BB song/songs you wish had a different lead vocalist?

[lostbeachboy]

I think Dennis would have been good for a day in the life of a tree.

[NateRuvin]

I wish Al would have taken the Mike's vocal on Bluebirds Over The Mountain

[Mendota Heights]

Al Jardine should have been the lead vocalist on Vegetables.

[Tony S]

Would have loved to have the Dennis version of Sail On Sailor, recorded at a time when his voice was in pretty good shape....especially for that song.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

It seems that Al, with a far superior voice than the nasal bleating myKe luHv, was absolutely under utilized as a lead singer on the early hits. I am sure Brian was aware of this but felt that he'd be put through the wringer if he didn't use the luHvster on those leads.

[Eric Aniversario]

I think Al would have been a better choice for California Saga: California.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Sail On Sailor - usually at the top of my list; wish it would've been Carl or Dennis; I never cared for Blondie's lead or voice
A Day In The Life Of A Tree - this song was made for Brian or Dennis' voice
Getcha Back - I wish Carl would've done the tag
In The Back Of My Mind - anybody but Dennis; I love Dennis' (later) vocals but not on this one
The Beach Boys' Christmas Album - I wish Carl would've taken a lead, that way all five Beach Boys would've gotten one
Shelter and Isn't It Time - nothing against Foskett but I wish Brian would've gone for those high parts 

[lee]

I would have liked Brian or Al to sing the second verse on Sloop John B. I've never liked Mike's vocal on this song.

[Eric Aniversario]

I wish there were alternate versions of the entire Stars & Stripes album with the Beach Boys singing the lead vocals.

[Malc]

Dennis on 4th of July...

[catlag]

I think Please Let Me Wonder would have been perfect for Carl.

[Lee Marshall]

No LEAD vocals by anyone who's nose was on the critical list...on ANY of their songs.  Absolutely  > NO <  2nd version of Forever.  I 'get' Brian wanting the "tree" sounding like a tree.  So, that said, I'll begrudgingly accept Jack's impersonation of said tree...although it might have SOUNDED more appealing if someone else had sung it.

I think that I would have liked to have heard Caroline No with more voices included.  What the heck was a solo song doing on a group album?  [the dogs don't count.]

[Uncle Jesse]

I wish we would have gotten all the Dennis leads over the years that were originally planned for him, such as I Just Wasn't Made for These Times, Sail on Sailor, etc.  I even think I heard once that Dennis was originally supposed to sing Cabinessence in an exaggerated country voice, I would love that.

I also wish Dennis sang lead on more of his own songs such as All I Want to Do, It's About Time, Steamboat, and Only You. 

Basically I want more Dennis leads.

[Ian]

Gotta beg to differ. No one could sing please let me wonder or i just wasn't made for these times like Brian in his prime

[bringahorseinhere?]

Dennis certainly had the chops during the mid 60's, he probably should have been used more for lead vocals,
before he trashed it in the mid 70's.  'Got to know the woman' certainly shows the range he had before
the 'whisper' low voice era.

[Uncle Jesse]

I may be the outlier here, but I actually love Dennis's late 70s raspy voice.  It adds so much emotion to the music, you can tell he's really feeling what he's singing. 

[Debbie KL]

I got in trouble with the man himself who assigned the lead vocals, for my opinion on this, so I'm probably stupid to comment here.  I loved Mr. Love's bass vocals in the old BBs stack.  I never liked his lead voice - he always sounded like he was "taunting" people as a teenage snotty kid to me. 

Somehow, thanks to all those amazing songs and harmonies, I still bought all those records, though.  Possibly Mr. Wilson knows more than me about these things. 

[bossaroo]

I agree with more Dennis and Al in general. either could have done Tree justice and I'd love to hear Dennis and Carl's attempts at SOS.

but mostly I wish Brian had laid down more leads on his compositions, at least in demo form.
if there was just one version of Brian singing God Only knows in '66 I would die much happier. same goes for any number of songs that Carl or somebody else sang instead. it's a long list.

[Uncle Jesse]

I agree with more Dennis and Al in general. either could have done Tree justice and I'd love to hear Dennis and Carl's attempts at SOS.

but mostly I wish Brian had laid down more leads on his compositions, at least in demo form.
if there was just one version of Brian singing God Only knows in '66 I would die much happier. same goes for any number of songs that Carl or somebody else sang instead. it's a long list.

The Pet Sounds Sessions box set has a version of God Only Knows with Brian on lead.  Although it sounds more like Carl and Brian doubling.

[bossaroo]

right. turns out Brian might not even be on that version. it sounds like an alternate Carl vocal to me

[KDS]

I think Dennis would have been good for a day in the life of a tree.

Anybody but Jack Rieley.  You have a band with SIX capable lead singers. 

On the Sunflower album, I'd trade at least one of the Bruce leads, either on Diedre or At My Window, for an Al lead. 

[Lonely Summer]

I never really cared for having Blondie or Ricky sing on BB's songs. Carl did SOS awesome in later concerts, so no reason he couldn't have sung it in the studio. IMO there could never be too many Carl leads on a BB's album.

[Bill30022]

I got in trouble with the man himself who assigned the lead vocals, for my opinion on this, so I'm probably stupid to comment here.  I loved Mr. Love's bass vocals in the old BBs stack.  I never liked his lead voice - he always sounded like he was "taunting" people as a teenage snotty kid to me. 

Somehow, thanks to all those amazing songs and harmonies, I still bought all those records, though.  Possibly Mr. Wilson knows more than me about these things. 

Just my opinion, but with few exceptions (songs on Pet Sounds), it seems that Brian utilized Mike as a lead vocalist when the lead vocals were the least interesting thing in a particular song.

[Lee Marshall]

Oh...almost forgot...Right from the get-go I have always wanted a different narrator for Mt. Vernon and Fairway.  I always felt that the narration detracted from the FEEL...from the FANTASY.  The narration is rather like the lead vocal as it suggests the story...in this case poorly and amateurishly.  It doesn't necessarily require some big-voiced announcer type.  It requires a really warm voice and a read from someone who 'gets' the part.

[RangeRoverA1]

I agree with more Dennis and Al in general. either could have done Tree justice and I'd love to hear Dennis and Carl's attempts at SOS.

but mostly I wish Brian had laid down more leads on his compositions, at least in demo form.
if there was just one version of Brian singing God Only knows in '66 I would die much happier. same goes for any number of songs that Carl or somebody else sang instead. it's a long list.

The Pet Sounds Sessions box set has a version of God Only Knows with Brian on lead.  Although it sounds more like Carl and Brian doubling.

That version sounded like Brian to me from the start. Compare it with other Brian leads such as verses on IJWMFTT & Sloop John B.