The Beach Boys-Sail on Sailor- Live in Boston '96

[DrummerFreak04]

Excellent, one of the Beach Boys gems of the 70s. Right at the end of the clip the guitar riff sounds like they are about to go straight into "Kona Coast" - one of the other gems from that decade.

[Wolfsky9]

This Perf. is so superior to the 70's version! Nothing against Blondie, but I know he'd be the 1st to say, Carl was made to sing this--just as he should have sung Ride LikeThe Wind!! Imagine The Bb's doing it, with DW & Carl doing leads!! Sing 4-Ever, Carl. Wolfsky9

[SuperTG48]

Perhaps The Best Beach Boys Song Ever.It is a song that if you hear it once,You just want to play It Again & Again.A Great Sing-A-Long Song.A GEM.

[Wolfsky9]

I never saw Carl do this, much to my disappointment--he should have done the lead from the very 1st. Carl, we miss you more than ever. Wolfsky9, 65 y/o in 5 days.

[flmvdvsrg]

thats the day i was born, im the chosen one!!!!!!!!

[gordonsolie007]

Carl and Brian had/have more musical talent in their individual fingertips than most musicians can ever dream of having! I thank my father for introducing me to the Beach Boys. America's band. The best ever.

[wildred59]

My most favorite Beach Boys song!

[imreddieru1019]

This has got to be the best performance of this song I have heard live. Carl nails it and so do the rest of the boys. They need to put out an album of the 90's concerts, especially this year. I saw them in Jones Beach just a few days before this and they sounded great. Wow....

[ClubViking63]

@imreddieru1019 Hi. Wolfsky say the show at Jones Beach was AFTER this show!

As that should have been the last one by Carl.

I really like to know the truth here, if anyone could tell me.

Maybe it is not so easy to remember the details from that time.

[imreddieru1019]

Ahhhh, that got this one right!

[megaladon73]

Great post!!! I was working for snapple at the time, I was out in the parking lot working during this show and occasionally trying to peek thru the gates, wishing I was on the other side... it sure sounded great from where I was though.

[gregormann7]

Wow, did they nail this live!! Remarkable performance. I've always wished Carl would have done the original studio version. Not to knock Blondie Chaplin, but Carl Wilson IS the authentic Beach Boys sound! Gosh, I miss that man.

[MrJrinct]

My fav Beach Boys song

[MrJrinct]

GREAT song!



[Inspector711]

Did he get cancer from smoking?

[streyper]

How could it work, Wolfsky9? Carl's voice is one of a kind, and it can never be replaced. Nobody could ever cover Carl's singing...nobody. Can you imagine the music he'd be making today??? He is so terribly missed.  Thank you, Wolfsky, for the tribute.

[Wolfsky9]

This Perf. was from 8/96, & Carl was still healthy, & vigorous. He was DX'd with Lung-CA in early 1997, although he'd not been feeling well for some time. A month later, he learned the CA had spread to his brain. Carl did tour in the Summer of '97, though ill, & struggling onstage. His final performance was at Jones Beach NY, in August. After that, too ill to go on, he returned to CA. Mike found Dave Marks & Phil Bardowell to cover Carl's parts. It didn't work. Wolfsky9

[ElmoPiano]

Thanks for posting this version of the great Beach Boys classic. The sheet music for the original piano part on "Sail On Sailor" can be found at manymidi.com/sheetmusic.htm - a note-for-note transcription.

[asr53]

Many different people sang lead on this. The original Blondie Chaplin, then touring BB's Billy Hinsche & Bobby Figuero. Then Carl. A great song, should have been a bigger hit. The classic rock stations should be playing this song.

[Wolfsky9]

This entire concert should be on CD, as a memorial to Carl--his last perf. healthy & in full voice. I'm told the guys were just awesome that night. Wolfsky9

[ClubViking63]

@Wolfsky9 Hi there Wolfsky! Was this Carl´s last performance with the BB? I am not aware of their touring that year. Just can´t find any newer footage of the group inclouding Carl.

[Okiemom50]

@ClubViking63

type into the youtube search:

The Beach Boys-Help Me Rhonda-Live 1997

It is the footage of David and Phil filling in for Carl. :)

[ClubViking63]

@Okiemom50 Yes but I want to know where Carl showed up at last.

[Wolfsky9]

@ClubViking63 Sir, based on the accounts from books I've read--it looks as though Carl's final appearance was at Jones Beach, late August, '97. Sadly, he was desperately ill & it was after that appearance that Mike & the guys went to him & appealed to him to stay home--it was hurting everyone--fans, band members, to see him so ill, & so hurting. Carl never played again, & when I went to the 11/7/97 show in Thousand Oaks, Ca, Carl was all people talked about. Wolfsky9

[wichitacaddo]

My favorite beach boys song.

[TheBill62]

THIS SOUNDS SO GREAT, WISH I HAD IT ON CD!!!

[Wolfsky9]

I always thought Carl owned this song. But then, I'veALWAYS--ALWAYS FROM DAY ONE--wondered how Carl / Dennis & The Boys could have--would have--done " Ride Like The Wind". Chris's voice / timbre fits Carl prfectly, &he & DW doing it??? Just imagine. Wolfsky9, 64 y/o

[1213skc]

One of my favorite songs of all time! We miss you, Carl!

[silversurfer864]

what does bruce do apart from clap?

[squarepeg85]

Carl should have always sung the lead on this song. Awesome awesome voice!!!

[thunderstruck665]

@squarepeg85: Carl did an awesome job and he was great, but Blondie did an excellent job with the original as well and made it a hit.

[gittahfiend]

better carl than billy hinsche though.

[XxMemphis]

I'm numer 50,000, yay! xD

[Wolfsky9]

Mike Kowalski just wailed on those drums, & that also made this version just Rock On. Wolfsky9

[Wolfsky9]

Truth Be Told, Carl could sing the yellow pages, & make them sound magnificent. I saw him do this in '94, & to me, he was the best, ever. Carl gave this version real grit & soul, as only he could. Wolfsky9

[MrJeeples]

Blondie's original was wonderful but imho Carl could sing ANYthing better than anyone else and this version does knock Blondie's off the pedestal. IMHO.

[gittahfiend]

Carl was the singingest of the five beach boys,but Blondie Chaplin OWNED this song.ON ONE not even the great Carl Wilson,sang this song better.if he did, he'd have sang it on the original recording.

[DaddySez]

there's a version of this with Ray Charles singing with the BBs in Hawaii ....best version I've ever heard

[594bolt]

My favorite BB's tune ever!Usually live versions aren't as good as the studio,but this is really good!

[griztone]

What a show!! Many of the songs from this Boston 96 performance are some of the finest live performances I've heard from the group. Sail on indeed.......

[Wolfsky9]

To griztone, May I ask, were you thereatthat Concert? What other songs stand out for you? at that time, Carlwas still in good health, & vibrant as ever,was he not? from all I've heard, this IS the final concert fotage of a healthy "Carl. You were very Blessed tobe there. Wolfsky9

[griztone]

Wasn't there. But, there were some other videos from the same show posted....notably "Help Me Rhonda" and "I Can Hear Music". I thought the band as a whole was in fine form this particular evening.

[MrJoseph1157]

great.

[CDH41057]

Did Carl always do this song?

[nannieft]

I know of a couple others, one most memorable is the mostly instrumental version by Steve Hunter.

[jkfan2005]

Lead vocal on the record (1973) is by Blondie Chaplin.

[SadieRaleigh]

No. It was originally sung by Blondie Chaplin.

[kev5621]

Blondie Chaplin sang it originally

[BeachBoysGuy1]

No. After Blondie left ( who sang the original recording ), the group kept trying different lead singers for this, including Carl Wilson, Billy hinsche, Bobb figueroa, and others from the BB band. jhp Carl reigns supreme imo.

[alienhuman]

nice quality given your location ... thanks

[PawneeBill47]

One of the bad things about getting old. The music that defined my generation is only here on video and tape.

Summer days at Huntington Beach, nights at the Santa Monica Pier, girlfriend by my side.............it was awesome to be young.

[Wolfsky9]

This was always how I heard this song, Carl just rocking out, with Dennis backing him, and with all the guys.  We don't have DW here, but Carl does it the way it was always meant to be! Carl, you were the true Heart of The Beach Boys, and your music lives forever. Wolfsky9

[terminater1952]

Fabulous absolutely great,this song still sends shivers down me.

[Gulls101]

This was my first beach boys concert!!!! Thanks for posting this!

[Wolfsky9]

It is such a shame that you only saw Carl this one time; may I tell you, I saw the BB's 21 times from '64, to '97, and there was no one like Carl in concert. His total class, professionalism, and impeccable vocals, made the group who they were. He's missed more, as time goes by. Wolfsky9

[ascrodin]

The boys are rocking a lot harder here than they did in footage I've seem from '93/'94!

[selmer6player]

that's my good bud on percussion and vocals, John Cowsill, but this is brian's and van dyke's song. thanks for the post.

[EricGodClapton]

Carl Wilson...what a man..such a soulful voice..Pretty great performance, and he was less than two yrs from death..god bless.

[BeachBoysRarities]

It's a shame he died. His death robbed The Beach Boys of their greatest singer. I wish I wasn't so young, because then I would have been able to see them when Carl was still around.

[EnchantedVideo]

FINALLY!!! ... Sail on Sailor the way it SHOULD have been sung originally ... by Carl Wilson ... Awesome! Thanks for Posting ...

[hujjesb]

well said Carl rocks best,.

[gittahfiend]

it already WAS sung right the first time.terrance(blondie)chaplin OWNS this song!but I will say carl did a FINE job.

[jade0425]

carl was absolutely awesome! may he rest in peace.

[HabibTh]

brilliant vocal performance from Carl, he really had the soul to carry the tune.

[lbatabata123]

Carl WAS the Beach Boys in a lot of ways. A real, cool, genuine, easy going, spiritual, soulful guy. I wish I could have met him. I have a friend who did and said he was just so casual, just hanging out and talking and totally in the moment. No pretense. We were lucky to see him one last time in Mahwah, NJ. Blondie Chaplin made a surprise appearance. He walked up to Carl, gave him a hug and stood in for I think three songs. A nice way to see the real Beach Boys one last time.

[pamelapearl]

Oh my god!!!What can you say about The Beach Boys. If I was only able to take one record on a desert island it would be Wouldnt it be nice. What a song....What a group!!!

[mariana1996]

i freaking love this song!!

[hoovie70]

Denny Mitchell of the Ottawa Blue Grass Band used to sing backup with these guys and run naked up and down the streets of Port Clinton.

[hoovie70]

These guys were in Sandusky, Ohio back in 78...they were Fab.

[vdubmovieguy]

Wow, how did I miss this one?!!? Excellent! Thanks for posting!

[BeachGirlLaw]

Saw this amazing show...at Harborlights in Boston...

[ROCKSTARCRANE]

Absolutely amazing vocal from Carl who died not long after. God is he missed...

[nhjayfor]

I was at this concert in Boston with friends. Sail on Sailor was perhaps the finest of that evening. Carl Wilson (and the entire band) sounded excellent in this. Carl's passing is a huge loss. This was probably one of his final live performances. Thank you for posting this video. It is an excellent memorial of Carl for all of us.

[agendafilms]

Carl had so much character in his voice.

[friendly76]

This is probably the best of the few recordings of Carl doing Sail On Sailor that I have heard. Thanks!

[chandalyda]

This song sounds GREAT on my cheap lil speakers so I can imagine how it sounded live. Is that CARL? If so he also had a nice rich lower range than I thought. He was just starting to get lung cancer in 1996. How could he SING so GOOD? Carl was amazing.

[thebeachboys]

Thanks! Sail On Sailor is a great song, you've got more from this concert?