Confusion Over The Recording Of "Hang On To Your Ego"

[mjd180]

In Keith Badman's 'Recording Sessions' book, it says that the solo/guide vocal version of HOTYE was recorded on February 7th, 1966. That instrumental "master" take 12 was recorded, along with Brian's vocals, and that two different rough mono mixes were made.

Is this what Mark L. used to make the common/bonus track mono remix (as opposed to the "group" HOTYE that clearly must come from February 9th, and can be found on the 'GV' box - Disc #2)?

The 2001 'Pet Sounds' reissue claims that the Brian solo version is also derived from the February 9th session, when the other members first got back into the studio (post-touring) for vocal overdubbing. The reissue says that the final instrumental take for HOTYE/"I Know There's An Answer" was also recorded that day.

Badman's book mentions the same "Wrecking Crew" musicians from the 7th, as being on hand during the 9th. But he doesn't say what, if anything, they did on the 9th. He just talks about all the problems with getting the vocals down/Mike L. making fun of the lyrics/etc. Is Badman wrong about there even being a session on the 7th? I notice Andrew G. Doe's site doesn't even list that date in his recording sessions section.

Was the song re-recorded on the 9th, to provide the final master instrumental take (on which the initial "group" version of HOTYE, as well as all subsequent "I Know There's An Answer" vocals are clearly overdubbed onto)?

The "Feb. 7th"/solo HOTYE backing track always sounded, at least to me, like a completely different take from the final 'Pet Sounds' album master of IKTAA. Or am I just being thrown off by mixing differences?

Can anybody clear this up? Thanks!

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I've been puzzled about some details of this song also, and I see Mark is viewing this right now so maybe all will be cleared up, but indeed, there are some irregularities in the paperwork, it would seem.

What's interesting to me is that, as presented on the PS box set, the tracking session starts out with the quite different arrangement, with the heavy piano and more woodwinds playing, heavier drumming...and then seemingly after a few takes it goes into the familiar LP arrangement.

Could the two arrangements actually be from different days?  Keep in mind also that Glen O.D.ed the banjo part at some point, which might have resulted in some contract fudging.  That's likely not it though.  I think that this track is also one that hasn't had the entire session booted, which could also point to tape being reused or taped over for the "second attempt" at the song or something, I dunno.

Also interesting is the tape arrangement seems to be a live-to-two-tracks affair, with an organ overdub along with the banjo overdub on the other two tracks, the organ not heard in the final mix, but heard on the box set somewhere.

[mjd180]

OK, I've been comparing Mark L.'s remix of the Brian solo version ('Pet Sounds' 1990/1999/2001/etc), against his remix of the alternate/group version of this song ('Good Vibrations' box/'Pet Sounds Sessions' box/etc). These two, at least as presented to us by Mark L., almost definitely do not use the same instrumental backing track take. Even disregarding the many mixing differences between the two versions, the Brian solo version is played in a higher key (which explains why I like it more than any other version. While the alternate/group version is in the same key as the official "I Know There's An Answer" master, and all variants of.

1. We know the master take of "Hang On To Your Ego"/"Let Go Of Your Ego"/"I Know There's An Answer" was recorded on February 9th. We have lots of documentation/evidence to prove this. And this seems to be an accepted fact by all sessionographers/official release notes since 1999.

2. Where did Keith Badman get his information that a February 7th session took place, and that there were two different rough mixes of the first/Brian only version of "Hang On To Your Ego" done that day? And why do people "in the know" (Mark L./AGD/etc) seem to doubt this (unless Capitol is still screwing up Mark's liner notes for official releases).

3. Would Alan Boyd be able to resolve this? Should I direct an inquiry into his "sticky"?

Thanks again for any help! And please correct me if I'm wrong about anything here!

[Ebb and Flow]

mjd180, the final instrumental track for all iterations of the song is the same master, "Let Go Of Your Ego" take 12.  They all sound the same, with the same exact harmonica solo from Tommy Morgan.  The difference in key you're hearing is likely just a product of different mixes mastered at different speeds, which is especially common with Brian, as there are noticeable pitch differences between a lot of his mono masters and session tapes.

The theory of the first two takes coming from an earlier session is really interesting, if hard to prove.  But there are 9 takes in between take 2 and take 12 that haven't seen the light of day where Brian could've completely changed the arrangement, like toning down the drums and piano and moving the woodwind section to the end of the song.  You can hear a bit of the missing takes at the end of the "highlights from tracking session" on the Sessions box, so they do exist.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

The theory of the first two takes coming from an earlier session is really interesting, if hard to prove.  But there are 9 takes in between take 2 and take 12 that haven't seen the light of day where Brian could've completely changed the arrangement, like toning down the drums and piano and moving the woodwind section to the end of the song.  You can hear a bit of the missing takes at the end of the "highlights from tracking session" on the Sessions box, so they do exist.

Yeah, that's exactly what I was getting at.  And I concur that the pitch differences are just mastering speed variations.  But those missing takes, 3-11 as you say...might be gold.

[mjd180]

Thanks guys!