Discuss & Rate Beach Boys Songs Day by Day

I don't usually bother with other mixes but that early one is sensational!



Anyway, 5/5 for the song on POB.

 

River Song is amazing, and shows that Dennis was progressing musically and creatively by mixing up this innovative rock- gospel- soul stew. At a time when The Beach Boys seemed creatively at a dead end, if they had only turned to Dennis for a new direction, things may have turned out differently, at least in the short term. No wonder Dennis was disappointed in 15 Big Ones when he had songs like this ready to go! 5/5

 

If you want to get non BB fans to open their mind to the 70s stuff, play them River Song. The reaction tends to be shock!

 

Is that Carl on lead?

 

River Song. Needless to say, a classic. Like others, I hope we get a clean Beach Boys version in the coming years. The solo version is a bit of 70's bombast but the song makes up for it.

5/5

 

"Cool Water" would be an appropriate tune to discuss right now.

 

The evolution of the band right there in those LPs.

Thanks for the mention of "Let Him Run Wild".
Though it's a Wrecking Crew tune, it's right up
there among their best. Time for a listen.

 

Blondie on the verses.

 

Makes me think that if Dennis had finished this in 73 he would have had Blondie sing lead. As he did on It's a New Day.

 

PS

Yeah, Bambu song-by-song, please.

 

Thought that might be the case. Thanks smilin ed.

 

Fantastic opener of this great album with Dennis pulling all the stops out. The released version is my favorite and can see why it was chosen. A solid 5/5.

 

If we do track by track for Bambu, I see no reason to not go track by track for BW88, Sweet Insanity, Paley sessions, Imagination, GIOMH, Lucky old sun and No Pier Pressure. I'm not too bothered about Disney, Gershwin and the Christmas album. But a general discussion and focus on the originals on them would be good. Plus all the oddities of Brian's solo career.

 

Plus Orange Crate Art - one of my favourite Brian albums despite the lack of his writing.

 

Are we also going to do Looking Back with Love, Unleash the Love, and 12 Sides of Summer?

 

No, Clem, no! By cracky...

 

Glad we are doing this album, and in the context of the right spot at that. "River Song" - being a Dennis and Carl song, should have been on a Beach Boys album. That last chance passed when none of the songs were offered with what Brian had done for Adult/Child. Some of them sure would have fit. This whole 1977 and on period is a big question of "what's going wrong here?" How could so many opportunities be thrown to the side of the road? Too many great songs were not felt to be worthy of release.

I love the rockin' jam "demo" version, tho. AGD says that's from '73 in the youtube comments, but I can't find it in the Bellagio sessions notes. The song continued to develop in wonderful ways... I think we got the best possible version on Pacific Ocean Blue. 5/5, 9/10.

 

River Song - 5/5

Marvelous.

 

I wrote up some comments about my first listen of 12 Sides of Summer last Saturday at Endless Harmony forum. Are you a member of that forum?

 

We'll do it - but just one day per an album for overall discussion, not song-by-song approach.

 

River Song is incredible. The production and vocals are immaculate. What a track!

This fantastic song, and album, must have really messed with Dennis’ psyche. His band didn’t want his spectacular songs on their albums. And he never made it as a solo artist. What a tough position to be in. No wonder the man drank himself in to oblivion...

River Song is a perfect 5/5.

 

I am but only visit infrequently.

 

To my ears, the bombast really makes the song work. Kind of like "My Sweet Lord", the stripped down versions sound unfinished.

 

Ah, good. Glad to see POB is part of this thread. Have to chime in on that. I love River Song. Deep and wide and slightly meandering—perfect for the song’s topic. Would’ve fit in great on a BBs album like Holland. But it also makes a great opening statement for Dennis’s album. Those inimitable harmonies surrounding Denny’s soulful, gravelly lead over a nice piano-driven track—a perfect combination for me. 5/5

 

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