The Definitive Vocal Credits Thread...

[John]

Are you referring to "I'll Bet He's Nice?"

[adamghost]

How about a prominent backup for Mike on the post-sax solo "you never give me a chance..." on "Come Go With Me?"

[Aegir]

That's Brian singing the Hawaii falsetto lines? It sounds so weird and creepy. sh*t, so much changes in 15 years.

[tpesky]

I believe it is Alan on The Bells of Christmas, Mike is only on Belles of Paris.

[pixletwin]

I believe it is Alan on The Bells of Christmas, Mike is only on Belles of Paris.

Just gave them both a listen and I gotta agree. Good catch. 

[Sheriff John Stone]

At the end of "Winds Of Change", is there any way you could "up grade" Brian from prominent back-up to a lead vocal because of his singing, "won't last forever".

I've always found that part 1) unbelievably clear-throated based on Brian's other recent vocals, and 2) very emotionally sung, poignant actually. Just a thought...

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Bruce told me it was Carl. I thought it was Brian, myself.

What song are you speaking about?

Whoops...I meant "I'll Bet He's Nice", the "baby-ooo" part.

[John]

How about a prominent backup for Mike on the post-sax solo "you never give me a chance..." on "Come Go With Me?"

That's actually Al, I think.

[John]

I believe it is Alan on The Bells of Christmas, Mike is only on Belles of Paris.

Al sings Bells of Christmas? Shows how much I listen to that! I'll take a listen tonight.

[John]

At the end of "Winds Of Change", is there any way you could "up grade" Brian from prominent back-up to a lead vocal because of his singing, "won't last forever".

I've always found that part 1) unbelievably clear-throated based on Brian's other recent vocals, and 2) very emotionally sung, poignant actually. Just a thought...

Ah, I dunno. That's standard BW schtick. If he was unaccompanied, perhaps. I only included it in prominent back-ups because he hadn't sung falsetto for a very long time, otherwise, we miss out Mike bass parts and Brian high parts because they're part and parcel of what the BBs do.

If there's a massive call for it, though...

[tpesky]

John, I know what you mean with Bells. I had to relisten to it myself, just to doublecheck but it is Al and the liner notes also list Al as lead vocal. 
As for Come Go With Me, I thought I remembered reading somewhere that Al did all of the parts for Come Go with Me himself. Mike sang that part live though

[MBE]

I know Mike lip syncheed the Come And Go With Me line on TV back in 1981

[Andrew G. Doe]

"Bells Of Christmas" lead vocal is Mike ? I don't think so, at least on the Ultimate Christmas track. Unless Alan can also sound like Mike imitating Alan.

Speaking of which, mention must be made that the version of "Melekalikimaka" isn't the same as the version that was circualting since the early 80s. Alan re-recorded some of his lead vocal.

[edit] - maybe next time I'll read all the subsequent threads. Duh !

[John]

I listened last night, and blow me down, it is Al!

[pixletwin]

"Bells Of Christmas" lead vocal is Mike ? I don't think so, at least on the Ultimate Christmas track. Unless Alan can also sound like Mike imitating Alan.

Al is the Rich Little of the Beach Boys. 

[adamghost]

John, I know what you mean with Bells. I had to relisten to it myself, just to doublecheck but it is Al and the liner notes also list Al as lead vocal. 
As for Come Go With Me, I thought I remembered reading somewhere that Al did all of the parts for Come Go with Me himself. Mike sang that part live though

I'm aware that Al supposedly did all the vocals on CGWM but that notwithstanding I'm pretty sure that the second "you never give me a chance" at 1:32 is Mike, not Al.  (The first one, though, does sound like a double-tracked Al).  What's interesting is that there's a second vocal mixed in the background there that peters out, a rough double.  On the earlier mix of the song that appeared on the original MIU CD release, it's louder in the mix.  I suspect the second vocal might be Al, although it's hard to tell.

It's worth remembering that it's not even clear that the version of the song that Al DIY'd in '76 is the same recording that was ultimately released.  AGD probably has a better feel on this.  Everything else does sound like all Al, although if you told me Carl or Brian were on some of the background vocals (there are a couple of layers there, and extra vocals on the earlier mix), I could accept that too.  There's no question that the track was reworked, and it's easy to imagine Mike wanting to get a line on there just to make it more of a group recording.  That one line is something in the nature of an adlib and if you were going to add one of the other band members, that's the easiest place to do it.

I know it flies in the face of accepted wisdom, but I'm gonna stick with Mike for the one line on the song, Al with the rest.  I just can't buy that that line is Al.  Wrong timbre, wrong attitude.

[Andrew G. Doe]

According to ACJ hisself, the night they had a mobile up at Brian's place for recording in 1976, no-one else showed up, so he recorded what he wanted to and did it all himself. Seem to recall reading somewhere that the only element that survived to the MIU version was the drums. Boyd could give you the true gen on this.

And yes, that is Mike doing the bass "you never give me a chaaaaaaaaaaance", to these ears at any rate.

[adamghost]

I heard the same thing, but I thought the drums were what was replaced?  The source was ACJ in Byron Preiss' book, I think.

[c-man]

Adam, I know exactly what you mean...the one bass vocal line sounds like Al, the other like Mike, and that's puzzled me for years.

In the Preiss book, Al said "drums were a little weird...I had to add a second set of drums".  He also said he "added the Beach Boys", so I think you're right on about another layer, probably with Brian & Carl, then Mike on that one line.  Some of these parts are better heard on the alternate mix.  I'd love to hear the mix that was considered for "15 Big Ones" and/or "New Album".  Would be interesting to know if the drums are Dennis or someone else...Kowalski is credited for most of "MIU", but it sounds like the final drums may have been added back in the "15 Big Ones" days, which would make it likely to be Dennis.

[c-man]

I wouldn't be surprised if Al did the bass vocals originally, then had Mike do them, but in the final mix Al preferred himself on the one line, and Mike on the other.   Probably an intonation thing. 

Desper said a similar thing happened on "Forever":  the "together my love" line is a composite, some syllables from Dennis and some from Mike.  Talk about picky.  BTW, other than Mike doing that line, it sounds like the vocals on "Forever" are 100% Wilson Brothers...according to Carl in 1982.

[Jon Stebbins]

I wouldn't be surprised if Al did the bass vocals originally, then had Mike do them, but in the final mix Al preferred himself on the one line, and Mike on the other.   Probably an intonation thing. 

Desper said a similar thing happened on "Forever":  the "together my love" line is a composite, some syllables from Dennis and some from Mike.  Talk about picky.  BTW, other than Mike doing that line, it sounds like the vocals on "Forever" are 100% Wilson Brothers...according to Carl in 1982.

If you listen to the vocals only mix of Forever you can hear Mike adding the line "Baby" throughout...as in "Together my love...Baby". Kind of gets lost in the released version.

[Jay]

Sorry to "butt in" here, but isn't it Brian doing the verses on "She's Got Rhythm"?

[c-man]

Sorry to "butt in" here, but isn't it Brian doing the verses on "She's Got Rhythm"?

Yep...his first full falsetto lead since what, '65?  '66? 

[John]

Wait, what?

The non-falsetto bit is Brian? Because I've got the falsetto refrains (I couldn't call it a chorus because there's only one guy singing) as Brian of course, "Last night I went out disco dancing..." and the verses as Mike, because it sounded like Mike - the bits that go, "She came to my table" etc.

As to that bass vocal being mike, I'll have to listen. It's to my shame (or maybe not) that as you might have guessed, I don't listen to MI.U. that much.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Nope, the non-squeaky bits are Mike.