Was Summer In Paradise salvageable?

[Dancing Bear]

Maybe we put more thought on the Beach Boys' career decisions than the guys themselves.

PS: I'm not implying that we shouldn't debate every little detail of every Beach Boys project. My point is, the Beach Boys' modus operandi wasn't really carefully planning every career step, for example, Mike discussing rationally with Carl if his songs would fit, or who would mastermind the next CD. I think things just happened, with everyone doing their best to avoid confrontations. That day at the airport in 1977 was enough for everyone.

[Smilin Ed H]

"Run Don't Walk may have fit fairly well".

Carl intended that for the aborted 96 album.  Dunno who nixed it.  Brian?

[southbay]

It's obvious Mike (and Terry) didn't have enough material for an entire album, hence we have the covers (including "Surfin'"!!!!). But why not get a song contribution from Carl? He was a Beach Boy, among other things he was a songwriter, and they were recording a Beach Boys' album. We had this discussion before regarding 15 Big Ones and MIU. If Carl (or Dennis or Al or Brian or David) offers a quality song at the sessions, I just find it hard to believe that Mike Love, who wants nothing less than a hit album/single, would refuse it. A Carl Wilson-penned song could've easily fit into SIP, if it's anything remotely like "I Wish For You" or "Like A Brother". I don't think Mike would've bumped it for a remake of "Surfin'"; just add the damn song to the album. The CD could hold it!

Here's a quote by Mike from Goldmine: "I asked the group and got approval for the authorisation for me to take a hand in the next album project, which is Summer In Paradise. Every song and whatever producer we would use would have to be okayed by me and I would have the authority to exercise what I felt was the most commercial and creative strenghts of all the guys."

Looking at it from Carl's view, can you imagine Mike gathering the group and saying that? Acting like he is the boss of the whole project and only he determines what songs are on the album. If I was Carl I would think "stuff you Mike, what makes you the boss".

YES. That is the interview I was speaking of with Mike in late 92.  It was conducted by Rick Colville who ran the Cal Saga fanzine and it WAS published in Goldmine as well.  To answer the question, yes, I can imagine Mike doing this at that time.  It is not as if Carl or Alan was going to spearhead an album.  And please keep in mind I am the biggest Carl Wilson supporter around. As noted earlier, Carl indeed "checked out" in the late 80's.  And we cannot say an exception to this was the 93 boxed set tour...Al has been quoted as saying carl was against it.  Not because he didn't want to do it, but because he felt at their age and with their vocals they couldn't pull it off. Also, Al has said Carl was adamently against doing Vegetables on that tour because he felt the attendees just wouldn't get it.  Certainly Carl appreciated all of this stuff, but he did so in their context.  I believe above all else he was a realist, both about the group dynamics (doing his all to keep everybody as happy as possible, which apparently worked until his death) and about the future of their career throughout the 90's.  He knew SIP wasn't going to hit, but if letting Mike do his thing with the album in trade for a few days of limited participation would keep Love happy, why not?  He allowed Mike the same control with the cheerleaders and concert song list, right?

[Sheriff John Stone]

OK, this is what I came up with for the final compilation CD for my car. I actually find it  listenable, if not entertaining. Come on, it's not that bad:

1962 - 1964 done
1965 - 1966 done
1967 - 1969 done
1970 - 1975 done
1976 - 1984 done
and, finally, drum roll please...

The Beach Boys 1985 - 1992

1. Still Cruisin'
2. In My Car
3. Radio Spot - "Hi, we're The Beach Boys, and we'd like to thank all the guys at KDWB...."
4. Hot Fun In The Summertime
5. Still Surfin'
6. Wipe Out
7. Slow Summer Dancin'
8. Strange Things Happen
9. Radio Spot - "You're listening to Murray The K"
10. Kokomo
11. Under The Boardwalk
12. Lahaina Aloha
13. Somewhere Near Japan
14. California Dreamin'
15. Radio Spot - "Wonderful KYA"
16. I'm So Lonely
17. Rock And Roll To The Rescue
18. Crocodile Rock
19. Radio Spot - "Down by the old mill stream, where I first met you, KEWB"
20. Getcha Back
21. California Calling
22. Where I Belong
23. Summer In Paradise
24. She Believes In Love Again

Notes:

- I left out "Island Girl" and "Island Fever"; one "Kokomo" is enough.
- "Wipe Out" made the cut; it's different, fun, it was a single.
- a couple songs from BB85 were on, then gone. "It's Getting Late", "I Do Love You", and "It's Just A Matter Of Time" are slightly boring; "Maybe I Don't Know" is too long.
- "Problem Child" just sounded a little out of place.
- "Make It Big" was the last to get the axe, replaced by "I'm So Lonely". I needed more Brian.
- most questionable choice: "Still Surfin"; something about it I like.



 

[Awesoman]

Agreed.  Run Don't Walk may have fit fairly well.

Nah, I couldn't hear it on that album.  It's a nice song but it wouldn't fit with the whole "summer" theme going on throughout the album.  It might have fit better on whatever album they were originally going to do in 1996. 

[Jay]

I actually kind of like SIP. I take the cd out about once a year to give it a listen. I think that SIP would have been a damn good album if they took out "Summer Of Love", "Surfin" and maybe "Hot Fun..", and replaced them with "Still Cruisin", and  "Somewhere Near Japan". The version of "Forever" MIGHT have worked if they kept the backing track, and replaced Stamo's vocal with Carl singing it...or even Al.

[donald]

I loved Hot Fun recorded by Sly.   I can't believe how limp and uninspired it is by these guys.  Some good strong BB vocal harmony and better production might have helped.   The rest of SIP is like watered down coke; slightly sweet, flat, unappealing, and disposable. 

[southbay]

Agreed.  Run Don't Walk may have fit fairly well.

Nah, I couldn't hear it on that album.  It's a nice song but it wouldn't fit with the whole "summer" theme going on throughout the album.  It might have fit better on whatever album they were originally going to do in 1996. 

True, no summer theme, but then neither did Strange Things Happen. You put Run Don't Walk on, you lose some of the summer theme but have a better album. Of course we could go on and on about this...
Also, re my earlier post on Al's participation on the original US recordings, I forgot to include his standout vocals on Walkin' in the Sand ("hey I remember").  That brings the list of songs he participated in on the original release to at least 4.

[Eric Aniversario]

I loved Hot Fun recorded by Sly.   I can't believe how limp and uninspired it is by these guys.  Some good strong BB vocal harmony and better production might have helped.   The rest of SIP is like watered down coke; slightly sweet, flat, unappealing, and disposable. 

Not to get too far off topic here, but the Manhattan Transfer (who I don't really like in general) put out a GREAT version of Hot Fun with Chaka Khan on lead vocals.  It's on "Tonin", the same album where they did a version of "God Only Knows".

[Swamp Pirate]

I saw the Detroit show during the 93 boxed set tour- it was one of the best Beach Boys shows I'd ever seen.  Carl playing the keyboards and singing "All This Is That" was one of the highlights.

SIP instantly becomes better by deleting Summer of Love from the CD and putting organic drums on the tracks instead of the drum machine which makes the songs sound as if they were recorded at a Holiday Inn lounge.  I thought Forever was one of the stronger tracks simply because Stamos actually played drums on it. 

Hot Fun comes off as a 45 rpm single being played at 33 rpm.
I'd like the remake of Surfin' even more if it weren't for the drums.
Island Fever is Kokomo, part deux
Still Surfin' is all right.
Strange Things Happen is one of the best cuts on the CD
Walking in the Sand- ehhhh
Lahaina Aloha- I also like this one a lot.
Under the Boardwalk- the 2nd version they cut for the European CD was better
Summer in Paradise- the live version on the MOM CD is light years better

[Beach Boy]

I don't mind the BBs later Stuff, especially the SC album and Problem Child. SIP ain't bad. The first 3 tracks are crap but they still can be enjoyable if you allowed to. Island Fever is beautiful, so is Strange Things Happen and Lahaina Aloha. Because of Carl's voice I quite like the new Forever version, but just because of that fact! Overall, his and Al's voices are beautiful. For example Remember Walkin' In The Sand has a great lead. Still Surfin' is too kitschy and Slow Summer Dancin' is the worst Bruce Johnston song, and that means a lot because besides that one I like all of Bruce' songs. That Under The Boardwalk version is lame. Finally the title song: I love that one, it's really beautiful, the US version is better. I would give 3 points for that album. But still I like SC and 85 MUCH more.