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Post by E on May 31, 2022 2:41:19 GMT -5
Right-well as we said earlier-people embellish stories over the years in the telling-making them funnier or more dramatic or making them look better but Johnny Cash giving an interview to a journalist was not under oath to tell only the truth Johnny the Cherokee, for example.
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Post by Jim on Jun 5, 2022 0:20:40 GMT -5
The only recordings we know for certain were done in 1973 were three demos Brian cut in November for an outside artist. Oh, and his vocal for "Don't You Just Know It" if you wanna count that. The BB's backing vocals for "Wishing You Were Here" were done in November too. Three demos Brian cut in November for an outside artist? Whaazat? Never heard a thing about this, what are the titles? Do the records still exist? About "Don't You Just Know It," I'm pretty sure Brian's vocals for that song were actually recorded in 1970, with Jan Berry's parts being added in 1973, which was followed by the record getting released. The version of Ding Dang released on Love You was recorded in June 1974. There is no alternate version, unless you count the version Brian cut in 1975 for California Music. Brian later decided to revamp it as Rollin' Up to Heaven, then again as Clangin' (which is slightly different, as it uses the Shortenin' Bread/Pied Piper riff instead), before returning back to the original recording for Love You. Apparently, Brian originally wanted Annette Funicello to sing lead on Ding Dang. So it's finally been nailed down when "Ding Dang" was recorded? I remember Andrew's site listing it as a vague 1973 (?) date if I remember correctly. I've always found it odd how it was never quite established where the Love You version of this song came from. I've also seen the California Music session for "Ding Dang" listed before on Andrew's site. Anybody know how far that recording got? Also, isn't the official title for "Rollin' Up to Heaven" actually "Brian's Tune"?
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Post by Mopp on Jun 5, 2022 10:09:41 GMT -5
Also, isn't the official title for "Rollin' Up to Heaven" actually "Brian's Tune"? I think there's an issue of NME from 75 where Carl explicitly refers to a version of Ding Dang called "Rolling Up To Heaven". Given the context of it, mentioned next to Good Timing and California Feeling, I'd assume that it refers to good ol' Dirty Ding Dang.
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Post by AGD on Jun 5, 2022 10:17:57 GMT -5
That's from the legendary Nick Kent three partner of summer 1975. The single article that turned me on to Brian and the band.
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sloopjohnb
Historian / Researcher
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Post by sloopjohnb on Jun 5, 2022 15:02:00 GMT -5
Rollin' Up to Heaven is the final title as confirmed by Carl in that article, although "Brian's Tune" and "Ding Dang" were both titles written on the tape, as it wasn't titled by the time of recording.
The California Music recording of Ding Dang was essentially finished - a backing track with lots of overdubs, plus a full Brian lead with lots of alternate lyrics. "Brian Wilson doing a Mick Jagger imitation" is how it's been described to me
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Post by Jim on Jun 7, 2022 22:43:51 GMT -5
I wanna know about these 1973 Brian demos for an outside artist. Sounds very odd that in this era where new Brian Wilson tunes had slowed to almost a trickle, that he would be demoing new material for someone who wasn't The Beach Boys. Is it possible that these were the quote-unquote " Friends re-recordings"? The California Music recording of Ding Dang was essentially finished - a backing track with lots of overdubs, plus a full Brian lead with lots of alternate lyrics. "Brian Wilson doing a Mick Jagger imitation" is how it's been described to me Well shoot. California Music version of "Ding Dang"? Ain't that something. I knew it had been listed on Andrew's site but I figured at best maybe it was a piano run-through or something. Very surprised that it's a full production. Looking forward to hearing that one in a few years. There is still a lot of interesting stuff left in the Brian Wilson / Beach Boys vault.
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Post by WillJC on Jun 8, 2022 6:38:46 GMT -5
I wanna know about these 1973 Brian demos for an outside artist. Sounds very odd that in this era where new Brian Wilson tunes had slowed to almost a trickle, that he would be demoing new material for someone who wasn't The Beach Boys. Is it possible that these were the quote-unquote " Friends re-recordings"? All that's known is the artist was 'Dave/Dan' (Kessel Brothers?), and Brian's listed as the client. Three simple tracks are indicated with piano, sax, and some other things. I'd say very unlikely to be the Friends reworkings - those were a songwriting exercise for Irving Almo to encourage some cover versions in '71/'72, not a recording project.
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Post by gamemisconduct on Jul 19, 2023 17:43:15 GMT -5
"Spark In The Dark" bears no relation to "Funky Pretty" whatsoever. Spark is a placeholder title and probably a reference to the Low spark of high heeled boys, which came out in November 71. Two months later Spark in the dark would be recorded, and ten days after, Mess of Help would be recorded which, aside from being essentially the same song, also contains a reference to a spark. Conjecture? Sure. Also Brian seemed to be really obsessed with Gimme Some Lovin in this era. Was Spencer Davis at that session? I forget. So…probably not wrong. But short of Brian saying it himself, this is probably the simplest explanation of the songs, and I think everything I’ve said here is missed (pitch shift Spark, crossfade into the ending of mess and help. It’s the same thing, just without a bridge, and with more emphasis on the theme). There are further likely intersections of this and what’s public, but I find it very curious none of this is noticed by Beach Boys historians.
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sloopjohnb
Historian / Researcher
Posts: 252
Likes: 401
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Post by sloopjohnb on Jul 19, 2023 18:55:31 GMT -5
"Spark In The Dark" bears no relation to "Funky Pretty" whatsoever. Spark is a placeholder title and probably a reference to the Low spark of high heeled boys, which came out in November 71. Two months later Spark in the dark would be recorded, and ten days after, Mess of Help would be recorded which, aside from being essentially the same song, also contains a reference to a spark. Conjecture? Sure. Also Brian seemed to be really obsessed with Gimme Some Lovin in this era. Was Spencer Davis at that session? I forget. So…probably not wrong. But short of Brian saying it himself, this is probably the simplest explanation of the songs, and I think everything I’ve said here is missed (pitch shift Spark, crossfade into the ending of mess and help. It’s the same thing, just without a bridge, and with more emphasis on the theme). There are further likely intersections of this and what’s public, but I find it very curious none of this is noticed by Beach Boys historians. Your analysis here is off - Spark and Mess of Help are two entirely different songs. "Spark in the Dark" was also the true title of the song, and not a "placeholder". It had lyrics when Brian would play it to friends at home.
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Post by #JusticeForDonGoldberg on Jul 22, 2023 7:08:03 GMT -5
It also has lyrics if you listen close enough, Brian kind of mumbles them off microphone. “Used to be a ——- in the ——-, now I’m just a spark in your heart” Or something weird like that, I can't really tell. Chain reaction is better though
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Post by jk on Jul 22, 2023 7:20:46 GMT -5
It's handy to have it around for ready reference. Love that organ sound...
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Post by Mopp on Jul 22, 2023 7:53:18 GMT -5
I love the contrast between how Spark has been described and what we've heard. Those who heard Brian play it describe it as a deeply emotional, personal song. Once it's released we see a bizarre stacking of instruments by a man who seems to have forgotten what a metronome is. It's hard to imagine such lyrics over the whole thing. Perhaps Brian junked it because he was unhappy with the performance.
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Post by ironhorseapples on Jul 22, 2023 10:05:26 GMT -5
I love the contrast between how Spark has been described and what we've heard. Those who heard Brian play it describe it as a deeply emotional, personal song. Once it's released we see a bizarre stacking of instruments by a man who seems to have forgotten what a metronome is. It's hard to imagine such lyrics over the whole thing. Perhaps Brian junked it because he was unhappy with the performance. I wouldn't call tack piano, organ and marimba bizarre. These are normal pads for Brian. Pet Sounds and Smile were built around these instruments. The timing issues would have been less noticeable once other instruments were added. There are always a lot of micro tempo changes in Brian's playing, as he plays by feel. I always found his music to have sublime timing. To paraphrase what he once said to Chuck, upon Chuck questioning an arrangement. 'Just wait until we overdub, then it'll all make sense'. Suffice to say, Chuck never questioned him again.
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Post by jk on Jul 22, 2023 10:39:22 GMT -5
I love the contrast between how Spark has been described and what we've heard. Those who heard Brian play it describe it as a deeply emotional, personal song. Once it's released we see a bizarre stacking of instruments by a man who seems to have forgotten what a metronome is. It's hard to imagine such lyrics over the whole thing. Perhaps Brian junked it because he was unhappy with the performance. I wouldn't call tack piano, organ and marimba bizarre. These are normal pads for Brian. Pets Sounds and Smile were built around these instruments. The timing issues would have been less noticeable once other instruments were added. There always a lot of micro tempo changes in Brian's playing, as he plays by feel. I always found his music to have sublime timing. To paraphrase what he once said to Chuck, upon Chuck questioning an arrangement. 'Just wait until we overdub, then it'll all make sense'. Suffice to say, Chuck never questioned him again. Them's the words, IHA.
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