Living Room Number Ones

[Jim V.]

I seem to remember reading a quote like that from Bruce Johnston in David Leaf's book, referring to Brian's songs during the "lost years" (1973-1975, i surmise). Does anybody know what songs he was referring to that ended up being used later by Brian? My guess is quite a few of the mid to late 70's compositions of Brian's come from this era. Honestly its even possibly he used them even further into the future.

Anyways, my guesses are "Good Timin'", "California Feelin'", "It's OK", "Ding Dang" and "Child Of Winter"

It sucks I lost that book, but anyways, I wonder if this was just an overstatement by Bruce, or if Brian really did play some never heard again classics and never shared them with us. Cuz honestly, out of that group, I'd only call "Good Timin'" classic, although "CF" could be classic with the right performance (possibly the '74 Brian version?).

I was going to include this the other Brian "lost years" thread but I didn't want this question to get overlooked. Sorry if I'm getting on people's nerves with these threads.

[runnersdialzero]

I think he meant these songs never made it outside of Brian's living room, never recorded, never heard outside of his living room. There may be some exceptions, but still, I think that is what Bruce meant.

[Jim V.]

Hmm, thats possible, but I thought I remember the quote from being before Brian was "back" and therefore they thought nothing would come of the songs. I might be wrong though.

[Chris Brown]

Even if they were never recorded, I'm betting that a lot of Brian's musical ideas from that time have probably made it into many of his songs.  Heck, AGD said that the "maumamayama glory hallelujah" from TLOS originated in the 70's.  I'm sure there were some that were never played or used again, but Brian isn't the type to write something good and never use it at all.

[runnersdialzero]

Even if they were never recorded, I'm betting that a lot of Brian's musical ideas from that time have probably made it into many of his songs.  Heck, AGD said that the "maumamayama glory hallelujah" from TLOS originated in the 70's.

True, but there was a recording of said 70's song - "Clangin'". Makes it a lot easier to bring elements back when they're put down on tape.

I'm sure there were some that were never played or used again, but Brian isn't the type to write something good and never use it at all.

Given his extremely spotty productivity in the 70s to the extent of seemingly barely caring at several ponts, I wouldn't put it past him. AGD mentioned being told "Just an Imitation" was really, really good but was never recorded. Sad :\

[Jason]

The "living room number ones" are exactly that - songs Brian played for anyone willing to listen. The reaction was good enough for him. Bruce and Hal Blaine both commented about it in interviews.

[Mr. Cohen]

I think the songs from the Surf's Up album to Holland are examples of what most of those living room number #1's would have sounded like. Take, for example, "Funky Pretty". Most of that song was written a year or two before Holland and had Brian not gotten on the plane to Holland (and he almost didn't), it probably would have been lost forever, another living room number #1. Somebody who only heard Brian play it on his piano would've probably described it as a white soul song that would've been better than 95% of what the BBs released in the early 70s. Myths over unreleased songs seem to build like that. I would guess most of the living room number #1's were songs like "Funky Pretty", quirky but accomplished numbers that us fans would have loved but also unlikely to be hits.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I wonder how Funky Pretty would've sounded if sung by Brian....?

[Jim V.]

I think the songs from the Surf's Up album to Holland are examples of what most of those living room number #1's would have sounded like. Take, for example, "Funky Pretty". Most of that song was written a year or two before Holland and had Brian not gotten on the plane to Holland (and he almost didn't), it probably would have been lost forever, another living room number #1. Somebody who only heard Brian play it on his piano would've probably described it as a white soul song that would've been better than 95% of what the BBs released in the early 70s. Myths over unreleased songs seem to build like that. I would guess most of the living room number #1's were songs like "Funky Pretty", quirky but accomplished numbers that us fans would have loved but also unlikely to be hits.

Dada, where'd you find out "Funky Pretty" was written a year or 2 before Holland? I believe you, just never heard that before.

Honestly, I wonder if these songs were actually arranged and everything, or if they were just little "feels" or ideas he was coming up with. I figure the more "fleshed out" stuff probably ended up being "Funky Pretty", "California Feelin," "Good Timin'" and so on. I wouldn't doubt some of the 2nd half of Love You wasn't stuff from this period. Like when Landy was getting him to write songs, he picked up things like "Back Home", "Sherry She Needs Me" and that kind of stuff, so I'm sure he picked some stuff from the '73 to '75 period too.

[Mr. Cohen]

I don't remember, but I remember reading that it was written in 1971 somewhere in print. It might have been the Catch a Wave book? I'm not sure...