THE BEACH BOYS - walk on by - 1968

[V0nAnglesmith]

If you liked this song even a little, go check out "Seal Walk on By", its the best version.

[weareglaciers]

best 51 seconds of my life.

[alburtise]

Last photo from the Zuma Beach series?

Thanks for the tribute to an astounding vocal performance.

[harwicke]

That vocal arrangement at the end is heaven

[Zeppo11]

I wish there was a longer version of this song. Dennis sounds great on the background vocals even though he forgot the lyrics!

[fab4fan4ever64]

This is amazing...!! Wish there were a complete version... such tight harmonies... WOW !!

[coolsweetgroovy]

This is really good would love to hear the full version if someone has it

[nootaramus]

mike love was a passable front man. the problem with him was that he appeared to be almost a parody of the song instead of commiting to the song and making it go.

al jardine and brian wilson and carl wilson were the engine that made the beach boys go. mike was the cheerleader front man- not a great voice and not great looking. imagine if the beach boys would have had a justin hayward singing up front.

[MattHatter]

@nootaramus Couldn't have said it better myself. Oh and The Beach Boys with JUSTIN HAYWARD?! Oh my GOSH! Too heavenly to even comment on! Oh by the way, "THE SMILE SESSIONS" 2-CD AND LIMITED BOX SET OUT THIS SUMMER! YES!

[eddiefromconnecticut]

This is so beautiful and so heartfelt. What a shame that they never released a complete version!

[jonb3917]

Oh my god. Does any have a whole version to this?

[AcidPresident]

@jonb3917 Unfortunately as far as I could discern, this was only ever recorded as a 55 second cover tribute...

[TheAndrix19891]

peccato che dura poco..:( fantastica ***

[vienG1]

jake harper

[anothercountyheard]

brought tears to my eyes

[dezosound]

to fucken short........im willing to pay 100 buck 4 the full verson of this classic song...

[kittyRiblets]

@dezosound Yeah!! Me, TOO~

[TerdVader]

This could have been a hit. Shame it's not done.

[mitchinam]

I had no idea the guys covered this,,,,wow....nice.....

[HunterMann]

Guau, bien hermoso este version del clasico Walk On By!

[Brainkid88]

burt is the man, so is brian

[belladeballe]

Now I had to admit I was like WTF when I saw this song listed here at youtube, but after giving it a listen, I have to admit it's a nice little tune, not in Dionne Warwick's class mind, but it's an interesting cover variation just the same.

[BeachBoysGuy1]

What do you mean, not in Dionne Warwick's "class" ? It's an unfinished BW interpretation, from the mind of a talent easily as equal to Burt B. or Warwick. Warwick was/is a great singer ..one of my fav's in fact, but she sang what she was told (greatly), but BW was the arranger and the singer. Apples and oranges.

[belladeballe]

I wasn't trying to belittle BW. I greatly admire him and his talent. However, it is my opinion that Dionne sings the song better than Brian...and we are still entitled to our opinions, right?

[BeachBoysGuy1]

Sure :-) Thanks. Just two different styles. I love them both John

[bobshenix]

Dennis comes in with that  "foolish priiiide...." it really adds to the emotion of this short tune.

Love it.

[BeachBoysGuy1]

It does add alot, but I think it's both Carl and Denny. Not sure; are you ? It has that early roughness (before he completely blew his voice out) of Denny, so maybe you're right. It also has that style of approaching the note that Carl did so softly on so many other records and in person.

[StormLightPhoto]

I read about how Dennis forgot the lyrics to this song while singing the background vocals. That's why he hums his way through.

[1goodvibrations]

yes, i read that in the liner notes of the special release double CD with 20/20 on it (can't remember offhand which the other album is) and i think the only word for dennis' vocal here is "GORGEOUS"!!!

[Spiritualized1]

The debate here is not BB v BW, but Dionne v anyone else who sings one of BB's songs. Dionne wins every time.

[BeachBoysGuy1]

I don't understand what you mean. To me, the whole discussion about what is "best" is diatremitical to the intent of music. It's not a sport. It's not who "wins". It's all subjective ...and guess what ? ...they all win.

[BeachBoysGuy1]

LOL make that diametricak

[1goodvibrations]

yes she's wonderful, but why worry about who's the best? there's room for everyone and this snippet is a gem.

[MrJeeples]

Incredible. Fabulous. Amazing vocals. Please say there is more of this somewhere??

[pocketcalc]

bacharach is better than both.

[colindominy]

Aw, come on, pocketcalc .. Burt is better than BW ? Isn't that being just a little too economical with the truth ? Have you got that "Beautiful Dreamer" DVD .. the one that accompanies the 2004 release of the 'Smile" LP. In that, there's Elvis Costello .. surely not one to be idly ignored, when it comes to musicology & expertise on the subject. He says it's more like a natural progression over time - Gershwin .. Irving Berlin .. Bacharach .. BW. Each follows naturally-on from the other.

[Goodluck345]

Beach Boys vs. Beatles is pretty much Brian Wilson vs. Lennon/Mccartney/Martin. The Beatles had more groundbreaking music,but Brian Wilson's peak was higher than the Beatles. Listen to how much of Sgt. Peppers is inspired by, and somewhat lifted from Pet Sounds. And as stated earlier The Beach Boys were ranked # 1 vocal band in the world by Top of Pops in London 1966. Who knows what would have happened had Brian stayed healthy. And don't blame the beatles for that, he had serious disorders.

[ThePeacepoet]

It was NME mate.

[runeguldberg]

Brian Wilsons worst disorder was Moke Love.

Think if he had someone like Lennon to sparr with instead.

[johnrunion]

@runeguldberg lennon was sarcastic, cynical, negative, bitter. i don't think it would have worked out. 

[sjk72]

@runeguldberg The Beach Boys would not be the Beach Boys without Mike Love. Whether you like him or not, he's very important.

[jammmon]

@sjk72 no he wasnt, Al jardine should have sang all the songs mike got the chance to sing.

[mangoshakess]

@sjk72 i give credit for his early lyrics and bass vocals. but everything else kinda sucks. kinda makes you wonder why he didn't like the lyrics for SMiLE that van dyke wrote, but then he wrote those lyrics for "she's goin bald". jealous. sucks. there shoulda been more music.

[twowaystreet101]

@runeguldberg Permit me to add talentless, and opportunistic to the description of Mike Love. Nevertheless, you hit the nail on the head, Mike Love was BW's worst disorder. 

[johnmusk]

It's not correct to compare the two. The Beach Boys music was created by Brian. Brian was a composer, his sessions included entire orchestras. Brian then fed his music to the beach boys. Brian was composing his own music when the beatles could not yet write songs.

The beatles didn't use other musicians for the most part, or other lyricists. They did it all themselves. 3 guitars and a piano and drums. Totally different situation. No need to compare them.

[doable1]

Not entirely true. Sir George Martin arranged and orchestrated much of the Beatles music and made it what it became. Without George Martin the Beatles would have simply been 3 guitars, a piano and drums

[jbrent1953]

It's not about who was better. But what was true is the Beatles were constantly looking over their shoulders at the Beach Boys. It was the sophisticated harmonies that Brian Wilson came up with over typically standard chord progressions. The Beatles were very grateful to have George Martin to have the maturity and sophistication to keep up with Brian Wilson. Because there was nobody else out there at the time that could stack the notes like Brian and George.

[frumble10]

oh what are you talking about?!! in some ways the beach boys are way better than the beatles. they're one of the few bands who survived the british invasion!!!

[frumble10]

can you guys just enjoy the song.....

[gtr82]

George Martin said he, Lennon, and McCartney were scared at the direction and pace Brian Wilson was going in '65 and '66 heading into '67. It took all three of them to keep up with Brian alone.

The delusional will not admit that to be true.

It took for Brian to mentally break down (not from the Beatles, but multiple things) for the Beatles to surpass the Beach Boys.

There was a magazine poll that polled the people in London in late '66 that had the Beach Boys rated #1 ahead of the Beatles.

[MrDennyman]

Commercial success doesn't mean everything. People have always bought junk music and have made untalented people rich and famous. That's not putting the Beatles in that category -- as their popularity today is a testimony to their validity as great musicians. However, like I said, a lot of groups who sell a lot of records today probably wont be heard by the next generation. Commercial & cultural success never tells the whole story when it comes to music and the people who make it.

[MrDennyman]

Comparing the BBs and the Beatles is somewhat similar to comparing commercial vs. critical success. Its absurd to state the Beatles were superior musicians. The were superior commercially and moved a generation but their music was not critically superior or their recording productions. The Beatles were a right band, with the right sound with music that had the right hooks along with the hair- at a right moment in time. Commerically superior - of course. Critically superior, hell no.

[BeachBoy420Beef]

The Beatles were a great band but not as good as the Beachboys. Sgt. Peppers is hailed as a changing point in music but would not have happened if Brian hadn't already changed the musical landscape. Look at "All I Wanna Do" from sunflower. This song could have been made recently, but it's from 1969. "Here Today" from Pet Sounds could have been made 20 years later and still been completely original. Brian reinvented music and what it can be. Beatles are great. Beachboys are the greatest!

[JonasGrumbyHipHop]

i've made a hip hop instrumental sampling this track. i'd love some feedback!!! :)

/watch?v=ak2uscmtJZw

[vracan]

hip-hop sucks!

[BeachBoysGuy1]

Brian's pitch is fantastic on this lead. i wish they had released it. ( I mean, as a single)

John Hunter Phillips

[blackrabbit06]

Whoa, I didn't know that they sang this too I mean were they the original to have sang this? what album is it on? beautiful version.

[at0miklust]

buy the Friends album. Not only it is genius, this is a bonus track :)

[lynnara]

simply beautiful

[julianpetsounds]

hermoso

[baldyholly79]

Amazing.

[JennaP46]

Julian~~thank you such a beautiful Burt Bach,,beach style :)

[Yaggsionhimen]

Actually I think this is Brian and Carl. Great song.

[Yaggsionhimen]

Oh nevermind, it is Dennis. oops

[LVEMEDO]

awesome post awesome share harrystriples BRIAN WILSON A MUSICAL GENIOUS rip carl & dennis

[JennaP46]

I remember~~~incredible now..:)

[Chesterton7]

WOW

[harrystirples]

The debris field from smile i think . totally outstanding peerless unbeatable BeachBoys . thanks for posting . john

[BawwooPetSounds]

One of my favorites. It's just a simple chromatic riff as it ends, I'm pretty sure it's not a reference to mrs. oleary's cow..works brilliantly though!

[laminage]

Brian Wilson was just sometimes just to far ahead of his time. He's nothing short of an American Treasure, I think they were just trying it out. This would have been an amazing comeback song for them in 1968 at a time where they would have really needed it.

[oceanstreat]

I absolutely agree. It would have been a nice re-entry for them at the time. But don't forget that their popularity, for example, in Europe, hadn't diminished one bit. They were still doing sell-out concerts. You know the Bruce Johnston quote..."There was a time in 1968 when we would play New York City, and get maybe 200 people to show up. Then we'd go to Europe and sell out an entire tour." Immature Americans, who suddenly abandoned them, because they weren't "cool" anymore...

[laminage]

You must have saw them from a Documentary from the 1980's called "The Beach Boys" An American Band. It was very informative and insightful. It was done by the same Production Co. who did a Documentary about them in the 1990's shortly after Carl died, and they also did a Documentary about the Girl Group Phenomenon from 1960-1964, as well as a Documentary called "The Compleat Beatles" way before The Anthology Series existed.

[caats19]

american charts man. we've never gotten it right. god only knows went #2 in UK...but #39 in US (facepalm).

[famousashtray]

ultimate facepalm

[MrDennyman]

Agree. I lived through the 60's. I knew then, and I know now, the BBs were always underrated. The Beatles led a whole movement and generation, but they were not superior to the BBs as musicians.

[barney906]

God ..I wish he had finished this of...incredible !

[BB45s]

Brian's work on SMiLE (the unreleased 1966-67 versions) was phenomenal. Many snipets like this.

{Click BB45s for rare Beach Boys video playlist

[briansno1fan]

This is lovely,

[jjaniero]

i too am stunned

i wish brian had time to put his harmonic wall of sound on every song ever written

[miniskirt69]

This is really really nice, so mellow

[megaladon73]

This blows my mind every time I hear it.. LOVE those "doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo's". wish I could find the song in its entirety.

[xwsftassell]

Wow, that's got to be about 1000 times better than any other version I've heard. And that's saying something. Shame it only lasts for a minute. Still, wonderful to hear.

[121METRO]

Classic stuff,agree with all past comments! Reckon i can hear all 3 brothers voices on this song.

[PowlettJones45]

Heaven on Earth...I am stunned...

Thanks for posting.

[sander15]

I love Denny's vocals on this one.

[Tomcatherv]

brian's falsetto on this is absolutely amazing. Such feeling, such passion. I wish we had the entire version of the song.

[justinplank]

got them chords from mrs. oleary's cow

[BillyShakers]

Eh?

[justinplank]

the chords of the fire track from Smile went into Brian/Denny's vocals at the end of this tune....listen to the word 'cry'

[Vinelihbe]

I like that.. I wish they could have finished it. It's typical of a lot of great post-Pet Sounds snippets.

[batman444]

Love... :)

[hasbeenshaken]

yeah, that is a good combination of musical talent (Burt Bacharach and 2 of the best Beach Boys)

[AndreasIreland]

it's really good....excellent!!