Beach Boys - Surf's Up (Smile Sessions 2011)

[andoj89]

a children's soooooooong...

[Wolfsky9]

I still like Carl's version better. Just me, but I really think his voice --especially in '71--was made for this masterpiece. IMHO.  Wolfsky9

[Wolfsky9]

A bit of Trivia : Carl played the Rickenbacker 360/12 ; Roger McGuinn, to get that " jingle jangle sound", played the 370/12. It had that particular bell like sound made foamou7s by The Byrds. Wolfsky9

[TrappedIn1968]

This song ... and this version in particular... is pure magic ! Thanks Brian ! My personal pick for the Top 5 Beach Boys albums :

5. Friends

4. Beach Boys Today !

3. Sunflower

2. Pet Sounds

1. SMiLE

[alliant]

3:08

this part sends me into immediate ecstasy

[RaphaDomeniche]

Please, pay attention in the "I'm a leaf on a windy day..." part. There's a melody whisper in the background. Is there any other word that fit better than perfection?

[Strizz484]

@JayMalone you're pretty ignorant of the band it seems. Listen to Kid A or OK Computer and educate yourself.

[illchiken10]

what kind of guitar is van holding

[1985MANAmericana]

@illchiken10 Looks like an early Rickenbacker 360/12. The equivalent model today would be a 330/12.

[srrecords]

Wow! So, the last few moments of this song are an odd mix of parts of Genesis' "The Cinema Show" and parts of the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" (the na na na part of this song). It's actually a genius chord mixture....I have no idea whether Genesis stole it.

[JayMalone]

The digital version really doesn't do this album justice at all.

The entire vision/concept of this album was all based upon using real sounds which can only be appreciated through analog sound mediums

Do yourself a huge favor, purchase this on vinyl, and play it through a proper stereo

[TheOneartist]

@JayMalone Hmmm, I think you can make that argument for any music reproduced digitally.

Unfortunately, vinyl is expensive these days, and since most houses don't have turntables, that means buying a setup and everything from scratch before you even get the album.

[aolling]

Best Beach Boys song ever written

[krishartrum]

This is one of the greatest Beach Boys Song ever. I love David Burr.

[RubyWeaponMono]

@krishartrum Kris is the one that makes me a happy boy.

[calyx12001]

after comparing the two recordings (this and the 'Surf's Up' version), i agree that it's Carl voice on the first "canvas the town and brush the backdrop". "Columnated ruins domino"...that's a damned vivid three word combination! Wonderful!!

[MrWestonColleon]

Brilliant

[TheBoldImperator]

You wait 40 years for a SMiLE release and end up getting two in a fourth of that.

[colindominy]

Leonard Bernstein was spot-on in his stunning advocacy of this song & BW's performance ...

[cadmaster102]

I believe the album's intended second suite of songs "Wonderful" through "Surf's Up" were the pinnacle of Brian Wilson's talents. This second movement alone would have made The Beach Boys pioneers of progressive rock. Add "Heroes & Villains", "Cabin-Essence", "Vega-Tables" and "Good Vibrations" to the mix and you have one of the most monumental recordings of the 20th century.

[libertyhopeful18]

i learned to play this on guitar :D unfortunately trying to sing it is like trying to 5000 pounds. brian had some chops. in everything. what a genius.

[Nostradamus92]

So good...rarely does a song and lyrics mesh so perfectly.... probably my favorite Beach Boys song...probably

[solomonczar]

Bloody fucking masterpiece. The lyrics are so vivid. Perfection.

[54xcaliber]

On second listen, it sounds like Carl's vocal may be underneath Brian's in the first part - the first "canvas the town..." definitely sounds like Carl. Anyone know for sure from the liner notes?

[54xcaliber]

I'm not hearing Carl on this version. Carl did a lead vocal in 1968 for the first section of the song and they used it on the Surf's Up album version. But here the first part is Brian - Al comes in at the end on "A children's song..."

[tgarbrecht100]

too advanced for me

[RubyWeaponMono]

@tgarbrecht100 It's the Kid A of surf rock.

[JayMalone]

@RubyWeaponMono

surely, you're joking

this album has nothing to do with surf rock, and everything to do with conceptualizing the luscious Phil Spector pop wall-of-sound. To put Kid A in the same sentence as SMiLE is seriously disrespectful, and I honestly find it offensive

[RubyWeaponMono]

@JayMalone What can I say, I'm an offensive kind of guy..and yes, it was a joke.

[Strizz484]

@JayMalone Don't be an ass. Radiohead is easily held in just as high artistic esteem as the BB's best.

[JayMalone]

@Strizz484 By someone who isn't very artistic, maybe

[TheKnightOfCydonia]

@JayMalone Oh shut up, I think it's you who's being disrespectful and offensive, specially to Radiohead, who have proven they are also genius, like it or not. But anyway, it was obvious the comment by RubyWeaponMono was purely a joke, if you didn't get it it's your problem, stop talking nonsense.

[TheOneartist]

@RubyWeaponMono The only reason they were called The Beach Boys was because the record label called them that and sort of manufactured that image for them.

"Surf's Up" is sort of a sly metaphor, but obviously this album has nothing to do with surf music.

"Kid A" is a masterpiece, but completely different vibes. Interesting enough, though, I listened to each of them back-to-back high with my friend a couple weeks back.

[StanKindly]

Brian and Carl are Angel Voice #1 and #2 (not necessarily in that order...)

[ThePieffe63]

64, 17, 48 (for me)... The age don't count. Finally the music has find the way.

[HarveyBacktheBeatles]

I like how they combine both Brian and Carl's vocals. This is the only song that takes parts that weren't from 1966/67. Some of this was from 1971, but it really helps the song out.

[MattHatter]

@HarveyBacktheBeatles Nope, this isn't the ONLY song that takes parts from years other than 1966-67. As I was reading the sessionography. no lead vocal was ever recorded for "Cabin Essence" in those years. Carl's lead vocal (and Dennis' "Truck Drivin' Man" vocal) both hail from the fall of 1968 and the "20/20" sessions!

[NEWGUY562]

upload mrs. o leary's cow, holiday, look, wonderful & cabin essence

[patdrunksingalong]

amazing, just noticed how much brian looks like my dad a few backs here! nice to see a picture of van dyke parks too! if only brian sacked mike love and kept doing stuff with parks aye...

[DeeWire82]

Counting down the days until my box set arrives here in Oz. This is epic.

[payne0410]

Got this on vinyl a few days ago - it's amazing and so ambitious. I think this album and Sgt Pepper have a lot in common. Anyways, Brian sounds angelic in this song.

[mrTomine]

This sounds amazing.

[augustimnot]

luckily I've only had to wait 16 years for this, born in 95

[Mexikun]

@augustimnot you give me hope for the next generation. Too many kids ignore good music...

[Elliotspeck]

@augustimnot Agreed! I too was born in 95.

[Goeslightly]

This is almost exactly the same as the 1971 version but it features vocals from Brian's 1966 demo during the first section.

[BustardBuzzard]

Rock On, Brian! Glad I waited from age 17 to 64.

[mizinitch]

Amazing version and well worth the long wait! Smiley Smile and Brian Wilson's recent SMiLE! is no match for the material from these original sessions!

[bakedzale]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chocolatemilkinmyass]

MUST BUY!!!!!