Cottonfields / Cotton Fields - BW and AJ version

[Mikie]

You're right, Tpesky. Dennis was the one who went down to Al's house to hear the newer version.

[c-man]

I picked up the U.S. single of Cotton Fields in 1974, and it took me quite awhile back then to find a mint copy. This was only four years after its release, and Capitol had already deleted it from their catalog. Paid 10 bucks for it, and I thought at the time how ridiculous it was to pay that much. Same thing for the Break Away single.

Like the story of Brian's on "Hawthorne"; how he drove down to Al's house to hear his version. Anybody know when Brian said that and where the interview/statement came from?

I think you mean Dennis.....

I believe that quote of Dennis', as well as the other BBs interview snippets included on "Hawthorne", are from a 1969 or 1970 Radio Luxembourg interview.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I picked up the U.S. single of Cotton Fields in 1974, and it took me quite awhile back then to find a mint copy. This was only four years after its release, and Capitol had already deleted it from their catalog. Paid 10 bucks for it, and I thought at the time how ridiculous it was to pay that much. Same thing for the Break Away single.

Like the story of Brian's on "Hawthorne"; how he drove down to Al's house to hear his version. Anybody know when Brian said that and where the interview/statement came from?

I think you mean Dennis.....

I believe that quote of Dennis', as well as the other BBs interview snippets included on "Hawthorne", are from a 1969 or 1970 Radio Luxembourg interview.

May 1969, according to the booklet.

[MBE]

One thing I found interesting is that Brian does sing on Alan's version. Several people I have asked have confirmed it to me.

[Mikie]

It's from a 1969 or 1970 Radio Luxembourg interview. May 1969, according to the booklet.

Geeeeez! I had the Hawthorne CD(s) out and everything and neglected to look at the booklet for the answer. Shoot me!!! Thanks, guys.

[Fall Breaks]

One thing I found interesting is that Brian does sing on Alan's version. Several people I have asked have confirmed it to me.

Cool! Would that be him at the 2:00 mark?

[JaredLekites]

I think I can detect Brian during some of the group vocals on Al's version. It seems as if he's kind of sprinkled in there rather than a full time participant (which was clearly the case in those days).

I personally think Jardine's arrangement really blows Brian's out of the water (though it's safe to say that Brian's version is what inspired Al to take the song up a notch). Brian's arrangement seems more like a demo in comparison. It has it's charms but Al's version really takes it home.

[Fall Breaks]

Agreed. I also prefer Al's version any day of the week.

While we're at the subject of Cottonfields, why isn't Al credited on the label for writing additional lyrics for it? I mean, Mike is credited for Student Demonstration Time and also for adding a verse to Under the Boardwalk.

[c-man]

Agreed. I also prefer Al's version any day of the week.

While we're at the subject of Cottonfields, why isn't Al credited on the label for writing additional lyrics for it? I mean, Mike is credited for Student Demonstration Time and also for adding a verse to Under the Boardwalk.

Probably b/c Al didn't deem it necessary to file his name for cowriter status, whereas Mike did in those two examples.  Years later, though, Al did with "Don't Fight The Sea". 

[Fall Breaks]

Agreed. I also prefer Al's version any day of the week.

While we're at the subject of Cottonfields, why isn't Al credited on the label for writing additional lyrics for it? I mean, Mike is credited for Student Demonstration Time and also for adding a verse to Under the Boardwalk.

Probably b/c Al didn't deem it necessary to file his name for cowriter status, whereas Mike did in those two examples.  Years later, though, Al did with "Don't Fight The Sea". 

But why wouldn't he? That would've given him royalties, right? A world wide hit that is still being played live today must have generated some money over the years, surely?

[MBE]

One thing I found interesting is that Brian does sing on Alan's version. Several people I have asked have confirmed it to me.

Cool! Would that be him at the 2:00 mark?

Yes that is him. Funny but I think Brian vocally (and the harmonies in general) is part of what makes the single version better.

[willy]

I personally think Jardine's arrangement really blows Brian's out of the water (though it's safe to say that Brian's version is what inspired Al to take the song up a notch). Brian's arrangement seems more like a demo in comparison. It has it's charms but Al's version really takes it home.

+1 as they say on the Hoffman Forums 

[smile-holland]

A bit of a deviation from the original topic... but still Cottonfields related.

I just got a copy of the 20/20 album in the mail today. South African pressing. A second copy to be exactly, as I already had an RSA-pressing, but this new one is different.


I already had this one. Nothing unusual. the cover as we all know it. Released in 1969 I assume.

   
   


And now I got this one as well !!


   
   


My guess is that when the 1970 45 release of Cottonfields became a huge hit (#1) it was decided to re-release the 20/20 album. But with the album's title changed so that the album would sell better. Apart from the obvious change in title (notice the slight difference in background colour?), the picture shown in the fold-out was turned 180 degrees, and instead of a laminated cover a more simple textured carton was used. Catalogue number is the same though. And apparently it wasn't thought necessary to change the labels (by the way: al Capitol 60ies albums were released with both esmarald blue and green labels). Probably they still had a pile of unsold 20/20 albums in stock.

O.K., back to Cottonfields / Cotton Fields (but I couldn't resist sharing this  )

[bgas]

Yeah, sure, nice try! 
You took your Corel program , wiped 20/20 and added Cotton Fields.
Then you took the inside gatefold picture and turned it 180 degrees, did a corel color fade to the labels and Voila!!   
You Dutchies think you're SO slick, dontcha?   

[c-man]

Agreed. I also prefer Al's version any day of the week.

While we're at the subject of Cottonfields, why isn't Al credited on the label for writing additional lyrics for it? I mean, Mike is credited for Student Demonstration Time and also for adding a verse to Under the Boardwalk.

Probably b/c Al didn't deem it necessary to file his name for cowriter status, whereas Mike did in those two examples.  Years later, though, Al did with "Don't Fight The Sea". 

But why wouldn't he? That would've given him royalties, right? A world wide hit that is still being played live today must have generated some money over the years, surely?

Well, he probably didn't think he could, until years later, when Mike did it. 

[smile-holland]

Yeah, sure, nice try! 
You took your Corel program , wiped 20/20 and added Cotton Fields.
Then you took the inside gatefold picture and turned it 180 degrees, did a corel color fade to the labels and Voila!!   
You Dutchies think you're SO slick, dontcha?   

Despite of what you think, I didn't give my copies of 20/20 a "Dutch Treat". 

And - yes - we are slick... but not as slick as Al Jardine...

[punkinhead]

Agreed. I also prefer Al's version any day of the week.

While we're at the subject of Cottonfields, why isn't Al credited on the label for writing additional lyrics for it? I mean, Mike is credited for Student Demonstration Time and also for adding a verse to Under the Boardwalk.

What's the additional lyrics he wrote?

[Fall Breaks]

The song's original lyrics, as sung by among others Creedence and Harry Belafonte, are only these verses:


When I was a little bitty baby
My mama would rock me in the cradle,
In them old cotton fields back home;

It was down in Louisiana,
Just about a mile from Texarkana,
In them old cotton fields back home.

Oh, when them cotton bolls get rotten
You can't pick very much cotton,
In them old cotton fields back home.

[Paulos]

Agreed. I also prefer Al's version any day of the week.

While we're at the subject of Cottonfields, why isn't Al credited on the label for writing additional lyrics for it? I mean, Mike is credited for Student Demonstration Time and also for adding a verse to Under the Boardwalk.

Probably b/c Al didn't deem it necessary to file his name for cowriter status, whereas Mike did in those two examples.  Years later, though, Al did with "Don't Fight The Sea". 

But why wouldn't he? That would've given him royalties, right? A world wide hit that is still being played live today must have generated some money over the years, surely?

Well, he probably didn't think he could, until years later, when Mike did it. 

Mike wrote entirely new lyrics for A Young Man Is Gone but doesn't seem to be credtied with co-writer status along with Bobby Troup, not according to the credits in the 2-fer anyway.

Maybe Al thought that not giving himself any writing credit for Cotton Fields gave him the right to not give any co-credit whatsoever For Looking At Tomorrow.......

[Myk Luhv]

Maybe he just had more respect for Lead Belly than for the Kingston Trio!

[Mike's Beard]

Brian's version is a nice album track on 20/20 nothing more. Al's version is one of my favourite things the Beach Boys ever did. 70's Country Rock (which I love) crossed with BB's harmonies - that's a winner.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Surprisingly ballsy move for Al J. and I have to say, his version of "Cottonfields" is aces.  I suspect one reason is just that, simply, they let the band just go in and play it like it was live.  This rarely happened for the later Beach Boys...think of how much more dynamic a lot of the Warner-era tracks, which were mostly built up from very minimal rhythm tracks, were live.  Don't get me wrong, it was a unique production style and I like it a lot, but it's been mentioned by me and others that so the band's uptempo material really didn't kick that hard in the studio, and it was much better live.  This one instance where they just went for it with the touring band, and the result was a big hit.  Who knows if a "Marcella" or a "Roller Skating Child" or a "Funky Pretty" wouldn't have done better if the band had done the same thing.

Such a good point!

Marcella is the king of all examples of this, as I've blathered on about elsewhere.

Think about the last few Dylan albums where he's used just his touring band and it sounds so fresh and vital and alive!

The Beach Boys could have used more of it.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I think another factor, when it comes to Brian, is that he really just doesn't dig drums all that much. Or he digs them, perhaps, but likes to think of them as just another factor in the mix rather than the foundation or engine or driving force of the track. In fact, he doesn't even seem to think of the drums, or drum kit, as a singular instrument (which of course it isn't).... Most of his productions are unique drum-wise because the drum kit, as it is, is usually augmented (with equal sonic attention) by various percussion. It's as if he employs the drummer, or "kit-player" as the left hand and right foot (snare/kick) and the various percussionists as the right hand (hi hat/ride/crashes/fills)  Thus, sort of unseating the drummer as the driver of the music and throwing off the band/unit /balance/ basic "Beatles style attack" we've come to accept as THE thing in pop/rock/whatever.... It's an effective and beautiful production technique for material such as Pet Sounds, but for something that's supposed to sort of kick or rock: it's not exactly ideal.

[bgas]

I think another factor, when it comes to Brian, is that he really just doesn't dig drums all that much. Or he digs them, perhaps, but likes to think of them as just another factor in the mix rather than the foundation or engine or driving force of the track. In fact, he doesn't even seem to think of the drums, or drum kit, as a singular instrument (which of course it isn't).... Most of his productions are unique drum-wise because the drum kit, as it is, is usually augmented (with equal sonic attention) by various percussion. It's as if he employs the drummer, or "kit-player" as the left hand and right foot (snare/kick) and the various percussionists as the right hand (hi hat/ride/crashes/fills)  Thus, sort of unseating the drummer as the driver of the music and throwing off the band/unit /balance/ basic "Beatles style attack" we've come to accept as THE thing in pop/rock/whatever.... It's an effective and beautiful production technique for material such as Pet Sounds, but for something that's supposed to sort of kick or rock: it's not exactly ideal.

maybe because his musical roots were in Gershwin and 50's pop like the Four Freshmen, where drums take a big backseat to everything else.

[phirnis]

Always had a soft spot for Brian's version. To a certain degree the production might sound underwhelming at first but to these ears the overall sound is beautiful in a way that Al's version is not (it's very impressive in its own way, however, maybe even the best thing Al ever did in terms of production). Brian's version almost sounds like a forerunner for the trademark style of the American Spring album.