It's a Beautiful Day

[analogdemon]

Hi everyone,

I noticed that the Sumahama UK 45 had a song called "It's a Beautiful Day" on the B-side.  Can someone fill me in on this song?  Was it recorded during the L.A. sessions?  Does it fit in with L.A.'s mood (that sort-of soft mellow rock approach)?  Who sings lead?  Did Brian have anything to do with this song (probably not)?  Any info anyone could provide would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Jason]

Mike/Al composition from the LA sessions, one of the hardest rockers they ever did in the studio, and one of their better late period tracks.

[al]

If I remember rightly it first appeared on the soundtrack to the film Americathon (which i do have somewhere....) and I think it also appeared on the Ten Years Of Harmony comp.

[I. Spaceman]

Isn't that one of their more famous later tracks?
Strange.

[JoeP]

I have only seen it on the Ten Years com, which does credit it as from the soundtrack to Americathon.  Decent late 70s track.

[I. Spaceman]

Maybe it's because I'm from LA, where the song received saturation airplay and was #1 on the local radio charts. I always assumed this was one of their biggest later tracks.

[Smilin Ed H]

Carl's great on the chorus too.  Imagine California Calling, but better and rockier - not great, but definitely one of their better summer/fun kind of songs from the later (i.e. post-Holland) era.   Pity it wasn't on LA.

[I. Spaceman]

Absolutely. It works great in place of Sumahama on LA. Or Here Comes The Night or Shortnin' Bread, according to your taste.

[Evenreven]

Maybe it's because I'm from LA, where the song received saturation airplay and was #1 on the local radio charts. I always assumed this was one of their biggest later tracks.

Maybe that's it, I've never even heard of it. Not that I'm an expert on the L.A. sessions, of course. So, it's pretty good? I might have to check it out.

[monkee knutz]

I think Beautiful Day would have been more at home on KTSA. How this track occurred around LA is beyond me. It rocks harder that anything on that LP (I'll refrain from LA bashing).
Beautiful Day never charted nationally, did it?? Didn't even crack the charts? Pity.

[startBBtoday]

Crazy bump I realize, but I'm hearing this song for the first time ever right now. Better than most of the stuff in this era!

Imagine if they broke this one out on the C50 tour.

[Quzi]

Even the abridged version of this drags a bit imo. I cut it back another verse at the end and it now hits the spot just right.

[lance]

I disagree. I will say that the unabridged one goes on a bit. And the abridged one is too short, fading in the solo...that's utter madness.

[LeeDempsey]

Although the timing of "It's a Beautiful Day" may be from the L.A. era, I don't think it was ever seriously a candidate for that album.  Instead it was written and recorded specifically for the movie "Americathon."  The lyrics about the "skies being clear" and "cars having disappeared from the scene" tie directly to the movie's plot about cars being banned in L.A. due to the smog problem, and everyone having to ride bicycles to work.

Lee

[Quzi]

The abridged version I'm in possession of doesn't fade during the solo. It fades while Carl sings the "such a beautiful day" refrain after the solo.

[Heysaboda]

Mike/Al composition from the LA sessions, one of the hardest rockers they ever did in the studio, and one of their better late period tracks.

Ditto to what TRBB said (six years ago).  !!!

This is a great, great song.  I missed it when it came out in 1981, but I found it on the Ten Years of Harmony comp, and it shows how good the BB's could occasionally be in the 80's.  A truly fantastic tune.  Epic!  Shoulda been a #1!

[pixletwin]

I haven't heard this one before and I can't find it anywhere. 

[c-man]

Although the timing of "It's a Beautiful Day" may be from the L.A. era, I don't think it was ever seriously a candidate for that album.  Instead it was written and recorded specifically for the movie "Americathon."  The lyrics about the "skies being clear" and "cars having disappeared from the scene" tie directly to the movie's plot about cars being banned in L.A. due to the smog problem, and everyone having to ride bicycles to work.

Lee

Yep, it was actually recorded after the release of L.A. (Light), according to the AFM contract anyway.  Don't have it with me at the moment, but I believe it was cut in Santa Barbara.  Musicians paid for the session (and presumably ON the track or at least present at the session) were Carl, Al, Brian, and Bruce, plus a drummer and a bassist.   So the guitars are Carl &Al (yay!).

[startBBtoday]

I haven't heard this one before and I can't find it anywhere. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8YGsoG-12g

[pixletwin]

It's on YT. *head slaps*

Gracias amigo. 

[onkster]

I wasn't into the BBs yet, but remember seeing the Americathon trailer on TV, and thinking, wow that BBs song sounds fantastic!

[bgas]

Although the timing of "It's a Beautiful Day" may be from the L.A. era, I don't think it was ever seriously a candidate for that album.  Instead it was written and recorded specifically for the movie "Americathon."  The lyrics about the "skies being clear" and "cars having disappeared from the scene" tie directly to the movie's plot about cars being banned in L.A. due to the smog problem, and everyone having to ride bicycles to work.

Lee

hey, stranger!!  nice to hear from you again.

[Mr. Cohen]

Maybe because of 2pac, I always wish the lyrics were:
Ooooooh
To live and die in LA
It gets worse everyday
The skies are clear
It's a beautiful day in LA

People in motion
Our wheels movin' all kinda ways
Indoors, outdoors, in the sun
There are people everywhere carryin' gun, gun, guns

& etc.

[punkinhead]

I have this on the vinyl/soundtrack and 10 Years of Harmony...I always find it odd that it was good enough for that greatest hits compilation but it never appeared on any other GH comps....It shoulda been on KTSA.

[Aegir]

Although the timing of "It's a Beautiful Day" may be from the L.A. era, I don't think it was ever seriously a candidate for that album.  Instead it was written and recorded specifically for the movie "Americathon."  The lyrics about the "skies being clear" and "cars having disappeared from the scene" tie directly to the movie's plot about cars being banned in L.A. due to the smog problem, and everyone having to ride bicycles to work.

Lee

Yep, it was actually recorded after the release of L.A. (Light), according to the AFM contract anyway.  Don't have it with me at the moment, but I believe it was cut in Santa Barbara.  Musicians paid for the session (and presumably ON the track or at least present at the session) were Carl, Al, Brian, and Bruce, plus a drummer and a bassist.   So the guitars are Carl &Al (yay!).

so who's playing piano, Brian or Bruce? and what is the other one doing?