"River Song" as done by The Beach Boys in concert

[Jay]

I was wondering, how many Beach Boys versions of this song exist on tape, as done in concert? The only version I have heard is from Hartford, 1973. The sound quality is pretty darn good for an audience tape. Are there any other live versions that sound better? What is the "best" version to have?

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

There are several on tape, I can think of...three off hand.  Can't remember what shows, but I remember there are three of them.

[KokoMoses]

I have an audience recording from an unknown date. Blondie sings lead. It rocks a bit harder than the album, but they don't do the bridge ("breaks my heart to see the city") and kinda jam out for a while. I wonder why Dennis didn't sing the lead live? Maybe he wasn't there that show! I wonder if the bridge wasn't written till much later.

[Rocker]

I wouldn't be too surprised if there is an excellent multi-track recording in the vaults. there was a lot recorded for the "In concert"-album and maybe "River song" was in one of those concerts...

[KokoMoses]

Man, I wish they woulda' put out an expanded 2-disc "IN CONCERT" like they did with The Talking Head's "The Name Of This Band Is....."

maybe someday!

[Aegir]

I wonder why Dennis didn't sing the lead live? Maybe he wasn't there that show!

Dennis didn't sing lead on all of his songs. It's like how Carl sang Steamboat. Why doesn't Mike Love sing Darlin'?

He only sang River Song on his solo album because, well, it was his solo album and he had to sing lead on all the tracks.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I like Blondie's lead better, actually.  Dennis must have liked his voice too, because Blondie did a few leads for Dennis songs...  Few if any of which came out as Beach Boys tracks, but still.

[c-man]

I wouldn't be too surprised if there is an excellent multi-track recording in the vaults. there was a lot recorded for the "In concert"-album and maybe "River song" was in one of those concerts...

The two live versions I have are from the Nassau Coliseum, and Hartford CT.  Both shows were professionally recorded. 

[Jay]

I wouldn't be too surprised if there is an excellent multi-track recording in the vaults. there was a lot recorded for the "In concert"-album and maybe "River song" was in one of those concerts...

The two live versions I have are from the Nassau Coliseum, and Hartford CT.  Both shows were professionally recorded. 

In reference to the Hartford show, are you talking about the 1973 show? The one where Dennis told a Nixon joke? I'm pretty sure that's an audience tape. At least the version I heard. The audience is very loud...to loud for a professional tape. Especially in the intro. Jack Riely(sp?) is talking about almost drowning last time they were there(?), and an audience member can CLEARLY be heard screaming "This time we're gonna get it on!".

[Mr. Wilson]

Yea i have the Hartford show..1 disk.. Not complete show...Wish i had the whole thing..BTW..i didnt know jack  did the talking at the begining...Sounds like an excellent audience recording to me..

[Jay]

Yea i have the Hartford show..1 disk.. Not complete show...Wish i had the whole thing..BTW..i didnt know jack  did the talking at the begining...Sounds like an excellent audience recording to me..

I suspect that the recording may actually be a "stage tape", or an audience tape placed near the P.A. system.

[c-man]

Yea i have the Hartford show..1 disk.. Not complete show...Wish i had the whole thing..BTW..i didnt know jack  did the talking at the begining...Sounds like an excellent audience recording to me..

I suspect that the recording may actually be a "stage tape", or an audience tape placed near the P.A. system.

Yes, the tape of the Hartford show that circulates among collectors is an audience recording from close proximity to the P.A.   However, it WAS professionally recorded, as the group members mention several times throughout the show.  At one point they stop and wait for the reels to be changed.

[Awesoman]

Man, I wish they woulda' put out an expanded 2-disc "IN CONCERT" like they did with The Talking Head's "The Name Of This Band Is....."

maybe someday!

Actually, In Concert was a double-vinyl album back in the day.  I would love to hear more live tracks from this period.  I really was impressed with the overall sound of the band when Blondie and Ricky were a part of it.  They just sounded harder and ballsier than they ever did before or since.

[KokoMoses]

Yes, it was a double LP that got slapped onto one lil ole'  "digital-audio-disc"
Same thing with the Talking Heads double live album. Only with that one, they added la whole second disc's worth of cuts for a true "expanded" version. Man, if they had done something similar with "In-Concert'....

But, hey, I shouldn't  cry too much, POB is getting released at least

....... right at the curtain call for the CD format where a lot of people will simply download the thing for free!

[Alex]

Yes, it was a double LP that got slapped onto one lil ole'  "digital-audio-disc"
Same thing with the Talking Heads double live album. Only with that one, they added la whole second disc's worth of cuts for a true "expanded" version. Man, if they had done something similar with "In-Concert'....

But, hey, I shouldn't  cry too much, POB is getting released at least

....... right at the curtain call for the CD format where a lot of people will simply download the thing for free!

I plan on buying POB.

[Rocker]

Yes, it was a double LP that got slapped onto one lil ole'  "digital-audio-disc"
Same thing with the Talking Heads double live album. Only with that one, they added la whole second disc's worth of cuts for a true "expanded" version. Man, if they had done something similar with "In-Concert'....

Interestingly the CD has a Dennis intro to "Surfin USA" ("This is for all the surfers here tonight", which my LP doesn't have 

[John]

Yes, it was a double LP that got slapped onto one lil ole'  "digital-audio-disc"
Same thing with the Talking Heads double live album. Only with that one, they added la whole second disc's worth of cuts for a true "expanded" version. Man, if they had done something similar with "In-Concert'....

The Band's Rock of Ages is like that too. I must admit I'm kinda baffled by In Concert's tracklisting, from an artisitc point of view - though not a commercial one - putting in the hits like they did, whereas Wonderbill, Surf's Up, River Song, Jumpin Jack Flash, Only With You, California, It's About Time and the like would have made for a much more enticing album.

[Jay]

If I had been in charge of releasing a live album from that period, I would have included at least half of the Carnage Hall 1972 show.

[MBE]

The Beach Boys in concert should have had at least 4 songs sung by Dennis on it. I've Got A Friend, Forever, Cuddle Up, perhaps his lead on Help Me Rhonda. They would have made this a killer album. Top it off with Blondie doing River song and it would have been perfect. The original 1972 version looked sloppier but it had a more daring line up. Wonderbill, Surf's Up, Long Promised Road. Nothing from before 1966 should have been used.

[Aegir]

I've always thought a live Steamboat would be cool.

[Jay]

I've always thought a live Steamboat would be cool.

Yeah! With an extended steel guitar solo, longer than the album version.  It would  have been great to hear the Blondie/Ricky era lineup do "Got To Know The Woman", or "Slip On Through".

[Jason]

A live Slip On Through exists but it's from a 1970 TV show. For a track released as a 45, it was odd that it never seemed to have a live shelf life.

[Rocker]

The Beach Boys in concert should have had at least 4 songs sung by Dennis on it. I've Got A Friend, Forever, Cuddle Up, perhaps his lead on Help Me Rhonda. They would have made this a killer album. Top it off with Blondie doing River song and it would have been perfect. The original 1972 version looked sloppier but it had a more daring line up. Wonderbill, Surf's Up, Long Promised Road. Nothing from before 1966 should have been used.

But that would've been pretty unlikely. I agree that Dennis should have had some of his songs on it and Al too, that way each member would've been represented. But I think 4 songs by Dennis would've been too much, no matter how great they are/were. I also think that the pre-66 songs have their right to be there. After all they made  the Beach Boys famous and they really rock. I think the released album is great and shows almost every side of the band. But I also would love to hear some more stuff from that time, especially Dennis. I just don't think that they should have built this album around that....

[KokoMoses]

I agree 100%

at least 1 Dennis song would have been, uh, fair!

But let's not worry about the original release. This is the "expanded and remastered" age we're living in. What about the other shows that were recorded from those tours? The record company wouldn't sell a single copy-less if they'd put something extra on there, but they would sell more!!!!

And about the pre 66 stuff:

The bad rap all that stuff has gotten is from lazy "fans" who can't wrap their minds around the supposed leaps and bounds made by Brian and Co. from 65-67. It was always there!

As I've said a million times, the pre 66 stuff is earth-shattering in it's historical and sociological signifigance. Plus, it rocks! How can you go wrong with a good Surf song? And why should the Boys have been upset when crowds went into happy hysterics when the opening chords of Fun Fun Fun rang out? Before you judge and dissect and go the "allmusic-guide-Dominic Piore-route, just imagine how it must have felt on stage to have the crowds going insane as you busted out hit after hit after hit after hit after hit!

This is some powerful $%&%% we're talking about here.

[Aegir]

You can see how that would lead to a bad thing, though. The 1974 Nassau Coliseum show (with Blondie already gone), is where you can really see the oldies creeping back into the setlist - they even played Barbara Ann and Little Deuce Coupe! But because they still played a few of the newer ones (and I guess had a reputation for not playing much of the older stuff those days) the audience was freaking out when they played the hits. Sure, everyone on stage probably felt great (except Ricky, I guess) and the audience loved them, but playing the surf/car/fun stuff only took the band so far.