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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2023 12:05:31 GMT
I've posted this about a dozen times through the years...what's a thirteenth...
"Meant For You" is a terrible opening track for Friends. Due to the lyrics - and lyrics mean something - "Meant For You" should've either been the closing track, or preceded "Transcendental Mediation" as the two closing tracks. And the opener? "Be Still".
On that one, I totally disagree. I think it's the perfect opener for Friends, and one of my top 10 of their openers ever. There is nothing in the lyrics that I think would disqualify it, either. To me, it is like a little meditation, which of course can be considered like a little prayer ... and prayers precede things all the time! Meals, games, etc. It is a mind-clearing, soul-cleansing reflection on peace and love to prepare the listener for the album. I've never been into meditating or praying before or preceding albums. That also might be a big reason why I never liked "Our Prayer" as the opener for SMiLE.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 26, 2023 12:14:04 GMT
I wouldn't say I'm into meditating (and I'm certainly not into praying) at all, but I'd have put "Our Prayer" as likely my #2 opener of their career had Smile been included among the choices.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2023 12:31:25 GMT
And another thing!
"Think About The Days" is too much of a downer as the opener for That's Why God Made The Radio. Move it down later in the album when they're getting more introspective (maybe before "Daybreak Over The Ocean"). Open That's Why God Made The Radio with "Beaches In Mind" (at least you can get it out of the way ).
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 26, 2023 12:36:47 GMT
And another thing!
"Think About The Days" is too much of a downer as the opener for That's Why God Made The Radio. Move it down later in the album when they're getting more introspective (maybe before "Daybreak Over The Ocean"). Open That's Why God Made The Radio with "Beaches In Mind" (at least you can get it out of the way ). If I had a bigger ego (is that possible?), I'd swear you're just messing with me today! Not about "Think About the Days," though: I think most fans seem to overrate that one by quite a bit. I think it's fine, but nothing special. It might be a nice opener to the so-called Life Suite, depending on what else that mini-work includes. But I don't really like it to open TWGMTR, either. But to open with arguably the worst song on the album, "Beaches in Mind"!? I hope you're joking. The wink gives me hope you're joking.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2023 12:50:51 GMT
And another thing!
"Think About The Days" is too much of a downer as the opener for That's Why God Made The Radio. Move it down later in the album when they're getting more introspective (maybe before "Daybreak Over The Ocean"). Open That's Why God Made The Radio with "Beaches In Mind" (at least you can get it out of the way ). If I had a bigger ego (is that possible?), I'd swear you're just messing with me today! Not about "Think About the Days," though: I think most fans seem to overrate that one by quite a bit. I think it's fine, but nothing special. It might be a nice opener to the so-called Life Suite, depending on what else that mini-work includes. But I don't really like it to open TWGMTR, either. But to open with arguably the worst song on the album, "Beaches in Mind"!? I hope you're joking. The wink gives me hope you're joking. No, I'm serious. First, and most importantly, "Beaches In Mind" - the song, not the quality of the song - is a fine opener. Take a minute and listen to it again. It works as an opening track (the intro, the lyrics, Mike's voice, the positivity). And, I was also serious about getting it out of the way...early. Your ears are still fresh, it's a relatively short song, and it doesn't have to be compared to or go head to head with the other superior songs later in the album.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 26, 2023 13:00:12 GMT
Sorry, this just has to be an agree to disagree. If I'm listening to an album and the song is something to be gotten out of the way, the odds I'm going to reach song #2 go way, way down. If I weren't already a Beach Boys fan and I heard that song, I'm done. I probably wouldn't even get through it, to be honest. It's only that I'm a fan that I've ever listened to that song all the way through (which of course I've done dozens of times). As a fan, I want to give their songs a chance, I want to find what's good in them, etc.
But if I'm not a fan? If I'm presenting an album to the world? No chance I offer that up as the first impression. I'm much, much more likely to throw "Beaches in Mind" off the album than I am to open with it.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2023 13:28:55 GMT
Sorry, this just has to be an agree to disagree. If I'm listening to an album and the song is something to be gotten out of the way, the odds I'm going to reach song #2 go way, way down. If I weren't already a Beach Boys fan and I heard that song, I'm done. I probably wouldn't even get through it, to be honest. It's only that I'm a fan that I've ever listened to that song all the way through (which of course I've done dozens of times). As a fan, I want to give their songs a chance, I want to find what's good in them, etc. But if I'm not a fan? If I'm presenting an album to the world? No chance I offer that up as the first impression. I'm much, much more likely to throw "Beaches in Mind" off the album than I am to open with it. Well, we agree on two things - "Beaches In Mind" is probably the weakest song on the album, and I'm also much, much more likely to throw "Beaches In Mind" off the album than I am to open with it. You mentioned above that "Think About The Days" is overrated "quite a bit" by fans. Hey, we agree again! OK, I'm not changing my opinion on "Beaches In Mind", well, not totally, but I've been listening to it for this thread as a possible opener, and maybe we...underrate it a bit (as I go back to my room and close the door ).
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Post by kds on Apr 26, 2023 13:35:37 GMT
And another thing!
"Think About The Days" is too much of a downer as the opener for That's Why God Made The Radio. Move it down later in the album when they're getting more introspective (maybe before "Daybreak Over The Ocean"). Open That's Why God Made The Radio with "Beaches In Mind" (at least you can get it out of the way ). I promise I'm not piling on, but I couldn't disagree more regarding the order of TWGMTR. I think Think About the Days is a perfect opener for a late career, swan song album. I think it instantly tells the listener that this isn't going to be a the type of BB album that we were releasing in the 80s and early 90s. I think Beaches in Mind, even though I'm on record as supporting that song, would've sent the opposite message.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2023 13:55:08 GMT
And another thing!
"Think About The Days" is too much of a downer as the opener for That's Why God Made The Radio. Move it down later in the album when they're getting more introspective (maybe before "Daybreak Over The Ocean"). Open That's Why God Made The Radio with "Beaches In Mind" (at least you can get it out of the way ). I promise I'm not piling on, but I couldn't disagree more regarding the order of TWGMTR. I think Think About the Days is a perfect opener for a late career, swan song album. I think it instantly tells the listener that this isn't going to be a the type of BB album that we were releasing in the 80s and early 90s. I think Beaches in Mind, even though I'm on record as supporting that song, would've sent the opposite message. Sorry. Can't hear you. In my room. Door's closed. Listening to That's Why God Made The Radio. Beaches in mind, man it's been too much time.
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Post by kds on Apr 26, 2023 14:11:06 GMT
I promise I'm not piling on, but I couldn't disagree more regarding the order of TWGMTR. I think Think About the Days is a perfect opener for a late career, swan song album. I think it instantly tells the listener that this isn't going to be a the type of BB album that we were releasing in the 80s and early 90s. I think Beaches in Mind, even though I'm on record as supporting that song, would've sent the opposite message. Sorry. Can't hear you. In my room. Door's closed. Listening to That's Why God Made The Radio. Beaches in mind, man it's been too much time. Like I said, I like Beaches in Mind. But, there's no way I'd start the album with it.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2023 19:42:38 GMT
I'm baaaaack! OK, I'm serious. Kapitan and kds already weighed in succinctly. They do not believe that "Beaches In Mind" would make a good opener for That's Why God Made The Radio...at all. But, what say you? I'm asking all Beach Boys Today! members, guests, and lurkers. Please get out your That's Why God Made The Radio CD/album/mp3/whatever and check all of the songs. Then, please invest 2:38 of your time and listen to "Beaches In Mind" - the whole song if you can - and tell me whether you think it would make THE BEST opener on the album...or not. For your convenience, I've posted the song w/ lyrics below:
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Post by kds on Apr 26, 2023 20:37:27 GMT
I also don't think an album opener necessarily needs to be a rocker. Especially when you're talking about a band like The Beach Boys, who by 2012 weren't doing a whole lot of rocking.
Three years later, This Beautiful Day played a similar role on NPP.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 26, 2023 20:56:55 GMT
I also don't think an album opener necessarily needs to be a rocker. Especially when you're talking about a band like The Beach Boys, who by 2012 weren't doing a whole lot of rocking. Three years later, This Beautiful Day played a similar role on NPP. I'm with you on that. Doesn't have to be a rocker. I mentioned above that I like "Be Still" as the opener for Friends, though, of course, other than "Transcendental Medication", there isn't really a rocker on that album. And, on my personal SMiLE mix, I always use "You're Welcome" as the opener.
I'm just not a fan of "Think About The Days", not only as an opener but as a song. I find it underwhelming and I know I'm in the minority on that. And, since you mentioned it, while I do like "This Beautiful Day", I'm not crazy about it opening NPP either.
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Post by B.E. on Apr 28, 2023 22:24:22 GMT
Regarding "Think About the Days", I think the strongest argument in favor of opening the album with it, is that it wouldn't work nearly as well in any other position. It's basically opener or bust. Personally, I like it as the opener quite a bit. I basically agree with KDS' comments. But I didn't give it serious consideration for my top 10. It's a nice mood setter and I think it bookends the album nicely with the closing three tracks. It gives the album a continuity...like we've come full circle.
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Post by B.E. on Apr 29, 2023 11:56:40 GMT
Final day to vote on your top 10 Beach Boys album openers. Tomorrow morning we’ll turn our attention to their album closers.
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