Who let Bruce write songs for the album?

[PongHit]

I have been waiting for Bruce to show up here for years ... keep him over at the Blue Board.

Blue?  I've never seen him post there, but I see him on the yellow board regularly.

[Nicko1234]

When was "When Girls Get Together" recorded? From memory it sounds like it was that same period of time. I'd exchange that for "Tears In The Morning". If it weren't for the slightly wandering melody the former would be a truly great song I think. Or maybe that's what makes it so great already.

Each to their own but I don`t think the former song is particularly well liked. Tears in the Morning isn`t particularly to my tastes too but it fits in with the rest of the album. I would say the same about Got to Know the Woman which be the first I would cut with Lady in its place.

[Bicyclerider]

Besides When Girls Get together, you have the following options to replace Bruce's songs:
Loop de Loop, San Miguel, Lady/Fallin' in Love, Games 2 Can Play, I Just Got My Pay, and Good Time.  And I'm Going Your Way.

If I had to replace them, I'd choose Games 2 Can Play and Loop de Loop - even though the Dennis songs are better, more Dennis would destroy the "beach Boys" balance of the record.  Good Time and Pay's lyrics are just too wretched to put alongside the rest of Sunflower IMO.

[the captain]

Good Time's and Pay's lyrics are too wretched to be placed alongside those verbal masterworks Got To Know the Woman, At My Window, and It's About Time? For that matter, I've never understood what all the lyrical fuss about Add Some Music was. OK, so Brian says he thinks they're great lyrics, but that's hardly an endorsement I'd take to heart. If I were replacing two songs on Sunflower, I doubt either would be a Bruce song. Maybe Tears, but not Deirdre. I'd pull It's About Time for sure, then either AMW, Tears or Got to Know... The two I'd add would be Good Time and either Loop de Loop, Lady/FiL, or Games.

[rogerlancelot]

I must be alone on this but I wouldn't change a single track on Sunflower. It is true that there are many other great songs from that era but changing that album would be like changing Abbey Road. It's perfect as it is and I for one rather enjoy Bruce's 2 songs on here especially "Tears In The Morning". I for one am not a huge fan of Going Pubic however but I do like his contributions to 20/20 through Surf's Up. Okay I might be able to live without "At My Window" or "Cool Cool Water" but there is really nothing wrong with either of those tracks (and to some of you may be your favorites) but I would never cut anything off of it just merely tack on some bonus tracks at the end. 

[Aegir]

The cool thing about "Deirdre" and "Tears in the Morning" is that "Deirdre" is about a happy return, and a few tracks in "Tears in the Morning" she runs away again. Listening to "Deirdre" every time after that is colored by the fact that you know "Tears" is coming up a few tracks later.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

If I were to change one thing about Sunflower, it would be a different opening track. Not to replace Slip On Through (Although, I would), but move it. I think that It's About Time would be a much better opening track or Soulful Old Man Sunshine.

 As for Bruce's songs, I have no problem with his song writing or producing. It is his voice I don't care for. He has a good voice, but his lead vocal style doesn't fit the BBs. Endless Summer is hard to listen to until Carl takes the lead. Then it becomes one of the most beautiful sections I've heard on a BB song. Of course that may have more to do with Carl then Bruce, but you still have to credit Bruce for writing it.

[Eric Aniversario]

Deirdre - Yes!!
Tears In The Morning - Noooo!

People talk about HCTN being out of place and an interruption on LA Light Album, or even Sloop John B on Pet Sounds...I actually love both exactly the way they are on there.  If there is any song that has jarringly interrupted an otherwise perfectly good album, it's Tears In The Morning.  Beautiful backing vocals, but overall just WAY too schmaltzy and annoying.

[rogerlancelot]

Not to get too far off topic here but I was thinking of other songs that seemed out of place on an album:

Surf's Up = Student Demonstration Time

Friends = Transcendental Meditation

So Tough = Dennis songs? (still love them!)

I'll stop there. Just saying I love Tears In The Morning. Very, very emotional song and fantastic arrangement of instruments and voices. Deirdre took me longer to appreciate but I learned to love it as well. So much great music in the whole catalog really!

[Mr. Cohen]

People who want "At My Window" off of Sunflower? And what of those people who want "Diamond Head" off Friends? of They're all crazy! "Loop De Loop" on Sunflower? "Loop De Loop"?! You think most people would like it better that way? Really? REALLY?!! I think maybe you've just listened to the albums too many times and that you're overrating a song based on the novelty value it has when it's placed in the middle of an overly familiar track list.

[Nicko1234]

Yeah, I think Loop de Loop wouldn`t have helped Sunflower at all and wouldn`t really have fit. Soulful Old Sunshine would have stuck out even more.

[The Shift]

I'm always torn by the presence of Bruce's tunes/songs on the BBs' LPs*.

Tears, Dierdre, The Nearest Faraway Place... it's like there's great melodies and harmonies but, when it came to the production recipe, Bruce misread the bit about "2lb of sugar or syrup", and somehow put in 2lb of sugar and syrup.

Disney Girls is undoubtedly his finest Beach Boys moment.


* Medium which predated CDs

[Jonas]

Tears is a wonderful song, and as someone mentioned the instrumental is just something else man.

Also really dig Disney Girls....such a sweet tune. faaantasy world and dis-a-ney girllssss...im coming back.

[Sound of Free]

I thinke Deirdre is fine. Tears and At My Window are the two from Sunflower that don't do it for me. If we're rewriting history, I have a true fantasy scenario:

The Beach Boys meet Rieley earlier, say just after 20/20 came out. He starts their makeover - stage clothes, longer sets, connecting with the "hip" crowd earlier - and tells them not to waste prime material for the final single they owe Capitol, to save it for the future deal he will negotiate with them.

So after releasing their final, unsuccessful Capitol single, Games Two Can Play/We're Together Again, and generating some buzz with their improved live act, the Boys release their first Warners album, Breakaway:

Side 1:

Breakaway
Celebrate the News
This Whole World
Add Some Music
Deirdre
It's About Time

Side B

Slip on Through
San Miguel
All I Wanna Do
Our Sweet Love
Forever
Cool, Cool Water

This would be a million-and-two seller.

[Aegir]

"At My Window" is a Brian song! "At My Window" is a classic Brian-stream-of-consciousness song, like "I'd Love Just Once to See You" or "Busy Doin' Nothin". How do people not like it?

[Nicko1234]

"At My Window" is a Brian song! "At My Window" is a classic Brian-stream-of-consciousness song, like "I'd Love Just Once to See You" or "Busy Doin' Nothin". How do people not like it?

Hasn`t Al said in interviews that Brian didn`t have that much to do with the song?

[Eric Aniversario]

"At My Window" is a Brian song! "At My Window" is a classic Brian-stream-of-consciousness song, like "I'd Love Just Once to See You" or "Busy Doin' Nothin". How do people not like it?

I LOVE it!

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I honestly love all Bruce's BBs songs!

Disney Girls is one of my top 5 favorite songs of all-time! Not just Beach Boys songs! And considering the amount of cover versions it's gotten, I'd say it's something of a universally beloved song, Beach Boys connection or not.

Most bands need a good utility man and Bruce was more than up to the task. He looked the part/sounded the part, yet still retained his own identity. And Goin Public is a nice slab of Southern California 70's chill!

Bruce is all good in my book!

[the captain]

"At My Window" is a Brian song! "At My Window" is a classic Brian-stream-of-consciousness song, like "I'd Love Just Once to See You" or "Busy Doin' Nothin". How do people not like it?

Being a Brian song isn't a free pass. Sure (in my opinion) Brian songs have tended to be better, but that certainly isn't a reason for me to like a song.

[Sciencefriction]

Whenever I listen to the songs Bruce wrote for Sunflower/Surf's Up I really don't think they are as schmaltzy as the other soft hits of that period.  Later, Bruce became extremely schmaltzy, but I always felt those early 70s songs had beautiful melodies and artistic depth alongside the sweetness.  I can't explain the connection I feel from those songs Bruce wrote.  Disney Girls has to be the one of the most beautiful songs, it gets me every time.  Maybe you have to have felt some sort of regret or nostalgia in your life and have accepted that before you can appreciate some of Bruce's work.  I think I'm just a strange Beach Boys fan (that's new) among strange Beach Boys fans.  I even like Student Demonstration Time, I think it has a GREAT backing track and vocal from Mike.  Regardless, I don't think Sunflower can really be changed.  I've always felt songs like San Miguel, Celebrate The News, and Loop de Loop (to name a few) were all weaker than what was released on Sunflower.  The only song I've really wished had been record properly and released is I'm Going Your Way (as long as they changed the guitar solo..). 

[Dancing Bear]

The Surf's Up album has three classic songs: Title track, Til I Die And Disney Girls. The Beach Boys were very lucky for having chosen him to sub for Brian on the road.

[Cam Mott]

I say anyone who doesn't appreciate Tears In The Morning is one lucky sob/dob because they probably haven't had their heart broken.

[hypehat]

"At My Window" is a Brian song! "At My Window" is a classic Brian-stream-of-consciousness song, like "I'd Love Just Once to See You" or "Busy Doin' Nothin". How do people not like it?

It's a bit lightweight - some of the harmonies are killer, but i always heard it more as Al imitating that conversational Brian style.

[Mr. Cohen]

I'll tell you what part of "At My Window" Brian definitely did: those brilliant bird noises harmonizing with the rest of the song. I'm not sure if it's an actual bird or someone (Brian?) imitating a bird, but whatever it is, it works. Although I'm sure the genesis of the song lies with Al, as it's a loose cover of the Kingston Trio's "Raspberries, Strawberries", there's also these moments of underlying tension in the song that I find hard to believe that Al came up with by himself, and the F#m7/C#/B7/E chord change during the "he came to my window" refrain is very Brian. But, then again, it could all be Al, I suppose. Of course, he also probably considers himself a major part of the "Sloop John B" hit cover because he added a chord.

[MBE]

Sunflower I wouldn't change a thing except to delete the piano solo at the end of Tears. It just drags the song down, and was a little low volume wise. Other then that it's my very favorite album period.