|
Post by B.E. on Jul 2, 2023 13:27:39 GMT
As always, if there are multiple versions of a song (e.g. "Little Saint Nick") it's up to each participant to decide which version they are voting on. Also, I'm not including talk tracks in these polls, I am including live versions of songs not otherwise available, and I'm including 1963's "The Lord's Prayer" alongside the Christmas album tracks.
Voting is open!
|
|
|
Post by Kapitan on Jul 2, 2023 13:30:20 GMT
Quite a batch, 1964. By a quick scan, I'd say that any classic rock fan--not necessarily a Beach Boys obsessive--might say half a dozen of these songs rank among the best few hundred rock and roll songs of all time. If you think about how many bands, how many albums, how many songs there have been, that's astounding: one band, one year, roughly half a dozen of the all-time greats. (And that's not even all, or necessarily even your best, contributions to the world.)
|
|
|
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 2, 2023 15:54:50 GMT
In order:
1. I Get Around 2. Don't Worry Baby 3. Fun, Fun, Fun 4. Little Saint Nick 5. All Summer Long 6. The Warmth Of The Sun 7. Wendy 8. Frosty The Snowman 9. Little Honda 10. We Three Kings
- I like how Brian and Mike transitioned lyrically from "car songs" to "fun songs" - but still utilized the driving aspect. - "Don't Worry Baby" and "The Warmth Of The Sun" - two of BW's greatest lead vocals ever. - I think "Little Saint Nick" - with the intro, Mike's lead, Brian's voice, the bridge, and the tag - is as good as the group's best fast/fun songs.
- The Christmas songs were important to me early in my BB fandom and now, years later, give me a sentimental feeling during the holiday season. - I think the (unverified) quote, "Don't fu-- with the formula" applies to this year more than any. - Most (all?) of these classics were written and recorded before Brian really started to experiment with drugs. The end of the innocence.
|
|
|
Post by lonelysummer on Jul 3, 2023 4:44:13 GMT
I Get Around, Don't Worry Baby, Hushabye, Fun Fun Fun, Warmth of the Sun, Little Saint Nick, Christmas Day, Little Honda, Girls on the Beach, Little Honda. The Boys were really stepping up their game from a year before.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Jul 3, 2023 12:36:43 GMT
Whew, this was a tough one. But, here's my list
Fun Fun Fun Don't Worry Baby The Warmth of the Sun Keep an Eye on Summer
I Get Around All Summer Long Hushabye Wendy
Little Saint Nick Christmas Day
Some tough omissions include In the Parkin Lot, Drive In, We Three Kings, Don't Back Down, Girls on the Beach, and Little Honda.
|
|
|
Post by Kapitan on Jul 3, 2023 12:51:54 GMT
As everyone is noting, it's a great group of songs this time around. Still, I didn't find it that hard, because about eight of the songs really stand out for me. It was really choosing the final two as the best of several very good candidates. Because it felt like it broke into tiers for me, I'll show them in something of a ranked order, which I usually don't do. (Not quite individually ranked, but in batches.)
Among the best of the best--of all time, by anyone: 1. I Get Around 2. Don't Worry Baby 3. Fun Fun Fun 4. The Warmth of the Sun 5. All Summer Long
Great: 6. Hushabye 7. Wendy 8. Little Saint Nick
A personal favorite that probably doesn't rank with the above: 9. Don't Back Down
Winner of a battle royale for the final spot: 10. Little Honda
|
|
|
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 3, 2023 14:48:10 GMT
I see "Hushabye" getting a lot of votes. I couldn't bring myself to vote for it. I'm not sure why. I think I always considered the song more of a hidden gem than a top track. "Hushabye" wasn't a single or B-side, though it did make some comps including Spirit Of America (an odd choice I think). The vocals - all of them - are great. The production's good. Maybe it's the way the song comes to a stop. I don't know...I'll have to revisit it again.
|
|
|
Post by B.E. on Jul 3, 2023 15:07:35 GMT
I see "Hushabye" getting a lot of votes. I couldn't bring myself to vote for it. I'm not sure why. I think I always considered the song more of a hidden gem than a top track. "Hushabye" wasn't a single or B-side, though it did make some comps including Spirit Of America (an odd choice I think). The vocals - all of them - are great. The production's good. Maybe it's the way the song comes to a stop. I don't know...I'll have to revisit it again. And it was featured on Four by the Beach Boys in 1964. It's definitely in contention for making my top 10, but I haven't started deliberations yet.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Jul 3, 2023 15:21:32 GMT
I see "Hushabye" getting a lot of votes. I couldn't bring myself to vote for it. I'm not sure why. I think I always considered the song more of a hidden gem than a top track. "Hushabye" wasn't a single or B-side, though it did make some comps including Spirit Of America (an odd choice I think). The vocals - all of them - are great. The production's good. Maybe it's the way the song comes to a stop. I don't know...I'll have to revisit it again. I think it's one of the best cover songs the band ever did.
|
|
|
Post by B.E. on Jul 3, 2023 15:22:24 GMT
In order:
8. Frosty The Snowman
- The Christmas songs were important to me early in my BB fandom and now, years later, give me a sentimental feeling during the holiday season. So, is this more of a "favorite" pick than a "best" pick? If so, I have absolutely no objection whatsoever. Most of us are approaching this poll series from a subjective/favorite standpoint, but I have noticed that you've been approaching it more from an objective/best standpoint. So, I'm curious, do you actually consider "Frosty the Snowman" the 8th best track of 1964? If so, how/why?
|
|
|
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 3, 2023 15:24:30 GMT
Just for the fun of it, I thought I'd highlight these two live performances of "Hushabye":
|
|
|
Post by Kapitan on Jul 3, 2023 15:30:00 GMT
OK, this is a little tangent, but on the BW one, at around 2:12 or so, the camera moves over to Bob Lizik and Matt Jardine. I hear a fan saying something that sounds to me like:
"See this guy right here? The guy with the hat? He's an original member."
Does that person think Lizik is an original Beach Boy (just because he's old)? Or should I give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he means an original BW Band member?
|
|
|
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 3, 2023 15:32:48 GMT
OK, this is a little tangent, but on the BW one, at around 2:12 or so, the camera moves over to Bob Lizik and Matt Jardine. I hear a fan saying something that sounds to me like: "See this guy right here? The guy with the hat? He's an original member." Does that person think Lizik is an original Beach Boy (just because he's old)? Or should I give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he means an original BW Band member?Unfortunately, I think the former.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Jul 3, 2023 15:47:58 GMT
OK, this is a little tangent, but on the BW one, at around 2:12 or so, the camera moves over to Bob Lizik and Matt Jardine. I hear a fan saying something that sounds to me like: "See this guy right here? The guy with the hat? He's an original member." Does that person think Lizik is an original Beach Boy (just because he's old)? Or should I give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he means an original BW Band member? I did once see a picture of Lizik where he kind of looked like David Marks (even wearing a baseball cap that Marks typically wears onstage). So, perhaps that fan thought Bob was David Marks?
|
|
|
Post by B.E. on Jul 3, 2023 17:22:31 GMT
1. I Get Around 2. Don't Worry, Baby 3. Fun, Fun, Fun 4. Little Saint Nick (Single Version) 5. Girls on the Beach 6. We Three Kings of Orient Are 7. Keep an Eye on Summer 8. All Summer Long 9. Hushabye 10. We'll Run Away
A lot of other contenders: "The Warmth of the Sun", "Wendy", and "Don't Back Down"; "Santa's Beard", "Blue Christmas", and "Merry Christmas, Baby" from the Christmas album; and perhaps their greatest vocal performance of all-time "The Lord's Prayer". Also, shoutout to "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena".
|
|