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Post by Kapitan on Apr 11, 2022 11:32:32 GMT
In July 1992, the Beach Boys released the lead single from their upcoming album Summer in Paradise. The song was a big hit for Sly and the Family Stone, reaching #2 in 1969. The Beach Boys' version did not see similar results, charting only on a few adult contemporary charts.
Like much of the album, it relied on programmed synthesizers for percussion, bass, and keyboard sounds. Terry Melcher produced.
The B-side was the Melcher/Mike Love collaboration "Summer of Love."
Listen to, discuss, and rate "Hot Fun in the Summertime" b/w "Summer of Love."
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 11, 2022 12:36:02 GMT
Here is the original version of the song, for those who may not know it or want to make a comparison.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 11, 2022 12:46:24 GMT
"Hot Fun In The Summertime" is one of the better (best?) covers on Summer In Paradise, which isn't saying much. Carl is great and the harmonies are fine. We even get some "bow bows" from Mike. The drums are annoying, though, and the song drags slightly. It misses Sly's piano. "Hot Fun In The Summertime" was made for The Beach Boys. I'm surprised they waited that long to cover it. It would've fit perfectly on Keepin' The Summer Alive.
Simply, "Summer Of Love" is the worst Beach Boys' song of all time. Period. Nuff said.
So, how do rate this single? I like the A-side and hate the B-side. "Hot Fun In The Summertime" can't carry this one THAT far. Maybe, if they would've included a better B-side, I could go to a 6, but I'll settle for a 5. And, I'm basing that on the strength of the song which I like a lot. They tried to ruin it - what in the hell happened to Terry Melcher - but Carl saves the day!
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 11, 2022 14:05:37 GMT
I don't especially like the Sly Stone original ... but I like it 10x more than the Beach Boys' version. I hate this single. I mean, I really hate it. It's a nauseating handful of digital barbiturates.
But to its credit, I like it at least 10x more than the B-side, which is embarrassing even for early '90s Mike Love led Beach Boys.
I'm waffling between a 2 and a 3. "Summer of Love" is almost certainly a 1 for me, but the A-side is better than that. Not good, but better.
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Post by lonelysummer on Apr 11, 2022 19:50:42 GMT
When I heard this was gonna be the new BB's single, I thought "great choice for a cover". This song was made for the Beach Boys to sing. Then I heard it. There's no guts to it. It's all digital mush. It was a few years before I heard the b-side. This was Mike and Terry's vision of what the Beach Boys should be in the 90s - a band from the 60s that sounds like they're stuck in the 80s. I'm going to assume Bruce was in full agreement with Mike and Terry on the direction they were taking, but it's sad that Carl and Al went along with it. I give this clunker a 2. It was possible for veteran bands to still turn out decent material in the 90's. I doubt that anybody rates Voodoo Lounge among the greatest Rolling Stones albums, but it was leagues above this stuff. The Kinks would release their final album in 1993, Phobia, and it's a solid effort.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 12, 2022 12:26:29 GMT
It was possible for veteran bands to still turn out decent material in the 90's. I doubt that anybody rates Voodoo Lounge among the greatest Rolling Stones albums, but it was leagues above this stuff. The Kinks would release their final album in 1993, Phobia, and it's a solid effort. And while people can disagree over the specifics of each album, let's add: Paul Simon did Rhythm of the Saints; Tom Waits did Bone Machine, The Black Rider, and Mule Variations; Paul McCartney did Flaming Pie; Bob Dylan did the two acoustic standards albums and Time Out of Mind; Lou Reed did Songs for Drella with John Cale (and a couple of reasonably well received albums); Ozzy Osbourne had No More Tears; Frank Zappa had The Yellow Shark; and I'm sure there are many others.
Many legacy artists struggle with changing styles. A lot of 60s and 70s rockers looked like fish out of water in the '80s. But I'd say of the greats who survived, who didn't retire or pass away, the Beach Boys might have been among the very worst.
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Post by kds on Apr 12, 2022 13:05:37 GMT
I'm leaning a little more on the A side for my rating. I think Hot Fun is one of the better SIP selections (despite the awful production). I think Mike and Carl handle the vocals quite well, even if the song sounds somewhat robotic compared to the original.
I usually cite Summer of Love as The Beach Boys' worst song as Sheriff does, and it might be. But, I can almost forgive it as it's a quasi novelty song, intended as a collaboration with Bart Simpson, by a band that was clutching at straws at this point in their career. That's more than can be said for some of the dreck they actually released when they were still a creative force.
That said, the song is still terrible.
I'm settling on a four here, because I like the A side. If the songs were flipped, I'd give it a one.
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Post by B.E. on Apr 13, 2022 0:00:26 GMT
Individually, I'd give "Hot Fun In The Summertime" a '5' and "Summer Of Love" a '1', so '3' feels right for the single. The "drums" on the A-side (I'm not going to bother listening to or discussing the B-side) are really tough to put up with. Just remove it entirely and I might actually enjoy the track. The vocal production is actually pretty good. Mike, refreshingly, sounds good here. The lowlight, vocally, is whoever is singing the high part - as in "hey we're out of school". Yikes. Doesn't sound like any of the Beach Boys.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 13, 2022 11:49:36 GMT
Am I the only nut who watched the YouTube video? It wasn't exactly my idea(s) of hot fun in the summertime. Anyway, I think they made it a family affair in places. I think that's Mike's wife, Jacquelyne, at 1:10 and 2:20. Is that Mike's son (maybe Christian) at 2:45? In addition to Al's twins, a young Matt Jardine pops up at 3:15.
Dontcha love Al's ponytail!
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 13, 2022 11:50:41 GMT
Oh, I watched it... It contributes to my prior statement about the Beach Boys maybe being the most "lost in the wilderness" legacy band in that era.
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Post by kds on Apr 13, 2022 13:03:58 GMT
Oh, I watched it... It contributes to my prior statement about the Beach Boys maybe being the most "lost in the wilderness" legacy band in that era. Something about being on stage in shorts, especially middle aged men on stage in shorts, just looks wrong. I think only Scott Ian and Steve Harris can pull off shorts on stage. And, they both play in heavy metal bands, and move around the stage quite a bit.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 13, 2022 13:14:29 GMT
I'll disagree a bit on that. Not because I necessarily think old men look good in shorts, but because I just don't go in for rules about those things. No long hair on older women, no wearing white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day, no shorts on older men ... screw it. Wear what you want. Every day I see plenty of people wearing something I don't think looks good on them.
Frankly, some people aren't going to look good regardless of what they wear (and some WILL look good regardless of what they wear). It's just not up to me. And frankly, when it's hot, I want to wear shorts. So I will. No, I don't think my legs are setting anyone's hearts aflutter, I just don't want to be uncomfortable!
On stage, I wouldn't wear the Beach Boys 80s or 90s attire, that's for sure. But oh well. I wouldn't have had Al's ponytail, either! (Actually I did have a bit of a mullet in the late 80s as a tween...)
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 13, 2022 13:19:36 GMT
Oh, I watched it... It contributes to my prior statement about the Beach Boys maybe being the most "lost in the wilderness" legacy band in that era. Something about being on stage in shorts, especially middle aged men on stage in shorts, just looks wrong. I think only Scott Ian and Steve Harris can pull off shorts on stage. And, they both play in heavy metal bands, and move around the stage quite a bit. Interesting topic. Here's a couple more:
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Post by kds on Apr 13, 2022 13:50:18 GMT
Ah, yeah, forgot about Angus.
The Chili Peppers I guess get a pass too, although I feel like they've always looked a bit goofy, intentionally.
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Post by lonelysummer on Apr 15, 2022 1:24:35 GMT
No, I don't want to see men - particularly old men - in shorts. I'd rather see this.
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