BCB 100 - The Beach Boys

geoffcowgill · Postby **geoffcowgill** » 21 Jun 2006, 15:59

I've never found that awkward fumbling quality of much of the Beach Boys all that endearing. It's the really polished, slick, competent sound of Pet Sounds that I really love. There's a good reason this recording is so revered. There are fantastic moments on Today and Summer Days... (particularly "She Knows Me Too Well" and "Girl Don't Tell Me"), but there's such an incredible leap in quality, pretty unparalled in a major act, to their magnum opus. And then such a fast decline. I can't see the brilliance of Smile, no matter what I read or people tell me. It's got some nice tunes, but it sounds too much like a crackpot mess. No, Pet Sounds is eternally where it's at. And "I'm Waiting For The Day" is the pinnacle of that album, to me. And it's a Mike Love co-write!

Favorite Album - Pet Sounds

Favorite Song - "I'm Waiting For The Day"

Carl's Son · Postby **Carl's Son** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:03

I like all the clumsey/weird stuff. The polished hits are all great too though.

Album-Smiley Smile
song-Help Me Rhonda

Matt Wilson · Postby **Matt Wilson** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:08

Pet Sounds is indeed a classic. But all the surfing/car songs are just as good. they may not have ever essayed an album as good as Pet Sounds pre 1966 but you could make an outstanding compilation of their music from '62-'66 which would be comparable to either the Beatles or Dylan.

In other words during that time they were as good as anybody.

Snarfyguy · Postby **Snarfyguy** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:15

Album: Friends

Song (currently): Can't Wait Too Long instr. outtake on Unsurpassed Masters V. 19

The Modernist · Postby **The Modernist** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:33

What can you say? Wonderful, there are very few to even get near them.

Album: Sunflower
Song: The Trader

Sea Of Tunes · Postby **Sea Of Tunes** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:36

I am not qualified to give any coherent answer here. It's my favourite band, they helped me through many a sad time, yes they did more than a few dodgy tunes, but I can't find it in my heart to make some sort of ranking in their recorded legacy. God bless the Beach Boys.

Piggly Wiggly · Postby **Piggly Wiggly** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:40

Album: Pet Sounds or Friends (they mean different things to me)

Song: "California Girls"

Oscar · Postby **Oscar** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:40

Album: Surf's Up
Track: Leaving This Town

KeithPratt · Postby **KeithPratt** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:43

Album - Pet Sounds
Song - I Get Around (first song I ever heard on acid - listened to it nonstop for 3 hours)

Snarfyguy · Postby **Snarfyguy** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:44

Sea Of Tunes wrote:I am not qualified to give any coherent answer here. It's my favourite band, they helped me through many a sad time, yes they did more than a few dodgy tunes, but I can't find it in my heart to make some sort of ranking in their recorded legacy. God bless the Beach Boys.

It's Keepin' The Summer Alive / Chug-A-Lug, isn't it? :roll:

Sea Of Tunes · Postby **Sea Of Tunes** » 21 Jun 2006, 16:50

Snarfyguy wrote:
Sea Of Tunes wrote:I am not qualified to give any coherent answer here. It's my favourite band, they helped me through many a sad time, yes they did more than a few dodgy tunes, but I can't find it in my heart to make some sort of ranking in their recorded legacy. God bless the Beach Boys.

It's Keepin' The Summer Alive / Chug-A-Lug, isn't it?

Busted! Dammit, all I can do now is play 'Here Comes The Night' (disco version, 12+ minutes of lethal ugliness) at maximum volume...

Mike Boom · Postby **Mike Boom** » 21 Jun 2006, 17:05

album - 20/20
song - Surfs Up

The original "Smile" if it was ever finished and released would have been the greatest album ever as far as Im concerned - what was released of the original sessions on the box set is just mindblowing.What Brian finally released is brilliant too, but the original recordings have that touch of menace and madness. Fantastic band - responsible for a lot of the greatest pop music ever made.

Davey the Fat Boy · Postby **Davey the Fat Boy** » 21 Jun 2006, 17:06

No room to get clever or obscure here:

Album: Pet Sounds

Song: God Only Knows

Pop music doesn't offer anything better.

toomanyhatz · Postby **toomanyhatz** » 21 Jun 2006, 18:45

Can't even begin. So much of their recorded material moves me more than just about any other music in the world. Yeah, there's some duff tracks (particularly most everything sans-Brian), but when they're good, they're as good as anybody. There's the intensely personal ('Til I Die, In My Room), the brilliantly produced perky pop (I Get Around, Dance, Dance, Dance), the arty progressive (Wonderful, Surf's Up), and the deliciously goofy (She's Goin' Bald, Johnny Carson). It's all as good as music gets.

Best album - Toss-up between Pet Sounds and most of side two of Beach Boys Today!

Best song - I admire anyone who can actually name only one. I couldn't possibly. In the Back of My Mind is up there, though, and no one else has mentioned it, so let's go with that.

My name is Spaulding · Postby **My name is Spaulding** » 21 Jun 2006, 19:15

Album: Pet sounds
Song: My mind and my heart want to say "Good vibrations" (amazing in every aspect), but at this moment my feet are yelling "I get around"

Tactful Cactus · Postby **Tactful Cactus** » 21 Jun 2006, 19:25

Album:Pet Sounds
Song:Girl Don't Tell Me

Nice little combo so they were. American apparently.

Tom Violence · Postby **Tom Violence** » 21 Jun 2006, 19:27

Amazing group. Phenomenally talented songwriters, musicians, and remarkable vocalists. Some of the early songs I find just unbelievable in terms of the quality of the songwritng and the complexity of the harmonies, all at such a young age. The clumsines/goofiness often cited cannot refer to their music, even the very early stuff is musically extremely competant and I think Mike Love's lyrics are excellent. Often on the recieving end of many a joke, I often think its underestimated just how much Mike Love did for the group and did in making them popular.

I really can't praise them enough. I find most of their work to be extremely fruitful, ok after Holland the quality goes down the pan but they're in good company i.e. McCartney, Stones, Bowie.

Favourite song: Surfer Girl

Favourite album: Sunflower

I find the music of the Beach Boys such a comfort during hard times/problems or whatever. Could go on forever....one of the 10 greatest/most important bands of all time...easily.

nathan · Postby **nathan** » 21 Jun 2006, 19:36

Not to be a pimple, but can we hurry up and get to the Elvis and Hank Williams threads for this 100 business?

Tom Violence · Postby **Tom Violence** » 21 Jun 2006, 19:39

Tactful Cactus wrote:Album:Pet Sounds
Song:Girl Don't Tell Me

Nice little combo so they were. American apparently.

That's a fantastic song. A lot better than 'Ticket to Ride' don't you think.

Tactful Cactus · Postby **Tactful Cactus** » 21 Jun 2006, 19:50

Pretty Boy Floyd wrote:
That's a fantastic song. A lot better than 'Ticket to Ride' don't you think.

Hmm, never compared the two. I like the acoustic treatment of Girl Dont Tell Me though. Great song, somtimes his genius was in his simplicity.