Favourite obscure vocal part?

[mikeyj]

I was wondering what everyone else thinks in regards to their favourite obscure vocal part (ie: God Only Knows is NOT an obscure vocal) in terms of the entire Beach Boys history (you don't have to limit it to one)... Specifically I don't mean an entire vocal, just a part of a vocal or it can be a backing vocal or whatever you wan't. I was just thinking this because I have always loved the backing vocals on "Ballad of Ole' Betsy"... I don't know what it is on that song but it gets to me emotionally... I can't explain it, just those backing vocals are beautiful, by no means perfect Beach Boys harmonies but I really love them. What does everyone else think?

[the captain]

Dennis' lead vocal on "It's Trying to Say (Baseball)." In fact, that whole song, not just the vocal, just kills me (in a good way).

I also like Reiley's vocal on "A Day in the Life of a Tree."

[John]

Funnily enough, the back-ups on the tag of I'll Bet He's Nice. "Well it's youuuu!"
And the bass vocal on the Surf's Up tag.
But my favourite, although it's not too obscure has to be:

"Kiss a little bit/ Fight a little bit/ Kiss a little bit / Whoa baby!" from Kiss Me Baby.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Right at the end of "Let's Put Our Hearts Together", Brian sings "together, together" very poorly. Then, out of nowhere, he finishes with, "together you and I" in this amazingly soft and sensitive, circa-late 60's Brian Wilson voice! Where was THAT on the rest of the album!? Damn...

[mikeyj]

Dennis' lead vocal on "It's Trying to Say (Baseball)." In fact, that whole song, not just the vocal, just kills me (in a good way).

Maby it's because I'm not American and dont particularly like Baseball but I don't like that song all that much ... Certainly is obscure though... I remember you mentioning it on another post a while back Luther that you liked the song. Can I ask what you like so much about the song (I'm just curious). I've always found it strange, what are the "Baseball tapes" that people have talked about. At first I assumed that it was It's Trying To Say... but people usually state "Baseball tapes (Not Its Trying To Say)" so what is this other track like?

John I too agree that Mike's bass vocal on the tag of Surf's Up is incredible. Whether you like Mike's lead vocals (which I personally love - even some of his nasaly efforts like It's OK, obviously not as good but not unbearable) or not he is an incredible bass vocalist.

[Beach Boy]

Intro to "Island Girl", "Problem Child" and Carl's vocal on "Chasin' The Sky", wow. 

To be honest, I don't really like the backing vocals to "Ballad Of Ole' Betsy". 

[mikeyj]

To be honest, I don't really like the backing vocals to "Ballad Of Ole' Betsy". 

Yeh thats cool. Of course it's all a personal thing. That's what I was meaning by obscure. Something that isn't obvious. Like obviously everyone likes Carl's vocal on God Only Knows (atleast 99% of people) but not everyone likes the vocals to some of the lesser known things. Like I said I just can't explain what it is about those backing vocals but I just love them.

[the captain]

Maby it's because I'm not American and dont particularly like Baseball but I don't like that song all that much ... Certainly is obscure though... I remember you mentioning it on another post a while back Luther that you liked the song. Can I ask what you like so much about the song (I'm just curious). I've always found it strange, what are the "Baseball tapes" that people have talked about. At first I assumed that it was It's Trying To Say... but people usually state "Baseball tapes (Not Its Trying To Say)" so what is this other track like?

You can ask, but I have no good answer. I am American, but I don't like baseball at all. I like Dennis' vocal, I like the rhythm of the song, I like the simple chord progression, I like the goofy lyrics...i just like it. Never heard of "Baseball tapes" though, so I am of even less help there.

[mikeyj]

Never heard of "Baseball tapes" though, so I am of even less help there.

I don't know if its actually called "Baseball tapes" but it's something like that. All's I know is it has the name Baseball in the title and it's apparently not the same as ITTS.

[mikeyj]

You can ask, but I have no good answer.

I spose its kinda how I cant explain why I like the backing vocals on Ballad of Ole Betsy (I was gonna abbreviate that but decided not to )

[punkinhead]

"the constalation are stars that form animals, cleo and capricorn too"   ---great stuff

[phirnis]

I just LOVE Games Two Can Play and find myself humming the first few lines of that song quite often.
"I ain't goin' nowhere/I got lots of time" - what a great line and what a beautiful, funny delivery.

Another favorite has to be Lookin' At Tomorrow. "I'll be coming home tonight..." just kills me every time I hear it.

Third one: Mike's lead vocal on Cherry Cherry Coupe. Amazingly brilliant. Talking about car songs, I have to agree on Ballad of Ole' Betsy. In fact I find that tune very moving in a way I can't even explain.

[melissalynn]

The backing vocals in 'Steamboat' ('Don't worry Mr. Fulton'...).

'I break down and cry'-'Walk on By'

the 'Four Seasons you better believe it' part in 'Surfer's Rule'.

And I really love the 'We love the drive in, we love the drive in' part in 'Drive-In'. Always gets stuck in my head for some reason.

[mikeyj]

And I really love the 'We love the drive in, we love the drive in' part in 'Drive-In'. Always gets stuck in my head for some reason.

Hey me too! That's really strange because when I hear that song I keep repeating that line in my head over and over for ages. Its not necessarilly one of my favourite lines but for some reason its just so catchy.

Talking about car songs, I have to agree on Ballad of Ole' Betsy. In fact I find that tune very moving in a way I can't even explain.

Yeh I just love Ballad of Ole' Betsy. How can a song about a car be so moving?

[tpesky]

The acapella opening and ending to Come Go With Me they did live in the 80s and 90s. Easy to miss, but really awesome the way the voices blended together and started and ended, especially Carl and Al

[Aegir]

Alternate version of Don't Back Down has some great vocals. Esepcially the chorus "Don't back down, don't back DOW-N". Brian's "anyhow" on the tag of We'll Run Away is amazing. I love Mike's bass vocal on California Calling "California calling, ring, ring ring ring". The vocals on the Friends album are great, nearly every song has a gem.

[Roger Ryan]

The group "do-da-de-do" vocals at the tail end of "I'd Love Just Once To See You" is pure bliss, made even more exquisite in the recent concert performance by coming to a distinct end.

[pixletwin]

If I understand the question, my favorite obscure vocal is the "truck driving man" bit Dennis sang in cabinessence.

[phirnis]

Alternate version of Don't Back Down has some great vocals. Esepcially the chorus "Don't back down, don't back DOW-N". Brian's "anyhow" on the tag of We'll Run Away is amazing. I love Mike's bass vocal on California Calling "California calling, ring, ring ring ring". The vocals on the Friends album are great, nearly every song has a gem.

In my book Friends includes some of the Beach Boys' most marvelous vocal performances ever, both lead and background. Brian hardly ever sounded that relaxed again and the group vocals on this album are total bliss.

Love that California Calling bass vocal as well, it makes the whole song for me. It's probably their post-70s nostalgia tune I like the most.

[Loaf]

What a great topic! There are millions of hidden vocal gems throughout the BBs catalogue that outshine most other bands' entire careers.

Pretty much everything from 67-73 has one of these background nuggets, but off the top of my head i'll go for the soaring ending to 'All This Is That' and the baton-style vocals of 'Somewhere Near Japan'.

[Fun Is In]

In "It's OK" when Dennis sings what sounds to me like "find a ride, find a ride".

There's just something in that admittedly hoarse sounding back up that really adds something special to the production.



And, umm, that consteallation is Leo the Lion, not Cleo, the Queen of Denial.

[49ersphil]

Dennis' lead vocal on "It's Trying to Say (Baseball)." In fact, that whole song, not just the vocal, just kills me (in a good way).

Maby it's because I'm not American and dont particularly like Baseball but I don't like that song all that much ... Certainly is obscure though... I remember you mentioning it on another post a while back Luther that you liked the song. Can I ask what you like so much about the song (I'm just curious). I've always found it strange, what are the "Baseball tapes" that people have talked about. At first I assumed that it was It's Trying To Say... but people usually state "Baseball tapes (Not Its Trying To Say)" so what is this other track like?



This is from Dan Addington's excellent Denny site. he's quoting Brad Elliott




"Baseball tapes" , 1974, (DW) Different from "It's Trying to Say" by Brian. Tape #514W contains a song called "Take Me Out to The Ballgame"; tape #513W contains a song simply titled "Baseball". A notation on the tape box says "Dennis' film".(!) Tape #515W, 2/22/74, has the title "Spring Bass Song" - It's possible that "Bass" could actually be "Base" as in "Baseball"), Elliott 2001


These are recordings reported to exist somewhere. One day I'll swith on my PC and somebody will have unearthed them and offer them to me. I can hope, can't I? 
 

[Shady]

For me, Brian on 'We'll Run Away', Mike On 'All I Wanna Do', Mikes bass vocals on 'Got To Know The Women' And Brian Or Carl not to sure, at the end of 'Forever', to name a few.

[SloopJohnB]

My favourite obscure "vocal" part can be heard in the tag of "All I Want To Do".




 

Seriously, I dig the "muuuusic, muuusic" backgrounds in "I Can Hear Music".

[mikeyj]

Dennis' lead vocal on "It's Trying to Say (Baseball)." In fact, that whole song, not just the vocal, just kills me (in a good way).

Maby it's because I'm not American and dont particularly like Baseball but I don't like that song all that much ... Certainly is obscure though... I remember you mentioning it on another post a while back Luther that you liked the song. Can I ask what you like so much about the song (I'm just curious). I've always found it strange, what are the "Baseball tapes" that people have talked about. At first I assumed that it was It's Trying To Say... but people usually state "Baseball tapes (Not Its Trying To Say)" so what is this other track like?



This is from Dan Addington's excellent Denny site. he's quoting Brad Elliott




"Baseball tapes" , 1974, (DW) Different from "It's Trying to Say" by Brian. Tape #514W contains a song called "Take Me Out to The Ballgame"; tape #513W contains a song simply titled "Baseball". A notation on the tape box says "Dennis' film".(!) Tape #515W, 2/22/74, has the title "Spring Bass Song" - It's possible that "Bass" could actually be "Base" as in "Baseball"), Elliott 2001


These are recordings reported to exist somewhere. One day I'll swith on my PC and somebody will have unearthed them and offer them to me. I can hope, can't I? 
 

Thanks for that.