SURF'S UP ( BRIAN WILSON VAN DYKE PARKS BEACH BOYS COVER ) 02.06.11

Purchase music on iTunes by The Beach Boys: http://bit.ly/m3aUjs and Brian Wilson: http://bit.ly/m5bKxJ

I wasn't planning to do another Beach Boys cover so quickly after interpreting the Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jacobson chestnut, Forever, but I got into a wonderful online chat with another uber-fan about the music of Brian Wilson recently, specifically Wilson's work with Van Dyke Parks, and I decided to give this one a go. It's not like I haven't been playing it for myself at home for about two decades.

Another impetus to capture a live take of this great song was that my friend and musical collaborator, violinist Alex Cheung was over on a Saturday night, and was willing to help take me through recording it with more than just a cheap mono camera, which I've been using for the past two years. This song deserves better treatment than that. (Well, all the songs I cover do, but...)

Much has been written about the Beach Boys SMiLE period (Alex is in the background in this clip, reading the first edition of Dominic Priore's LOOK! LISTEN! VIBRATE! SMILE!), and I can safely say I've read most books, magazine articles, and critical analysis on the subject, the period, the music, and Brian's subsequent triumphant completion of the project in 2004, 37 years after the music was first conceptualized.

I don't have much to add to what has been written, other than to say that the song Surf's Up is Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks' masterpiece. The chord progressions, the ornate words, the baroque atmosphere the combination creates, and the resonant mood the piece generates is a wondrous gift to music lovers. The song will be around forever. It's as good as anything Bach composed. Seriously. I hope I do it some justice as a fan.

I was lucky enough to see Brian Wilson play live six times. I even got my Pet Sounds box set book signed by him, and won a signed Imagination book in 1998 through the Entertainment Tonight website. I was fortunate enough to also meet Van Dyke Parks last year, in 2010, when he toured through Toronto with Clare and the Reasons. I was so intimidated by him I sounded like a fool. We talked about how great Harry Nilsson was.

Rest assured, the music of Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks changed my life.

For more of my ramblings, follow me on Twitter!
http://www.twitter.com/michaelthorner

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[goldenoakretriever]

Great job dude!

[michaelthorner]

@goldenoakretriever Thank you!

[rjpg]

wow, you even have the guy reading Priore's book. Cool cover of the song!

[michaelthorner]

@rjpg lol yeah, Alex Cheung @alexfiddle on Twitter who was reading the Dominic Priore book in the background also helped me set the mic and piano levels. Big thanks to him for that.

[michaelthorner]

@rjpg And thank you for checking out my clip! I've always thought this song might be Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Park's greatest song.

[kennyg03]

Incredible cover ! It's so awesome that now you could officially enjoy the actual SMiLE album now as well !

[michaelthorner]

@kennyg03 Thank you! Yes, it's great that it's finally out officially. I'm saving up to buy the box set, as I don't think the 2-disc version would satisfy me, after all these years of waiting. :-)

[kennyg03]

@michaelthorner Exactly what I did. It's worth every penny. As fun as the bootlegs were, it's about time for the real thing. Hope you enjoy the album Michael and as always great music !

[dmorris395]

great performance

I'm a novice piano player who is trying to find the chords to this song. If you could point me in the right direction, I would be grateful

Once again, fantastic

[CeeRoyJenkins]

Would you happen to have the chords/sheet music to this piece? I would love to learn it!