Discuss & Rate Beach Boys Songs Day by Day

Today's song is Little Saint Nick:

 

Great festive song that’s spoiled only by over exposure. Love both versions - the familiar 45 and the “Drive-in” version; how Wilson had time to work on alternates to so many canonical works blows my mind. Must have been in the studio 25/7 in that period of his life.

 

It’s a fun little shuffle that actually manages to bring the spirit. I like the Celeste 3/5

 

This has always been part of the holidays since it was released however, that last line," Christmas comes this time each year"should have been rewritten. Awful. 4/5

 

I love this. Mike's great on it. 4

 

St Nick - holiday.classic. 5/5

 

If there is only one song on the Christmas album that deserves a 5/5 it's "Little Saint Nick". But, since this is my favorite Christmas album other songs will get to the top of my tree.

The toy train express is smoking up the tracks.

 

"Little Saint Nick"

This is in my all time top 5 BB songs. In 1963, Brian and Mike just rolling with the car song mojo and applied it to Santa's sleigh.

5/5

 

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Little Saint Nick - 5/5

A true holiday classic and standard.

 

Little Saint Nick. An original that has become a seasonal perennial, while delivering the classic Beach Boys' sound. 5/5

 

Little Saint Nick - Being Little Deuce Coupe Part II doesn't dilute the joy of this song at all - it's one of the best Christmas songs by rock bands, I believe. 5/5.

 

Your ratings for Little Saint Nick:
1-0 vote
2-0 vote
3-1 vote
4-2 votes
5-6 votes

 

Today's song is The Man With All The Toys:

 

The Man with All the Toys - Even though this was actually a Holiday hit in the us, I don't think this lives up to the standard set by Little Saint Nick, their last Christmas single.

It has potential (as proven by Brian himself forty years later), but it's too short and rough to be considered as a classic. I much prefer the remake on Brian's "What I Really Want for Christmas", which is more than one minutes longer and kicks off the album really strongly.

I'll give it 3/5 for its hidden potential.

 

I'd like to change my vote for LIttle Saint Nick (I know it probably can't be changed in the poll, but for the record) to 4/5.
I'll give "Man with All the Toys" a 3/5. It's cute, but I agree that the Brian Wilson solo version is superior and gives the song the production it deserves.

The Christmas album was a rushed affair, as we all know, and it does sound like it, compared to the All Summer Long or Today! songs that it was sandwiched between.

 

I love Man With All The Toys. My favorite cut on the record. Nice group voclas. 5/5

 

I like Man With All The Toys better than Little Saint Nick - 5/5. But I understand that this album was probably a rushed affair, since the Beach Boys had become popular and Christmas Albums were more of a chance to get some extra sales (that's not a knock on my part of the album).

 

I think it was more that they were contractually obligated to to deliver three albums per year. A chronic problem they had: Little Deuce Coupe with its repeats, Christmas, Concert, Party, Stack-o-Tracks, Live in London were all creative attempts to deal with that problem.

 

Man With All The Toys - 3/5

 

Here is my current SMiLE tracklist. It is based on the 12 song tracklist (which I believe to be accurate). With a few exceptions it makes for a complete sounding album.

(Our Prayer) - Hidden opener. That is what Brian said it was so we know this one. SMiLE sessions version, and I do love the Gee connector. Would Brian have thought of it in 1967? I don't know, but it was available.

1. Heroes and Villains - Single Edit. Brian's obsession with the song might have been what killed SMiLE, but I think he got it right. The Bicycle Rider chorus is perfect in this one. I then do the "Train Whistle" which fits the railroad them of:

2. Cabin Essence - SMiLE Sessions version, which is the same as the 20/20 version I assume. I sure am glad they finished this for us.

3. Wonderful - SMiLE Sessions version. It was great to have the backing vocals put on.

4. Do You Like Worms - SMiLE Sessions. They had options on this one, but I think they did a fine edit of it. I do not mind that the chorus melody is a repeat from the Heroes and Villains single version. These little themes reappear throughout the album. But I completely get someone using the Cantina Version for the album. It was finished, and certaily would have been the one if released in January of 67. I just like the single version of H & V too much to leave it off.

5. Surf's Up - Ends side 1 for me. SMiLE Sessions version. I think they absolutely nailed it. It is my favorite version of it by far, although the original is awesome also.

6. Vega-Tables - SMiLE Sessions. I like the single, but love the Mama Says parts edited in.

7. I'm In Great Shape - with Barnyard. This is pretty slight as is for the original album, but it is on the tracklist. I got the improved Barnyard from whoever created it over on the Smiley board.

8. My Only Sunshine - SMiLE Sessions. This is a really nice transition from Barnyard. The start of My Only Sunshine works well as a transition from many tracks actually.

9. Child Is Father of the Man - An edit I created that is 1:45 long. It starts with the less adorned backing vocals. In the middle is the verse backing track. Then it finishes with the more dense backing vocals section.

10. Wind Chimes - I begin with the "Whispering Winds" then into the song proper.

11. The Elements: Fire/Water Chant - I do like the Fall Breaks backing vocals so they are present. It then goes directly to Water Chant. I still believe Brian had this in his mind for SMiLE but had not tracked it in early 67. It is too perfect, putting out the Fire. And it segues beautifully into:

12. Good Vibrations - The single edit which is pop perfection. It was his greatest achievement and what made Brian decide to try an entire album this way. Some do not want it on the album, but I think there is no doubt it would have been. It was the original modular recording, huge hit, and was on the tracklist. I like its awesomeness to close the album.

Single Release:

H & V (Part 1): Cantina version
H & V (Part 2): Put together from tape box notes on what it would have been, plus added leftover parts I liked.

Sometimes I wish Brian had finished it. Sometimes I am glad it was left interactive. It is a perfect listen for me right now, but I am thinking about tweaking it...

 

"Man With All The Toys"

The stereo mix that the OP posted is kinda lame on headphones. I haven't heard the mono mix, but imagine that's it's better.

Not much of a song here: someone is trespassing on Santa's property and tells people about what he seen. I could have written better lyrics in my sleep: maybe a song about what exactly the elves are working on, and such, rather than just mentioning toys in general. Kinda boring lyrics, if you ask me.

The music is kinda interesting with the harmonies and shouts and lead guitar, but nothing to write home about, given that they just did an album with "Little Honda", "Don't Back Down", etc.

3/5

 

I knew it was my parents, but they were still waiting for us to go to bed before putting out the presents around the tree. This album helped make the times special. 1964... that seems like so long ago now.

I'm going to give "Man With All the Toys" a 5/5. I consider this version a classic. I love Brian's 2005 version. His band put a rockin' interlude/break on it, and Brian added a bit of "Joy To the World" to
extend the track. Two things: I like Brian's 1997 "Joy To the World" more, and Brian's 2005 band is not as good as the Beach Boys.

 

I agree on the powerful and frightening part, this is a riveting track - Even more so when you know the story behind it, the fire helmets in the studio, the buckets with burning wood to get more "atmosphere" and then finally the already paranoid Brian going nuts after the building next door burned down the day after the sessions (total coincidence). To me, all that just makes this track all the more sinister and fascinating.
The only thing I would have done though is left off the vocal part, I think it interferes with the song a bit. Maybe because I just got used to hearing the other versions on the web that just has the crackling fire sounds but no vocals.

 

"Wind Chimes" is a beautiful song, but Personally I think they repeat the loud part too many times on the Sessions version, it sounds like it's going to end and it comes back again for another "encore", that whole last part sounds a bit clumsy to my ears, like "oh no not again". I like the GV box version a lot better, even with that edit mentioned above. I like how on the GV version it goes from the toy piano/bass guitar ending right into all the whistling noises that start the "Fire" track