Adult Child

[Adam Ant]

Hello all, I'm a relatively new BW/BB fan and came across Adult Child on a file-sharing service (hope it's ok to mention that). I haven't seen much written about it on these boards and the net in general. Hope someone could answer some questions I have about it. Was this album supposed to be released after Love You? Was it to be a solo or BB release? Any chance this will ever get a proper release? Has there ever been another album in the history of music that mentions both organic food and getting season tickets for baseball? Any other tidbits on this great "lost" album would be appreciated.

[I. Spaceman]

Yes.
BB, as every BB member is represented by a lead vocal.
No.
No.
Games Two Can Play and H.E.L.P Is On The Way are 1970 outtakes strangely included.

[the captain]

I only recently heard the entire thing, but was very familiar with about half of the tracks before. It's an even more odd piece of Brian than we got on Love You, in my opinion. Songs like "Everybody Wants To Live" are just...well, nuts. The first verse is so bizarre it's just brilliant to me. That, "Lines," "ITTS (Baseball)," etc...

And more of the good ol' exercise-mantra coming from the, ah, slightly hypocritical Brian ("Life is For the Living," paired with the aforementioned). It is an interesting album, but I can't quite bring myself to call it exactly good. It's better than MIU and all that followed, of course, but so are the random sounds of passing traffic.

[I. Spaceman]

Deep Purple is amazing, and It's Over Now, Still I Dream Of It and It's Trying To Say are pretty incredible too.
Lines has one of Brian's GREAT stream-of-consciousness lyrics, who else would write a song about how much they hate lines at the movies? And then he actually narrates his thoughts on the movie! "Oh, the movie's movin' kinda slow...". Genius.

[no]

Yeah, "Adult Child" is just insane. I'll never get my head around the lyrics to "EWTL" and "Lines" almost reminds my of something Bob Odenkirk would write -- both in a good way.

[I. Spaceman]

Isn't Live the one where he says "A cigarette butt in the water goes pffft"?

[no]

Hah. That's the one.

[the captain]

I think Deep Purple is a good song, but his singing is weak, even for him at that time. (There's a line in there where he sounds as if he's either choking or laughing.) I agree wholeheartedly about the other three.

[the captain]

Isn't Live the one where he says "A cigarette butt in the water goes pffft"?

Been in my mind for days.

[no]

I think Deep Purple is a good song, but his singing is weak, even for him at that time. (There's a line in there where he sounds as if he's either choking or laughing.)

"... though you're gone *KAH* ..."

[I. Spaceman]

I think Deep Purple is a good song, but his singing is weak, even for him at that time. (There's a line in there where he sounds as if he's either choking or laughing.) I agree wholeheartedly about the other three.

Well, Deep Purple being a classic standard, and Brian covering it makes part of this weird text that runs through the album of Brian interpreting the big-band sounds so loved by his dad. I think it's actually a tribute to Murry, that album. By a broken-hearted and wasted son.
Life, Purple, Still I Dream and It's Over all share that sound, with Over actually stating "I'll put a Frank Sinatra album on and cry my blues away. I wish he would have carried that sound through the whole album.

[Aegir]

Isn't Live the one where he says "A cigarette butt in the water goes pffft"?

Oh my god, I've wanted to hear that song ever since I heard Carnie talking about it in the IJWMFTT documentary.. she said something to the effect of, "I remember one time when I was young, all of the sudden he said, 'I'm gonna write a song about a cigarette!', and then ten minutes later he's written this crazy song about putting out a cigarette in the toilet."

[I. Spaceman]

It's pretty easy to find. I'm sure somebody can help you with that.

[the captain]

Well, Deep Purple being a classic standard, and Brian covering it makes part of this weird text that runs through the album of Brian interpreting the big-band sounds so loved by his dad. I think it's actually a tribute to Murry, that album. By a broken-hearted and wasted son.
Life, Purple, Still I Dream and It's Over all share that sound, with Over actually stating "I'll put a Frank Sinatra album on and cry my blues away. I wish he would have carried that sound through the whole album.

No doubt that it would have been a more cohesive, and probably interesting, album. It is definitely "interrupted" by the 1970 songs, and even the other, differently-arranged tracks.

[I. Spaceman]

Shortnin' Bread really lets the whole thing down, even though it fits in with the title.
Al's On Broadway is by far his best oldie performance. Really good.

[the captain]

Al's On Broadway is by far his best oldie performance. Really good.

I am put to sleep by that entire song. Arguably the dullest, most lifeless piece of music I've ever heard.

[I. Spaceman]

You've heard him do School Days and Peggy Sue?

[the captain]

Sadly, yes.

[Dancing Bear]

I think it's gonna sound fanboyish, but his vocals in On Broadway sound VERY Alan Jardine. Specially the "Cause I can play this here guitar" line. But I suspect any outside listener would consider this version mediocre.

[Old Rake]

Shortnin' Bread really lets the whole thing down, even though it fits in with the title.

Might not fit in on Adult Child, but is still one of his best songs -- and the basis for about twenty five other songs by him I really like!

[Dancing Bear]

"Heaven, Heaven is far away, Angels no longer play"

I Just put Adult Child to play... Boy this line defines "singing in the shower".

[I. Spaceman]

I love Marilyn's voice on that line.

[Andreas]

Everybody Wants To Live is such an odd, great song. Carl sounds like Dean Martin on this one.

Beware of the bootleggers' remixes that appear on the Dumb Angel Rarities series....Trying To Say, On Broadway and Hey Little Tomboy have redundant intros there.

And I have to agree about On Broadway...one of the lamest arrangements ever. But then again, I can't stand most of the Beach Boys's oldies covers.

[Dancing Bear]

I love Marilyn's voice on that line.

I do too, But I'm a fan. If this was Ms. McGuinn ruining the bridge of "Chestnut Mare" I think I wouldn't be so understanding.

[Jason]

I do too, But I'm a fan. If this was Ms. McGuinn ruining the bridge of "Chestnut Mare" I think I wouldn't be so understanding.

If that happened, I'd be ready to kill someone. NO ONE tampers with that song or album.