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Author Topic: Bruce Johnston records "Don't Worry Baby" in '74 for California Music  (Read 14099 times)
joshferrell
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« Reply #50 on: March 19, 2017, 06:03:16 PM »

I think the  problem with this version of the song is that (like 15 big ones) it seems that when members of the Beach Boys do cover songs,especially with synths, it doesn't come off as being very good, the original songs on this cd are really good but the cover tunes seem to fall flat... The same with when Mike was doing cover songs with the "Mike and dean" stuff (and solo albums) the cover songs on MIU/KTSA and the cover tunes on SIP..it seems that (with the exception of some of the cover tunes from the early years like "Do you wanna dance", "Hushabye" and "Sloop John B") the Beach Boys as a band as a solo artists do  BETTER with their original songs..
« Last Edit: March 19, 2017, 06:04:06 PM by joshferrell » Logged
HeyJude
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« Reply #51 on: March 20, 2017, 06:52:57 AM »

Bruce has always been an "industry insider" kind of music guy.  You run into this a lot in Los Angeles, particularly among older musicians.  I don't mean this as a put down - it just is a certain way of looking at things based in a certain reality, that you are part of a business and what you contribute has to be commercially viable, and that's how you rate your own creativity.  This sounds very much of its (AM radio) time - even Bruce's vocal is mannered in such a way to be palatable for that market; I almost don't recognize him (though it's not him on the third verse).


Well-put points about Bruce's attitude towards music and the industry. It would also explain how, even today, he still gravitates towards what *is* successful (the touring band) and stays away from what isn't (writing and recording new stuff), with little or no seeming desire to create and do music for the sake of the music itself. I think there are other reasons Bruce tours as well, but I'll save that for some other thread.
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JK
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« Reply #52 on: March 20, 2017, 09:51:02 AM »

it's not him on the third verse

That must be Gloria Grinel.

https://www.discogs.com/Various-California-Music-Disney-Girls-RCAEquinox-Collection/release/9627220
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"Ik bun moar een eenvoudige boerenlul en doar schoam ik mien niet veur" (Normaal, 1978)
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Ziggy Stardust
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« Reply #53 on: March 21, 2017, 08:28:06 PM »

Interesting how they rid the song of all the car references on the 2nd verse. This must have been during that period of time when car songs were considered so "uncool", even for Bruce.

Everything about this cover tries to murder the original format because of how "uncool" it is, it tries so hard to be your folky/country-ish vibe typically from the early 70s and even the touch of female chorals of soul of the times, etc,  the slide, the saxo, couldn't be less subtle about it really, it just comes off so adult contemporary which is possibly Bruces speciality.

With his remake of Pipeline, Here Comes The Night and now this, Bruce definitely earns the title of the worst arranger.

Give a listen to Don't Run Away and try saying Bruce is the "worst arranger" with a straight face. He's certainly had his share of missteps, but he's also done some KILLER and underrated work.

Where? not trying to be aggressive, Don't Run Away as much of a nice little tune it is, is like The Nearest Faraway Place: just a work of an hommage, a student work, that's how i always felt about his better work.

With his remake of Pipeline, Here Comes The Night and now this, Bruce definitely earns the title of the worst arranger.

Give a listen to Don't Run Away and try saying Bruce is the "worst arranger" with a straight face. He's certainly had his share of missteps, but he's also done some KILLER and underrated work.

I'm a fan of his input on the 20/20, Sunflower, and Surf's Up albums a lot. 

I'll even admit that I think Endless Harmony is one of the few highlights on the KTSA album

What's fascinating is that Bruce cultivated his over the top cheesyness and cornyness throughout the years:

From Tears In The Morning comes Endless Harmony then gives birth to She Believes In Love Again... the later is pleasant because of how it fits in the 80s dated ballads and on a not crazy album, but Endless Harmony? phew, good lord..

Tears In The Morning is just a big nono, so much better songs to replace it, from Good Time, Back Home to Where Is She, etc... even Dierde beats it, his own other song! i feel this one maybe his best work because of how it compliments the rest of the album and is an okay composition overall, unlike Disney Girls who comes off too easy listening to me especially on an album where it doesn't feel quite right, but good for him to get his only classic track with this.

Well I guess if Bruce did such a lousy job with it, Brian could have helped him out, you know, being in the employ of Equinox and all.  Oh, er, never mind....

Also I think the changing the car lyric reference was an attempt to make the song more contemporary in nature....though it was hardly noticeable in the first place....

So what's the point, Brian didn't do anything about so it should be considered good? didn't Brian produce that Be My Baby cover by Mike Love? is that another cover to be considered a classic too?

In terms of the original BB recording, I've always felt it was *near* perfect. The middle eight instrumental bars always take away from it for me. It's not a guitar solo. It's chords. It always sounds like something else belongs there. It has no melodic interest for eight measures in a piece that is virtually overflowing with melodic interest.

I disagree. To me that is one perfect "less-is-more" instrumental break.

Agree with JK, i don't think people realizes how much Don't Worry Baby has going on, melodically speaking it's super rich, that break is a beautiful breath of fresh air, liek when you're drivin' the car with the wind in your hair for a little while.
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Ziggy Stardust
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« Reply #54 on: March 21, 2017, 08:33:52 PM »

But if anything i'm very happy this bump created a such vast conversation and people to find out about the cover whatsoever.
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GoogaMooga
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« Reply #55 on: March 22, 2017, 10:40:43 PM »

Thanks for giving this thread another chance! About CM on CD, yes, mine is also Japanese, possibly grey area, from the early 90s, when a lot of BB/Spector stuff came out over there.

Incidentally, Bruce has been in music since, what, 57? That's 60 years this year, then. And the most expensive BB-related CD happens to be a Japanese Bruce double of Del-Fi stuff.
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Ziggy Stardust
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« Reply #56 on: March 23, 2017, 12:38:09 AM »

Thanks for giving this thread another chance! About CM on CD, yes, mine is also Japanese, possibly grey area, from the early 90s, when a lot of BB/Spector stuff came out over there.

Incidentally, Bruce has been in music since, what, 57? That's 60 years this year, then. And the most expensive BB-related CD happens to be a Japanese Bruce double of Del-Fi stuff.

Haha i can't imagine your face when this bumped and then went into 3 pages haha thanks for sharing it!
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HeyJude
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« Reply #57 on: March 24, 2017, 06:23:09 AM »

Bruce, not surprisingly given how weird and inconsistent he can be sometimes, seems not to like at least some of his own solo output.

I remember *years* ago on the BB Britain board when he was more heavily posting, I mentioned to him that Edsel had just reissued "Going Public" licensed from Sony, and I had picked it up, and he very assuredly stated that the album "should stay asleep." Almost as if he was annoyed someone was once again able to go into a record store and buy the thing.

I guess it's a miracle that the first two BB projects he co-produced/produced when he returned in 1978 came out as good as they did, because they were bringing on a guy who clearly thought his own (only year-old as of 1978) solo album was a pretty limp, uninteresting affair.
« Last Edit: March 24, 2017, 06:24:15 AM by HeyJude » Logged

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