A question about Funky Pretty

[adamghost]

Brian, and it's "Funky come back".

OK, now we have clear proof, Andrew, that you simply lack the ability to hear the obvious "G" sounds in this song. Despite that fact that roughly 90% percent of the posters in this thread hear the "G" in "Greece-ee-oss-ee," you have stubbornly maintained that there is no such sound. And now you claim, at the end of Funky Pretty, that Brian is singing "Funky Come Back," when the fact of the matter is that he is clearly singing "Gunky come back!"  

The King of Greasy Gunky....FP as dishwashing liquid commercial.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Can we just all agree that this section of lyrics is incredibly awful and move on?

Agreed.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Correctamundo.

On the topic of stuff misheard: for years, I thought the bvs on the second chorus of "Trader" was "And they believed him": sounded like it, and it fit the rest of the lyric. Then, when scheduled to do a live rendition at a BB fan gathering and having Jack's email addy, I decided to double check. Back came the answer:

"They don't believe our deity".

Ah. And um. 

My point: what you think you're hearing isn't necessarily what you actually hearing.

My second point: listened to "FP" again. There's no "g". None at all. Nada. Zilch. Diddly with a light frosting of squat. 

Oh man, this brings back memories of learning that for LONG PROMISED ROAD.  John Perry took great delight in reminding us to sing "they don't believe our deity" at every opportunity.  I can't recall who put us hip to the right words.

**koff**

[Moon Dawg]

  Who is the primary culprit for these words? Mike Love or Jack Rieley? Brian Wilson? All three?

[RiC]

  Who is the primary culprit for these words? Mike Love or Jack Rieley? Brian Wilson? All three?

Sounds Mikey to me. Great lyrics.

[Andrew G. Doe]

  Who is the primary culprit for these words? Mike Love or Jack Rieley? Brian Wilson? All three?

Given his previous track record, gotta be Jack.

[HeyJude]

I'm sure I'm not the only person who, spurred by this discussion, went back and looked in detail at the lyrics to this song with fresh eyes.

.....Wirestone is right. Good lord.

Maybe they *should* switch over to "Leaving this Town" on the current BW tour..... 

[Zesterz]

I find Leaving This Town plods. It would seriously slow any concert. And if it meant not hearing Wild Honey by Blondie, I would be most upset. Just my opinion.

[HeyJude]

I would say the studio version of "Funky Pretty" kind of plods too. The live version does have more energy.

I wouldn't say "Leaving this Town" plods so much as simply is a slower mid-tempo ballad type of song. Musically, I find "Leaving this Town" more interesting than "Funky Pretty." More interesting chord changes, and better group harmonies, etc. A good marriage of Blondie's voice/sound and the BBs.

[Don Malcolm]

What we really need is a version of FP channeled through LOVE YOU--the missing link between Brian's "funky" writing style in '71-'72 and the up-tempo "grea-selassie" (as in the Ethiopain emperor, with or without clothes--your choice!) that "gr(e)aces" so many of LOVE YOU's up-tempo tracks.

They could let Al sing the lead, thereby ensuring that in concert it was never, EVER sung with the "correct" lyrics... 

[JK]

I find Leaving This Town plods. It would seriously slow any concert.

Not if they played it as an encore.

[Manfred]

What is the meaning of the lyrics at all ? I never really got it (Sorry, I´m German, that´s not my mother language).

[Emily]

What is the meaning of the lyrics at all ? I never really got it (Sorry, I´m German, that´s not my mother language).

In the whole song or only that section?

[Manfred]

In the whole song, but especially that section.

[Emily]

In the whole song, but especially that section.

He's in love with an awesome Pisces woman who's ethereal and into astrology. She's away but she'll be back when the 'aspects' (the astrological signs) indicate that 'back' is where she should be. 'That' section is mainly nonsense listing places that she goes at which she's the most awesome person.

[Manfred]

Ok, thanks.

[Moon Dawg]

   I've never understood the fascination some have with this tune. It's a throwaway with grimace inducing lyrics. Everything "Marcella" was, "Funky Pretty" is not. HOLLAND's only blemish.

  The live version is better.

[You Kane, You Commanded, You Conquered]

  I've never understood the fascination some have with this tune. It's a throwaway with grimace inducing lyrics. Everything "Marcella" was, "Funky Pretty" is not. HOLLAND's only blemish.

  The live version is better.

Bad lyrics? Sure. Better live? Maybe. Throwaway?! Hell no!

[KDS]

   I've never understood the fascination some have with this tune. It's a throwaway with grimace inducing lyrics. Everything "Marcella" was, "Funky Pretty" is not. HOLLAND's only blemish.

  The live version is better.

I'm going to agree with you on this one.  The song has grown on me a bit, but I think it's still the weakest track on Holland by far. 

[JK]

Holland might be said to have its imperfections but in my opinion "FP" isn't one of them. The coda is one of the album's crowning glories! If only more albums ended in such fine style...

[Smilin Ed H]

Holland might be said to have its imperfections but in my opinion "FP" isn't one of them. The coda is one of the album's crowing glories! If only more albums ended in such fine style...

Agreed. Leaving This Town is my least favourite track on this - in fact it's my least favourite BB Chaplin/Fataar number. I still like it, however.

[Manfred]

Leaving this town has very clever piano harmonies, the bass is very Brian-like, the song structure is interesting and I love the Moog solo.


Funky Pretty is also very clever (I´m musician myself), the ascending bass line is very fine and all the vocal-functions are really good. And again the Moog fits in perfectly. The song has - like Leaving this town (and before "Here she comes" and "Hold on dear brother") very much soul > thanks to Ricky and Blondie.

[JK]

Leaving this town has very clever piano harmonies, the bass is very Brian-like, the song structure is interesting and I love the Moog solo.


Funky Pretty is also very clever (I´m musician myself), the ascending bass line is very fine and all the vocal-functions are really good. And again the Moog fits in perfectly. The song has - like Leaving this town (and before "Here she comes" and "Hold on dear brother") very much soul > thanks to Ricky and Blondie.

"Leaving" has the (almost) unique distinction in Beach Boy Land of a central instrumental workout over a repeating pattern ("Feels Flows" is the other.)

And does any other BB song end the way "Funky Pretty" does? It really builds up a head of steam, not least thanks to Mr Chaplin.

[KDS]

Leaving this town has very clever piano harmonies, the bass is very Brian-like, the song structure is interesting and I love the Moog solo.


Funky Pretty is also very clever (I´m musician myself), the ascending bass line is very fine and all the vocal-functions are really good. And again the Moog fits in perfectly. The song has - like Leaving this town (and before "Here she comes" and "Hold on dear brother") very much soul > thanks to Ricky and Blondie.

Songs like Leaving This Town, Steamboat, and The Trader made me really sad that they didn't keep this version of the group together longer. 

Going from stuff like that to 15 Big Ones.  Wow. 

[Bill30022]

My favorite part of the live Funky Pretty are the drums.

I prefer the live versions of the Ricky/Blondie era songs. There is a sense of urgency and additional soul that the studio versions lack.