What would you include on a solo 'Best Of Brian Wilson' CD?

[willy]

Has this been done before? It's surely only a matter of time. Here's mine... one CD compilation of solo stuff only. I'm not sure if I would leave BWPS as is and not include it but here are one or two anyway. Personally I am not a fan of the IJustWMFTT or GIOMH albums but please feel free......

✓   That Lucky Old Sun
✓   Love And Mercy
✓   Mexican Girl
✓   'S Wonderful
✓   Orange Crate Art
✓   Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine
✓   Melt Away
✓   South America
✓   I Got Rhythm
✓   Your Imagination
✓   There's So Many
✓   Narrative: Venice Beach
✓   Medley: Live Let Live / That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
✓   Let It Shine
✓   Summertime
✓   Sail Away
✓   Midnight's Another Day
✓   Rio Grande
✓   Medley: California Role / That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
✓   Country Feelin'
✓   In Blue Hawaii
✓   Lay Down Burden
✓   Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight
✓   Happy Days
✓   That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)

[The Heartical Don]

Not bad, Willy. I can agree with most of your choices. But I do have my own idiosyncratic choices. I'll see what I can come up with tomorrow. Be sure that 'This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight' will be in there.

[Yorick]

If we're talking officially released material and exclude SMiLE, something like this:

GETTIN' IN OVER MY HEAD: THE BEST OF BRIAN WILSON

BW '88:
There's So Many
Rio Grande

IJWMFTT:
Love And Mercy
Melt Away

This Song Wants To Sleep With You

Imagination:
Your Imagination

GIOMH:
How Could We Still Be Dancin'
You've Touched Me
Gettin' In Over My Head
Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel

TLOS:
Venice Beach
Live Let Live (arctic tale version)
Midnight's Another Day
Southern California

Just Like Me And You

BWRG:
'S Wonderful
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Someone To Watch Over Me
Nothing But Love

[willy]

Not bad, Willy. I can agree with most of your choices. But I do have my own idiosyncratic choices. I'll see what I can come up with tomorrow. Be sure that 'This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight' will be in there.

Please do. Yes 'This Song...' is a glaring omission, and I'd love to add a proper version of 'What A Wonderful World'.

A second CD of 'rarities' anyone?

[rab2591]

Has this been done before? It's surely only a matter of time. Here's mine... one CD compilation of solo stuff only. I'm not sure if I would leave BWPS as is and not include it but here are one or two anyway. Personally I am not a fan of the IJustWMFTT or GIOMH albums but please feel free......

✓   That Lucky Old Sun
✓   Love And Mercy
✓   Mexican Girl
✓   'S Wonderful
✓   Orange Crate Art
✓   Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine
✓   Melt Away
✓   South America
✓   I Got Rhythm
✓   Your Imagination
✓   There's So Many
✓   Narrative: Venice Beach
✓   Medley: Live Let Live / That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
✓   Let It Shine
✓   Summertime
✓   Sail Away
✓   Midnight's Another Day
✓   Rio Grande
✓   Medley: California Role / That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
✓   Country Feelin'
✓   In Blue Hawaii
✓   Lay Down Burden
✓   Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight
✓   Happy Days
✓   That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)

Love it all, especially from 'Let It Shine' on....

My Best Of album:

1. Love and Mercy (BW88)
2. Melt Away (IJWMFTT)
3. The Like I Love In You (BWRG)
4. Your Imagination (Imagination)
5. Southern California (TLOS)
6. Rhapsody In Blue (intro) (BWRG)
7. Someone To Watch Over Me (BWRG)
8. Heroes and Villains (BWPS)
9. On A Holiday (BWPS)
10. Sunshine (Imagination)
11. Can't Wait Too Long (TLOS)
12. Midnight's Another Day (TLOS)
13. Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long (BW88)
14. Nothing But Love (BWRG)
15. Surf's Up (BWPS)
16. Hidden track: a 30 second long A cappella of the outro to 'Your Imagination'

[kwan_dk]

I'm surprised none of you included Forever She'll Be my Surfer Girl... To cheesy perhaps? For me though that song was the highlight of TLOS along with Southern California.

Also; what's this:

Live Let Live (arctic tale version)

[the captain]

I'm usually too lazy to think these things through, but since a lot of my BW solo material is just on CDs and not my iTunes, I'm taking the opportunity to load it all and have a listen. I'll try to sequence something today. But be forewarned, the '88 version of Love & Mercy will not be on it, nor will Rio Grande. And you foolish enemies of Speed Turtle ay not like my already decided, special bonus track. I'm not going to say what it is, but it's the singer telling you about the most amazing thing he knows.

[rab2591]

I'm surprised none of you included Forever She'll Be my Surfer Girl... To cheesy perhaps? For me though that song was the highlight of TLOS along with Southern California.

Also; what's this:

Live Let Live (arctic tale version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNPa7BEPN6s

[rab2591]

I'm usually too lazy to think these things through, but since a lot of my BW solo material is just on CDs and not my iTunes, I'm taking the opportunity to load it all and have a listen. I'll try to sequence something today. But be forewarned, the '88 version of Love & Mercy will not be on it, nor will Rio Grande. And you foolish enemies of Speed Turtle ay not like my already decided, special bonus track. I'm not going to say what it is, but it's the singer telling you about the most amazing thing he knows.

Eh, for me, that harmony in the bridge (1:50 mark) is the greatest moment of Brian's solo career (I LOVE cranking that up on the stereo)...I could not live with a solo best of that didn't have that on there.

Can't wait to see what you come up with though!

[the captain]

I'm surprised none of you included Forever She'll Be my Surfer Girl...

It's right toward the bottom of that album for me, with Mexican Girl and (sorry, I know a lot of people like it) Southern California. It has its moments, but I dislike it for the same reason as So.Cal.: those lyrics.

[the captain]

I'm usually too lazy to think these things through, but since a lot of my BW solo material is just on CDs and not my iTunes, I'm taking the opportunity to load it all and have a listen. I'll try to sequence something today. But be forewarned, the '88 version of Love & Mercy will not be on it, nor will Rio Grande. And you foolish enemies of Speed Turtle ay not like my already decided, special bonus track. I'm not going to say what it is, but it's the singer telling you about the most amazing thing he knows.

Eh, for me, that harmony in the bridge (1:50 mark) is the greatest moment of Brian's solo career (I LOVE cranking that up on the stereo)...I could not live with a solo best of that didn't have that on there.

If we could edit the tracks ourselves, I'd include that part.

[rab2591]

I'm surprised none of you included Forever She'll Be my Surfer Girl...

It's right toward the bottom of that album for me, with Mexican Girl and (sorry, I know a lot of people like it) Southern California. It has its moments, but I dislike it for the same reason as So.Cal.: those lyrics.

haha again it's the harmonies for me: those "na na na na" harmonies mixing with the piano in the chorus are marvelous. It makes up for the lackluster lyrics, imo.

[the captain]

That's it: you're my new arch-enemy. We fight at high noon on main street. 

[rab2591]

That's it: you're my new arch-enemy. We fight at high noon on main street. 

[the captain]

So my playlist has its raw material assembled, but final listening and adjudication (didn't think I'd say that today, did you? DID YOU?) will have to come after the Vikings game. Or when I get bored.

[Don't Back Down]

Here's mine that I made a couple weeks ago actually

Our Prayer/Gee
The Like In I Love You
Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long
Good Kind Of Love
Let It Shine
Your Imagination
Night Time
Desert Drive
South American
Heroes and Villains
You've Touched Me
Love Is Here To Stay
Someone To Watch Over Me
Dream Angel
Live Let Live (TLOS version)
Morning Beat
I've Got a Crush on You
Midnight's Another Day
That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
Nothing But Love

[rab2591]

Here's mine that I made a couple weeks ago actually

Our Prayer/Gee
The Like In I Love You
Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long
Good Kind Of Love
Let It Shine
Your Imagination
Night Time
Desert Drive
South American
Heroes and Villains
You've Touched Me
Love Is Here To Stay
Someone To Watch Over Me
Dream Angel
Live Let Live (TLOS version)
Morning Beat
I've Got a Crush on You
Midnight's Another Day
That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
Nothing But Love

Like the inclusion of 'Dream Angel' and 'South American' - cheesy but still good pop songs. I could never get into 'Night Time' however....

Also, I was gonna add Prayer to my mix but I didn't want the 'Heroes and Villains' 'Gee' part in it. 'Our Prayer' DOES deserve to be in it though!

[Yorick]

I'm surprised none of you included Forever She'll Be my Surfer Girl... To cheesy perhaps? For me though that song was the highlight of TLOS along with Southern California.

Also; what's this:

Live Let Live (arctic tale version)

You're right, while I like FSBMSG, I think it's non-essential and too cheesy maybe. I keep on changing my original post, cause I have forgotten about some hidden gems like Like Me And You!!

[Andrew G. Doe]

This here's my Spotify BW solo playlist, Last Wilson Standing 1986-2008:

Too Much Sugar
Love & Mercy
He Couldn't Get His Poor Ol' Body To Move
Melt Away
Night Time
Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight
Rio Grande
This Could Be The Night
Orange Crate Art
Wings Of A Dove
San Francisco
Movies Is Magic
Your Imagination
South American
Lay Down Burden
Happy Days
Soul Searchin'
Gettin' In Over My Head
Desert Drive
Joy To The World
That Lucky Old Sun
Morning Beat
Oxygen To The Brain
Can't Wait Too Long
Midnight's Another Day/Lucky Old Sun (reprise)
Going Home
Southern California

That would be CD1. CD2 would be Brian Wilson Presents Smile in full  -you can't cherry pick tracks from that. No BWRG ? Nope - too soon, but if I had to make any exchanges, I'd probably need to find room for "IGPON'", "IANS" and "STWOM".

[Loaf]

I'd have something similar to AGD, with the following exceptions:

Remove:

Meet Me in My Dreams
This Could Be The Night
Oxygen to the Brain

Add:
This Song Wants To Sleep With You
Live Let Live
Let It Shine

and from BWRG: 4-song Summertime Medley and The Like in I Love You

Also: add bonus tracks of What A Wonderful World and acapella Rhapsody in Blue (if it's any good).

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

This here's my Spotify BW solo playlist, Last Wilson Standing 1986-2008:

Too Much Sugar
Love & Mercy
He Couldn't Get His Poor Ol' Body To Move
Melt Away
Night Time
Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight
Rio Grande
This Could Be The Night
Orange Crate Art
Wings Of A Dove
San Francisco
Movies Is Magic
Your Imagination
South American
Lay Down Burden
Happy Days
Soul Searchin'
Gettin' In Over My Head
Desert Drive
Joy To The World
That Lucky Old Sun
Morning Beat
Oxygen To The Brain
Can't Wait Too Long
Midnight's Another Day/Lucky Old Sun (reprise)
Going Home
Southern California

That would be CD1. CD2 would be Brian Wilson Presents Smile in full  -you can't cherry pick tracks from that. No BWRG ? Nope - too soon, but if I had to make any exchanges, I'd probably need to find room for "IGPON'", "IANS" and "STWOM".

As much as you hated it, are you surprised you included 3 songs from GIOMH?


I would've taken out Movies Is Magic and replaced it with My Hobo Heart, personally.

[Yorick]

UPDATED

If we're talking officially released material and exclude SMiLE, something like this:

GETTIN' IN OVER MY HEAD: THE BEST OF BRIAN WILSON

BW '88:
There's So Many
Rio Grande

IJWMFTT:
Love And Mercy
Melt Away

This Song Wants To Sleep With You

Imagination:
Your Imagination

GIOMH:
How Could We Still Be Dancin'
You've Touched Me
Gettin' In Over My Head
Don't Let Her Know She's An Angel

WIRWFC:
What I Really Want For Christmas
Christmasey
On Christmas Day

TLOS:
Venice Beach
Live Let Live (arctic tale version)
Midnight's Another Day
Southern California

Just Like Me And You

BWRG:
'S Wonderful
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Someone To Watch Over Me
Nothing But Love

[Andrew G. Doe]

This here's my Spotify BW solo playlist, Last Wilson Standing 1986-2008:

Too Much Sugar
Love & Mercy
He Couldn't Get His Poor Ol' Body To Move
Melt Away
Night Time
Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight
Rio Grande
This Could Be The Night
Orange Crate Art
Wings Of A Dove
San Francisco
Movies Is Magic
Your Imagination
South American
Lay Down Burden
Happy Days
Soul Searchin'
Gettin' In Over My Head
Desert Drive
Joy To The World
That Lucky Old Sun
Morning Beat
Oxygen To The Brain
Can't Wait Too Long
Midnight's Another Day/Lucky Old Sun (reprise)
Going Home
Southern California

That would be CD1. CD2 would be Brian Wilson Presents Smile in full  -you can't cherry pick tracks from that. No BWRG ? Nope - too soon, but if I had to make any exchanges, I'd probably need to find room for "IGPON'", "IANS" and "STWOM".

As much as you hated it, are you surprised you included 3 songs from GIOMH?

They were (mostly if not entirely) recorded in, respectively, 1995, 1998 and 2002. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Good point.

[shelter]

From a commercial point of view, especially because "best ofs" are mostly for the casual fans, I suppose you're gonna need some really familiar titles. So besides the solo originals, I would include a bunch of BW solo versions of BB classics.

Love And Mercy (from Brian Wilson)
Melt Away (from Brian Wilson)
Rio Grande (from Brian Wilson)
Orange Crate Art (from Orange Crate Art)
Your Imagination (from Imagination)
Lay Down Burden (from Imagination)
Happy Days (from Imagination)
Soul Searchin' (from Gettin' In Over My Head)
Desert Drive (from Gettin' In Over My Head)
Heroes And Villains (from Brian Wilson Presents Smile)
Cabin Essence (from Brian Wilson Presents Smile)
Wonderful (from Brian Wilson Presents Smile)
Surf's Up (from Brian Wilson Presents Smile)
Good Vibrations (from Brian Wilson Presents Smile)
What I Really Want For Christmas (from What I Really Want For Christmas)
Morning Beat (from That Lucky Old Sun)
Oxygen To The Brain (from That Lucky Old Sun)
Midnight's Another Day (from That Lucky Old Sun)
The Like In I Love You (from Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin)
Wouldn't It Be Nice (from Pet Sounds Live)
Sloop John B. (from Pet Sounds Live)
God Only Knows (from Pet Sounds Live)
California Girls (from Live At The Roxy)
I Get Around (from Live At The Roxy)
Surfer Girl (from Live At The Roxy)