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Post by Sheriff John Stone on May 29, 2021 8:31:26 GMT
Thanks, guys -- a few memories there. Gary and the lads were one of several similar-ish bands that never made it in the UK, although I always liked what I heard of theirs on pirate radio. Too American, perhaps (whatever that means)? Pity, anyway... I don't know about the "too American" concept. There is something just forgotten about the group in general. I remember back in the 1980s I had a high school buddy who was just crazy about the song This Diamond Ring. He would request the song on all the oldies stations, and no one seemed to know what he was talking about. It became a holy grail to him. When he finally got a cassette recording from who knows where, and he played it for me, I "got it". Not a bad song at all. Maybe the fact that Gary Lewis was the nephew of comic genius Jerry Lewis caused him to not be taken seriously?At any rate I have acquired 3 or 4 singles from the group, one being a rather curious Liberty promo with a strange tan label. Gary was Jerry Lewis' oldest son:
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Post by jk on May 29, 2021 9:21:36 GMT
Thanks, guys -- a few memories there. Gary and the lads were one of several similar-ish bands that never made it in the UK, although I always liked what I heard of theirs on pirate radio. Too American, perhaps (whatever that means)? Pity, anyway... I don't know about the "too American" concept. There is something just forgotten about the group in general. I remember back in the 1980s I had a high school buddy who was just crazy about the song This Diamond Ring. He would request the song on all the oldies stations, and no one seemed to know what he was talking about. It became a holy grail to him. When he finally got a cassette recording from who knows where, and he played it for me, I "got it". Not a bad song at all. Maybe the fact that Gary Lewis was the nephew of comic genius Jerry Lewis caused him to not be taken seriously? At any rate I have acquired 3 or 4 singles from the group, one being a rather curious Liberty promo with a strange tan label. The French seemed to appreciate him (back in the '60s you often heard US things on French radio stations that you never heard in the UK). Claude François even released a French-language version of "Everybody Loves A Clown":
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2021 4:47:28 GMT
I don't know about the "too American" concept. There is something just forgotten about the group in general. I remember back in the 1980s I had a high school buddy who was just crazy about the song This Diamond Ring. He would request the song on all the oldies stations, and no one seemed to know what he was talking about. It became a holy grail to him. When he finally got a cassette recording from who knows where, and he played it for me, I "got it". Not a bad song at all. Maybe the fact that Gary Lewis was the nephew of comic genius Jerry Lewis caused him to not be taken seriously?At any rate I have acquired 3 or 4 singles from the group, one being a rather curious Liberty promo with a strange tan label. Gary was Jerry Lewis' oldest son:
Oops! Don't know what I was thinking. But yes, son NOT nephew.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 7, 2021 16:00:29 GMT
"Beach Baby" by First Class is frequently compared to a Beach Boys' song, and rightfully so. With the summer-y lyrics, the harmonies, and the production, "Beach Baby" sounds like it came right out of the Brian Wilson playbook. You have to give First Class credit. "Beach Baby" was recorded and released BEFORE Endless Summer in 1974. Yes, they knew something was happening with that sound.
Whenever I listen to "Beach Baby" I think of ways to improve it, or specifically ways The Beach Boys could improve it. First, the song is too long at around 5:00; it could use some serious trimming. The song loses its way in the middle and rambles a bit; I would cut some of that. Also, while the tag is great, it goes on way too long; it could use some editing. Picture Al Jardine on lead vocal, a prominent Mike Love bass vocal, and a Brian Wilson/Joe Thomas-led stack o' Beach Boys' voices on the harmonies, especially on the tag. I think it could be the "Spring Vacation" of the new album! Beach baby, beach baby, beach baby, beach baby...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2021 21:16:46 GMT
"Beach Baby" by First Class is frequently compared to a Beach Boys' song, and rightfully so. With the summer-y lyrics, the harmonies, and the production, "Beach Baby" sounds like it came right out of the Brian Wilson playbook. You have to give First Class credit. "Beach Baby" was recorded and released BEFORE Endless Summer in 1974. Yes, they knew something was happening with that sound.
Whenever I listen to "Beach Baby" I think of ways to improve it, or specifically ways The Beach Boys could improve it. First, the song is too long at around 5:00; it could use some serious trimming. The song loses its way in the middle and rambles a bit; I would cut some of that. Also, while the tag is great, it goes on way too long; it could use some editing. Picture Al Jardine on lead vocal, a prominent Mike Love bass vocal, and a Brian Wilson/Joe Thomas-led stack o' Beach Boys' voices on the harmonies, especially on the tag. I think it could be the "Spring Vacation" of the new album! Beach baby, beach baby, beach baby, beach baby...
Yes, that's a good one! I used to have the single version on a 70s comp and it faded just before the French horns and "bom bom-bom" part came in on the long version. That would have been a little more manageable for airplay (although I really like the long version). Another First Class song I could hear the Beach Boys covering is the mellow Funny How Love Can Be (which apparently was a cover originally done by the Ivy League).
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 10, 2021 18:34:57 GMT
I think it was lonelysummer who mentioned this song elsewhere--the Beatles ratings thread?--and while it isn't exactly a Beach Boys sounding song, I can imagine it being covered by them. In fact, I think it would have been interesting right around the same time as the original coming out, being done by the Blondie-and-Ricky era band, maybe a little looser than the super-tight, super-clean original.
Carl is the guy I hear singing it, though a good bit of Blondie wouldn't do it any harm.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2021 23:38:08 GMT
I think it was lonelysummer who mentioned this song elsewhere--the Beatles ratings thread?--and while it isn't exactly a Beach Boys sounding song, I can imagine it being covered by them. In fact, I think it would have been interesting right around the same time as the original coming out, being done by the Blondie-and-Ricky era band, maybe a little looser than the super-tight, super-clean original.
Carl is the guy I hear singing it, though a good bit of Blondie wouldn't do it any harm.
Interesting. I can hear the Beach Boys doing this song in kind of a 60s pop style timing, similar to Little Deuce Coupe (not sure what you'd call that). If that makes any sense....
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 11, 2021 0:59:59 GMT
A shuffle? (Meaning that rhythm?)
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Post by lonelysummer on Jun 12, 2021 4:02:29 GMT
The Raspberries song that screams out "Beach Boys" to me most is Let's Pretend. It's got that "wouldn't it be nice if we were older" vibe about it. Stylewise, it owes more to the early Beatles.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 12, 2021 14:32:00 GMT
Speaking of The Raspberries, Eric Carmen had a couple of singles - "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again", and "She Did It" - that were Beach Boys-like/Wilsonian.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 12, 2021 14:49:05 GMT
Carmen's "She Did It" is made extra Beach Boys-like by the background vocals arranged and performed by Bruce Johnston. His next album included (in my opinion) an even better one, "Hey Deanie," which also had backgrounds by Johnston. In both cases, I believe, Curt Becher was another of the vocalists. And Brian is supposed to be on at least one of those, too, though inaudible.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 12, 2021 15:06:59 GMT
A tribute to Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys from Eric Carmen:
Also, a snippet on "Brand New Year", recorded with Brian Wilson and Jeff Foskett:
And, this:
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Post by Moon Dawg on Jun 12, 2021 15:14:36 GMT
"Mary's New Car" from Tom Petty's 1985 SOUTHERN ACCENTS album, with either Mike or Carl on lead. Just the type of song they needed to be doing in the 80s...but did not.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 12, 2021 20:24:09 GMT
"Mary's New Car" from Tom Petty's 1985 SOUTHERN ACCENTS album, with either Mike or Carl on lead. Just the type of song they needed to be doing in the 80s...but did not. I just went back to see whether anyone mentioned this one when we did a Petty thread, album by album, a while back. But I don't think anyone referenced the song at all!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2021 23:29:22 GMT
A shuffle? (Meaning that rhythm?) Not sure what else to call it.. Not even sure of the time signature. But yes, the rhythm. Think Happy Together by the Turtles.
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