RE-RECORDING THE PAST

In the summer of 1963, I was introduced to the Beach Boys by a fellow fraternity brother. I was instantly hooked. Throughout the 60’s, I bought every original studio album for that decade. I watched them rise to the top and then falter. My other favorite band was luckier. They were called the Beatles which is an integer in numerology. By the time, I went to see the Beach Boys, Brian was replaced by Bruce. That was the summer of 66.’  Further, any reference that by some iteration was connected to the suburbs was dated. That became the stigma attached to the Beach Boys. That night they were wearing matching yellow short shirts and did not look like the crowd. The warm up band was a local group and they suffered numerous indignities. The band came on with tiny amps and played for 45 minutes and left the stage.

So if you will, I want to rewrite history. Of course, you will not agree but that is the joy of sharing beautiful harmonies with fanatics. Further, the technology allows you to recreate some iconic songs that make the substance of the Beach Boys band’s concerts.

Surfin’ Safari and Surfin” USA were appropriate for their time. Fleetwood Mac would use the single “Farmer’s Daughter” for their finale.  Wanting to escape meant surfing in an area of southern California and two my fraternity brothers did just that. Surfer Girl and the switch to cars with Little Deuce Coupe brought listeners back to an A&W stand and the big drags out at Sorenson’s Dairy road.

To make an extra buck, Capitol released Shut Down vol.1. It had a few popular Beach Boys cuts along with others struggling to sound like the band including the likes of movie star Robert Mitchum. It bombed, but Volume 2 was a winner. All songs were by the band, unfortunately they put in a novelty cut called “Cassius Love vs. Sonny Wilson. That part of the album should be deleted. It really spoiled the ambience. That also applies to “All  Summer Long” “Our favorite Recording Sessions” was really inappropriate.

Now we are beginning to feel that the band was losing momentum. However, the Beach Boys Christmas album was just fine. The Beach Boys Today was sullied by “Bull Session with Big Daddy” Years later I found a re-issue of Summer Days and Summer Nights WITHOUT  “I’m bugged by my Old Man.)That was just fine.

Then came “Pet Sounds” now is the time to keep your soul from rage. “Sloop John B.” does not belong there but Capitol’s executives wanted a hit from them for the summer. I played the album so many times and here I was in grad. school and I should like by faculty standards jazz and/ or classical music. Or at least one should like British invasion. The war was on and two faculty members had a fist fight over the war.  Pet Sounds is about the arc of romantic love. Just like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Band was a story of the lost souls who gather together to help each other through the night.

Smiley Smile was so bad that I could only play the side without “She’s Going Bald.” For my website, I rewrote it to be “She’s Off the Wall.” I spent the next 50 years off and on trying to make it more commercial. By the time, the band was celebrating their 50 anniversary, I had this version. It was something like this INTRO: OUR PRAYER, HEROES AND VILLANS, GOOD VIBRATIONS INSTRUMENTAL./ ELEMENTS: COOL, COOL WATER, WIND CHIMES, ROLL PLYMOUTH ROCK, FALL BREAKS AND BACK TO WINTER, / CABIN ESSENCE/ FIRE( MRS. O’S LEARY’S COW)  HUMANKIND: WITH ME TONIGHT, WONDERFUL, LET’S GO AWAY FOR AWHILE/ OUTRO: GOOD VIBRATIONS (SINGLE) YOU’RE WELCOME.(finis)

That did it. Both the Beatles and Stones were on top. The Beach Boys were not. Their songs reflected the white suburbs and the peaceful part of the 50’s and 60’s.

I really liked Wild Honey. I worked in a poverty program and was an instructor at the local university. Wild Honey meant a lot to my Black Students.  It had Mike Love all over it. What a great album. Friends, Stack of Traxs and 20/20, I really enjoyed. I heard that 20/20 had a Manson song (he was a graduate of Boys Town, near where I lived) and when I was looking through the vinyl 20/20 was a Capitol series for many groups. They put a picture of Brian with an eye chart to dress this album in the series. Further, the band looked like what the students were wearing.

So there have been 30 studio albums, 8 live albums, 55 compilations, and 71 singles as of this date. Over 300 albums are now offered on Amazon. I nearly flew out of my seat when the last song in “American Graffiti” was All Sumer Long. That was followed by Endless Summer, Spirit of America and 15 Big Ones. In every decade something happens and the group endures. Surely, they are America’s band.

Prof. Joel Snell

Emeritus

Kirkwood College

Apple wood Hills

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

52402-3319

joelsnell@hotmail.com/