Overrated BB's Related Songs

[Mike's Beard]

'Fess up time all you Beach Boys completists! Who here would buy "First Love" and "Country Love" if they ever did come out? Hands up now! 

[Nicko]

'Fess up time all you Beach Boys completists! Who here would buy "First Love" and "Country Love" if they ever did come out? Hands up now! 

First Love, yes.
Country Love, no.

I actually think that First Love is better than some BB albums from the period.

[punkinhead]

hand up

[BillA]

LA doesn't quite imo. I think that the disco track completely unbalances the album and Shortenin' Bread doesn't add that much as a closer. If those 2 tracks had been cut and It's a Beautiful Day included as the second song and Daybreak as the final number then I think it would hang together much better.

Agree. "Shortenin' Bread" is so mismatched for this mature, adult, "light" Beach Boys' album. Again, of all the Brian Wilson songs "in the can", they chose this one?

I wouldn't, however, cut "Here Comes The Night" entirely. While it was a bit too "late" to hit the disco craze, and it was bandwagon jumping, I think it's a vital track. How about if they would've put the single version on the album, or at least cut the 11 minute version in half.

My complaint about HCTN is that it is the Beach Boys singing to a typical disco arrangement.  When the Stones did a disco song they did a Stones disco song.

They could have put their voices to "Fly Robin Fly" or any of a hundred other disco songs and the results would have been the same 

The Beach Boys did a paint by numbers approach.  That song did its best to ruin an otherwise fine album.

[adamghost]

I think that's a valid point too, but I hear it differently.  I like the fact that it's an EDGY disco track.  It really is...think about the Celebration album or some of the really cheesy, bland-o disco that was around in the late '70s.  The HCTN track has so much grit and chutzpah to it...the sax solo, the weird chimp effect, Carl's vocal, the nasty-ass clavinet, the square-wavey Oberheim, the way they really worked that spooky chord progression in the chorus.  Man, now I want to go listen to it again.

OK, I'll say it:  I STILL love the disco HCTN.  I think it rules.  Sue me.  Of course, I put a disco track on my last album, and people hated on that too.  Shoulda known!

[punkinhead]

wow, i've never seen anyone discuss the HCTN (disco version) like that before....

what about the disco medley that was floating around then, yuck!

[adamghost]

my point EXACTLY.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Now I feel weird about pretty much slamming all kinds of Beach Boys songs!! Why should we do it when there are countless music fans out there who will slam and bash anything Beach Boys that isn't Pet Sounds or Smile?

Do Beatles fans do this too?

How about we segue this discussion into "Overrated Beatles Songs!!!!

Ok, my top 5!

1. When I'm Sixty Four
2. Doctor Robert
3. Got To Get You Into My Life
4. Honey Pie
5. The Word

I really can't stand any of those songs.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

I could name quite a few songs by The Beatles I think are overrated. The thing about those guys though, is you'd have to separate the musicial contribution versus the cultural contribution. Musically, I would say they were very overrated. But as far as cultural impact, I don't think they can really be overstated. No one else were as big as the Beatles, at least that I'm personally aware of.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I absolutely agree. But I wasn't even alive in the 60's, therefore The Beatles cultural impact, while something I would be an idiot to not acknowlege, will ALWAYS be seperate from their musical impact.

[BillA]

Now I feel weird about pretty much slamming all kinds of Beach Boys songs!! Why should we do it when there are countless music fans out there who will slam and bash anything Beach Boys that isn't Pet Sounds or Smile?

Do Beatles fans do this too?

How about we segue this discussion into "Overrated Beatles Songs!!!!

Ok, my top 5!

1. When I'm Sixty Four
2. Doctor Robert
3. Got To Get You Into My Life
4. Honey Pie
5. The Word

I really can't stand any of those songs.

Another difference between the Beach Boys and the Beatles is that the Beatles did not have any cringe worthy (as opposed to overrated) songs while the Beach Boys had oodles of them.  To be fair, all of the Beach Boys cringe worthy songs were after 1975, long after the Beatles broke up.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I dunno, I mean, I know you're right, but sometimes "cringeworthy" can be a sign of life in some way! My main problem (and I AM a fan) with The Beatles, is that, I think once they quit as a live band, their recordings could sometimes sound like they were created in a vaccum. They didn't kick like The Kinks did or The Who and they lacked vibe, as opposed to the Stones who's recordings simply oozed it. AND the Beach Boys, who recordings held a lot of vibe and mystery as well. Also, the Beach Boys really did have a lot of soul for a bunch of white guys. As Maurice Gibb said, "they were incredible teachers on feel"

I've been at retro "60's" dance clubs where the DJ puts on a Beatles song and everyone has to take a second to adjust to the stiff beat and usually most of them would wander off to the bar. I know this is a slightly silly thing to be bringing up but it does matter. Then again, no one plays Beach Boys at a dance club anywhere (well, I'm sure Kokomo gets played at Club Med beachside rave-ups) so, I dunno quite what my point even is.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

Another difference between the Beach Boys and the Beatles is that the Beatles did not have any cringe worthy (as opposed to overrated) songs while the Beach Boys had oodles of them.
[/quote]

I would like to cite "Run For Your Life". Terrible. Absolutely terrible. Makes me want to vomit. Of course, plenty of people feel differently. 

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I'd list "I Me Mine" as well (and George is my favorite Beatle) as positively cringe-inducing

"Till There Was You" makes me wince every time

"Honey Pie"!!! I'm sorry, but Paul's cutesy, old-timey, genre exercises make me nauseous.

"The Long And Winding Road" If I were at the cheap hotel lounge where this deserves to have been written/conceived/performed: I'd toss a bottle at the stage and then vomit!

"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" skip it every time! I feel embarassed if I actually listen to it.

Pretty much most of Phil Spector's production bombast on Let It Be is ghastly. And hey, The Beatles released it that way, so it counts.

[runnersdialzero]

This thread is about the Beach Boys. I'm all for talking about overrated Beatles tracks, it'd make for an interesting conversation, but keep it out of heeah plz.

Another difference between the Beach Boys and the Beatles is that the Beatles did not have any cringe worthy (as opposed to overrated) songs while the Beach Boys had oodles of them.  To be fair, all of the Beach Boys cringe worthy songs were after 1975, long after the Beatles broke up.

A quick listen to some of the Beatles' solo material shows that they very well could have had some cringe worthy material. Some, definitely not all, but it's there.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

And the thread is STILL about The Beach Boys, Beatle bashing and all!

I'm just trying to further evolve the misconception that The Beach Boys wrote and released all this cringe-inducing crap and The Beatles: none!

[Music Machine]

I've always thought Sunflower is an overrated album altough there are obviously some excellent tracks on it. I think I'd like it more if Good Time and Back Home were included. For a while I loved the entire Surf's Up album but now my views on it have changed and Long Promised Road, Surf's Up and Till I Die are the only real standout tracks for me. It was hearing the extended mix of Till I Die and Fourth of July for the first time that changed how I looked at Surf's Up. It could have been a much stronger album with the inclusion of Fourth of July and a longer version of Till I Die. I think the extended mix of Till I Die could be improved, I don't like how the vocals just suddenly jump in but the extended intro is sublime.

[BillA]

Another difference between the Beach Boys and the Beatles is that the Beatles did not have any cringe worthy (as opposed to overrated) songs while the Beach Boys had oodles of them.

I would like to cite "Run For Your Life". Terrible. Absolutely terrible. Makes me want to vomit. Of course, plenty of people feel differently.  
[/quote]

How does "Run for Your Life" compare to "Hey Little Tomboy", "Kona Coast", "California Calling", "Solar System",  (Many of the songs on "Love You" while appreciated by the afficinados are nothing short of bizarre to the regualr fan), "Crack at Your Love", "Wontcha Come Out Tonight", "I Wanna Pick You Up" . . . . . . . (The imagery on a lot of the tunes from 77 through 80 would creep out Gary Pucket).

I actually like "Run for Your Life" and am amused by the counterpoint to John's opening song on "Rubber Soul", "Norwegien Wood" - He starts off by cheating and ends by threatening to kill his girl if she cheats.


My apologies to those who are offended by my Beatles reference.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Maybe the part about threatening to kill a girl if she's out with another guy is..... not cute or funny, therefore a bit cringe-worthy!

At least Hey Little Tomboy makes no mention of murder!

Though this line from Roller Skating Child: "We'll make sweet lovein till the sun goes down. We'll even do MORE when you're mamma's not around" raises goosbumps of terror every time! MORE!!!!!!? You just had sex with a young girl WITH her mamma presumably around! What the hell else will you be doing when she's NOT around?? Honestly, I don't care to know the answer!

[BillA]

Maybe the part about threatening to kill a girl if she's out with another guy is..... not cute or funny, therefore a bit cringe-worthy!

At least Hey Little Tomboy makes no mention of murder!

Though this line from Roller Skating Child: "We'll make sweet lovein till the sun goes down. We'll even do MORE when you're mamma's not around" raises goosbumps of terror every time! MORE!!!!!!? You just had sex with a young girl WITH her mamma presumably around! What the hell else will you be doing when she's NOT around?? Honestly, I don't care to know the answer!

And don;t forget the "one little inch at a time" line in "Honkin Down the Highway"

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

Just for the record, I would listen to 'Hey Little Tom Boy' anytime instead of 'Run For Your Life'. I actually don't mind HLTB at all, but hey, personal preference.

[Roger Ryan]

It should be pointed out that Lennon was channeling a Johnny Cash/"murder ballad" vibe for "Run For Your Life", but still keeping it in the expected upbeat "you done me wrong" venacular the Beatles had been working with for the previous couple of years. Had they done a more straight-forward "murder ballad" version, it would not seem so disturbing...or unique, perhaps.

[Paulos]

I've always thought Sunflower is an overrated album altough there are obviously some excellent tracks on it. I think I'd like it more if Good Time and Back Home were included. For a while I loved the entire Surf's Up album but now my views on it have changed and Long Promised Road, Surf's Up and Till I Die are the only real standout tracks for me. It was hearing the extended mix of Till I Die and Fourth of July for the first time that changed how I looked at Surf's Up. It could have been a much stronger album with the inclusion of Fourth of July and a longer version of Till I Die. I think the extended mix of Till I Die could be improved, I don't like how the vocals just suddenly jump in but the extended intro is sublime.

I agree that Surf's Up suffers from 4th Of July's abscence - it's an absolutely magestic song and is in my top 5 Beach Boys songs, ditto for Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again. It's absolutely amazing to me that neither song was released on Surf's Up or any subsequent album  considering some of the outright dreck they allowed to be released in the 70s/80s.

Anyways, overrated songs? I don't much care for Warmth Of The Sun, it simply doesn't move me. Also I have no real affection for Marcella either and prefer its two progenitors, All Dressed Up For School and I Just Got My Pay.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

It should be pointed out that Lennon was channeling a Johnny Cash/"murder ballad" vibe for "Run For Your Life", but still keeping it in the expected upbeat "you done me wrong" venacular the Beatles had been working with for the previous couple of years. Had they done a more straight-forward "murder ballad" version, it would not seem so disturbing...or unique, perhaps.

Ok, so The Beach Boys were channeling a "molestation ballad" vibe for Roller Skating Child and setting it to the expected Beach Boys upbeat, fun, fun, fun, type style! How unique, right?

[Foster's Freeze]

Hey Little Tomboy and Kokomo.

More to come.