Discuss & Rate Beach Boys Songs Day by Day

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Wata, Jun 18, 2018.

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  1. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    The cool clear water choruses are catchy, even if they are partially recycled from Brian. The country lilt of the verses is nice, I like the use of the harmonica. The lyrics have an admirable sentiment but are clumsy, awkwardly worded and at times Mike and Al are struggling to get all the words in and keep the words in time with the music. I liked this a lot more when I first heard the album (when it came out) then I do now. 3/5.
     
  2. RedRoseSpeedway

    RedRoseSpeedway Music Lover

    Location:
    Michigan
  3. Mr. D

    Mr. D Forum Resident

    California.

    In prepping for Holland, in addition to listening to the album, I looked at the credits and was reminded that this is a solo Al composition. My natural inclination was to think it was a Brian-Mike co-write, that’s how good it is. Arguably, Al’s crowning achievement as a (lone) songwriter.

    Like others, I dig the Steinbeck and Country Joe references.

    One of Mike’s best vocals, too.

    5/5
     
  4. factory44

    factory44 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA USA
    California is Al’s best song. I love everything about it.

    5/5.
     
  5. smilin ed

    smilin ed Senior Member

    Location:
    Durham
    Best of the three: 5 (though the Country Joe reference is clunky)

    Is it the last great Mike vocal?
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2019
  6. oldsurferdude

    oldsurferdude Forum Resident

    Location:
    detroit, mi. 48150
    Never ever understood why in the world California never became a hit because it had all the necessary ingredients. If this wasn't going to succeed what was?? Anyway, regardless of the fact that it was ignored, I loved it. Saw them do it several times in concert which was a definite thrill. 5/5
     
  7. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    4/5

    Each "movement" merits a 4/5, but the suite as a whole gets a fat 5/5. And that's saying something for Mike and Al, whose creative chops usually get a shrug from me, at best. They just nailed this piece to the wall.

    Dunno whose idea it really was, but the concept of eco-friendly BBs in the 70s was inspired.
     
  8. Cipresso

    Cipresso Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Just great, 5/5
     
  9. classicrockguy

    classicrockguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Livingston NJ
    I remember the first time I heard "California" on the GV box, I was floored by the catchy melody and deep lyrics. A great combination of those 2, even if the lyrics don't entirely make sense - when did Country Joe "sing about liberty"? Still, an incredibly catchy song that brightens an otherwise rather dark and moody album. No less than a 5/5 for this one.
     
  10. classicrockguy

    classicrockguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Livingston NJ
    I think it was their manager Jack Reilly who came up with the eco idea. He is the guy that sings "Day in the Life of a Tree". It was great for their music, maybe not so much for album sales though.
     
    Lance LaSalle, gd0 and oldsurferdude like this.
  11. S. P. Honeybunch

    S. P. Honeybunch Presidente de Kokomo, Endless Mikelovemoney

    "California"
    Doesn't matter where the inspiration came from, this is great lyrical work from Al. Terrific vocal from Mike to boot.

    5/5
     
  12. Celebrated Summer

    Celebrated Summer Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    It was Reilly. I'd say this was good for album sales, because Surf's Up (which charted at #29), Carl and the Passions (#50), and Holland (#36) all did waaaay better than Sunflower (#151 -- ugh). Considering the tenor of the times, the group could not go on just singing love songs. They had to expand to reach listeners who had different expectations of rock bands than they did in the mid-1960s.

    That said, I think this worked for them artistically. They weren't just being mindlessly trendy (except in "Student Demonstration Time," but at least that rocks). The themes of most of the Reilly-era songs still ring true. He was also instrumental in helping Carl Wilson blossom artistically and the pair gave us some of the band's best and most enduring '70s-era songs.

    Finally, I think Reilly's lyrical focus worked because it was actually in line with what Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks were attempting with SMiLE -- sort of a humorous and surrealist take on Americana themes. That's especially true with the song that's coming up next...
     
  13. Wata

    Wata Poller Thread Starter

    Location:
    Japan
    Your ratings for California:
    1-0 vote
    2-0 vote
    3-2 votes
    4-1 vote
    5-10 votes
     
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  14. Wata

    Wata Poller Thread Starter

    Location:
    Japan
    Today's song is The Trader:
     
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  15. Uncle Ernie

    Uncle Ernie Forum Resident

    Trader — Brian on the intro again, still sounding a little off . . . kidding. That, of course, is Carl’s young son providing the cutest and friendliest-ever intro to a song about genocide. This is a terrific Layla-esque two-part song that features both rockin’ Carl and honey-voiced Carl. It’s long been a favorite of mine. In fact, when my high school English teacher tried to be cool and told us to analyze a rock song, I chose this obscurity. I’ve repressed some of it, but I’m sure I wrote compellingly about conflict and harmony, exploitation and mutualism, social hegemony and cultural diversity — all for a C+. Thanks Jack Reilly. Knew I should have gone with Dust in the Wind. 5/5 despite the lingering trauma.
     
  16. mr. k

    mr. k Master of the Rummage (retired)

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Beautifully put, Unc. Great post all round--wow.

    C+???? What were they thinking?! :D

    A big 5/5 for "The Trader".
     
  17. Daniel Plainview

    Daniel Plainview God's Lonely Man

    Trader- Carl's best song, top 10, maybe even top 5 for me. I LOVE this song. I cant get enough of it. Carl's "Surfs Up". Signed sincerely. 5/5
     
  18. mr. k

    mr. k Master of the Rummage (retired)

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Seeing Jack Rieley's name mentioned (and misspelled) reminded me of a topic at the Smiley Smile MB where the poor man was called Riley, Reiley, Rielly and Reilly within the space of a few posts. :p
     
  19. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus

    5/5. This album is all 5s for me so far. I think it's one of their Top 5 or so.
     
  20. Cipresso

    Cipresso Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Though it’s an unpopular opinion, I always found Carl severely lacking as a songwriter. Even his better efforts from later days (Where I Belong, KTSA, Heaven) shine mostly for the arrangement, vocals, etc. than for the song itself, IMHO.

    This is for me the big exception to the rule, a solid 5/5.
     
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  21. Uncle Ernie

    Uncle Ernie Forum Resident

    I'm sure the C+ was generous. I may have fudged a little about the contents of my paper. I probably trotted out a poorly conceived baseball metaphor since it was all I cared about at the time. Oh well, at least I didn't make my poor teacher read my thoughts about why you shouldn't be alarmed if you have a bustle in your hedgerow.
     
  22. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    After an absence of Carl's songwriting from Carl and the Passions (ironic considering the title), Carl comes back strong with Trader. IMO it's the last great song of his "triad" - Long Promised Road, Feel flows and Trader. 5/5
     
  23. Pawnmower

    Pawnmower Senior Member

    Location:
    Dearborn, MI
    I've never cared for "Trader." The live version is much better but this album version is a 3/5 for me.
     
  24. Celebrated Summer

    Celebrated Summer Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    5/5

    Not just a catchy song with great vocals, but one of the group's most innovative moments. It's sort of "prog pop" that forecasts the quirky political musings of post-punk groups like 10,000 Maniacs and Big Country and the sonic spacey/dreaminess of R.E.M. and Cocteau Twins.

    Jack Rieley's lyrics about invaders taking over the land of native people resonates even more in today's political climate. Even the song structure is innovative. It's either a two-part epic or a tune with a long, long coda depending on how you hear it.

    As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I think with this song Carl and Jack Rieley fully realized some of the concepts Brian and Van Dyke had come up with on SMiLE: Americana lyrics melded to unconventional song structures. It always seemed like this stuff was considered second-rate Beach Boys because it wasn't Brian, but the passage of time has shown that ain't the case. For me, anyway.
     
  25. factory44

    factory44 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA USA
    Trader is all around incredible. To think the band went from being this innovative and interesting, to move on to 15 Big Ones in such a short period of time, is so very sad.

    Trader is a 5/5.
     
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