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Post by Kapitan on Jun 24, 2023 13:59:30 GMT
I'm not a big fan of Mona. There's not much too it - just verse after verse, no chorus, no middle eight. I first heard it on a UK ep, paired with Rock and Roll Music, Marcella, and Sail on Sailor. I don't think it really needed a lot. I don't either, because what it is, is so clearly what it is: for Brian, the kind of joyous throwback tune that thanks to its circular nature could go on forever. We know Brian likes those kinds of things (think Shortenin' Bread, or Ding Dang, which others have said he'd play on and on ad nauseum). He gets into that feel and just goes! But thankfully, while it could go on forever, it's got a nice, concise, pop-song running time. It's glorious as it is. But of course, I'd love to hear the 50th anniversary treatment once we get to that box: remixes, instrumental tracks, or whatever else.
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Post by B.E. on Jun 24, 2023 14:02:33 GMT
Not surprised that "Love is a Woman" has zero votes, but "That Same Song"!?
Meanwhile, I've made the easy cuts and am now left with 9 songs from 15 Big Ones and 8 songs from Love You in contention. I'm a fan of both albums, but there are few true standout tracks, IMO, which makes this tough.
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Post by B.E. on Jun 24, 2023 14:39:06 GMT
I didn't plan to include five tracks from each, but it worked out that way. Also, ranking the tracks from each album together proved too difficult, so I ranked them separately.
1. Back Home 2. That Same Song 3. Had to Phone Ya 4. Susie Cincinnati 5. Palisades Park
6. I'll Bet He's Nice 7. The Night Was So Young 8. Mona 9. Let Us Go On This Way 10. Let's Put Our Hearts Together
While it appears like a stalemate between the albums, 5 of my next 7 favorites might actually be 15 Big Ones tracks.
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Post by B.E. on Jun 24, 2023 14:50:29 GMT
I don't see ... "Airplane" on your list...yet. I'm a huge Love You fan, but you won't see "Airplane" on my lists, either! When I first got into Love You, "Airplane" would have made my list. I still like it a lot, but "Let's Put Our Hearts Together" has since overtaken it. "Airplane" and "Solar System" (another grower) would be next up, Love You-wise. But there are a bunch of other 15 Big Ones tracks I like a lot too, obvious ones like "Rock and Roll Music", "It's OK", and "Just Once In My Life", but also tracks like "Talk to Me" and "A Casual Look" among others.
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Post by B.E. on Jun 24, 2023 14:52:47 GMT
This is going to take me awhile … and yes Ding Dang will get a vote! Fun song and Roger McGuinn! Last day to vote. I'm counting on you voting for "Ding Dang"!
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Post by B.E. on Jun 24, 2023 14:56:27 GMT
Haha, well I've just withdrawn my four Love You votes as not befitting what I consider to be an outsider album. My remaining four are for "It's O.K.", "Susie C", "ITSOTN" and "JOIML". Which Love You tracks are your favorite, JK?
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Post by carllove on Jun 24, 2023 14:59:59 GMT
This is going to take me awhile … and yes Ding Dang will get a vote! Fun song and Roger McGuinn! Last day to vote. I'm counting on you voting for "Ding Dang"! I’m working on it. I’ll have my votes in by the end of the day.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 24, 2023 16:34:25 GMT
Last day to vote. I'm counting on you voting for "Ding Dang"! I’m working on it. I’ll have my votes in by the end of the day. It broke my heart not voting for Ding Dang, and a couple of others, too. Had to Phone Ya off 15BO and Let Us Go On This Way and Honkin Down the Highway from Love You are a few others. They're Top 10, but so were another 10. Too many Top 10 songs to fit 10 spots.
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Post by carllove on Jun 24, 2023 16:46:35 GMT
I’m working on it. I’ll have my votes in by the end of the day. It broke my heart not voting for Ding Dang, and a couple of others, too. Had to Phone Ya off 15BO and Let Us Go On This Way and Honkin Down the Highway from Love You are a few others. They're Top 10, but so were another 10. Too many Top 10 songs to fit 10 spots. I’m sort of having the opposite problem. 🤣
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 24, 2023 18:11:26 GMT
It broke my heart not voting for Ding Dang, and a couple of others, too. Had to Phone Ya off 15BO and Let Us Go On This Way and Honkin Down the Highway from Love You are a few others. They're Top 10, but so were another 10. Too many Top 10 songs to fit 10 spots. I’m sort of having the opposite problem. 🤣 That's where I was with the early 60s and 80s polls.
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Post by carllove on Jun 24, 2023 18:47:54 GMT
Notice that someone (me) didn’t vote for 10 songs in the 1980’s category? I did here though.
1. It’s Ok 2. Ding Dang 3. Everyone’s In Love With You 4. Good Time 5. Rock and Roll Music 6. The Night Was So Young 7. Had to Phone Ya 8. Susie Cincinnati 9. Mona 10. I’ll Bet He’s Nice
The top 4 are really the only one’s I listen to on the regular. I love “It’s OK” live. “Ding Dang” is just crazy fun, and “Everyone’s In Love With You” is on the SOS CD in my car and I think it’s pretty, even if it is about the Maharishi.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 24, 2023 19:30:14 GMT
It looks like "Mona" will get in, and that's very surprising to me.
Every time I listened to "Mona" from 1977 until, well, now, I always wondered why Brian Wilson didn't sing the lead vocal. I always considered the song a wink or a nod toward Phil Spector. Despite the surprising absence of an intro, it does sound like a mini-Spectorian Wall Of Sound. And then there's the lyrics - "Listen to 'Da Doo Ron Ron' now" and "Listen to 'Be My Baby'" and "I know you're gonna love Phil Spector". Why in the world DIDN'T Brian sing the lead? It never sounded right with Dennis singing those words. Yes, Brian was giving Dennis a few token leads on 15 Big Ones and Love You, but I question his decision on this one. "Mona" was meant for Brian to sing IMO.
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Post by B.E. on Jun 24, 2023 19:58:39 GMT
It looks like "Mona" will get in, and that's very surprising to me.
Every time I listened to "Mona" from 1977 until, well, now, I always wondered why Brian Wilson didn't sing the lead vocal. I always considered the song a wink or a nod toward Phil Spector. Despite the surprising absence of an intro, it does sound like a mini-Spectorian Wall Of Sound. And then there's the lyrics - "Listen to 'Da Doo Ron Ron' now" and "Listen to 'Be My Baby'" and "I know you're gonna love Phil Spector". Why in the world DIDN'T Brian sing the lead? It never sounded right with Dennis singing those words. Yes, Brian was giving Dennis a few token leads on 15 Big Ones and Love You, but I question his decision on this one. "Mona" was meant for Brian to sing IMO.
I'm surprised you're surprised by that . While not singled out like "The Night Was So Young" or "I'll Bet He's Nice", I've always noticed a healthy appreciation for "Mona". Quirky Brian fans like it, but so do Dennis fans. I also think it's a relatively better production, too. You don't have the unfinished feel of some of the other Love You tracks (songwriting structure aside) or awkward moments. And while I get where you're coming from regarding Dennis singing those lines, don't you think he liked much of the same music as Brian did? That he, too, dug Phil Spector? If anything, though, to me, Dennis singing such 'Brian' lines is fun. They were brothers after all! The big surprises for me are the lack of votes for "Had to Phone Ya" (3 votes) and "That Same Song" (1 vote) and the relative success of "Everyone's In Love With You" (3 votes). The former tracks typically being much more popular among fans, while the latter getting quite a lot of criticism. Personally, I don't mind "Everyone's In Love With You". It has its positives, but I don't consider it a favorite by a long shot. It is interesting to be reminded by carllove that it was included on the expanded Sounds of Summer. Obviously, with a small group, we'll occasionally have results that go against the norm and which almost certainly wouldn't happen in a large group of Beach Boys fans.
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Post by B.E. on Jun 24, 2023 20:13:33 GMT
I also think that Dennis sung "Mona" better than Brian would have. Not that I wouldn't have liked Brian singing it (and, yes, I've heard and enjoy the demo), but he wasn't putting much care into his vocals at that time, generally speaking.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 24, 2023 20:17:11 GMT
I also think that Dennis sung "Mona" better than Brian would have. Not that I wouldn't have liked Brian singing it (and, yes, I've heard and enjoy the demo), but he wasn't putting much care into his vocals. Ooh, now you might have lost me. I think in that period we hear an engaged Brian sometimes, and a less engaged Brian sometimes. Had he been really into "Mona," I think a lead from him would've been fantastic. Much better than what we have. That said, I like what we have.
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