Making the Wild Honey album a classic

[Magic Transistor Radio]

A few years ago, I rearranged the album and replaced some songs. This order of songs blows my mind! Using stereo amap:

Been Too Long (a cappella Hawthorne version)
Wild Honey
Gettin Hungry (assuming S and not SS got released)
Country Air
How She Boogalooed It
Transcendental Meditation (I know the timeline is off, but.   I think the music fits better here than Friends)
Mona Kana
Good Vibrations (early version- Brian lead)

Darlin
Aren't You Glad
Let the Wind Blow
Here Comes the Night
A Thing or Two
Can't Wait Too Long

[linusoli]

It's already a classic. The Beach Boys' very own stoned soul picnic. Its minimalistic brevity is a huge part of its appeal, and it definitely doesn't need a bunch of showy set pieces jammed in where they don't belong. (Seriously? Early Good Vibrations?)

[Mike's Beard]

From a songwriting perspective Wild Honey is as good as it gets, if only Brian had recorded it in a proper studio...

[linusoli]

No way! 1967 Beach Boys is as hip as it gets - indie lo-fi 30 years before its time

And any world that presupposes Smiley Smile didn't come out is a world I don't want to live in...

[rab2591]

From a songwriting perspective Wild Honey is as good as it gets, if only Brian had recorded it in a proper studio...

Man I wonder about that too. I definitely love the album as it is but I can't help think what it would sound like had it been recorded at Gold Star, Western, etc.

[Mike's Beard]

From a songwriting perspective Wild Honey is as good as it gets, if only Brian had recorded it in a proper studio...

Man I wonder about that too. I definitely love the album as it is but I can't help think what it would sound like had it been recorded at Gold Star, Western, etc.

With full band harmonies. I can't make out Bruce or Dennis in the vocal stack at all.

[phirnis]

I absolutely love the album's muffled sound and sparse instrumentation, no need to change anything about it! Some fans and critis have compared it with Dylan's approach on John Wesley Harding and I think as a comparison it's very fitting. Those are two very fine examples of a post-psychedelic back-to-the-basics approach!

[Steve Latshaw]

I think Wild Honey is perfect as is... I think a stereo mix would be mind-blowing.

[rab2591]

From a songwriting perspective Wild Honey is as good as it gets, if only Brian had recorded it in a proper studio...

Man I wonder about that too. I definitely love the album as it is but I can't help think what it would sound like had it been recorded at Gold Star, Western, etc.

With full band harmonies. I can't make out Bruce or Dennis in the vocal stack at all.

Definitely. I'd love to hear it wall of sound style in a stereo-pet-sounds-esque mix. All those horns, echo chambered - it would sound killer.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I agree that Wild Honey is good as is. But I like the idea of opening with Been Too Long and closing with Can't Wait Too Long. Wondering how a fully produced album WH album would sound with the wrecking crew and all is not what I meant. The songs can stay the way they are. Transcendental Meditation for example sounds good following How She Boogalooed it! The only thing I may reconsider is Mona Kana for a later album. Sounds too polished. May add a mix of the Dennis and Carl Smile session instrumentals?

[CenturyDeprived]

Firstly, start with swapping in the extended alternate version of "I Was Made to Love Her". It's far more interesting with just that little section added, compared to the released album version.

How odd must it have been for the album's first single to be released on October 23, 1967, only 1 month and 1 week after the release of their previous album? 

[Cool Cool Water]

A classic as it is----Unique and that's good.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Firstly, start with swapping in the extended alternate version of "I Was Made to Love Her". It's far more interesting with just that little section added, compared to the released album version.

How odd must it have been for the album's first single to be released on October 23, 1967, only 1 month and 1 week after the release of their previous album? 

You could. I try not to use covers as much as possible.

[drbeachboy]

Firstly, start with swapping in the extended alternate version of "I Was Made to Love Her". It's far more interesting with just that little section added, compared to the released album version.

How odd must it have been for the album's first single to be released on October 23, 1967, only 1 month and 1 week after the release of their previous album? 

You could. I try not to use covers as much as possible.

Boy, I'd hate to have to leave off I'm So Young off of Today.

[rab2591]

Made a playlist of this. Though I cheated and changed a few things.

Can't Wait Too Long (a cappella MiC)
Wild Honey (stereo)
Gettin Hungry (stereo)
Country Air (stereo)
How She Boogalooed It
Mona Kana

Darlin (stereo)
Aren't You Glad
Let The Wind Blow (stereo)
Here Comes the Night
I'd Love Just Once To See You
Can't Wait Too Long (GV boxset)

I forgot just how awesome the stereo version of 'Darlin' sounds. Love the sequencing on that first side (didn't add TM because it's so engrained to me as a Friends track, also didn't use GV because I wasn't sure what version you meant). But I really like the Can't Wait Too Long opener/closer. I think it would sound great if the tail end of the first track segued into the beginning of Wild Honey a little. Always nice to hear these tracks with a different perspective.

[JK]

Boy, I'd hate to have to leave off I'm So Young off of Today.

Or "Why Do Fools..." off SDv2.
Or "Sloop John B" off PS.
Or "I Can Hear Music" off 20/20.
Or...

I have the "classic" 2fer of WH with SS and loads of fabulous bonus tracks. Nuff said...

[Lee Marshall]

WH was a MOST WELCOME release after SS.  It was like...THANK GAWD!!!  They're still alive.  SS was a frightening experience when it was FIRST released...like 14 months after Pet Sounds.  I mean really!!!!!  Smiley Smile after Pet Sounds?  That was like winning it all and then committing suicide.  No...WH was MOST welcome.  Phew!!!

[sockittome]

Wild Honey really, REALLY needs a mono/stereo release like all the albums before it (except Surfin' Safari obviously).  There is so much going on in the tracks to this hip little album, as can be heard on the actual stereo mixes we have heard thus far. 

I can't help but wonder if Mark Linett has put out any searches for the missing multis, or if it's a lost cause...

[Lonely Summer]

I think Wild Honey is perfect as is... I think a stereo mix would be mind-blowing.

Exactly. I wouldn't change anything else about this classic album.

[Aum Bop Diddit]

Why you wanna mess up their greatest LP?

[Bean Bag]

It's fun to wonder what ifs... but this is one little album that probably doesn't need it.  It just happened.  It's all one occurrence, as far as I know.  It sure sounds it.  One complete thought.  I wish there were 50 of these.

This is as close as I'll get to having Brian Wilson (in a happy-place) alone with a four-track.  The icing on the cake is the fact he brought the Beach Boys in on it.  I want more.

[filledeplage]

Why you wanna mess up their greatest LP?

There you go!

WH is in my old car "CD six-pack" and never comes out!

Wild Honey and Country Air!

That LP is the real deal. 

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I thought the early version of Good Vibrations was obvious. It's a bonus track on SS/WH twofer. Anyway, here is a playlist of my alternate Wild Honey album.
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXjclVOWaN7VJAj7ZHwIScy6hHQiamT4B

[MikestheGreatest!!]

Wild Honey is a perfect album as is.

Its brevity is beautiful.  The crudeness of sound, such as it is, only makes it sound more rock and roll.

I love that it was mainly played by the Boys.

Didn't even Lester Bangs refer to it as the album of 1967?  And just think of what other great albums were released in '67.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I'm wondering if people are misunderstanding. I love the way the songs are produced. I didn't plan on changing anything, except the running order and puting in a couple of tracks on the shelf for what are in my opinion weeker cuts like Mama Says and a great cover, but not original of I Was Made To Love Her. I guess most of you disagree that Wild Honey can be improved upon, but I feel that the running order of the songs I listed is a fantastic listen!