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Post by Kapitan on Mar 22, 2021 11:50:26 GMT
In November 1964, the Beach Boys took a brief detour from promoting their next major studio album, Today! (as they had done with their previous two singles), to promote their new Christmas album. Both that album and the single "The Man With All the Toys" (backed with "Blue Christmas") were released on Nov. 9, 1964.
The A-side had limited success, not charting on the main Billboard charts, but reaching #6 in their Christmas chart.
Please discuss and rate "The Man With All The Toys" and "Blue Christmas."
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Post by kds on Mar 22, 2021 12:18:54 GMT
After the first day of Spring, and a sunny gorgeous weekend in Baltimore, I'm going to think about how to rate this Christmas single.
I love Man With All the Toys, although of the original BB songs on the album, it feels the most....I don't want to say incomplete, but I'm struggling for a better word. I think Santa's Beard might have actually been a better choice for an A Side.
Blue Christmas is well sung by Brian, but it's never really been a BB Christmas go-to for me, nor is it my favorite version of the song.
I'm going to go with an eight.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 22, 2021 12:27:07 GMT
After the first day of Spring, and a sunny gorgeous weekend in Baltimore, I'm going to think about how to rate this Christmas single. I've got to admit, this one felt like a slap in the face considering we're just now getting out of wintry weather!
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Post by kds on Mar 22, 2021 12:38:24 GMT
After the first day of Spring, and a sunny gorgeous weekend in Baltimore, I'm going to think about how to rate this Christmas single. I've got to admit, this one felt like a slap in the face considering we're just now getting out of wintry weather! Well, it's almost April now, so that means Christmas stuff should be in the stores any minute.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 22, 2021 13:28:15 GMT
"The Man With All The Toys"? Meh. Only an OK to good song. Nothing special. Only 1:32! I always found Mike's lyric - "Someone found..." and especially "how thrilled that someone must have been..." to be awkward. Should've they chosen a different song as the single? I prefer "Santa's Beard" but just slightly; same with "Christmas Day". I would've chosen "Frosty The Snowman" but I guess they wanted an original composition. It pains me to say this but Brian might've actually improved "The Man With All The Toys" on What I Really Want For Christmas, even though his vocals are blah.
I like but don't love "Blue Christmas". We discussed it on the album thread, but I'm not a fan of Dick Reynolds' arrangements. This version drags slightly. I wish Brian would've taken a shot at it with a "Surfer Girl"/"In My Room"-type arrangement. However, Brian's lead vocal is spectacular. Again, referring to The Beach Boys' Christmas Album, to me it is most valuable for containing some of Brian's best singing/crooning, well, ever, and "Blue Christmas" is a perfect example of this. Crystal clear vocal.
I'm a big Christmas music fan but not a big Beach Boys' Christmas music fan. The Christmas album has a few outstanding tracks. These are not two of them, though "Blue Christmas" is essential, again for Brian's vocal. A 7.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 22, 2021 14:07:26 GMT
I'm thinking 6-7 here. My comments on these songs from December, when we discussed the album, still ring true. I think "The Man With All The Toys" lacks vocal punch, especially from Mike; I think "Blue Christmas" is just meh (great vocal aside). Both are in the upper half of that album, but we're not reviewing the album.
As a single? It's just hard to get excited for either song.
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Post by kds on Mar 22, 2021 15:21:12 GMT
I think I mentioned this one of the several times we discussed the Christmas album, but other than We Three Kings, I never listen to the Reynolds arranged covers unless I'm listening to the album in full. I have all five originals plus We Three Kings on my Christmas playlist.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 22, 2021 22:38:16 GMT
Should've they chosen a different song as the single? I prefer "Santa's Beard" but just slightly; same with "Christmas Day". I would've chosen "Frosty The Snowman" but I guess they wanted an original composition. I prefer "Santa's Beard" too, but I think "Man With All The Toys" was probably the best choice for a single. "Christmas Day" would have been a terrible choice, IMO. "Frosty" would've sold some, but I think the arrangement is just too un-Beach Boys to be pushed as a single. "Merry Christmas, Baby" would have been a decent single. But, that's where we're at with "Man With All The Toys", "Santa's Beard", etc - a "decent" single by then-Beach Boys standards. I do like that the single mirrors the album - with an a-side original and b-side cover. Very solid choice for b-side, by the way. As everyone is saying, great vocal from Brian. I can't go lower than an '8'. I Get Around/Don't Worry Baby - 10 Surfer Girl/Little Deuce Coupe - 10 Little Saint Nick/The Lord's Prayer - 10 Surfin' USA/Shut Down - 9 Fun Fun Fun/Why Do Fools Fall In Love - 9 Be True To Your School/In My Room - 9 When I Grow Up/She Knows Me Too Well - 9 Dance Dance Dance/Warmth Of The Sun - 9 Surfin' Safari/409 - 8 Man With All The Toys/Blue Christmas - 8 Surfin'/Luau - 7 Ten Little Indians/County Fair - 7
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 22, 2021 22:56:30 GMT
Should've they chosen a different song as the single? I prefer "Santa's Beard" but just slightly; same with "Christmas Day". I would've chosen "Frosty The Snowman" but I guess they wanted an original composition. "Frosty" would've sold some, but I think the arrangement is just too un-Beach Boys to be pushed as a single. Yes, I think they (The Beach Boys/Capitol Records) were on a roll with their formula for singles, and went with the tried-and-true, good ol' fun Mike Love on one side, and then have Brian break your heart on the other.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 22, 2021 23:05:26 GMT
Yeah, and the first thing you hear is the hook - a cappella, no less. That's a part of the formula that I wish they stuck to a little more!
Edit: Actually, would you consider that the hook? Or 'a' hook? Regardless, it's instantly recognizable as the Beach Boys, and it's exciting! And like they did on a few earlier songs they repeated the chorale later in the song.
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Post by jk on Mar 23, 2021 9:31:59 GMT
Well here they are, as they are perhaps not that familiar to everyone (read: me):
I think it's a great double-sider. "TMWATT" has a lovely tag -- those vocal stabs are straight off Nino Tempo & April Stevens' then recent #1 "Deep Purple". The B-side is really to appease parents everywhere. That said, Brian's voice on it is to die for. I see the 45 did well in the Billboard Christmas charts.
What shall I say... Nine? Nine.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 23, 2021 12:53:07 GMT
Yeah, and the first thing you hear is the hook - a cappella, no less. That's a part of the formula that I wish they stuck to a little more! Edit: Actually, would you consider that the hook? Or 'a' hook? Regardless, it's instantly recognizable as the Beach Boys, and it's exciting! And like they did on a few earlier songs they repeated the chorale later in the song. I'd call it the hook of the tune, yeah. Then again, I often find these descriptors in music a little fuzzy and second-guess myself, especially when we start mixing slang with formal terminology. ("Is that a riff or a lick? A vamp or a fade or [formally] a coda? A bridge or a B-section?")
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Post by B.E. on Mar 24, 2021 23:27:44 GMT
I think it's a great double-sider. "TMWATT" has a lovely tag -- those vocal stabs are straight off Nino Tempo & April Stevens' then recent #1 "Deep Purple". Wow...two things. First, I was a little confused, JK, until the final 20 seconds or so! But, you're so right. I love learning of these connections (whether Brian consciously borrowed the idea or not). I will say, though, that the stabs are mixed MUCH better on "Deep Purple". They are pleasant there. On MWATT, I find them rather piercing. Second, I was entirely knocked out by how much Nino's performance reminded me of Harry Nilsson! Edit: It's also interesting listening to this then-recent hit in regard to production values. By the standard of the day, perhaps Side 1 of the Christmas album isn't as "underproduced" as BBs fans tend to regard it.
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Post by lonelysummer on Mar 25, 2021 6:23:50 GMT
Seems like a drop in quality after the previous run of singles. My gut tells me they weren't too concerned about it - Xmas singles weren't listed on the main chart, anyway, and back in the 60's, only got played for 2 or 3 weeks around Christmas. Unlike today, where we get 2 solid months of holiday music!
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 28, 2021 12:51:07 GMT
Today is the final day to place your vote in this poll, so if you haven't yet done so, please do!
Tomorrow we move on.
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