Best Brian Wilson/Beach Boys songs and vocals post Smile

Why would you even expect anything great from either guy? Mike was mainly a lyricist, but I'll throw out All This Is That as a tune Mike had a hand in writing. Disney Girls was only Bruce's 4th song on a Beach Boys album and he was gone for most of the 70's a little thereafter, with no songs on the 1979 L.A. (Light Album) upon his return to the band. Deirdre, Tears In The Morning and Disney Girls were his total 1970's contributions to the band.

 

I like several that have been mentioned already:

Busy Doin Nothing, Til I Die, Solar System, Still I Dream of it, Johnny Carson, Back home...

These are only those with Brian lead vocals which, I understood, was the point of the thread

 

One I particularly enjoy is found on the Made in California box. It's the vocals-only "This Whole World." The little bridge part of the song ("When girls get mad at boys and go") has Carl double-tracked on the standard version, but this vocals-only version has a single-tracked Brian that I find to be incredibly sublime.

Another shining moment for Brian vocals: Dennis' "Forever." He truly makes the song. His na-na's at the end (and throughout, like his "I wanna be singin', my baby) are perfect. For even more of them, find the vocals-only version on Hawthorne, CA. He lasts longer during the fade.

OK, another one: His singing at the very end of the vocals-and-strings version of "Our Sweet Love" from Made in California (Love you, baby, and I can tell you that-a our sweet love is, just like a-honey, our sweet love). This is short, but good nonetheless.

Oh, and his vocal throughout the demo of "Break Away" is fantastic. This is found on the Endless Harmony soundtrack.

 

If that's the best someone can think of, it really shouldn't be said at all

 

Yes. Like you said. You agree with yourself so I guess that proves your point.

 

Would you mind letting us in regarding what you're referring to?

 

'Til I Die
Deidre (never mentioned, but I think its downright gorgeous)
Surf's Up
Sail on Sailor
Had To Phone Ya (no, I'm not kidding)
Forever
Goin' On
Good Timin'
The Night Was So Young
All This Is That
Disney Girls
Tears In The Morning (even if it sounds more like The Beatles than The Beach Boys)
Forever
At My Window
Do It Again
Friends
Breakaway
Little Bird
Darlin'
From There To Back Again
Pacific Coast Highway
Summer's Gone

 

This is what me and Doug think of your response:

 

Come on and answer the phone, come on, come on (I hope you're home).

I love it!

 

Here's an interesting post-Smile moment

 

Big Sur?

 

Midnight's Another Day, Everything I Need, This Isn't Love, Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight, Rio Grande....

 

yep...that's Mike alright, the great unifier.

 

How did I never hear of this, no wonder the New Leave it to Beaver didn't last

 

Good, not great IMO. Certainly not up to the level of the best or even better Brian Wilson songs leading up to Smile (not that Brian didn't write a clunker now and then - with his massive production of songs back then it was inevitable that not every one would be a classic!).