Back Home - The Beach Boys - Early Version

[massF1]

Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew made magic in 95% of the early records On Capitol.

[TheGreatWhiteShank]

No way this is a '63 recording. The backing track with horns and drums don't fit any 1963 recording style. I'm sticking with the vocals circa 1970 and the backing track from the 15 Big Ones sessions. Hal Blaine would know.

[menziesmilngavie]

Big Phil sound, on that one.

[BB45s]

Now that SMiLE has been officially released, this is one of the best undiscovered Brian Wilson/Beach Boys gems...

Click BB45s for rare Beach Boys video clips

[porridgeeveryday]

this was recorded in december 1963.

[colindominy]

I actually like the 2 alternate versions of this great song "Back Home", that are nowadays featured on You Tube .. as compared to the 1976 "15 Big Ones" album version ... not that I mind the 1976 release, by any means ...

[TheGreatWhiteShank]

I love the discussion about this song! After repeated listenings I'm of the opinion that Alexanertarangerkin is right about Brian circa 1970-71 singing lead. But I'll stick to my guns about the backing track being from 1976 and the "15 Big Ones" sessions. That's Hal Blaine's drums if I ever heard them, and Steve Douglas and Jay Migliori on horns, and they were part of those sessions early on.

[tehmaster690]

@TheGreatWhiteShank Not 1970, either, there's a different version of Back Home that was cut during 1970, it's piano focused and Al's on lead. Brian's voice was noticeably different during the Sunflower/Add Some Music sessions, too. Compare this with the bootlegged song "Walkin'" to see my point.

[predlycon]

Sounds like 65 rather than 63.

[TheGreatWhiteShank]

Well, the whole recording sounds very 1976 to me.Compare the drums and horns to "Blueberry Hill" on 15 Big Ones, and Al's voice to that on MIU's "Peggy Sue" (also originally recorded in 1976. There's no 1963 BB recording that comes close to this sound. The actual tune may hearken back to 1963, but the recording is very 1976-sounding.

[alexandertarangerkin]

@TheGreatWhiteShank

brian is singing, so it has to be pre-1973 when his voice was destroyed, and the last sessions he attended is the Landlocked/Add Some Music/Sundlower sessions

[tehmaster690]

@alexandertarangerkin Two things wrong with that: From all accounts from that era, Brian didn't lose his voice (at least, not fully) until Dec. 1974 (where the original still unreleased California Feelin' demo was recorded, with Brian instead of Carl on lead like the later version). Brian was involved in both the Carl and the Passions (Marcella, You Need a Mess of Help) and the Holland (Funky Pretty, Mt. Vernon and Fairway) sessions, as well as the 1974 Caribou sessions. 

[alexandertarangerkin]

@tehmaster690

I believe you are correct and I recall that Marcella was his and his voice on YNAMOH. But by the time of Mt.Vernon his voice had already deteriorated pretty much, if you listen to Fairy Tale Music from the GV box set(1993) which is just a mash of music from Mt Vernon, you can hear his raspy voice, and this was in 1973. Perhaps his voice varied a lot back then, but I have heard that he wanted to have a more rought manly voice instead of his sweet falsetto back then.

[tehmaster690]

@alexandertarangerkin

He did a lot of bass vocals during the early 70's. You can hear this on the American Spring album, specifically, Sweet Mountain (he sings the chorus and the "it rained on the mountain, the mountain of love" tag).

It's not really an example of real vocal degeneration, though his range was lowering due to age and cocaine use. (Compare with his bass vocals on Love to Say Da Da, for instance.)

cont.

[tehmaster690]

@tehmaster690

Also, the Holland (and Mt. Vernon and Fairway) sessions were in 1972. I like to think that this latter day raspiness was due to his desire to express more of his range (he sings falsetto on Funky Pretty's tag, where he does hit the notes, despite being sped up). And, of course, Rollin' Up to Heaven features Wilson falsetto that's more 1970 than '75. By all accounts, Brian didn't start trying to destroy his voice until mid '75, when he was smoking five packs a day.

[tehmaster690]

@TheGreatWhiteShank Brian was doing significant brass work in 1963; several of the original tunes on Little Deuce Coupe, the album, use brass. And, of course, Brian's voice sounds far closer to 1963 tunes like Lana and the Lonely Sea than anything Al did in 1976. You are right about the Wrecking Crew bit, but Brian was using members of the Wrecking Crew (Hal Blane especially) as early as 1963, so that's a rather moot point.

[TheGreatWhiteShank]

This version is from 1976, unreleased from the 15 Big Ones sessions. It features Al Jardine on lead instead of Brian on the released version, and the “Wrecking Crew” used on so many Phil Specctor and classic BB hits - Hal Blaine on drums, Carole Kaye on bass, Jay Migliori and Steve Douglas on horns.

[YannD]

Sounds like a young Brian Wilson singing to me, not Al, but I could be mistaken. And it doesn't sound AT ALL like it's from 1976. They all sound so young and fresh. For what it's worth, this version is on a bootleg CD where it's said to be from June 1963, a "Surfer Girl" outtake.

[stupidshitsucks]

This song has driven me C R A Z Z Z Y for years! LOVE IT!! Thanks for posting!

Only thing (stooopid) this is, it takes too long to load!

[stupidshitsucks]

This song has driven me C R A Z Z Z Y for years! LOVE IT!! Thanks for posting!

[tehmaster690]

Why didn't they release this until 15 Big Ones? Seriously, this kicks the shit out of the majority of tracks on Surfin' USA and Surfer Girl.

[WindowPainNH]

Are we sure this is 63?

[alexandertarangerkin]

@WindowPainNH

it is before his voice change, they didnt record this type of song in 1965-1974), and after '74 Brians voice was remarkably reduced, hence it must be in the very early days ;)

[petephils]

cool version.....like Denny's driving beat

[massF1]

@petephils That's Hal Blaine on drums.

[barkboingfloom]

It sounds great but it lacks the fantasticly catchy chorus the released version has. Maybe a mash up is in order to create the perfect version?

[BeachBoysGuy1]

@barkboingfloom  Excellent comment. I agree jhp

[ChriTur]

This is incredible. I can't believe this wasn't a bonus track on the CD reissues.

[rps1122]

OMG this is a million times better than the version on 15 Big Ones. could have been at least top 20 back in 1963 if they had released it.

[colindominy]

This is the 3rd version of this song that I've heard. Each one of them is a very worthy effort. This song is an inherent, unmistakeable little BW gem .. uber-catchy, with great natural beat & appeal .. no matter which particular production & mix is applied to it. If anything .. to be picky .. I tend to like Al's vocalisation on this tune, even more than Brian's.

[gittahfiend]

this ROCKS !!!

[BeachBoysGuy1]

Thanks for posting !! Very cool. I have always loved this song since 15 Big Ones LP and the live version in 19776 with the SNL Band. JHP

[MissClassicDoux]

Great job with the pix! Love em!:) Good song too!

[jadorebri]

How cool! I love the 76 version, one of my favourite songs, but this sounds really good too. Thanks for posting.

[spacepatrolman]

The mandolin intro reminds me of the soundtrack to the shoes of the fisherman

there was another video of this version in here but this one is visualy more interesting .