Newish Brian song that flew under the radar...

[Mr. Cohen]

Just thought I'd bring this up because I haven't heard it talked about, but apparently Brian did a cover of a Harry Nilsson/Phil Spector song called "This Could Be the Night" on For The Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson in summer of '08. It's a strange cover. The production sounds like Love You meets Brian Wilson (the 80s album). I bought it off iTunes. Does anybody know if Brian's band played on this, or who produced it? It just sounds very, very Brianish.

[Jason]

Actually, this was not from '08, but 1994 during the Paley era. So no BW Band. Paley produced. And yes, it does sound....Brianish, whatever the Christ that means.

[Loaf]

I don't like that version of the song. Too cluttered, no room to breathe. An unpleasant assault on the eardrums. But I would like to hear Brian cover Nilsson with his current band.

How about a new album: Wilson Sings Nilsson, with production a la Walking Down the Path of Life or the MAD demo???

Brian singing 'One', 'Me and My Arrow'? 'The Coconut Song' in the style of 'Message Man'?

Someone call melinda...

[The Heartical Don]

The best cover of 'This Could Be The Night' (originally by the Modern Folk Quartet) is, IMHO, the one by Vince Whirlwind, a 17-year old kid (back then, around 1980 or so), on the Spector tribute LP 'Bionic Gold'. I don't think it ever got re-released. A fascinating album. Whirlwind's version is slowed down, has great guitar work, and offers all the hope (and perhaps nerves) that occurs in a guy expecting to be very intimate with his loved one for the first time.

[donald]

My take on the Brian version is that it sounds like an attempt to imitate/cover the song as recorded by Spector and the MFQ.   And it comes awfully close.  I like both versions  Funny thing is, the first time I heard it was on the spector box set and my first overwhelming impression was that it sounded just like a Beachboys song and that Brian ought to cover it.   I thought it was Spectors come back to Brian after Brian began to do spectoresque sounding BB songs using the wrecking crew.  This should have been on GIOMH.

[hypehat]

Wilson sings Nilsson would be such a ridiculously brilliant prospect. especially since Nilsson is clearly a man who wore out his copy of Pet Sounds and Today! The harmonies on Nilsson Sings Newman are flippin' brilliant.

maybe this belongs in the BB's soundalike thread 

[shadownoze]

My favorite version of This Could Be The Night is on one of the David Cassidy albums that Bruce Johnston produced in the mid-70s. There are some very nice cuts on those two albums.

[MookieZ]

This Could Be The Night was also in the setlist for the first few BW shows 10 years ago when he started touring.

[Rocker]

My take on the Brian version is that it sounds like an attempt to imitate/cover the song as recorded by Spector and the MFQ.   And it comes awfully close.  I like both versions  Funny thing is, the first time I heard it was on the spector box set and my first overwhelming impression was that it sounded just like a Beachboys song and that Brian ought to cover it.   I thought it was Spectors come back to Brian after Brian began to do spectoresque sounding BB songs using the wrecking crew.  This should have been on GIOMH.

Wasn't Brian on the original Spector-session when "This could be the night" was recorded?
It's probably one of my favorite Brian-solo-tracks. Sounds very cool

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brian was at the session, but not on it. Later, in 1973, he wanted to record it with Spring and/or David Sandler but Phil wouldn't give him a copy.

According to the booklet for the CD, the credits are:

Brian - vocals & piano
Andy Paley - drums, guitar, percussion & bvs
Jonathan Paley - bass & fuzz bass
Tommy Morgan - harmonica
recorded at Your Place Or Mine, summer 1994
engineered by Mark Linett
produced by Brian & Andy

BTW, where did you get the 2008 date from ? Just curious...

[Wirestone]

This was one of the songs on Brian's setlists when he started touring in 99, too. Was off the list after the first handful of shows.

[punkinhead]

Brian's version that I've heard from concert tapes are better than his earlier studio cut...incorporating his band's vocals (especially Jeff's), some sax and sleighbells always help

[Sheriff John Stone]

I don't like that version of the song. Too cluttered, no room to breathe. An unpleasant assault on the eardrums. But I would like to hear Brian cover Nilsson with his current band.

How about a new album: Wilson Sings Nilsson, with production a la Walking Down the Path of Life or the MAD demo???

Brian singing 'One', 'Me and My Arrow'? 'The Coconut Song' in the style of 'Message Man'?

Someone call melinda...

Agree with all the above....

[peerke]

This from the Goldmine article (by Dawn Eden) on Harry Nilsson, published on April 29, 1994:

"Spector for reasons best known to him, chose not to release the Modern Folk Quartet's 'This Could Be the Night' at the time. ... The classic pop song became legendary in L.A. pop circles and a particular favorite of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, who has reportedly made attempts at recording it over the years. ('This Could Be the Night' has the rare distinction of being in Wilson's permanent memory. In March of this year, during his appearance at New York's Algoquin Hotel, he was unable to recall some of his own songs, but acceded enthusiastically to a request for that Nilsson tune.)

[Roger Ryan]

Yes, I heard Brian and band perform "This Could Be The Night" ten years ago last week in Ann Arbor. It was competently done and a bit of a surprise popping up in the setlist. I never cared that much for the Nilsson tribute version, but adore Brian's take on Doc Pomus' "Sweets For My Sweet" which was recorded around the same time.

[Mr. Cohen]

And yes, it does sound....Brianish, whatever the Christ that means.

Well, that means that it has a lot of musical ideas that sound like Brian had to have made them up, instead of the usual 'musicians imitating what Brian might have done in their ideal world' sound of most of his '90s and '00s recordings. Whatever that means, and most of the arrangement could have been Paley in this case. And I should have known better than to think that you guys would let a song slip under the radar. Itunes said it was released in 2008, and I just went with it instead of looking it up. The sound of it reminded me of "Believe in Yourself", which was crazily only on a cheesy Duck Dodgers special, and that was only from a few years ago, I think, anyway.

[Jason]

Well, that means that it has a lot of musical ideas that sound like Brian had to have made them up, instead of the usual 'musicians imitating what Brian might have done in their ideal world' sound of most of his '90s and '00s recordings. Whatever that means, and most of the arrangement could have been Paley in this case. And I should have known better than to think that you guys would let a song slip under the radar. Itunes said it was released in 2008, and I just went with it instead of looking it up. The sound of it reminded me of "Believe in Yourself", which was crazily only on a cheesy Duck Dodgers special, and that was only from a few years ago, I think, anyway.

I believe the arrangement was mainly Paley's, although I'm sure Brian threw ideas in here or there. It wasn't produced totally by Brian of course, as was the situation with all of the Paley sessions. In fact I'm more prone to think that Paley did most of the production since it does kind of sound like his style - really punchy in a sort of power pop way, vocals way up front. This is used on other tracks from the Paley sessions.

Believe In Yourself, that's a kicker, innit? It's like Love You 30 years later. Good stuff but needs a few listens to sink in. I believe an unedited cut snuck in on an ESQ comp CD.

[ESQ Editor]

"Believe In Yourself" on the Carl Wilson tribute CD, 'Under God' is still available. Here's the link: http://www.esquarterly.com/merchandise.html#underGod

[Mr. Cohen]

whoops

[Autotune]

Two points about This Could be the Night:

a) interestingly, it's a mono recording

b) I dare to submit that Brian pretty much based his full-voice, shouty style of singing (much used in the 80s through the mid 90s)  on the sound of lead vocalist of the Modern Folk Quartet

[Andrew G. Doe]

a) interestingly, it's a mono recording

Nope - it's a mono mix. Big difference.

[Mr. Cohen]

Well, here's a random thought, since this topic started on a false premise anyway: "This Whole World" is like the exuberant brother of "Sweet Caroline", at least musically, lyrically it seems more distant than "Sweet Caroline" ("hands touching hands... touching me, touching you" vs. the lyrics of "This Whole World", where the singer sees love but doesn't actually experience personally). Something about those two songs, melodically, always seemed similar to me in a weird way. Like I could see Brian hearing "Sweet Caroline" (sounds like a song he'd like, and it's from right around then) and then having that subconsciously inform the composing of "This Whole World". But I don't know why.

[LeeDempsey]

Two points about This Could be the Night:

a) interestingly, it's a mono recording

b) I dare to submit that Brian pretty much based his full-voice, shouty style of singing (much used in the 80s through the mid 90s)  on the sound of lead vocalist of the Modern Folk Quartet

 

Not an original thought... From my review of "This Could Be the Night," in the June 1995 issue of Endless Summer Quarterly, page 41:

"Brian's cut has been long awaited, as it's well-known that this is one of his all-time favorite tracks.  Upon listening, it's easy to tell that Brian's vocal is inspired (I personally think that Brian has patterned his 'mature' vocal style in the past ten years after Henry Diltz, who sang the original version of this track).  However -- although I usually defend the Brian-in-mono argument -- I must say that Brian and Andy's choice to master the track in mono leaves everything sounding compressed to me.  As an example, Jonathan Paley's bass line has trouble cutting through, even when the bass registers are boosted with a graphic equalizer.  I was fortunate to have heard an early mix of this track, and I feel that some of the neat things that are going on in the background may have been lost in the final mono mix.  But you can tell that Brian's having a good time, and that's what matters!"

Lee

[phirnis]

I never even knew that Spector didn't release it back in the day, just thought it was among his greatest ever achievements. Why wouldn't he just put it out? I've first heard it on Back To Mono and thought it must've been a huge chart topper.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I personally think that Brian has patterned his 'mature' vocal style in the past ten years after Henry Diltz, who sang the original version of this track.

Which, if true, was a big mistake....