Funky Pretty: the So Tough / Holland era sessions

[thetojo]

Okay, now we've got all the details of the Feel Flows release, who's up for a discussion of the next big project?

From the unreleased songs master list thread (with very slight modification):

1971

- "Telephone Backgrounds (On A Clear Day)": unbooted Carl song

- "Sail On, Sailor" (demo): hopefully still exists.


1972 - Carl & the Passions "So Tough", Holland era

- There's also a high quality demo of "Ten Years Harmony", the original version of "Endless Harmony" floating around there

- "Daddy Dear", "Susie Cincinnati", "Fairy Tale Music" (with narration by Brian): all solo piano pieces by Brian. First two are piano demos played by Brian to somebody in Holland, both are brief but worth release for showcasing some nice Brian vocals before the 15 Big Ones era, "Fairy Tale Music" is from a time Brian was playing music for a reporter

- "Burlesque": Brian and Jack Riely song, may have never been recorded. Jack said in an interview that a line of lyric in it is "Tantalation and hot glowing skin/Sun’s ‘bout to rest"

- "Funky Fever" and "Gimme Some Lovin/Baby, I Need Your Lovin'" (medley): unbooted songs recorded by Brian and David Sandler, apparently this '72 version of "Gimme Some Lovin'" is lost, but a version from the Keepin' the Summer Alive sessions exists

- "Quad Symphony": nickname for several '71 Dennis tracks used in engineer Steve Desper's audio lecture, only one of them is unique (titled on one boot "Follow Me to the Sea") and the rest are pieces of "Ecology"

- "Spark In the Dark": unbooted organ jam by Brian, apparently a riff he would revisit with "Chain Reaction of Love"

- "Body Talk": also known as "Grease Job", features tack piano/bass/handclap. May be a Dennis track

- "Rooftop Harry", "Slow Song": unbooted

- "Out in the Country": booted in a somewhat skeletal form, as a more finished version with banjos and other instrumentation has been said to exist. The booted version works quite well on it's own I think, a bit like a more moody "Meant for You"

- "Hard Times": booted Ricky & Blondie song

- "Carry Me Home": what I would call the most sought after unreleased recording that has been booted, an incredible piece of work from Dennis

- "California Saga: On My Way Sunny Cali-for-nia" (single mix): with a bit more Brian vocals, not available for streaming

- "The Trader" (early mix): unbooted shorter version, seems like it's just the first part of the song

- "Fairy Tale Music/A Casual Look" (demo version), "I'm the Pied Piper" (extended version), "Pa, Let Her Go Out" (early version of "Better Get Back In Bed"): unbooted. Love the music in the fairy tale, would be very interested to hear any of this

- "Cuddle Up" (single mix): rare, but booted

- "California Saga" (1974 live version with sitar): booted, might only exist as an audience recording


1973 - Holland era

- "River Song" (original mix): booted. Recorded with the Beach Boys, seems the backing track and backing vocals were kept for Dennis' solo version

- "Dr. Tom": unbooted Al song

- "Pattycake": apparently never recorded, about a gorilla that Brian saw at the Bronx zoo

[as1972]

California Saga's single mix is pretty readily available on Spotify as part of Best of the Brother Years

https://open.spotify.com/track/0lWLhsB8FT7wRpjfucDmaq?si=5712f3436cc54d52

[Cabinessenceking]

Any So Tough / Holland set should also include the sporadic sessions they did in the late 73-74/75 period (including Caribou Ranch) as a separate disk. Otherwise we'll never hear it! 

[jiggy22]

Telephone Backgrounds (On a Clear Day): This was recorded during the Surf's Up era. Is essentially just some noodling around on a moog, which may or may not be Carl. Could be released on a digital copyright dump at the end of the year.

Sail On, Sailor (Demo): Is not in possession of BRI.

Ten Years of Harmony: The "demo" was recorded in October 1974 and released as the b-side of a California Music session. There is an unfinished backing track from Spring 1972 though.

Burlesque: Written during the Surf's Up/CATP era, but a basic track for the song wouldn't be recorded until 1977 during the MIU Album sessions.

Funky Fever: Most likely not in possession of BRI.

Gimme Some Lovin'/Baby, I Need Your Lovin': Most likely not in possession of BRI. The remake of Gimme Some Lovin' was tracked during the late Adult/Child sessions in June 1977, and only exists as a backing track.

Quad Symphony: This doesn't exist. The pieces of music showcased by Desper during his lecture include sections of Ecology and Before, as well as the version of Barbara released in 1998. The piece commonly referred to as "Follow Me to the Sea" is actually an early take of Cocktails, recorded during the Bambu sessions. No idea how it came to be associated with the so-called "Quad Symphony."

Spark in the Dark: Not just a jam, but an entirely produced track, albeit without any vocals.

Slow Song: Recorded sometime between 1974-1975. Nothing but a bare-bones chord progression on an electric piano done by Dennis in the studio one day.

Out in the Country: The more-finished version was actually the first version cut, featuring Don Goldberg on lead vocals. Brian wanted to include it on CATP, but Bruce hid the master tape away to prevent its inclusion. The second version, featuring organ and vocals, was recorded in summer 1972 for the Holland album. Certainly more stripped-back than the first version, but that in no way means that it is a "skeletal" demo. I believe it was considered finished; it just wasn't included on the album.

River Song: Recording most likely began in late 1973-early 1974, long after the Holland album had been released.

Pattycake: 100% never recorded.

Dr. Tom: Seeing as Brother Studios was still a porn theatre in March 1973, this was more than likely recorded in March 1974, not 1973.

[terrei]

Pattycake: 100% never recorded.

How do you know?

Actually, this question could be posed to almost everything posted in the thread about these songs...

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

“ Fairy Tale Music/A Casual Look" (demo version), "I'm the Pied Piper" (extended version), "Pa, Let Her Go Out" (early version of "Better Get Back In Bed"): unbooted. Love the music in the fairy tale, would be very interested to hear any of this”

Haven’t heard the last part of it, but having heard that version of A Casual Look in the Fairy Tale I can safely say it  is freaking phenomenal and needs to come out. Granted it’s been many years since I hear it , but it just *worked*

Bruce hid a master tape to prevent its inclusion on an album he didn’t even stick around for?!

[Bedroom Tapes]

Sold!  Where do I preorder?   

[Rocker]

“ Fairy Tale Music/A Casual Look" (demo version), "I'm the Pied Piper" (extended version), "Pa, Let Her Go Out" (early version of "Better Get Back In Bed"): unbooted. Love the music in the fairy tale, would be very interested to hear any of this”

Haven’t heard the last part of it, but having heard that version of A Casual Look in the Fairy Tale I can safely say it  is freaking phenomenal and needs to come out. Granted it’s been many years since I hear it , but it just *worked*

Never even heard of that. The Beach Boys' released version (we are speaking of the doo-wop "A casual Look" and not about a new song with the same title, aren't we?) is just so underwhelming to put it nicely. The original is pretty great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2d47owk-Xg

[WillJC]

The fairy tale 'Casual Look' is less than a minute of Brian and Carl loosely playing piano together while Brian sings it off-mic, caught on tape during the tracking session for the main theme following an explanation of where it would belong in the story. Wouldn't call it phenomenal by any stretch, and it isn't a full fledged recording. Still, interesting and fun, and I imagine it's the sort of material that would make an archival release.

[sloopjohnb72]

Patty Cake was never recorded, and I'm not convinced Brian ever even wrote it. I think the song may just be a very often-repeated myth. The earliest source I could find was David Leaf's book, and he made it sound like Brian talked about writing a song about Patty Cake in a 1973 interview. Listening to the interview, he says no such thing. As much as I want it to be true, I think it's just another Beach Boys Myth.

[jiggy22]

Bruce hid a master tape to prevent its inclusion on an album he didn’t even stick around for?!

This is exactly what Don Goldberg explained in his book, so yes. Not to mention Bruce was still around by April 1972.

[feelintheflows]

Feel Flows is already #1 on Amazon best seller sooo The Beach Boys and capital would be pretty dumb not to follow this up ASAP with CATP/Holland sessions

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

Looks like "Carry Me Home" is getting a release this Record Store Day!

well...the Primal Scream version - https://www.hhv.de/shop/en/item/primal-scream-dixie-narco-ep-record-store-day-2021-edition-829806?p=1YmRrm

sorry 

[Jay]

As excited as I am for the FF set, THIS is the period I'm more interested in, in a way. Can you imagine if "Fading Love Song" existed with a Brian lead? Or the full band version of "In The Country" with Al singing? Or the original "Beatrice From Baltimore". Then there's the "Sail On Sailor" demo.

[Bedroom Tapes]

Maybe we'll even get some American Spring extras from this period. 

[adamghost]

I was told at some point in the distant past that Dr. Tom was another Al-led Kingston Trio retooling (of "Tom Dooley").

[WillJC]

That's what it is. I think Doctor Tom would fit more comfortably into a later package, if Al does okay it. There's a strong possibility that the March 1973 date ascribed to that and a few other tracks is off by a year (the Santa Monica building was still advertising as 'The Venture' adult theatre circa April, and in August the group claimed the studio hadn't yet been set up), but either way, it's firmly into the Brother era rather than Holland-adjacent.

[WillJC]

As excited as I am for the FF set, THIS is the period I'm more interested in, in a way. Can you imagine if "Fading Love Song" existed with a Brian lead? Or the full band version of "In The Country" with Al singing? Or the original "Beatrice From Baltimore". Then there's the "Sail On Sailor" demo.

Unfortunately, you'll have to keep imagining to manifest any of those into the world. Apart from the Sail On Sailor demo, maybe... if the alleged collector holding it ever surfaces.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I was told at some point in the distant past that Dr. Tom was another Al-led Kingston Trio retooling (of "Tom Dooley").

VERY Al led.  It's a full on Jardine Joint.

[Jay]

As excited as I am for the FF set, THIS is the period I'm more interested in, in a way. Can you imagine if "Fading Love Song" existed with a Brian lead? Or the full band version of "In The Country" with Al singing? Or the original "Beatrice From Baltimore". Then there's the "Sail On Sailor" demo.

Unfortunately, you'll have to keep imagining to manifest any of those into the world. Apart from the Sail On Sailor demo, maybe... if the alleged collector holding it ever surfaces.

Do you think there's a chance that one of the group members recorded a lead on the "In The Country" backing track?

[sloopjohnb72]

As excited as I am for the FF set, THIS is the period I'm more interested in, in a way. Can you imagine if "Fading Love Song" existed with a Brian lead? Or the full band version of "In The Country" with Al singing? Or the original "Beatrice From Baltimore". Then there's the "Sail On Sailor" demo.

Unfortunately, you'll have to keep imagining to manifest any of those into the world. Apart from the Sail On Sailor demo, maybe... if the alleged collector holding it ever surfaces.

Do you think there's a chance that one of the group members recorded a lead on the "In The Country" backing track?

No, it's just the Goldberg lead. But of course there's the later bootlegged organ version with Al on lead.

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

I was told at some point in the distant past that Dr. Tom was another Al-led Kingston Trio retooling (of "Tom Dooley").

If Sloop John B had not been a hit, would Al have taken a different approach to songwriting? 

[All Summer Long]

California Saga's single mix is pretty readily available on Spotify as part of Best of the Brother Years

https://open.spotify.com/track/0lWLhsB8FT7wRpjfucDmaq?si=5712f3436cc54d52

Is it? I tried this, but all I still here is the album version. And Spotify seems to agree, showing the Holland cover.

[thetojo]

California Saga's single mix is pretty readily available on Spotify as part of Best of the Brother Years

https://open.spotify.com/track/0lWLhsB8FT7wRpjfucDmaq?si=5712f3436cc54d52

Is it? I tried this, but all I still here is the album version. And Spotify seems to agree, showing the Holland cover.

As an aside (and I guess stating the bleeding obvious), the Single version is on multiple CD releases since the turn of the century.

[phirnis]

California Saga's single mix is pretty readily available on Spotify as part of Best of the Brother Years

https://open.spotify.com/track/0lWLhsB8FT7wRpjfucDmaq?si=5712f3436cc54d52

Is it? I tried this, but all I still here is the album version. And Spotify seems to agree, showing the Holland cover.

Definitely the single version with Brian's extra vocals during the first verse - and Spotify's showing the Brother Years cover too. Maybe some odd geoblocking stuff with Spotify?