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Post by kds on Apr 20, 2021 14:01:50 GMT
I think HCTN '79 has attained the appropriate reputation.
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Jan 2, 2022 16:51:23 GMT
I saw this thread mentioned and linked in the Shoutbox so I thought I'd be the one to resurrect it. This morning I was considering starting an "Underrated Beach Boys Song" thread, but I think this thread will suffice since "underrated" is what has been on my mind lately.
The "BBs Song on My Mind" today is "The Girl From New York City". I've always felt this song was quite a bit underrated because I've seen little discussion about it. The general consensus seems to be that it's not a bad song, but not great. I think it's an amazing song. What a way to start great album like Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)! To me, the song is an all out rocker that just moves straight ahead. The cool sax intro, the throbbing bass, the bluesy lead guitar riff, the soulful piano....and then there's the incredible aggressive, but well structured vocals. The classic beach/surf high "oohs" are there on the chorus, as well as some serious power in the lead vocal. I once stated on another forum that I felt like this song was the beginning of the Beach Boys' Wild Honey sound. That statement led to an argument with another poster who disagreed with me, but that's a whole other story...
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 2, 2022 16:57:57 GMT
YES. I could not agree more. In fact, your mention of it calls to mind the wise words of a late 20th/early 21st century genius (from our old Album of the Week thread on SDSN): (Girl From New York City, for me, is especially brilliant and underappreciated.)
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Post by carllove on Jan 2, 2022 20:10:29 GMT
Right now it's "Don't Talk" -- well, just the overdubbed strings, to be honest. They are what prompted Bruce's remark about the instrumental break in the song, the bit where it "floats right off the planet". A magic moment, to be sure: One of my favorite all time Beach Boys songs. Those strings - gorgeous. Gives me all of the feels. I close my eyes, my toes get tingly and I’m just transported somewhere else. The magic of music.
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Post by carllove on Jan 2, 2022 20:24:19 GMT
Not really The Beach Boys, but it is on Feel Flows and I can’t stop listening to these two songs, as well of the beautiful “Mexico”. Dennis wrote such beautiful melodies. I always wonder if I would love them as much if they were ever “finished”?
Also - Darryl Dragon! Very under appreciated in his contribution to The Beach Boys. He was their Billy Preston.
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Post by carllove on Jan 2, 2022 20:34:43 GMT
The beautiful “Mexico”. Yeah - it’s sort of the same melody over and over, but it is stunning and I don’t care!
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Jan 3, 2022 23:33:52 GMT
My song for today is "Don't Fight the Sea". I know that officially it's Al's baby, but let's face it....it's a Beach Boys song. And it's my favorite BBs related tune released in the last...ohhhh....30 or so years.
Seriously, this is classic Beach Boys (performance-wise...yes I know it was composed by Terry Jacks). I must say Al did a remarkable job assembling and finishing this song. I would be interested in knowing who sang what parts on the many tracks utilized to put this together. Is there such a rundown anywhere?
Earlier today I was listening to my playlist of assorted BBs tunes on random (which includes this tune) and when this tune came on I was blown away, as usual, thinking to myself, this is amazing! And then the '66 studio version of "Good Vibrations" came on immediately afterwards, and it was almost seamless. Not jarring in any way, which is incredible for two songs released decades apart!
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Jan 4, 2022 0:54:09 GMT
My song for today is "Don't Fight the Sea". I know that officially it's Al's baby, but let's face it....it's a Beach Boys song. And it's my favorite BBs related tune released in the last...ohhhh....30 or so years. Seriously, this is classic Beach Boys (performance-wise...yes I know it was composed by Terry Jacks). I must say Al did a remarkable job assembling and finishing this song. I would be interested in knowing who sang what parts on the many tracks utilized to put this together. Is there such a rundown anywhere? Earlier today I was listening to my playlist of assorted BBs tunes on random (which includes this tune) and when this tune came on I was blown away, as usual, thinking to myself, this is amazing! And then the '66 studio version of "Good Vibrations" came on immediately afterwards, and it was almost seamless. Not jarring in any way, which is incredible for two songs released decades apart! Great post, imo this song is almost criminally underrated by Beach Boys fans. Most casual fans don't even know about it. Release it anytime between 1976-1990 or so and it would have been a hit. Too bad they couldn't have waited and released it as the lead single for TWGMTR. I think it may have cracked the top 40, hot 100 for sure. You say it seamlessly transitions into Good Vibrations... I remember someone somewhere made a fairly detailed post about how it actually is pretty similar to Good Vibrations musically.
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Post by B.E. on Jan 4, 2022 1:01:53 GMT
Count me as another fan of "Don't Fight The Sea"! Why the group seemingly didn't value it, I'll never understand.
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Jan 6, 2022 1:18:13 GMT
Imagine it's mid-summer 1971 and you've got your AM transistor radio blasting your favorite local rock station. The DJ rattles out, "...and that was The Fortunes with 'Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again'. Ahhhh...Fortune-ately we're not having a problem with that, 72 degrees in the shade, man! Heyyyy, here's a sweet tune by the dudes from the California beaches, The Beach Boys, with their NEW new sound, "Won't You Tell Me...."
It could have happened. I tell you, this track off of Feel Flows has been a major earworm with me since I first heard it. And it sounds so authentic of the early 1970s era, it actually conjures up memories for me that never happened! If that makes any sense!
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 6, 2022 14:31:09 GMT
Imagine it's mid-summer 1971 and you've got your AM transistor radio blasting your favorite local rock station. The DJ rattles out, "...and that was The Fortunes with 'Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again'. Ahhhh...Fortune-ately we're not having a problem with that, 72 degrees in the shade, man! Heyyyy, here's a sweet tune by the dudes from the California beaches, The Beach Boys, with their NEW new sound, "Won't You Tell Me...." It could have happened. I tell you, this track off of Feel Flows has been a major earworm with me since I first heard it. And it sounds so authentic of the early 1970s era, it actually conjures up memories for me that never happened! If that makes any sense! I really enjoy the song and production of the track--kudos, Brian, Murry and Rick Henn!--but sure wish they'd done a proper, final version (meaning lead vocal). At times it sounds great, and then there will be a note here and there where it's obvious it's not really done. For some kinds of songs, that doesn't make as much difference, but with a bigger production like this one, you can't have a thin, out of tune high note where you need to nail it. For contrast, we've been listening to the Traveling Wilburys this week, and I think of Roy Orbison nailing his notes on "Not Alone Anymore." That's what they needed here. If only!
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Post by B.E. on Jan 8, 2022 2:21:17 GMT
I love the song, and piano demo, of "Still I Dream Of It". It was a big discovery for me in my early days of fandom. One of those "so long, casual fan!" moments. As I listened to it last night, I couldn't help but interject the "da-da-daaa-da-daa's" from the studio version, and it occurred to me how much I'd prefer not to. Anyway, I forged on and thoroughly enjoyed the song and performance for the 500th time. (I also made a new discovery: see below.) Then I listened to the studio version and I gotta admit, it's pretty frustrating. It's not bad, and it is interesting to hear the (decent) state of Brian's voice, but the song deserved so much better. The backing track is just so...blah. But then I was reminded of the nice vocal improvisation by Brian at the end of the song. I've always enjoyed that. But this time around it occurred to me - that's exactly the part he would have come up with in the '60s, but he would have sung it higher, in falsetto. Now I can hear his younger self singing it. Pretty cool. Speaking of a new discovery, I think I've got another example for the 'Pet Sounds-ism' thread. (Perhaps it's another reason fans seem to liken the track to Pet Sounds?) It's on the line: 'til then I'm just a dreamer. Here, I get the sense that the chord selection could have been slightly improved, but it's still impactful in a very similar way to the other examples in that thread. Then as I listened to the studio version, I was letdown again. The execution is lacking. Something got lost in translation. And Brian sounds totally unsure of how he's going to sing it.
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Post by jk on Jan 26, 2022 20:33:00 GMT
Today is my late pen pal's birthday (she would have been 61). I met her in 2009 at the old Capitol Board, which she had joined as a major fan of Al Jardine.
I can just picture her in Paradise relaxing in her rocking chair, her favourite dog on her lap, enjoying a Foster's Freeze (her favourite beer, which her debilitating illness prohibited her from drinking) and marvelling at Alan's entry just after the one-minute mark on "Tell Me Why":
Rest in peace, dear friend.
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Post by jk on Feb 26, 2022 22:09:20 GMT
Well, today we heard our first woodpecker of 2022:
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Feb 27, 2022 14:47:31 GMT
Last weekend I spun my stereo SACD of Today and one song that really stood out for me was "She Knows Me Too Well". In fact, I started out this quiet Sunday morning with a replay of that very track.
SKMTW is pure heaven! The somewhat tense but beautiful intro pulls you right in. The group harmonies are near perfect, right on the mark like one instrument. Then Brian's heartfelt lead comes in and, well there you go...
I think this is another example of songs we've discussed on another thread where the song itself is rather simple, but the arrangement makes it appear quite complex. Whatever the case, it's a magnificent 2 1/2 minutes with the Boys and the whole ensemble firing on all 8 cylinders (or 12, if you're a sports car enthusiast!).
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