Every time we get a new release, or when I just feel like going back and listening to the Beach Boys building songs, I am confused by a few things. We read how tedious it was to do multiple takes of songs, or different variations to get the right 'feel' but the boys seem very relaxed and focused while doing this. Brian exhibits so much patience and softness when directing the Beach Boys or the Wrecking Crew and there are only a few times when he seems to be impatient.
I think one of those times was during
God Only Knows when the suggestion is made to make the drums more staccato just before the vocal interlude. Brian seemed to get very excited - but never rude. Even during the
Help Me Rhonda sessions with Murry he never seemed to lose his temper.
I am not sure why, but one of my favorite moments was during the recording of
And Your Dream Comes True (under the working title "You're So Sleepy - Wish That He Could Stay")
"Wait a minute. Get the key Brian on the piano. Get the key."
"I got it. That's good enough."
"No it isn't! "
(plays three notes on the piano)
(sings) You're... (spoken) "well, you were right."(laughter)
I can't help but think these guys respected each other and enjoyed what they were doing most of the time. I rarely hear any negativity that is talked about come through on the bits that are released to us. Are there more tapes with negative attitudes captured?
Brian's ability to do more than 20 takes of the same song and have such a calm demeanor never ceases to amaze me. I would have killed half the people in the studio. He is so gentle to everyone - even the people who keep screwing up his takes.