Making sense of "Can't Wait Too Long" by the Beach Boys

Thanks. I don't think I've heard a version with as much detail as you list!

 

A month later and I can't come up with a better version than said composite! Good on you OP. This isn't the last you'll hear of me.

 

That's kind of you to say. I'm sure there are others who could make the edits even better than I did, but revisiting the track confirms that it works pretty well as a song.

 

And of course there's the Brian Wilson solo version of "Can't Wait Too Long" on That Lucky Old Sun which was so disappointing. Just another attempt to dip into the back catalogue for...material.

I can really appreciate the I Can Hear Music: The 20/20 Sessions version. It's nice to have all of the parts in one place, almost a sampler if you will. But it does sound a bit too "cut up" with so many edits that interrupt the flow.

I think my favorite version would be the Smiley Smile/Wild Honey 2fer version, again because of the flow, and because it's the most hypnotic. It literally hypnotizes you!

 

I finally got around to making an edit I actually dig. This time I used only parts from "Been Way Too Long (Sections)" and tried to omit any bits of the version recorded during Wild Honey (as far as I can tell). I also removed all spoken word sections so it's a little more repetitive, but then again so are a lot of good songs during this period especially.

 

Not bad! Not that it's possible to go far wrong with this track.

You somewhat discarded the verse and chorus structure for this edit, but it flows pretty nicely anyway.

FYI, the tag that you added at the end is from the Wild Honey sessions, though.

 

Wonderfully researched information about this track. Unfortunately, I think the track in all its incarnations is an instantly forgettable throwaway.

 

So instantly forgettable that I have been in love with it for decades now.

 

Fantastic!! You did a fine job of making a complete "album worthy" song out of it! My only suggestion: perhaps that hi-hat ending is a bit weak and may go against the flow of the song but really, great take indeed.

 

Thanks y'all. I did another version without the tag, but basically did a coin toss for which to upload. I do agree it gives it a weaker ending. Think I chose that one cause the tag mixes it up a little after the song-long chorus lol. I'll put the tagless one on my channel later.

 

Here's the same edit with the tag removed. I think it does make for a more powerful ending, indeed.

Edit: you may notice at one point during the hypnotic "doo doo, doo doo, doo doo" part where there's a not-so-clean edit. Most of my mixes involve a lot of dumb luck. I wasn't so lucky with that one and couldn't figure out a way to correct it lol

 

And they've gone and released yet ANOTHER edit on the Sounds of Summer Set. My least favorite of the ones we've gotten

 

To each his own... I've always thought this one was much ado about nothing.

 

I have to say that this song has totally passed me by. I need to look into this. I recognise the title, but nothing more - to my detriment, so it seems.

Time to examine my two-fer Smiley Smile, Sunshine Tomorrow and Good Vibrations CD sets!

Thanks everyone!

 

Every time I return to this song-track-mini-suite called “Can’t Wait Too Long / Been Way Too Long” I again conclude that Brian Wilson was — yes, it’s been said a million times — a Freaking genius! But you know, as a band, The Beach Boys — Carl, Mike, Dennis, Al, Bruce, David — were also vocal geniuses, all having the perfect blend and expert vocal musicianship to sing these remarkable songs. There’s no sound like “The Boys”.

So, yeah! I dig and love this dreamy, atmospheric piece! My current fave way to hear it is the nearly 8 minute version on the “digital only release” I Can Hear Music. But I dig hearing all the snippets too.

Brief Rant:
Memo to Capitol Records, geez people, you really need to release ICHM, Wake the World and Sunshine Tomorrow 2 on PHYSICAL media. Get with the program, folks. The Beach Boys will always be America’s greatest band!

Also, thanks again to the OP @christian42 — this is a wonderful thread. And I hope you are doing well!

David

 

The new version on Sounds of Summer is the closest to a non-edited sounding version as we're likely to get, although the cuts at 2:16 and 2:41 are a little jarring. The twofer version is still probably my favorite, but I really welcome this edit as it's one of my favorite Beach Boy tracks.

 

Oh, I’m fine, thanks. A bit out of the loop because of some lingering ear troubles after a covid infection, but nothing major. I’ll need to check out the new version of this track on SoS, to see what’s new or how it fits in with the info in this thread.

I AM gearing up for a new thread about Swedish 60s pop music. Should be coming in mid August or around there, if things go as planned.