended, think about this Mike wrote one song with a writer, Brian had a whole album completed with the help of some good and bad writers  by then and released. If Brian was on it I still would hate it, he's on the Spanish version and I don't even like that!

Just don't see how anyone that enjoys the Beach Boys can dislike Kokomo

[Sheriff John Stone]

In this interview, Brian plays a little bit of "Kokomo" on the piano and says he regrets not being on the track.
https://youtu.be/aL5GnkWqO1k?t=2m20s

Yeah, in that ^ interview, Brian calls it "a great record". I'm sure he was disappointed that he wasn't on "Kokomo" because it was, and still is, played a lot on the radio and Brian wanted to be on the radio. "Kokomo" was also a hit, a No. 1 single, and Brian wanted a hit. If "Kokomo" would've been just another Beach Boys' single that tanked, I wonder if it would've bothered him that he wasn't on it?

[Gerry]

If it hadn't been a hit I doubt anybody would care what he thought about it.

[Sound of Free]

Kokomo's a pretty good song. I think the reason a lot of people can't stand it is it's become thought of as a signature song for the Beach Boys by a lot and probably THE signature song to a lot of Beach Boys fans for whom Kokomo was their first real exposure to the Boys.

And, of course, because Mike loves to point out that he co-wrote it and Brian had no involvement.

[Komera]

I regret it, too.

I've always had a soft spot for "Kokomo."  And I really, really wish Brian had been on the track in some form, whether it be instrumentally, vocally or both.


Now, I'm not 'up-to-the-minute' and devotedly detail-oriented with the Beach Boys in the same manner I am with the Beatles (so I may be mis-remembering this), but I seem to recall some disagreement over the reason why Brian wasn't there (as in, Wilson claiming he was never asked, with the BB guys steadfastly saying they did everything they could to reach him).

But regardless of the reasons why, sometimes when Brian discusses the session, I get the feeling he still hurts a little over not having been there.

Both.

Brian was still under Landy's care at the time.  If you wanted to get in touch with Brian, you had to do it through Landy, and even then Landy didn't always pass the message.

[CenturyDeprived]

Kokomo ain't a bad song. It's a good tune.

And I'll bet that if Mike cooled it with all the gloating and appearing so glad to have done a hit without Brian, that Brian might have played it a time or two on his solo tours. But since Mike has made it a point to rub it in about the song being a hit (and specifically how it was a hit while BW88 wasn't), that may have left a bad taste in Brian's mind.

Hang on to Your Kokomego.

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

Regardless Kokomo is bad compared to Brian's Love and Mercy. So all you Mike Lovers out there, no pun intended, think about this Mike wrote one song with a writer, Brian had a whole album completed with the help of some good and bad writers  by then and released. If Brian was on it I still would hate it, he's on the Spanish version and I don't even like that!

Just don't see how anyone that enjoys the Beach Boys can dislike Kokomo

It's hardly like their 60s hits. It sounds more like Jimmy Buffett or something than Beach Boys. I can see how someone could dislike it and consider themselves a BBs fan.

Kokomo is ok. It's not a song I'd buy or go out of my way to hear, but when it's on, I'll listen. I just hate what it represents; Mike Loves dominion over the group and the embarrassment of the late 80s, 90s period.

[phirnis]

Personally I like it but it's a bit too Agadoo to be truly great.

[Smilin Ed H]

Like a lot of late period BB stuff, it sounds like what somebody else thought a BB song should sound like. I also suspect that if Mike didn't bang on about it like it was Good Vibes, there'd be a lot less opposition to it. It would just be another late period BB track but one that happened to be a hit.

[Cliff1000uk]

Personally I like it but it's a bit too Agadoo to be truly great.

Wasn't there a rumour that they asked VDP to 'push the pineapple' while Bruce 'shook the tree'? C-Man would know!

[rasmus skotte]

->Slo-mo kokomo? - £'s!<-

[GoodVibrations33]

Just don't see how anyone that enjoys the Beach Boys can dislike Kokomo

This. The melody is great, and when the chorus kicks in you're treated to hearing Al in the harmony stack with Carl sending each chorus off on a high note (no pun intended). It would've been great if Brian was involved and interesting to think if he would've had a hand in any of the vocal arranging just by being present. It's cool to listen to the Spanish version every so often to hear Brian in the chorus. Also, as it's been said many times on this board, it put the 'Boys name back out there and introduced them to a new generation. Anyone here get into the group by way of Kokomo?

[Cam Mott]

I'm personally not a huge fan of Kokomo but South American and On The Island seem like Brian nods to Kokomo to me.

[marcusb]

I'm not a big Kokomo fan, but I don't hate it. It really fit the decade it came from, it's catchy and memorable. I never saw the movie Cocktail, and I bet a lot of people haven't.. the song is more popular than the movie it came from.

[filledeplage]

In this interview, Brian plays a little bit of "Kokomo" on the piano and says he regrets not being on the track.
https://youtu.be/aL5GnkWqO1k?t=2m20s

That is a great find! I had never seen it. The only thing I didn't like was the angle of the camera, downward on Brian, instead of at eye level. 

Even though the interviewer was seated and Brian is always sitting tall, at his ivories, it made me uneasy.  It does seem in the time line that Brian was being held back by that person masquerading as a doctor, with only Brian in mind. 

But there is footage of Brian singing Kokomo during C50.  It probably isn't the best one, but towards the end, Al is next to Brian singing with him.

Hope it copies! Here goes...

http://youtu.be/3KeeEtXgsJ4

[Smilin Ed H]

I'm personally not a huge fan of Kokomo but South American and On The Island seem like Brian nods to Kokomo to me.

South American? Now that is awful.

[Cyncie]

Kokomo's okay. Not groundbreaking by any means, but a nice, fun summer song. I remember hearing it when it first came out and was excited that The Boys were back on the radio.

[Awesoman]

Before "Kokomo" came out, the Beach Boys were about as popular as a mosquito up your nose.  I remember just about everyone and their mother loving this damn song when it came out, including myself.  "Kokomo" may not be a masterpiece, but it revived the Beach Boys popularity... even if it was for a short period of time.  Hell, they even recorded a Spanish version of it, which Brian was present for.