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Post by Kapitan on Nov 22, 2021 13:00:21 GMT
"Good Timin" was the second single from the Beach Boys' L.A. (Light Album), released in April 1979, two months after "Here Comes the Night" and one after the album.
As with so many Beach Boys songs, it had a history. The group began work on this Brian and Carl Wilson composition in 1974, both at Brother and Caribou, and it was considered for inclusion on albums as early as 15 Big Ones. Wikipedia says Carl and Bruce Johnston responded to the negative reception of "Here Comes the Night" by hastily completing the final overdubs to rush "Good Timin" to market, but it also claims recording was completed in December 1978 (well before "HCTN" was released). The tune isn't exactly nostalgic, but it does recall the band's glory days with its lush group harmonies.
The B-side was the second consecutive Dennis Wilson song to appear in that function. "Love Surrounds Me," co-written with Geoffrey Cushing-Murray. It seems to have been intended to be a solo song and does appear on the 2008 deluxe edition of Pacific Ocean Blue among the Bambu tracks. (According to the liner notes of that reissue, Wilson met Christine McVie at one of the many sessions for the song. The two became an item.)
The single reached #40 on the Billboard charts, in the end making just a modest, 4-point improvement over its disappointing disco predecessor.
Please listen to, comment on, and rate "Good Timin" and "Love Surrounds Me."
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Post by kds on Nov 22, 2021 14:32:19 GMT
I really like Good Timin' even if I've always felt it's a little "incomplete." It just seems like there should've been an extra verse there, but that's probably more of a me thing and I have no problem with the under two minute gems the Boys released in the 60s.
I tend the feel the same way about LSM as I did about Baby Blue. Decent ballad, but sort of "paint by numbers" Dennis.
I'm giving this single an eight.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Nov 22, 2021 15:25:25 GMT
It was the best of Bruce, it was the worst of Bruce...
I like "Good Timin'" a lot. No, I love "Good Timin'". It's one of my favorite Beach Boys' songs. I think it is, if not the best, in the Top 3 of the best post-1974 Beach Boys' songs. I would go as far as calling it an all-timer. It's classic Brian. I'm curious what Carl's role in the writing was. Lyrics perhaps? The lyrics, while borderline simplistic, succeed in getting the message across. But it's the melody, the chords, the piano/keyboard, the harmonies, and the feel of the song which comes shining through. Yes, it has that Beach Boys' feel, that sound, and I have to give Bruce his due. It's a well-produced record. It sounds like the good ol' Beach Boys, and that wasn't easy to pull off in late 1978. Also, praise to Carl for his perfect vocal; I don't think any other Beach Boys could've done the song justice like Carl did. The song probably suffered a little because of its length, or lack of. I sometimes wonder what "Good Timin'' would've sounded like - and how it would've done on the charts - with some kind of a bridge.
I am not as big a fan of "Love Surrounds Me". Frankly, it drags. I think the song had potential; Dennis was onto something. And, it does reach some nice moments, the emotional bridge and the tag being two of them. But, something is wrong with the production. Maybe it's the track. Maybe it's Dennis' vocal. I know we're discussing "Love Surrounds Me" as a single, but it really (in part due to terrible sequencing) brings down Side 1 of L.A. (Light Album).
"Good Timin"' sounded great on the radio. I was surprised to see that it only reached No. 40; I thought it did better than that. I think it should've been a Top 20 single, maybe higher. I know I heard it more than "Here Comes The Night". It was a good choice for a single, although not necessarily a difficult one. "Love Surrounds Me" as the B-side? I guess OK. It's funny what the effects of Pacific Ocean Blue had on the group. I think they really tried to get Dennis' music out there in some way. My rating for this single is very similar to the last one. To me, "Good Timin'" is a 9 and "Love Surrounds Me" is somewhere around a 6 or 7. However, because of the weight of "Good Timin'", I'm going with an overall 8.
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Post by lonelysummer on Nov 22, 2021 20:56:42 GMT
Good Timin' must have been a top ten hit here in the Northwest, because I sure heard it a lot on KJR, and I recall it making their Labor Day 500 a year or two later. Song is too short? I like them short and sweet. One night recently, I sat down with a stack of 60's 45's, and I learned something - I have a short attention span, but there was no time for my mind to drift away while playing those records. Keep it short and to the point. Good Timin' reminded me a lot of Surfer Girl initially. The production is more developed, but it's a similar tempo. Great vocals by the group, great lead by Carl. Oddly, this song always seemed to be a problem for them to pull off live. The only thing I can think of is that the lead is in the lower part of Carl's range; maybe it was hard to project that on stage. Love Surrounds Me took a long time to grow on me. As a single, it had no chance of catching on, but I appreciated it more now. I think the song is mistitled, though. Should have been called "There's No Love Around Me". I think it's a pretty accurate reflection of where Dennis was at this point in his life. Are we going to rate Lady Lynda? Did it even get a stateside release?
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 22, 2021 22:05:10 GMT
Song is too short? I like them short and sweet. One night recently, I sat down with a stack of 60's 45's, and I learned something - I have a short attention span, but there was no time for my mind to drift away while playing those records. Keep it short and to the point. Good Timin' reminded me a lot of Surfer Girl initially. The production is more developed, but it's a similar tempo. I agree about shorter songs. I wouldn't make a blanket statement or anything, but I definitely tend toward getting to the point, and moving along. For me, 2:30 is a great length for a pop song. A little shorter, a little longer, fine, fine. But too much longer and I usually think there's fat to trim.
Re "Surfer Girl" I think there are some definite similarities even beyond the tempo. Both have that triplet feel to them. Both start on D major. And the falsetto in both fiddles around with the same area, with the F#, G, A, and (most identifiably, in my opinion) the B, which is the 6th. Different melodies, but same notes.
I wish "Good Timin" had a cool bridge like "Surfer Girl" does, to Sheriff John Stone's point. I do think the lack of a third section holds it back from being a great song. I'm definitely suspecting I'll be on the lower end for ratings of this one, as I think "Good Timin" is pleasant but unremarkable. And I feel similarly about "Love Surrounds Me," actually. Not that "pleasant" would be the word I'd choose in that case. But good, not great.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Nov 23, 2021 0:27:00 GMT
I'm with you guys regarding short(er) songs. Probably over 90% of my favorite Beach Boys' song are in the 2:00 - 2:30 range. But, as much as I love "Good Timin'", there's something about the song that sounds like it's missing something, like there could/should be something more to it. I wonder how much Brian contributed to "Good Timin'' after the initial recording of the track in 1974? I get the feeling Bruce and Carl took it from there and obviously didn't add anything musically to the structure of the song.
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Post by jk on Nov 23, 2021 11:44:22 GMT
Two fine tracks (particularly "LSM") but not two sides of a single in my book...
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Post by kds on Nov 23, 2021 13:32:40 GMT
Song is too short? I like them short and sweet. One night recently, I sat down with a stack of 60's 45's, and I learned something - I have a short attention span, but there was no time for my mind to drift away while playing those records. Keep it short and to the point. Good Timin' reminded me a lot of Surfer Girl initially. The production is more developed, but it's a similar tempo. I agree about shorter songs. I wouldn't make a blanket statement or anything, but I definitely tend toward getting to the point, and moving along. For me, 2:30 is a great length for a pop song. A little shorter, a little longer, fine, fine. But too much longer and I usually think there's fat to trim.
Re "Surfer Girl" I think there are some definite similarities even beyond the tempo. Both have that triplet feel to them. Both start on D major. And the falsetto in both fiddles around with the same area, with the F#, G, A, and (most identifiably, in my opinion) the B, which is the 6th. Different melodies, but same notes.
I wish "Good Timin" had a cool bridge like "Surfer Girl" does, to Sheriff John Stone 's point. I do think the lack of a third section holds it back from being a great song. I'm definitely suspecting I'll be on the lower end for ratings of this one, as I think "Good Timin" is pleasant but unremarkable. And I feel similarly about "Love Surrounds Me," actually. Not that "pleasant" would be the word I'd choose in that case. But good, not great. I'm generally fine with shorter songs. I even love the original Man With All the Toys. But, I think you're spot on that Good Timin' could use a bridge section.
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Post by B.E. on Nov 25, 2021 14:50:48 GMT
Easy to rate (9/10), hard to rank. Arguably the two best tracks on the album. "Baby Blue" had already been issued as a b-side. "Lady Lynda" might have already been planned as the next A-side. The only alternative would have been releasing "Good Timin'" b/w "Angel Come Home". It's a little more commercial, a little less artistic - a wash. Anyway, I think it's their best single since "Marcella" or "Sail On, Sailor". (And I don't think it'll be matched moving forward.)
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 28, 2021 12:50:07 GMT
Today is the final day to vote on "Good Timin" and "Love Surrounds Me," considered by many to be among the best post-prime Beach Boys singles. We haven't got as many votes as usual cast yet, so if you're a little late to the party, please note you're not too late (yet)!
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 29, 2021 12:12:30 GMT
Just six voters weighed in, rating "Good Timin'" b/w "Love Surrounds Me" an average of 8.3.
Thanks for participating. I'll update the ratings thread, and we'll move on shortly.
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