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Post by kds on Jan 18, 2023 14:57:07 GMT
Just off the top of my head
Be True to Your School (Single Version) - Of all the BB hits, this was probably the one I've been the most indifferent about. I recognize it as a classic, and a well performed track. But, it's just never one that I've gravitated towards. And, my indifference towards the track really doesn't have anything to do with Full House, the cheerleaders, or "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnn." I would say it's the high school theme (HS wasn't a particularly happy time for me), but I've never surfed, nor am I a motorhead, so I don't think it's that.
The Private Life of Bill and Sue - Jumping ahead nearly half a century with this one. This is from the somewhat soft middle of the TWGMTR album that I really enjoy. But, I've always been somewhat torn on it. I like the chorus, and the harmonies (which sound more like Brian's band than the Beach Boys, but that's another story). But, I feel like this was a somewhat odd attempt at a modern lyrical take, and the song feels a tad long.
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Jan 20, 2023 0:10:16 GMT
What is a Beach Boys (or related) song you can't quite make up your mind about? "Little Pad"--Like much of Smiley Smile I've always considered this song unlistenable, but in recent years there's something about it that makes me want to like it. By its own nature, it's a fun song, and surely a fitting subject for a group called The Beach Boys. It's very much of its time, with its psychedelic and acidy overtones. However, I have trouble getting past that stoned goofy intro, which just screams "Amateurs!" (like much of the rest of the album). There are some other elements in the song that grind my gears just a bit....but overall, the song is quite catchy! And the structure is pretty clever. The stereo mix makes the song more appealing to me, but....hmmm....I don't know. Maybe I need to light up a J to get it......
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 20, 2023 0:28:54 GMT
I'm not sure I would have thought of that one, but now that you mentioned it, I can relate. In fact, I'd say the same thing about another Smiley Smile song, "Gettin Hungry." I like the riff. I like the chorus, even though I wish it were more fully arranged/produced. I don't really like the verses at all. So it's definitely one I end up with neither strongly positive nor negative feelings, but kind-of both. So it averages out--even though it's more like half 7/half 3 than it is a 5.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 20, 2023 1:14:23 GMT
And, I'll add a third Smiley Smile song to the mix - "Heroes And Villains". Seriously. I've never been a big fan of the song, but I've always had questions about it. Should I include it on a Greatest Hits/Best Of single CD comp? Should it have charted higher? Should've it gone to No. 1? Should it get more credit for being ahead of its time? When Brian "Smiley Smiled" it, did he ruin it? Is it really the foundation song for SMiLE? Are the lyrics great? Hell, are they good? Is the song overrated? Would've the rumored long version or double-sided single been spectacular? I STILL haven't reconciled "Heroes And Villains"!
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 20, 2023 13:08:52 GMT
"Heroes And Villains" ... Are the lyrics great? Hell, are they good? I have some thoughts on that, at least. But I'll hold them for whenever we end up at Smiley Smile in the lyrics thread. It's interesting that we've got three of the nine songs from that album that include lyrics represented here as "mixed feelings." If I'm being honest, upon further consideration, I could easily add three more: "Wonderful," "Wind Chimes," and "She's Goin' Bald." For the two W-songs, I believe the lyrics and melodies are brilliant. I love them. But I don't like the arrangements, and especially (as sockit mentioned re "Little Pad") that druggie vibe. They just don't sound to me like the band is taking these songs seriously, but rather like "hey, wouldn't it be funny if we tried them like this!?" And at least for my taste, they just flop. "She's Goin' Bald" is different. That's one that, like its precursor "She Gives Speeches," just doesn't end up seeming quite like a real song. In both cases, I actually do find them somewhat funny. But I don't like the pitch shifting part, and as I said, it's just not much of a song. This might explain my mixed feelings about Smiley Smile in general: that's a full five (because unlike Sheriff John Stone, I love H&V, even the SS version) songs out of nine with lyrics that I feel ambivalent about.
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Post by kds on Jan 20, 2023 15:16:16 GMT
And, I'll add a third Smiley Smile song to the mix - "Heroes And Villains". Seriously. I've never been a big fan of the song, but I've always had questions about it. Should I include it on a Greatest Hits/Best Of single CD comp? Should it have charted higher? Should've it gone to No. 1? Should it get more credit for being ahead of its time? When Brian "Smiley Smiled" it, did he ruin it? Is it really the foundation song for SMiLE? Are the lyrics great? Hell, are they good? Is the song overrated? Would've the rumored long version or double-sided single been spectacular? I STILL haven't reconciled "Heroes And Villains"!
My only real issue with H&V are the lyrics. I've said before that I find Van Dyke's lyrics to be a bit perplexing. I think he's good at making words fit into melodies, and making them sound nice. But, they don't seem to mean much.
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 20, 2023 15:19:01 GMT
We'll talk about this (eventually) in the lyrics thread, but I love VDP's lyrics most of the time. They don't have to mean much in a literal sense, as far as I'm concerned. I think the best word to describe them might be evocative: you get a sense of scene and feeling around a topic without necessarily needing a concrete narrative.
I understand that if you're someone who wants a song to tell a story or be more direct, that would be a problem. But if the mood is enough, if the vibe is enough, if the subject is enough, then it's no problem at all. Plus I think he's very clever with his wordplay.
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Post by kds on Jan 20, 2023 15:32:14 GMT
We'll talk about this (eventually) in the lyrics thread, but I love VDP's lyrics most of the time. They don't have to mean much in a literal sense, as far as I'm concerned. I think the best word to describe them might be evocative: you get a sense of scene and feeling around a topic without necessarily needing a concrete narrative. I understand that if you're someone who wants a song to tell a story or be more direct, that would be a problem. But if the mood is enough, if the vibe is enough, if the subject is enough, then it's no problem at all. Plus I think he's very clever with his wordplay. I think Brian's melodies make up for any reservations I have with the lyrics. But, more of that later.
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Jan 21, 2023 1:12:51 GMT
I'm not sure I would have thought of that one, but now that you mentioned it, I can relate. In fact, I'd say the same thing about another Smiley Smile song, "Gettin Hungry." I like the riff. I like the chorus, even though I wish it were more fully arranged/produced. I don't really like the verses at all. So it's definitely one I end up with neither strongly positive nor negative feelings, but kind-of both. So it averages out--even though it's more like half 7/half 3 than it is a 5. Ah good one! I had forgotten about "Gettin' Hungry". I agree 100% with your take on it, @kapitan. The main body of the song is pretty cool, but those verses...yeesh. They sound like they are just trailing off while somebody (Carl?) is just noodling around on the guitter. I want to like this one too, and I think it could have had a place on Wild Honey....perhaps in place of "How She Boogalooed It"? Hmmmm....
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Emdeeh
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 520
Likes: 532
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Post by Emdeeh on Jan 21, 2023 4:07:03 GMT
I like the way Celebration approached "Gettin' Hungry" with a reggae flavor:
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 21, 2023 17:06:44 GMT
I still have mixed feelings about that version, too! I definitely like that the verses have been put into a more traditional pop structure, and more than a little sobered up. But I've never been a big reggae fan, and the refrain of the original is what I love about it. I guess somewhere between these two is my ideal version.
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Jan 21, 2023 17:23:01 GMT
I still have mixed feelings about that version, too! I definitely like that the verses have been put into a more traditional pop structure, and more than a little sobered up. But I've never been a big reggae fan, and the refrain of the original is what I love about it. I guess somewhere between these two is my ideal version. I had never heard the Celebration version before. Interesting listen, but I still find the verses boring and a bit pointless. The first phrases almost work, but I think it's that long "ohhhhhhhhh" that bothers me. There needs to be something more in that part. The chorus is missing that gritty, aggressive sound and therefor misses the point of the song, although I do like reggae quite a bit.
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Post by lonelysummer on Jan 22, 2023 3:45:35 GMT
Cuddle Up - It was initially one of my favorite tracks on CATP, but now, I tend to think that it just hangs around a minute or two too long. My Diane - I used to think this song was a minor masterpiece. I still like it, but the more I hear it, the more I think I felt that way initially because it's one of the few heavies on a relative light album. I never got all the fuss about My Diane. I just assumed everybody loves it because it's Dennis. Along the same lines as the Snobs Guide to Rock Music is the unwritten code of Beach Boys fandom: Brian = Brains and Genius Dennis = Tormented Genius Mike = Garbage Al = Great Vocals/Workman-like Songs Carl = Voice of an Angel Bruce = Sapmeister
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Post by lonelysummer on Jan 22, 2023 3:53:39 GMT
Just off the top of my head Be True to Your School (Single Version) - Of all the BB hits, this was probably the one I've been the most indifferent about. I recognize it as a classic, and a well performed track. But, it's just never one that I've gravitated towards. And, my indifference towards the track really doesn't have anything to do with Full House, the cheerleaders, or "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnn." I would say it's the high school theme (HS wasn't a particularly happy time for me), but I've never surfed, nor am I a motorhead, so I don't think it's that. The Private Life of Bill and Sue - Jumping ahead nearly half a century with this one. This is from the somewhat soft middle of the TWGMTR album that I really enjoy. But, I've always been somewhat torn on it. I like the chorus, and the harmonies (which sound more like Brian's band than the Beach Boys, but that's another story). But, I feel like this was a somewhat odd attempt at a modern lyrical take, and the song feels a tad long. I was never a "rah-rah, go team" kind of person either. I hated school. Especially junior high/middle school. High school was just plain boring. I hated Be True to Your School back then. Now it doesn't bother me, but I should probably write new lyrics reflecting how I felt about school 100 years ago. When some loud bragger tries to put me down and says his school is great, I tell him right away, "Now what's-a-matter-buddy, you're talkin' like a fool, freaking school is what I hate...
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 31, 2023 12:44:52 GMT
This thread had fallen from my mind, but it's about time for a new question. This one dovetails off something lonelysummer said in one of the past few posts, and something I've talked about a lot through the years: Beach Boy individual stereotypes. This question asks for changing impressions that help change those stereotypes, or give more complex understandings of the group members. What Beach Boy have you most changed your mind about (for better or worse, in any way) through the years?
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