Great song - coulda been better!

[thomasogg]

Here's a interesting one: Beach Boy songs that could/should have been great, but something went wrong and they blew it! Not blew it perhaps, but damn it, it coulda been better! Personally i'd say 'All This Is That', the fade out could have been terrific but the production is all wrong.. Carl's gorgeous vocal kicks in and it's great, but then it just suddenly and clumsily leaps back into the mix, whereas it really should have been kept to the fore alongside Mike's chanting and the piano. You might disagree, but it bugs me everytime i listen to the track. I generally don't particuarly approve of remixing and remastering etc but this track is crying out for someone to mend that fade. (I not yet heard the version on 'Warmth of The Sun' - perhaps they have..?)

Anyway, anyone feel a similar way about a BB track (send nominations, and messages going on about how great you happen to think 'All This Is That' is so f*** me!, to the site folks!)

[Ebb and Flow]

I'm not sure if I'd call it a great song, but "This Car Of Mine" is a catchy little tune with a good vocal by Dennis.  But it's a very short song, one of the shortest they made, and doesn't really go anywhere.  It seems like another verse, with maybe an alternate chorus would've made it a better song...

[Alex]

About half of the Beach Boys '85 album would've sounded great with the BB's classic 60s sound instead of Steve Levine's dreadful production, with more creative input from Brian (unfortunately he was "Landy-fied" at the time), and with Mike Love sounding less nasal.

[Jay]

I've always thought that "Meant For You" had great potential to be a really great three minute song, had somebody written more lyrics, and possibly a middle eight.

[thomasogg]

Just thought of another: 'Don't Go Near the Water'. It's too over-produced by far, almost as if they're desperately trying to compensate for the songs slight-ness by filling it full of distracting noises and sound effects. It would've worked better i think had they just recorded it stripped down 'Friends'-style.

(As a footnote, for years i'd always thought it was Carl singing the great section in the middle: saw the song video on u tube yesterday and turns out it's Al. Eeeh, well i never....)

[Sheriff John Stone]

"409" - guitars could've rocked more
"California Girls" - one minor complaint - tag should've been longer
"Wild Honey" - too slow, strained vocal; listen to Blondie Chaplin's take in the early 70's
"Lady" - tremendous song, under produced; would've liked a more prominent guitar like the version performed on the David Frost Show
"Let's Put Our Hearts Together" - great underrated song, poor performance though

[Rocker]

"Oh Darlin!". Great love song, terrible production. Mike's singing is also not very good and I prefer Brian's early version to Carl singing on the released one. The background-parts are very dumb imo with just one or two good ideas. Bruce's "god only knows how I love you..."-tag is also kind a misfit imo. The song itself though is great

[the captain]

"Oh Darlin!". Great love song, terrible production. Mike's singing is also not very good and I prefer Brian's early version to Carl singing on the released one. The background-parts are very dumb imo with just one or two good ideas. Bruce's "god only knows how I love you..."-tag is also kind a misfit imo. The song itself though is great

The first half of that album could almost fit under this discussion, except in my opinion those songs aren't great. They are, however, a lot better than what those recordings/production choices made them sound like. KTSA, even with the same songs, could have been decent instead of bad.

[Sheriff John Stone]

"Oh Darlin!". Great love song, terrible production. Mike's singing is also not very good and I prefer Brian's early version to Carl singing on the released one. The background-parts are very dumb imo with just one or two good ideas. Bruce's "god only knows how I love you..."-tag is also kind a misfit imo. The song itself though is great

The first half of that album could almost fit under this discussion, except in my opinion those songs aren't great. They are, however, a lot better than what those recordings/production choices made them sound like. KTSA, even with the same songs, could have been decent instead of bad.

I agree with you guys. Side A of KTSA should've really ROCKED, but it didn't. When Bruce Johnston came back as producer, he did a great job cleaning up the sound vocally, but a lot of the tracks are too slick, or sterile.

[Beach Boy]

"Oh Darlin!". Great love song, terrible production. Mike's singing is also not very good and I prefer Brian's early version to Carl singing on the released one. The background-parts are very dumb imo with just one or two good ideas. Bruce's "god only knows how I love you..."-tag is also kind a misfit imo. The song itself though is great

The first half of that album could almost fit under this discussion, except in my opinion those songs aren't great. They are, however, a lot better than what those recordings/production choices made them sound like. KTSA, even with the same songs, could have been decent instead of bad.

I agree with you guys. Side A of KTSA should've really ROCKED, but it didn't. When Bruce Johnston came back as producer, he did a great job cleaning up the sound vocally, but a lot of the tracks are too slick, or sterile.

Yeah, see "School Days".

Great song that could have been better? "Gettin' Hungry", I don't like the parts with just the vocals.     "Loop De Loop", good song but Al messed up with the production.
"Problem Child" without the childrens' voices (same with "Santa's Goin' To Kokomo" and "Make It Big" movie version could have been better.

"Here Comes The Night" is not rockin' enough (same with "Darlin'"), and the disco version is too long. "Good Vibrations" is compared to the sesssions a joke.

[SloopJohnB]

"Devoted to You" - without the "Party!" overdubs. Thankfully, we got this one on the "Hawthorne, CA" CD!

[Beach Boy]

"Auld Lang Syne" without the message from Dennis, but that's too avaible. 

[thomasogg]

It's pretty wll known that 'Let Him Run Wild' is a track Brian himself is unhappy with, but i disagree with the great man as to its faults. It ain't his vocal performance, it's the occasionally muddy production that spoils what is obviously a tremendous song in itself. The second chorus in particular doesn't come off as it should i feel. Wish it coulda got the same production polish afforded the 'Pet Sounds' tracks...

[SurfRiderHawaii]

"It's Ok" - petters out too early.  Would have been a bigger hit fleshed out to a longer tune. 

Same with "Good Timin".  Gorgious song that end way to early.

[tpesky]

This Whole World is a verse short, it should have been a hit single but too short! ,Lookin At Tomorrow is also a verse short, It's Ok is also a verse short, I hate to do this but I would put some harmonies (not alot) on Caroline No, Santa Ana Winds has a great beat but should have been released with its original lyrics, Keepin The Summer Alive needed to rock like its live, Lady Lynda needed stripped down production.

[doc smiley]

"It's Ok" - petters out too early.  Would have been a bigger hit fleshed out to a longer tune. 

How about a proper beginning? That fault is the only reason this wasn't a much bigger hit...

also "Getcha Back" decent song... horrible vocal from Mike... should have been redone... don't know what Steve Levine was thinking there...

[Eric Aniversario]

When I read this question, the title track of KTSA immediately came to mind.  I would remove the "duh-duh-duh" bass vocal, which they wisely didn't use when performing it live.

[Eric Aniversario]

"It's Ok" - petters out too early.  Would have been a bigger hit fleshed out to a longer tune. 

How about a proper beginning? That fault is the only reason this wasn't a much bigger hit...

Around 2004 or 2005, Mike & Bruce were using the intro to "California Beach" as the intro to "It's OK", and it worked perfectly!

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

also "Getcha Back" decent song... horrible vocal from Mike... should have been redone... don't know what Steve Levine was thinking there...

Mike's vocal on GETCHA BACK sounds nasally to the extreme, almost as if he was doing it on purpose.  Compare it to his vocal on MALE EGO.  Then again, maybe Steve Levine made it sound that way.

[SloopJohnB]

also "Getcha Back" decent song... horrible vocal from Mike... should have been redone... don't know what Steve Levine was thinking there...

Mike's vocal on GETCHA BACK sounds nasally to the extreme, almost as if he was doing it on purpose.  Compare it to his vocal on MALE EGO.  Then again, maybe Steve Levine made it sound that way.

Mike seems to be quite proud of his "multiple voices"... I wouldn't be surprised if his vocals on Getcha Back were really done on purpose.

[Pretty Funky]

'Nearest Faraway Place'...Weak lead organ (Sorry Bruce)

[the captain]

'Nearest Faraway Place'...Weak lead organ (Sorry Bruce)

I think that is such stinky, stinky cheese that it doesn't reach the "great song" requirement before the qualifying "could've been better" part. Oh, it could've been better..by total abandonment and reinvention.

That said, we all have our preferences. If you like it, I will work hard to remove it from my 20/20 and somehow give it to you. MAKE IT GO AWAY.

[Pretty Funky]

 

[mikeyj]

That said, we all have our preferences.

Yes we do Luther and I quite like it. Of course it's nowhere near one of my favourite Beach Boys tracks, but I still think it's a decent song. It's quite relaxing I think. I wish I could compose a song like that

[shelter]

Our Car Club would've been great with better lyrics.