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Post by Kapitan on Apr 25, 2022 11:48:47 GMT
(Note that we're following the Wikipedia list of singles for new studio music. This means we're skipping two Stars & Stripes songs that are listed elsewhere as singles: Don't Worry Baby and Long Tall Texan. I decided that the inconsistency in how/when they were released, as well as minimal disussion over the previous S&S single, plus the omission from the list, were all reasons enough in skipping. If you're heartbroken, by all means, click the "Create Thread" button and discuss them to your heart's content.)
In the mid-90s, there was reason for optimism. Sure, the idea of an album of new material was bypassed for an album of countrified self-covers, but at least the band was back together, right?
Riiiight... Stars & Stripes was released in August 1996; by early 1997, Carl Wilson was ill, soon diagnosed with cancer. He was dead one year later. Al Jardine, unlike the Wilsons a mainstay in the Beach Boys since his return to the group in the early-mid '60s, was forced out of the group and began a solo career (the name of which generating a lawsuit). And Brian Wilson moved to Illinois to work with S&S producer Joe Thomas on his second solo album, Imagination.
The group's next single would not be released for another 15 years: on Record Store Day (April 16) 2011, the band released "Don't Fight the Sea" backed with an acapella mix of "Friends."
"Don't Fight the Sea" was a Terry Jacks song that had been begun in the mid '70s and worked on intermittently since. The final recording included vocals by all of ths surviving Beach Boys and the late Carl Wilson. Jardine had included it on his debut solo album in 2010. Neither the song nor its B-side, the acapella "Friends," charted anywhere. Please listen to, discuss, and rate "Don't Fight the Sea" and the acapella "Friends."
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 25, 2022 12:27:15 GMT
What a strange single... The A-side, "Don't Fight The Sea" wasn't even a Beach Boys' song. It was released as "by Al Jardine". And, the B-side is a song that was then 43 years old - and it's an acapella version. But that's not the strangest part. In 2011, Al Jardine was long gone as a Beach Boy, having been kicked out of the touring band almost 15 years previous. And, since "Friends" did so well in 1968, hey, let's re-release it and take off the backing track! Only in the world of The Beach Boys...
That being said, I like "Don't Fight The Sea" a lot. I think it's the best song on Al's solo album, and I wish it would've been released on a prior Beach Boys' album - either M.I.U., L.A. (Light Album), or That's Why God Made The Radio. I think it's a good song, a good lead vocal from Al, and good backgrounds from whichever Beached Boys sang on it. Actually, it's hard to believe the song hung around that long without surfacing. On a side note, for years I've been working on a "Beach Boys' Sailing" comp; there's plenty of those songs in the catalogue.
I've never been a big fan of "Friends". There's something about the harmonies on that song that grate on me. Again, I have no idea how or why this particular version was chosen as the B-side, and frankly I don't care.
How in the heck do you rate a single like this? I think I will give "Don't Fight The Sea" a 7 and "Friends (acapella)" a 5. I guess that comes out to a 6.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 25, 2022 12:36:40 GMT
One thing that occurred to me as I was thinking about this was how inconsequential it is anyway. Sheriff John Stone muses about how they chose these songs, but what's really interesting to me is how little it mattered. I suppose theoretically a BBs single could shockingly catch fire and give them a new little moment of real popularity, but they could have just as well put out an instrumental version of "Let Us Go On This Way": it just doesn't matter.
So it's an already-released Al Jardine song with them as guests (better than a countrified Beach Boys song with them as guests, I guess) and a 40-something year old acapella version of a flop. And it doesn't matter, collectibles aside.
"Don't Fight the Sea" is fine. I've never liked it as much as many do, but it's decent. As I said, at least it's not a Kathy Troccoli or James House song.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 25, 2022 12:44:33 GMT
One thing that occurred to me as I was thinking about this was how inconsequential it is anyway. Sheriff John Stone muses about how they chose these songs, but what's really interesting to me is how little it mattered. I suppose theoretically a BBs single could shockingly catch fire and give them a new little moment of real popularity, but they could have just as well put out an instrumental version of "Let Us Go On This Way": it just doesn't matter.
So it's an already-released Al Jardine song with them as guests (better than a countrified Beach Boys song with them as guests, I guess) and a 40-something year old acapella version of a flop. And it doesn't matter, collectibles aside.
"Don't Fight the Sea" is fine. I've never liked it as much as many do, but it's decent. As I said, at least it's not a Kathy Troccoli or James House song.
I'll say! I have a confession to make. Until today - April 25, 2022 - I didn't even know this single existed.
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Post by kds on Apr 25, 2022 12:49:28 GMT
I like Don't Fight the Sea. I suppose it's better that found a landing spot on Al's album rather than fade into obscurity.
I actually like the title track to Friends features some of the best vocals on said album. Although, that doesn't make this selection as a B Side any less weird.
I'll go with a seven.
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Post by lonelysummer on Apr 25, 2022 21:03:57 GMT
I just realized that the only Beach Boys single from the 90's in my collection is one we're reviewing - the Sub Pop 45 with I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, Here Today and Wouldn't it be Nice. I sure didn't know about Don't Fight the Sea. I wasn't paying attention to Record Store Day, and I've never seen a copy of this single.
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Apr 26, 2022 3:04:42 GMT
I've never actually seen a copy of this single either, but I'd love to get my grubby hands on one. I have a legal download of "Don't Fight the Sea" and I listen to it often, pretending it's that Beach Boys comeback smash hit. I love that song, and yes, that's my 10 in the vote.
The pairing with "Friends" is a bit of an oddity, but it's no stranger than some other pairings.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2022 12:16:29 GMT
Here are two YouTube videos, a partial live solo performance and a backing track/backing vocals version:
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Post by kds on Apr 26, 2022 12:27:15 GMT
When Al's album reappeared on Spotify a year or two ago, I added Don't Fight the Sea with my BB playlist, and it sits pretty well with a lot of the later era selections IMO.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 26, 2022 13:13:35 GMT
To me, this fits in with something like "California Dreamin'." Production wise, I mean. The synth sounds, the reverb/echo on the vocals. Hell, that would have made an interesting single in the mid/late 80s...
It's certainly better than most of what they did since that time, anyway. Part of me wants to knock it for being an Al project with BBs vocals as guest spots. But really, the group had recorded and released material in that way since around the 20/20 era anyway. Not always, but often enough, things would be a Dennis recording, a Bruce recording, a Blondie/Ricky recording, etc. So other than that it was formally released as an Al solo song first, it's not really a departure in that respect.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2022 20:00:21 GMT
Again, after revisiting "Don't Fight The Sea", I'm still amazed that the song lasted until 2010 - and Al's solo album - until it finally got released. I can see/hear it on the following Beach Boys' albums:
- M.I.U. Album after "Pitter Patter" - L.A. (Light Album) after "Full Sail" or "Goin' South", even around "Sumahama" - Keepin' The Summer Alive after "Santa Ana Winds", though admittedly it doesn't fit the theme of the album - Still Cruisin' before "Island Girl" or before or after "Somewhere Near Japan" - Summer In Paradise after "Lahaina Aloha" - That's Why God Made The Radio - after "Shelter" and before "Daybreak Over The Ocean"
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 26, 2022 20:03:52 GMT
What was its progress? I know it dates back into the mid 70s, but was it far along? Perhaps it was more in the idea stage than the legit contender stage?
(Or Al being Al, maybe he just had to wrap up "Loop de Loop" first...which took a couple more decades!)
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2022 20:22:03 GMT
What was its progress? I know it dates back into the mid 70s, but was it far along? Perhaps it was more in the idea stage than the legit contender stage?
(Or Al being Al, maybe he just had to wrap up "Loop de Loop" first...which took a couple more decades!)
Yeah, that's the thing. Who knows? I read that "Don't Fight The Sea" was attempted during the 1976 15 Big Ones' sessions - so I'll start there. One Al Jardine-penned song made the cut on that album ("Susie Cincinnati"); two would be pushing its luck with the Brian Is Back campaign in full swing.
Since Al was the official Producer of M.I.U. Album (so he had some/more say) - and there was a lot of recording done there - I'm a little surprised it wasn't resurrected and finished there.
Just based on the other songs, I can really hear it on L.A. (Light Album) or Keepin' The Summer Alive.
On the two albums where it would've sounded the best - Still Cruisin' and Summer In Paradise - I believe Al had very little influence or say.
So, I guess the bottom line is...I don't have a clue!
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Post by lonelysummer on Apr 27, 2022 1:29:42 GMT
I quite like Al's solo album, but the two songs from it that really stand out are Don't Fight the Sea and Waves of Love. It's always a treat to hear the voice of Carl Wilson again. I suppose it's pointless to hope for another solo album from Al.
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Post by kds on Apr 28, 2022 12:54:20 GMT
I quite like Al's solo album, but the two songs from it that really stand out are Don't Fight the Sea and Waves of Love. It's always a treat to hear the voice of Carl Wilson again. I suppose it's pointless to hope for another solo album from Al. I think at this point, I'd be very surprised if we ever see another full length album from either Al, Mike, or Brian. They all seem to have exhausted their backlog of songs. Don't Fight the Sea actually would've been a cool inclusion on SOS Version 2.0
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