Sweet Mountain

[Smilin Ed H]

Not that I wish to promote the Hoffman board (which bands of 2020 do you think the Beatles will influence? Dennis Wilson had a bigger c*ck than John Lennon and resultant outrage etc etc). but there's a nice post about Sweet Mountain here: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=145341

[Alex]

'Sweet Mountain" sounds like Stereolab meets Brian meets Fats Domino!

[SG7]

heck yeah for the Stereolab mention 

[b00ts]

heck yeah for the Stereolab mention 

The first time I heard this song, Stereolab sprung to mind immediately. This song is so otherworldly and beautiful that it blows my mind. A similar, more rock and roll song (similar chord progression as well) is McCartney/Wings' "The Note You never Wrote."

[Alex]

Well, the vocals are Stereolab-esque, anyway...I wonder if Tim and Laetitia listened to the song and decided to base their entire vocal sound on it...

The Fats Domino/50s-style sax is almost a foreshadowing of the direction Brian would take on 15 Big Ones!!

[MBE]

The production on Spring is close to Sunflower, but the format is 15 Big Ones like. It's much more classy as Brian was singing and arranging a whole lot better in 1971-72 but I see it as an extention of his early seventies Beach Boys work as well as a foreshadowing of where he was going to be headed.

[phirnis]

The production on Spring is close to Sunflower, but the format is 15 Big Ones like. It's much more classy as Brian was singing and arranging a whole lot better in 1971-72 but I see it as an extention of his early seventies Beach Boys work as well as a foreshadowing of where he was going to be headed.

By the way, did Brian chose which songs were going to be covered/recorded for the Spring album?

[MBE]

He played a part in it. I think there were a few he may have pushed for or suggested. Now That Everything's Been Said seems to have been one he worked on quite a bit. His role was not in really doing the day to day coordination, he was more the chief consultant or like the sleeve said executive producer. Brian would come in with ideas or add things spontaneously. I do think he was behind the project, but Sandler and Desper were equally important to the end result. It was kind of like his work on Sunflower or Surf's Up where he would got a lot done in a short amount of time. I think that like the Beach Boys 69-71 albums he had the final say on many things, but didn't wrest complete controll. Still it's obvious that he still took more care in his work then he would later. The quality control was still intact, and I think it got more of his attention then So Tough Or Holland.

[phirnis]

Love the idea of Brian as executive producer (REAL executive producer, that is), acknowledging the individual talents of those around him by even letting them work on their very own from time to time while in the long run maintaining the role of most important contributor and having the final say in many respects. Now if only the Beach Boys could have worked like that after Sunflower/Surf's Up...

[Bill Barnyard]

I love this song. It's been covered by Eddi Reader (ex Fairground Attraction) on her current album 'Love is the Way'.

Not heard it mind you although it's been retitled slightly as 'Sweet Mountain of Love'.

 

[Sheriff John Stone]

Not to go entirely off-topic, but "Tennessee Waltz".....

Don't misunderstand me, I really like the Spring version, but you can kinda tell that Brian was losing it a little bit, or going into another bag that would surface later. The simplistic pounding of the piano, those prominent synthesizers or whatever they are (they sound kind of weird actually), his slightly off-key "I remember" vocal insert at the end, and the abrupt ending. Again, I like the song but it was the beginning of the flawed Brian Wilson of the mid/late 70's. Agree or disagree?

[MBE]

Not to go entirely off-topic, but "Tennessee Waltz".....

Don't misunderstand me, I really like the Spring version, but you can kinda tell that Brian was losing it a little bit, or going into another bag that would surface later. The simplistic pounding of the piano, those prominent synthesizers or whatever they are (they sound kind of weird actually), his slightly off-key "I remember" vocal insert at the end, and the abrupt ending. Again, I like the song but it was the beginning of the flawed Brian Wilson of the mid/late 70's. Agree or disagree?

No offense but I don't hear it, I feel it's a charming home made type thing but not sloppy, The wood block and full harmonies are vintage Brian.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Not to go entirely off-topic, but "Tennessee Waltz".....

Don't misunderstand me, I really like the Spring version, but you can kinda tell that Brian was losing it a little bit, or going into another bag that would surface later. The simplistic pounding of the piano, those prominent synthesizers or whatever they are (they sound kind of weird actually), his slightly off-key "I remember" vocal insert at the end, and the abrupt ending. Again, I like the song but it was the beginning of the flawed Brian Wilson of the mid/late 70's. Agree or disagree?

No offense but I don't hear it, I feel it's a charming home made tyoe thing but not sloppy, The wood block and full harmonies are vintage Brian.

No offense taken, I know it's a bit of a reach. It must be those "out there" synths clouding my thoughts. I just get this mental picture of the 1976 Brian pounding away on the keyboard - "I'm bugged at my old man" - or something from Brian Loves You...

I'm sure you're aware of it, MBE, but "Tennessee Waltz" was actually the opening track on the original Spring album.

[mtaber]

Sweet Mountain is the best track on the album but I do love Tennessee Waltz...

And don't get me started on Shyin' Away...

[MBE]

Not to go entirely off-topic, but "Tennessee Waltz".....

Don't misunderstand me, I really like the Spring version, but you can kinda tell that Brian was losing it a little bit, or going into another bag that would surface later. The simplistic pounding of the piano, those prominent synthesizers or whatever they are (they sound kind of weird actually), his slightly off-key "I remember" vocal insert at the end, and the abrupt ending. Again, I like the song but it was the beginning of the flawed Brian Wilson of the mid/late 70's. Agree or disagree?

No offense but I don't hear it, I feel it's a charming home made tyoe thing but not sloppy, The wood block and full harmonies are vintage Brian.

No offense taken, I know it's a bit of a reach. It must be those "out there" synths clouding my thoughts. I just get this mental picture of the 1976 Brian pounding away on the keyboard - "I'm bugged at my old man" - or something from Brian Loves You...

I'm sure you're aware of it, MBE, but "Tennessee Waltz" was actually the opening track on the original Spring album.

I can always hear that pounding piano with Brian from the early days on. The 1972 Holland tape that some claimed was Al really has that on there. That's part of the reason I so strongly think it is Brian.

[The Heartical Don]

Not to go entirely off-topic, but "Tennessee Waltz".....

Don't misunderstand me, I really like the Spring version, but you can kinda tell that Brian was losing it a little bit, or going into another bag that would surface later. The simplistic pounding of the piano, those prominent synthesizers or whatever they are (they sound kind of weird actually), his slightly off-key "I remember" vocal insert at the end, and the abrupt ending. Again, I like the song but it was the beginning of the flawed Brian Wilson of the mid/late 70's. Agree or disagree?

No offense but I don't hear it, I feel it's a charming home made type thing but not sloppy, The wood block and full harmonies are vintage Brian.

I adore Tennessee Waltz. For me it's not 'old' or 'new' Brian. It's 'off-kilter' Brian, his unique view on musical things. His talent to generate something new from an old, perhaps tired chestnut. Like 'Walk On By' could have been, or like 'Just Once In My Life' actually was. The slightly weird. See also: 'Diamond Head'. Or 'Air Plane Song'. Etc. etc. etc.