Good Timin vocals

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I read somewhere that all the vocals were done by Carl. I know he did all the leads. But I swear I hear other BBs in the backround. Am I mistaken or is the person that wrote that mistaken?

[Jason]

Well, Carl did all of the vocals on the 1974 version. The revised version as released on LA has the band on it. Bruce sticks out.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Well, Carl did all of the vocals on the 1974 version. The revised version as released on LA has the band on it. Bruce sticks out.

Not listened to it for a few years, but iffn i recall correctly, the 1974 version consists of the track and Carl doing just the lead.

[Jason]

The 1974 version has Carl's basic lead vocal, yes. Perhaps I should have been a little more accurate and said Carl did all of the one vocal on the 1974 version.

[donald]

Correct.  Carl only on my copy.  Makes it almost impossible to resist personally adding other parts as a sing along.  I like to add the Brian "You need good timin" part like he did live.  I sound almost as good as Brian on the live versions!

[c-man]

On the master version from "L.A. Light", part of Carl's 1974 lead vocal might be used, but he also redid parts or added to it significantly in 1978.  Bruce wrote the background vocal arrangement, which was sung by Bruce, Carl, Al, Mike, and Bobby Figueroa.  They had hoped to get Brian to do the lead (hard to imagine it would've been better than Carl's, but that's what they wanted), however he was hospitalized and they ran out of time (according to engineer Tom Murphy), so Carl did it.

[the captain]

They had hoped to get Brian to do the lead (hard to imagine it would've been better than Carl's, but that's what they wanted), however he was hospitalized and they ran out of time (according to engineer Tom Murphy), so Carl did it.

That would make a lot of sense (to try to get Brian), though. It's not a challenging part, so even a far-from-peaking Brian could have technically done it. And it would have made Brian more audible on an album where he's far from featured.

[adamghost]

It's actually a bit low for Carl, though he does a great job.  I can see them wanting Brian on it.  And it would not surprise me if all of the verse vocals (as opposed to the choruses) were done by Carl and Bruce.  They have the same kind of sound that a lot of the other vocals they did on L.A. had.

[Eric Aniversario]

I love Good Timin'!  It's probably in my top 20 BB songs, but does anyone here hear an indistinct screechiness in the background vocals?  No matter what speakers I'm listening on, I can't turn it up too loud because it literally hurts my ears.  It's during the chorus..."You need good timin [AH-AH-UH-AHH], it takes good timin [AH-UHHUH-AHUH]"  It's like all the background vocals are overprocessed and muddled together and it creates a high-pitched screech that at first is unnoticeable, but if you listen for it, it's there.

[Shane]

At the very end of each chorus (Gooood Gooooood Tiiimin'), I swear I hear a gruff voice in there, possibly either Dennis' or Brian's voice.  It is definitely not Bruce, Al, Carl or Mike, though I can't say I've ever heard Bobby Figueroa sing.

[Jason]

I believe the gruff voice in the "good good timin'" bit is actually Bruce. His voice sticks out in those harmonies.

[c-man]

It's actually a bit low for Carl, though he does a great job.  I can see them wanting Brian on it.  And it would not surprise me if all of the verse vocals (as opposed to the choruses) were done by Carl and Bruce.  They have the same kind of sound that a lot of the other vocals they did on L.A. had.

Adam, I have very good reason to believe you are right on that!  (i.e. an impeccable source told me that).
Then the group (Carl, Bruce, Al, and Mike, plus Bobby) are on the choruses.

[runnersdialzero]

An MIU-style vocal from Brian could have been absolutely great. Not unlikely, either, given that these songs were all worked on around the same time.

Carl's vocal is great just the same, obviously.

[runnersdialzero]

On that note, does Brian ever bust this one out live? Seems like it'd be in great range for his current voice.

[Jason]

Brian did it a few times. Mike and Bruce do it as well.

[Aegir]

At the very end of each chorus (Gooood Gooooood Tiiimin'), I swear I hear a gruff voice in there, possibly either Dennis' or Brian's voice.  It is definitely not Bruce, Al, Carl or Mike, though I can't say I've ever heard Bobby Figueroa sing.

Not that this is that helpful because it was 25 years after LA, but here's a video of Bobby singing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypRxifbLzs

[Jason]

Bobby Figueroa nails Sail On Sailor every time he does it. He does it with Al at virtually every one of Al's shows, and he sang it in mid-1981 when the song returned to the setlist. In later years his renditions became a sort of "so soulful it hurts" situation.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Thanks. Also, the LA Light Album is said to be produced by Bruce Johnston, but I also read that it was mostly Carl and Shilling (spell?)? What did Bruce do, and what did Carl and S do?

[Jon Stebbins]

Thanks. Also, the LA Light Album is said to be produced by Bruce Johnston, but I also read that it was mostly Carl and Shilling (spell?)? What did Bruce do, and what did Carl and S do?

Good Timin is mostly produced by Jim Guercio, Baby Blue and Love Surrounds Me are mostly produced by Dennis, Carl's songs are mostly produced by Carl(Jerry Schilling was a manager and never a producer) Bruce pulled the rest of L.A. Light together and sweetened and polished the aforementioned tracks to their L.A. Light completion. Personally I think that either Carl or Dennis were much better producers than Bruce but neither were in any condition to complete a record in '79, Brian was even worse. Bruce had sobriety on his side.

[Jason]

I would argue that with all the cooks in the kitchen, it was a miracle that LA turned out as well as it did. I don't know if a Brian-produced LA would have done any more than the final product to alter their fortunes, and Carl and Dennis were a bit inconsistent at the time. But if you take it as the band's excuse to make a soft rock album, then Bruce was ideally the perfect person to put the pieces together.

Of course, it's anyone's guess why Do You Like Worms was considered for the same album, but we always have stuff to wonder about when it comes to the Beach Boys.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

I'd agree with that, Dr UNH.

But in hindsight, for all of the garbage that was released on the late '70s albums, just imagine if they had waited and released the best songs off of Adult/Child, MIU, LA, and Keepin' The Summer Alive as one or two single LPs.

They were rushing them out and praying for a hit, it seems to me.

[Jason]

LA could be left as is. Adult/Child and MIU's best stuff could be combined. Keepin' the Summer Alive deserves to be buried and forgotten. The worst album they ever did.

[TdHabib]

Personally, I hate the way Bruce takes all of the funk and groove out of "Angel Come Home" and "Love Surrounds Me," compare the LA versions to the Midnight Special and POB remaster versions. The latter, admittedly, is mostly the same recording but so much fresher and...well...cooler.

Stebbins, you say Carl wasn't in a condition to complete a record in '79. Why? I thought he was doing much better in '79 than '78?

[Sheriff John Stone]

Personally I think that either Carl or Dennis were much better producers than Bruce but neither were in any condition to complete a record in '79, Brian was even worse.

And, that continues to fascinate or mystify me. That period, 1974 - 1981 (or to 1983) found Brian, Dennis, and Carl in such bad shape. There was substance abuse, mental illness, financial irresponsibility, divorce, inter-group fighting, some poor performance in the studio, and just a basic deterioration.

But why? The Beach Boys were given a second chance in 1974, a second chance that very few rock bands are given. It brought a lot of (new) money, a lot of fame, and a chance to reaffirm their legend, their status, and their reputation(s). But they blew it. A look back at that period shows one debacle after another, one tragedy after another. As fans looking back with 20/20 hindsight, it's hard to figure out why. They had it all.

Many historians point to Murry's death as a real turning point. I suppose there's some truth to that. But that has to be other reasons why they couldn't stay healthy, stay creative, even stay married. I mean, they lost it all - again. It's as if they learned nothing from their decline in the late 60's/early 70's. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Jason]

Carl was still reeling from his addictions in 1979. Heroin is a tricky thing to kick, and Carl had a serious problem with it for years.