The Beach Boys appreciation thread

Danny Tse
Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
edited February 2010 in Music & Movies
A couple of months ago, my monthly CD selection from yourmusic.com arrived in the mailbox. I opened the cardboard enclosure and it was the Beach Boys' "Sounds of Summer - The Very Best of the Beach Boys". This was my first Beach Boys CD and yet I left the CD unopened until two weeks ago....now I can't stop playing the darn CD :D

Aside from the #1 single in the late 80s "Kokomo", the Beach Boys were from before my time. I studied their "Pets Sounds" album in college as a part of my "History of Rock 'n Roll" class and knows of the group's most famous singles. Then on one of Genesis' DVD, Tony Banks mentioned how technically-challenging it was to play Brain Wilson's music, which got me interested.

Man, this is great stuff. Does pop music get any better than this? Oh, here's Brain Wilson and one of his favorite bass players....

07.jpg
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,136
    edited March 2008
    I have the MFSL Original Master Recording of "Surfer Girl." Awesome. I have most of their LPs tucked away somewhere in the mold archives.

    I've always loved the Beach Boys, their harmonies and arrangements were terrific. I got the CD of Pet Sounds from yourmusic.com and it is horrible sounding but the music is wonderful.

    I even have their Christmas CDs.
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  • strider
    strider Posts: 2,568
    edited March 2008
    Surfer Girl is a great SDA track, the harmonizing does it for me. And who doesn't love the theramin?
    Wristwatch--->Crisco
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited March 2008
    The surfer girl is what does it for me, golden tan, light blonde hair all over, pink bikini and the smell of coppertone................killer absolutely killer.

    RT1--C-Am-F-G doo wha do wow
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,964
    edited March 2008
    reeltrouble1 wrote: »
    ...light blonde hair all over...

    hmm... for some reason, I am getting a Wolfwoman (or Chewbacca-ette) vibe, here...
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited March 2008
    hehehehehe, well not exactly what I had in mind, but hell, I'd hit that vampire beckingsdale in a heartbeat, so why not a wolfie surfer chick.

    RT1-beauty is only light switch away
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited March 2008
    The Beach Boys have always been one of my favorite groups. I absolutely LOVE good harmonizing & they were some of the best at doing it.
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited March 2008
    Growing up there were two groups that appeared at the CNE year after year. The Beach Boys were one and the Guess Who the other. Always did like them.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited March 2008
    the Guess Who were dumb Canadiens, I think an Ice Block from there Igloo gave way and hit their heads, they told American Women to get away......dumb very dumb.

    RT1--Lover of Women from around the World and My Little Duece Coupe. It's a Small World Afterall.
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  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited March 2008
    Always loved the Beach Boys. Terrific. How 'bout them harmonies on, "In My Room?!!!"

    Spot on!
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited March 2008
    reeltrouble1 wrote: »
    the Guess Who were dumb Canadiens, I think an Ice Block from there Igloo gave way and hit their heads, they told American Women to get away......dumb very dumb.

    RT1--Lover of Women from around the World and My Little Duece Coupe. It's a Small World Afterall.

    Ted, that was just a lure and they came in HUGE numbers. :D
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • jgido759
    jgido759 Posts: 572
    edited March 2008
    Big time Beach Boys fan here. :D

    I own almost ALL of their CDs. Four Freshmen harmonies to a Chuck Berry beat. Brian Wilson is such a gifted musical arranger.
    Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support
    group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.
    -Drew Carey

    There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
    -Unknown

    My DVD Collection
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,842
    edited March 2008
    Oh man! The Beach Boys! My dad played them all the time when I was younger. The album cover that 409 was on...I stared at that for hours playing "409" over and over again! The start of that song with that 409 revving was just magical!

    The songs are just about American stuff. Everything from girls to cars to surfing to high school!

    The song "Shut Down", just the lyrics alone make your hair stand on end picturing a Dodge 413 and a fuel injected Sting Ray. A song about a race between a Dodge Polara and a Corvette!

    Just the first few lines:

    "It happened on the strip, where the road is wide, two cool sharks standin' side by side...yeah, my fuel injected Sting Ray and a 413, revvin' up our engines and it sounds real mean...tach it up, tach it up...buddy gonna shut you down.."

    Just the image that puts in your head whether it's a street race or at a drag strip, I can smell the tire smoke and feel the rumble from that 413 now! You can hear the trash talkin' and just the story that song tells. Man! I can't wait until I can get to the track!


    Then there's "Deuce Coupe" which essentially describes the quintessential hot rod in detail. Sure Boyd Coddington was the dude that built the Deuce Coupe that everyone thinks of because they've seen it so often but it was The Beach Boys that gave him the inspiration for it!
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited March 2008
    It's been almost 2 weeks since I put the Beach Boys CD into the car CD player....and I still have it in there.

    The harmonies.....so effortless sounding, yet there seems to be layer upon layer of it.
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  • fumoffu
    fumoffu Posts: 80
    edited March 2008
    My father a big Beach Boys fan. I presume I was subjected to them a lot growing up. Anyways he just gave me his old record collection. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to clean them, but I have listened to just a couple of the eight original. They sounds great. I really enjoyed them. When he came over for Easter I played his side A of "All Summer Long". His jaw just about dropped to the floor. He was just in shock about how good it sounded. He had no clue that vinyl could sound that good, and he was sent back to his hay day.

    I can't wait to get a proper RCM to finish enjoying them.
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,341
    edited March 2008
    The following is form the "Pet Shop" liner notes, its very interesting reading for some of you youngr folks who don't know much about the history of the Beach Boys.

    A little of the Beach Boys discography before 1966:

    Surfin' Safari (1962)
    Surfin' USA (1963)
    Surfer Girl (1963)
    Little Deuce Coupe (1963)
    Shut Down Volume 2 (1964)
    All Summer Long (1964)
    The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (1964)
    Today! (1965)
    Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) (1965)
    Beach Boys' Party! (1965)

    The Beach Boys were signed to Capitol Records in 1962. By November, their first album was ready - "Surfin' Safari". Their song output continued along the same commercial line, focusing on California youth lifestyle. The early Beach Boys’ hits helped raise both the profile of the state of California and of surfing. The group also celebrated the Golden State’s obsession with hot-rod racing ("Shut Down," "409," "Little Deuce Coupe") and the pursuit of happiness by carefree teens in less complicated times ("Be True to Your School," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "I Get Around"). From 1962-65, they had sixteen hit singles in a very competitive Top Forty.[25] Although their music was bright and accessible, these early works belied a sophistication that would emerge more forcefully in the coming years. During this period, Brian Wilson rapidly progressed to become a melodist, arranger and producer of world-renowned stature. Their early hits made them major pop stars in the United States and other countries, although their status as America's top pop group was usurped in 1964 by the emergence of The Beatles, who became The Beach Boys' major creative rival.

    Finally, in December, Brian found his inspiration. He heard the new Beatles album, Rubber Soul, and reacted as never before. "When I first heard it, I flipped," Brian recalled. "I said, 'I want to make an album like that.'" What he heard was, as he described it, "a whole album with all good stuff."

    "I really wasn't quite ready for the unity," he explained. "It felt like it all belonged together. Rubber Soul was a collection of songs ... that somehow went together like no album ever made before, and I was very impressed. I said, 'That's it. I really am challenged to do a great album.'"

    Brian returned first to the track that he had left waiting since July -- Sloop John B. He cut the group's vocal on Dec. 22, then returned to the studio alone on Dec. 29, recording a new lead vocal with revised lyrics. After hearing "Rubber Soul", Brian Wilson wanted to creat the greatest rock album ever. At this point in his career he had already sold millions of records in America and in England. His sucess was unparalled. But, Brian went into the studio to create his masterpiece. At the time, Brian Wilson was only 23 years old.

    The story of the Beach Boys goes on and on. The group experienced unparalled tragety. Both Brian's brothers, Carl and Dennis died. As did the fourth Beach Boy Mike Love. Brian struggled with alcohol, drug abuse and his own depression and emotional problems for many years. He finally finished the album "Smile" in 2004. Which I highly recomend, it's a great album.

    Do some Wilkipedia search on the Beach Boys. They may not be as flashy as the Beatles. But I think 100 years from now, history will look at them as a true revolutionary force in music of the 20th centru. Even more than the Beatles.

    Amen.



    Do some re
    Carl

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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,341
    edited March 2008
    Danny Tse wrote: »
    Oh, here's Brain Wilson and one of his favorite bass players....

    07.jpg

    Danny, an interesting note, Paul McCartney and George Martin state that "Pet Sounds" was one of the most influential albums of the 20th century. It gave them the impetus to strive for the sound and content of "Sgt. Pepper"

    Carl
    Carl

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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited March 2008
    How can one not like The Beach Boys!?!
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited March 2008
    schwarcw wrote: »
    Danny, an interesting note, Paul McCartney and George Martin state that "Pet Sounds" was one of the most influential albums of the 20th century. It gave them the impetus to strive for the sound and content of "Sgt. Pepper"

    Oh yes, I am aware of the creative competition between Brian Wilson and the Beatles. Looking at the photo, just imagine all the music, and all the fun, these 2 guys have brought to the world.

    I remember when the Bee Gees were inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, Brian Wilson was their presenter. Here's a group that not only had a huge amount of success on their own, but also had similar amount of success writing for other artists....yet they were in awe when they were given an award by Brain Wilson.

    I just listened from beginning to end to the "Sounds of Summer" CD. The more I listen to it, the more I realized that the harmony vocals is actually the "lead vocal". While the "lead vocal" had lyrics, the harmonies is more spectacular, IMHO.
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  • fatchowmein
    fatchowmein Posts: 2,637
    edited March 2008
    Ah, the Beach Boys. Always makes you feel like you're young, fabulous, and enjoying life and all your cares melt away, then, after repeated listening, you OD and put them away for a couple of years when that bug hits you and you spin Surfer Girl, drifting back to being young, fabulous, and enjoying life...
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited March 2008
    So how many of them are still alive?
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  • jgido759
    jgido759 Posts: 572
    edited March 2008
    cfrizz wrote: »
    So how many of them are still alive?

    From Wikipedia:

    On June 13, 2006, the major surviving Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks) all set aside their differences and reunited for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the album Pet Sounds and the double-platinum certification of their greatest hits compilation, Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys, in a ceremony atop the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. Plaques were awarded for their efforts to all major members, with Brian Wilson accepting for his late brothers Carl and Dennis. Wilson himself implied there was a chance that all the living members (not having performed together since September 1996) would reunite again.
    Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support
    group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.
    -Drew Carey

    There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
    -Unknown

    My DVD Collection
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  • adam2434
    adam2434 Posts: 995
    edited March 2008
    The Beach Boys were always one of my Dad's favorites, who grew up with their music as a teenager.

    I always kind of dismissed them as bubblegum pop when I was a teenager discovering classic rock of the 60's and 70's (this was in the late 80's).

    After really listening to their stuff over the last few years, I now realize how talented they were, especially Brian Wilson's songwriting and arranging - PERFECTLY crafted pop songs. A 40 year old pop song about a car giving me goose bumps - I was not expecting that.
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  • rskarvan
    rskarvan Posts: 2,374
    edited March 2008
    I had the honor of eating lunch with the Beach Boys about four years ago. I was playing Trumpet at the Southern California (Del Mar) State Fair (near San Diego) and the band had access to the "entertainers tent" for free buffet food (roast beef, etc).

    It was just small talk. But, they all seemed like they were enjoying life (even on the State Fair circuit - the true sign of a band that is dying a economic slow death)
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited March 2008
    jgido759 wrote: »
    Wilson himself implied there was a chance that all the living members (not having performed together since September 1996) would reunite again.

    It'll be cool to see them get back together one last time for a 50th anniversary tour (or at least a series of concerts). Believe me, if Brian Wilson is involved in these show, they will be playing in arenas instead of casinos.

    Heck, if the Eagles and Led Zep can do it, why can't these guys?
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited March 2008
    Cause Brian's brain is still fairly fried, that's why. I saw him on Tv a few years back and he couldn't clap hands in time to his own song. A couple nice studio albums came out since then, but I don't know about live work being his forte yet.

    What a tragedy. What might have been.

    "I had the honor of eating lunch...."

    Did they have the honor of puking up their lunch when you told them you ruined the forum?
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,083
    edited March 2008
    I wonder if Ron was wearing his cape that day?

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,842
    edited March 2008
    Danny Tse wrote: »
    It'll be cool to see them get back together one last time for a 50th anniversary tour (or at least a series of concerts). Believe me, if Brian Wilson is involved in these show, they will be playing in arenas instead of casinos.

    Heck, if the Eagles and Led Zep can do it, why can't these guys?

    I dunno dude, alot of his harmonies that were written were complex 5 part harmonies for all 5 original members that sang. When they did the performance for the show "Full House" they only had 4 guys singin' and "Kokomo" sounded fine but the older stuff was just missing something.



    If you guys like the sound of The Beach Boys, go pick up some "The Mamas and The Papas" albums and listen to the musical talents of Mr. Phillips. Another genius at complex, multi-part harmonies.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited March 2008
    TroyD wrote: »
    I wonder if Ron was wearing his cape that day?

    BDT

    I wonder how he feels about songs like "California Girls". Very exploitive to women. Surprised he didn't spit in their faces.
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • rskarvan
    rskarvan Posts: 2,374
    edited March 2008
    Personally, I really like the "California Girls" song/video re-make by David Lee Roth.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmbhfI8f_Ek
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited March 2008
    rskarvan wrote: »
    Personally, I really like the "California Girls" song/video re-make by David Lee Roth.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmbhfI8f_Ek

    I believe Carl Wilson provided background vocals for the DLR cover.
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