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Post by Kapitan on Aug 30, 2021 11:50:27 GMT
In April 1967, viewers of the documentary Inside Pop got an opportunity to hear a Brian Wilson solo performance of the song "Surf's Up," which was accompanied by glowing comments from composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein. That master piece did not appear on the group's next album, Smiley Smile. Neither was it on Wild Honey, Friends, 20/20, or Sunflower.
However, four years later--April 1971--new manager Jack Rieley discussed putting the song on the group's next album. While phrasing it in such a way as acquiescing to pressure, Rieley says Wilson told Mo Ostin unprompted that he would put the shelved masterpiece on their album.
After trying to record it from scratch, and then trying to use the '66 lead vocal atop a new track, they settled on the new approach: they took the 1966 track of the first section and supplemented it with overdubs and a new Carl Wilson lead vocal; they used the original 1966 middle section, supplemented with voice and Moog overdubs; and they completed the coda section, incorporating the "Child is the Father of the Man" parts as Brian had apparently originally intended, as well as a newly written vocal ("A children's song, have you listened..."), variously credited to Brian (per Stephen Desper) and to Jack Rieley (per Jack Rieley).
Upon the album's release in August 1971, Richard Williams wrote in Melody Maker "I've rarely heard a more perfect, more complete piece of music. From first to last it flows and evolves from the almost lush decadence of the first verses to the childlike wonders and open-hearted joy of the final chorale."
The song was released as a single in late November 1971, with the Mike Love/Al Jardine collaboration "Don't Go Near the Water" as the B-side. The song captures the vibe of the group at the time, changing their oceanic imagery from fun-in-the-sun stories to environmental warnings. The track similarly resembles classic rock and roll, also updated for the times with the prominent synth bass and other production techniques.
The single did not chart anywhere in the world.
Please discuss and rate "Surf's Up" backed with "Don't Go Near the Water."
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Aug 30, 2021 12:33:08 GMT
I'll go with a 9. If I knew about the Beach Boys and Smile, but didn't know their chart history, I would have told you this easily charted, maybe making it into the top 40. Surf's Up was the best song on the best album to never see the light of day. I thought there was a lot of hype around it. I guess the Beach Boys were just that far removed from being able to get a hit single. Don't Go Near the Water is an interesting song, although it almost feels like a novelty song to me. Just a little too goofy to be taken seriously.
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Post by jk on Aug 30, 2021 12:34:26 GMT
I can't give this anything less than ten, what with Surf's Up being my favourite album. I never even knew it had been a (non-charting) single. Both songs scream "LP track!!!"
To digress slightly (as is my wont): I've always regarded Procol Harum's "A Salty Dog" as the UK equivalent of "Surf's Up", probably for all the wrong reasons. It fared just as badly on singles charts everywhere except in good old NL, where it reached #3:
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Post by kds on Aug 30, 2021 12:37:02 GMT
I think Peter Carlin's book Catch a Wave also claims that the "A children's song..." lyrics are from Brian.
I often wonder how Surf's Up would be viewed had it actually been completed in 1967 instead of 1971. I think it might be mentioned in the same breath as A Day in the Life, but sadly, we'll never know for sure. I think it might be Brian's ultimate masterpiece as a song. That's why I'm going with a ten here. I feel like it's a song whose greatness has really never reached far beyond the BB realm.
Don't Go Near the Water's pretty good. Like Surf's Up, it's got a great vocal coda. Maybe not as goosebump inducing, but still really good accompanied by the harmonica.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 30, 2021 13:11:28 GMT
I'm waffling between a 9 and a 10.
On strict terms (which I usually go by), this should not be a 10, because "Don't Go Near the Water" is not perfect. Thus no 10. But "Surf's Up" is so, so great. So perfect. And "Don't Go Near the Water" is actually something I really like a lot--probably more than it warrants objectively. (Don't even get me started on my love of "Feet," much to your chagrin.)
It feels to me as if it may well round up to a 10, even if it isn't naturally a perfect 10.
I find it depressing that it took four years to get this brilliant song out, and that despite it having built something of a reputation in the interim, when it came out, nobody cared...
In fact, I wonder whether or how much its chart failure made Brian less confident in the Smile material. It's one thing to not finish something you're pretty sure is great, that everyone says is great, and let it live as legend; it's another to finish (part of) it, release it, and have it fail to chart altogether.
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Post by lonelysummer on Aug 30, 2021 20:27:16 GMT
Like Long Promised Road, an absolute classic track, but a hit single? At least with the album they were starting to get some acceptance at AOR. Don't Go Near the Water - yeah, kind of a novelty tune. What saves it is the group ending; nobody "ooh's" better than the Beach Boys. As a single, again, I have mixed feelings about how to rate it. I sound like a broken record, but the Beach Boys in the early 70's weren't recording anything that sounded like a hit single. I'm gonna go with an 8....(walks away with his tail between his legs)
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Post by kds on Aug 30, 2021 20:40:35 GMT
I agree that Surf's Up isn't a typical type of song that would be considered a single in 1971. It's over four minutes long. There's really no chorus or hook.
But, I took a look at some of the top singles of 1971, and I see stuff like Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey and Riders on the Storm, neither of which were your typical 45. I think, in this case, this is The Beach Boys saying "all right world, this is the song you've been waiting for, it's the best song we've got, here it fuckin' is!!!!"
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Post by B.E. on Aug 30, 2021 22:37:07 GMT
I agree that Surf's Up isn't a typical type of song that would be considered a single in 1971. It's over four minutes long. There's really no chorus or hook. But, I took a look at some of the top singles of 1971, and I see stuff like Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey and Riders on the Storm, neither of which were your typical 45. I think, in this case, this is The Beach Boys saying "all right world, this is the song you've been waiting for, it's the best song we've got, here it fuckin' is!!!!" Yes and no (because they didn't release it as the lead-off single). I kinda feel like they pulled a "Maybe I'm Amazed" and purposefully didn't release it as a single (until 3 full months after the album was released) because they wanted to drive up album sales. Obviously, the other songs on Surf's Up are FAR stronger than the other songs on McCartney, but I think it's the same principle. The Beach Boys went the extra step of naming the album after it and using it as the closer (and at the cost of alienating Dennis and losing one of his greatest songs, no less). Personally, I would have done exactly what you depict. My lead-off single would have been "Surf's Up"/"Til I Die". Then I would have followed that up with one of Carl's (personally, I prefer "Long Promised Road", and it continues to grow on me, but along the lines of what I've said previously, I probably would have advised "Feel Flows").
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Post by B.E. on Aug 30, 2021 23:06:12 GMT
I'm waffling between a 9 and a 10.
On strict terms (which I usually go by), this should not be a 10, because "Don't Go Near the Water" is not perfect. Thus no 10. But "Surf's Up" is so, so great. So perfect. And "Don't Go Near the Water" is actually something I really like a lot--probably more than it warrants objectively. (Don't even get me started on my love of "Feet," much to your chagrin.)
It feels to me as if it may well round up to a 10, even if it isn't naturally a perfect 10. Agreed all around, although, I didn't merely round up, I ended up placing it above a few other 10s. I do like that "Don't Go Near The Water" also features a pretty stunning coda, allowing for a pleasing conclusion to the single. Thanks for getting that into my head, KDS.
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Post by B.E. on Aug 30, 2021 23:16:07 GMT
By the way, "Student Demonstration Time" was released as a single in a few countries (and charted) b/w "Don't Go Near The Water". And, according to wiki, the sides were switched in Britain and Germany. So, "Don't Go Near The Water" as an A-side...makes sense!
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 30, 2021 23:18:52 GMT
What is odd for me personally is that I hear "Don't Go Near the Water" almost as a novelty track, like "Feet." And it's not! Some of the lyrics are a little clunky, but I don't think they're meant to be funny or gimmicky ... or are they? Honestly with these guys, it's not always obvious. I think it's the production that seems cartoonish because it's got the synth bass, the heavy effects on the guitars. It's just technicolor!
Point being, to pair "Surf's Up"--a stone-cold artistic masterpiece--with a novelty song seems morally wrong! Yet if you consider the alternative, pairing it with another serious song just seems like a buzzkill, especially knowing people were presumably thinking they wanted some fun out of the Beach Boys.
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Post by B.E. on Aug 30, 2021 23:30:53 GMT
I think it's both silly and serious. And, it ends serious. Which is why I think it kinda works. On paper, it shouldn't work, but listen to 'em back to back. Not bad! I've always had a slight problem with the mix when Al's lead vocal enters at 1:01. It's so loud. That alone contributes to the cartoonish vibe, and what is he singing? Something about toothpaste and bubble baths!
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Post by carllove on Aug 31, 2021 0:09:47 GMT
Ok - I’m giving this a 9 as a combo. “Surf’s Up” is an obvious 10. Damn those lyrics are art. “Columinated Ruins Domino” ? Is there a better line in a song? Don’t even get me started on the vocals. I can’t even reach the high notes in falsetto, and I’m not a dude! Every iteration is lovely. This version is worthy of a 10.
Then there is “Don’t Go Near the Water”. It is serious AND fun, though I have to admit I adore the alternate version on The Feel Flows set more than I like this version. Still - it’s not a bad backing track, so I give it an 7. The Feel Flows version I would give a 9, just because it’s more fun and I’m going to listen to it a lot more than the single version.
I’m not going to let the B side drag this single down to an 8, however, so I am voting 9, since “Surf’s Up” is so strong. Also - Water theme - though Surf’s Up has little to do really with water - still kind of clever and cohesive, unlike the previous singles.
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Post by B.E. on Aug 31, 2021 0:49:05 GMT
Also - Water theme - though Surf’s Up has little to do really with water - still kind of clever and cohesive, unlike the previous singles. Nice, I like it.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 31, 2021 1:07:07 GMT
I basically agree with most of what everyone above said! And, for the first time in a long time on this thread, I want to congratulate the Beach Boys, congratulate them for releasing "Surf's Up" as a single. Finally, they went with the best, and why not? What did they have to lose? "Surf's Up" is the best song on the album, the best song on ANY album, so get it the hell out there to be heard! Yes, it bombed. Completely. I don't care. I'd rather release it and have it tank than hope somebody discovers it on an album.
Is the Surf's Up album overrated? I guess it got some (mostly?) good reviews and it sold better than Sunflower. I just wonder who heard it. Nobody was buying the singles. It peaked at No. 29 in the U.S. Was that good? I guess it was. Does anybody know how long it stayed on the album charts? But I digress...
What can one say about "Surf's Up" that hasn't already been said. I will say that I think it was the peak moment/song in Brian Wilson's vocal career. The ending "I heard the word, wonderful thing, a children's soooooooonnnnnnnnngggggggggg" - I don't think he ever surpassed it, before or after.
"Don't Go Near The Water"? I think it's a good song but I can't go higher than that. It might be Al's worst lead vocal of his career, that and "Honkin' Down The Highway". I'm not as enamored with the ending harmony part as most are; I think it goes on too long. It's nice but it doesn't knock me out. "Don't Go Near The water" is kind of a neat song, especially the backing track and background vocals. I guess it epitomizes the not so underlying "message" that Mr. Rieley was shooting for, but I never knew that toothpaste and soap were actually infiltrating our oceans to such a serious extent. I also think the song makes a fine B-side opposite Surf's Up", not that it mattered.
OK. "Surf's Up" is an easy 10, but I'm not sure about "Don't Go Near The Water". Maybe that's a 7 or a 7.5 I think I'll go with an overall 8. I love "Surf's Up", but if I'm going to rank this OVERALL as a single, yeah, I think it's an 8.
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