I think Surf's Up may to be the most interesting song I have ever heard.It evokes so many thoughts and visions and in addition telling a quite complex story.
Mike Love has done really well in life from the alternative new music Brian and Parks were creating. I've always struggled with the Beach Boys once Brian wasn't part of the band. Sure he came back later but he really was too good to be in that band. So happy to see him as Brian Wilson with a hand selected band that understood the musical legacy.
SIR ----------As a lifetime fan from the beginning, 1962, I saw The Boys in concert, a total of 27 times, between August of '65, to November of '97. For me, after Carl died, I just could not bring myself to see them in concert, ever again. Carl Wilson was to me, the heart of the group, & when he was gone, they were never, ever, the same. -------------NOW-----As to " Surf's Up " . This is of course, my opinion, but one I believe to this day, does still hold up to the closest scrutiny : back in late '66, had BW put aside his growing jealousy of his youngest brother----------had he just allowed Carl to perform " Surf's Up " on lead----had he put his best effort into the production of this gorgeous piece of music, & then, released the song as a single in early January of '67, I am 1000% certain it would have b gone platinum multiple times & stunned the music world.. it is almost too sad for words, knowing the golden opportunity The Beach Boys had right in front of them, only to see it unrealized, because BW & Carl , who had never been close, fell out completely from each other because oldest brother became insanely jealous of younger brother, & in his drug filled paranoia, refused to even entertain the idea of Carl doing the lead., even though Carl's voice & falsetto fits the song perfectly, & is, quite honestly, so much easier on the ears. It goes along with BW's fear of Al Jardine & his vocal range, that kept Al from taking the lead on " You Still Believe In Me " , or even going back 2 years, from releasing " Then I Kissed Her " as a single, even though it was far superior to " The Little Girl I Once Knew " . And yes, Capitol could do whatever they wanted with the music, but had BW pushed hard , " Then I Kissed Her " would also, have been a monster hit, with Al on lead, just like " Help Me Rhonda " : truly., one of the weakest songs in the entire BB's catalogue. But I digress. --------Not releasing " Surf's up", with Carl on lead in very early '67, was, IMO, THE #1 missed opportunity of all-time in the musical history of The Beach Boys. And, bottom line, it is just a damn shame, because it would have made it abundantly clear to anyone with ears to hear, that : 1. BW was a for-real genius 2. Carl Wilson had THE voice of voices in the group 3. They had the courage to take music in directions here to for never explored. ------4. They were THE #1 band on planet earth in 1967. Sadly, none of that came to pass in early '67, & we are all left to pine over what might have------could have-----should have been realized. A shame. -------MJL, 78 y/o
Very NICE work explaining all about the gorgeous song “SURF’S UP” ⬆️ by The Beach Boys. I appreciate the interview with both Van Dyke Parks and Reilly. You’ve pieced this all together well. Thank you 🙏.
First time I heard this song I was playing with Hot Wheels at my friend's house. I stopped playing with cars and just stared at the speaker. Very moving song.
One of the terms on the new 1970 Warner Reprise contract was that Brian had a certain % of involvement and that Smile would be released. If I'm not mistaken, they lost $50 or 60 grand (that's worth close to $500k in today's money) when they never released Smile during the Reprise years. The Smile legend was still very fresh in 1971. One of the biggest reasons their career fell like a rock after not releasing Smile, and also not playing Monterrey, was because of the buildup for Smile in the press releases, popular music mags, the documentary, and word of mouth. I've heard and read in numerous places since the late 60s how that documentary set the tone of what the youth of 1967 were expecting to hear from the band, and then the announcement that all that great music was shelved, even a release that it had been destroyed, had fans abandoning them in droves, "has beens", "yesterday's news", your father's band", "squares". Of course, as pieces emerged like Wonderful, Cabin Essence, Cool Cool Water, and Surf's Up, you realized it wasn't destroyed, and how beautiful it all was. This all coming from the mind of a 24 year old. It was discovering the Holy Grail when I heard my first boot of the album in 1990. Then the news came in 2004 that Brian is completing Smile! Brian Wilson Presents Smile is great, but when the 2011 box set of the original album sessions came out, there's never been anything like it. You really realize how much Brian had done for it, and how maybe with another month, he'd have worked it down to a double sided LP. Of course, there's also the quote from Brian that when he heard Strawberry Fields Forever while driving, he pulled over because he felt the Beatles had done what he wanted to do, they beat him to the punch. It still remains the biggest "What if" in rock & roll history had it been released either by Dec '66 as was originally announced or into June '67, as it kept being delayed.
Way back in the early 90's, I was around 13-14 yrs old, and heard this song - became mesmerized and hooked. You couldn't pull me away from the group after that, and then the first reissues on CD and cassette came from the Brother Records catalog. A treasure trove of amazing tunes! Surf's Up was my first CD. Oh, and that Moog overdub... totally adds to the complexity and thickness of the bassline, and you can see Darian Sahanaja performing it with a Model D (various parts) in The Fendertones' amazing cover (3:48): ua-cam.com/video/PKx6t8T9iwY/v-deo.html
I'VE SAID IT BEFORE & I STATE IT AGAIN HERE : HAD BW DONE THE RIGHT THING-----------WHAT HE KNEW WAS THE RIGHT THING----------AND JUST LET CARL TAKE THE SONG & THE CODA , RECORD THEM TOGETHER WITH HIS VOICE , WHICH IS BETTER THAN BW'S VOICE FOR THE SONG-------HAD THAT BEEN DONE & RELEASED IN EARLY JANUARY OF '67, BEFORE " STRAWBERRY FIELDS " --------HAD " SURF'S UP ", WITH CARL ON LEAD, BEEN RELEASED 1ST, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO BIG--------EVEN LENNON / MCCARTNEY WOULD HAVE RAISED THE WHITE FLAG OF SURRENDER ! THE SONG WOULD HAVE GONE QUAD-PLATINUM ALL OVER THE WORLD. BUT SADLY, BRIAN & CARL, NEVER CLOSE, GREW EVER MORE DISTANT, WITH BRIAN BECOMING JEALOUS & PARANOID ABOUT BABY BROTHER'S ASCENDANT SUCCESS. AND SO, HE NIXED THE IDEA OF A CARL WILSON LEAD RELEASED AS A SINGLE ON " SURF'S UP " ; WHAT A TERRIBLE MISTAKE ! WHAT A LONG-TERM DISASTROUS MISTAKE ! ------------------MJL, 78 Y/O
@michaellazzeri2069 No, it wouldn’t have been a smash “quad platinum” it just wasn’t that accessible overall and a bit too morose..and I love love love this song. But no that is some revisionist fantasistic thinking if this, then that no it just wasn’t a song that would have got airplay beyond deep fm night shows
Maybe I’m just biased, but I really don’t like the version with Carl singing. If Brian wanted him to sing it he would’ve in 67, but he didn’t. Brian’s voice just had more power and weight to it. I like carls voice, but he butchered it imo.
Surf’s Up is definitely an acquired taste…. It ranks right up there with John Cage’s “masterpieces” like 4’33” or some of the “music” that Zappa put out… I think that Mike Love definitely lacked the vision to appreciate Brian’s genius, but in this case he was spot on. Not a Beach Boys song. Not a rock song. Maybe something more akin to the experimental jazz of the 1960s… that ended up killing jazz. Totally inaccessible to the overwhelming majority of listeners.
Whoever the narrator is on this makes several errors in pronunciation and inflection . . . which leads one to believe that he really in not familiar with the subject matter.
I think Surf's Up may to be the most interesting song I have ever heard.It evokes so many thoughts and visions and in addition telling a quite complex story.
Another story of Carl believing in Brian and showing his own brilliance, and Mike’s limited vision that was a recurring theme. Great job!
Yes I agree
Mike Love has done really well in life from the alternative new music Brian and Parks were creating. I've always struggled with the Beach Boys once Brian wasn't part of the band. Sure he came back later but he really was too good to be in that band. So happy to see him as Brian Wilson with a hand selected band that understood the musical legacy.
Comprehensive and simply fantastic of a video for an equally fantastic song.
SIR ----------As a lifetime fan from the beginning, 1962, I saw The Boys in concert, a total of 27 times, between August of '65, to November of '97. For me, after Carl died, I just could not bring myself to see them in concert, ever again. Carl Wilson was to me, the heart of the group, & when he was gone, they were never, ever, the same. -------------NOW-----As to " Surf's Up " . This is of course, my opinion, but one I believe to this day, does still hold up to the closest scrutiny : back in late '66, had BW put aside his growing jealousy of his youngest brother----------had he just allowed Carl to perform " Surf's Up " on lead----had he put his best effort into the production of this gorgeous piece of music, & then, released the song as a single in early January of '67, I am 1000% certain it would have b gone platinum multiple times & stunned the music world.. it is almost too sad for words, knowing the golden opportunity The Beach Boys had right in front of them, only to see it unrealized, because BW & Carl , who had never been close, fell out completely from each other because oldest brother became insanely jealous of younger brother, & in his drug filled paranoia, refused to even entertain the idea of Carl doing the lead., even though Carl's voice & falsetto fits the song perfectly, & is, quite honestly, so much easier on the ears. It goes along with BW's fear of Al Jardine & his vocal range, that kept Al from taking the lead on " You Still Believe In Me " , or even going back 2 years, from releasing " Then I Kissed Her " as a single, even though it was far superior to " The Little Girl I Once Knew " . And yes, Capitol could do whatever they wanted with the music, but had BW pushed hard , " Then I Kissed Her " would also, have been a monster hit, with Al on lead, just like " Help Me Rhonda " : truly., one of the weakest songs in the entire BB's catalogue. But I digress. --------Not releasing " Surf's up", with Carl on lead in very early '67, was, IMO, THE #1 missed opportunity of all-time in the musical history of The Beach Boys. And, bottom line, it is just a damn shame, because it would have made it abundantly clear to anyone with ears to hear, that : 1. BW was a for-real genius 2. Carl Wilson had THE voice of voices in the group 3. They had the courage to take music in directions here to for never explored. ------4. They were THE #1 band on planet earth in 1967. Sadly, none of that came to pass in early '67, & we are all left to pine over what might have------could have-----should have been realized. A shame. -------MJL, 78 y/o
Good insight. I hope you're able to stick around for the Love You box set in 3 years.
Write on! Can the overdubs with Carl be found anywhere? Would love to hear them!😊❤
Very NICE work explaining all about the gorgeous song “SURF’S UP” ⬆️ by The Beach Boys. I appreciate the interview with both Van Dyke Parks and Reilly. You’ve pieced this all together well. Thank you 🙏.
First time I heard this song I was playing with Hot Wheels at my friend's house. I stopped playing with cars and just stared at the speaker. Very moving song.
Excellent video, keep up the good work!
Wow. what a channel. Glad i found this
💯🔥
Mike Love doing the chicken dance towards the end of this video.
A song of what ifs when it was being figured out then it became a part of the album of the name in 1971 fully finished.
Who is oppenheim ?
He wasn't the narrator of Inside Pop. That was Bernstein. Nice video.
One of the terms on the new 1970 Warner Reprise contract was that Brian had a certain % of involvement and that Smile would be released. If I'm not mistaken, they lost $50 or 60 grand (that's worth close to $500k in today's money) when they never released Smile during the Reprise years. The Smile legend was still very fresh in 1971. One of the biggest reasons their career fell like a rock after not releasing Smile, and also not playing Monterrey, was because of the buildup for Smile in the press releases, popular music mags, the documentary, and word of mouth. I've heard and read in numerous places since the late 60s how that documentary set the tone of what the youth of 1967 were expecting to hear from the band, and then the announcement that all that great music was shelved, even a release that it had been destroyed, had fans abandoning them in droves, "has beens", "yesterday's news", your father's band", "squares". Of course, as pieces emerged like Wonderful, Cabin Essence, Cool Cool Water, and Surf's Up, you realized it wasn't destroyed, and how beautiful it all was. This all coming from the mind of a 24 year old. It was discovering the Holy Grail when I heard my first boot of the album in 1990. Then the news came in 2004 that Brian is completing Smile! Brian Wilson Presents Smile is great, but when the 2011 box set of the original album sessions came out, there's never been anything like it. You really realize how much Brian had done for it, and how maybe with another month, he'd have worked it down to a double sided LP. Of course, there's also the quote from Brian that when he heard Strawberry Fields Forever while driving, he pulled over because he felt the Beatles had done what he wanted to do, they beat him to the punch. It still remains the biggest "What if" in rock & roll history had it been released either by Dec '66 as was originally announced or into June '67, as it kept being delayed.
Nice.
Thank you for your insights, friend!
Way back in the early 90's, I was around 13-14 yrs old, and heard this song - became mesmerized and hooked. You couldn't pull me away from the group after that, and then the first reissues on CD and cassette came from the Brother Records catalog. A treasure trove of amazing tunes! Surf's Up was my first CD. Oh, and that Moog overdub... totally adds to the complexity and thickness of the bassline, and you can see Darian Sahanaja performing it with a Model D (various parts) in The Fendertones' amazing cover (3:48): ua-cam.com/video/PKx6t8T9iwY/v-deo.html
I'VE SAID IT BEFORE & I STATE IT AGAIN HERE : HAD BW DONE THE RIGHT THING-----------WHAT HE KNEW WAS THE RIGHT THING----------AND JUST LET CARL TAKE THE SONG & THE CODA , RECORD THEM TOGETHER WITH HIS VOICE , WHICH IS BETTER THAN BW'S VOICE FOR THE SONG-------HAD THAT BEEN DONE & RELEASED IN EARLY JANUARY OF '67, BEFORE " STRAWBERRY FIELDS " --------HAD " SURF'S UP ", WITH CARL ON LEAD, BEEN RELEASED 1ST, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO BIG--------EVEN LENNON / MCCARTNEY WOULD HAVE RAISED THE WHITE FLAG OF SURRENDER ! THE SONG WOULD HAVE GONE QUAD-PLATINUM ALL OVER THE WORLD. BUT SADLY, BRIAN & CARL, NEVER CLOSE, GREW EVER MORE DISTANT, WITH BRIAN BECOMING JEALOUS & PARANOID ABOUT BABY BROTHER'S ASCENDANT SUCCESS. AND SO, HE NIXED THE IDEA OF A CARL WILSON LEAD RELEASED AS A SINGLE ON " SURF'S UP " ; WHAT A TERRIBLE MISTAKE ! WHAT A LONG-TERM DISASTROUS MISTAKE ! ------------------MJL, 78 Y/O
@michaellazzeri2069 No, it wouldn’t have been a smash “quad platinum” it just wasn’t that accessible overall and a bit too morose..and I love love love this song. But no that is some revisionist fantasistic thinking if this, then that no it just wasn’t a song that would have got airplay beyond deep fm night shows
Maybe I’m just biased, but I really don’t like the version with Carl singing. If Brian wanted him to sing it he would’ve in 67, but he didn’t. Brian’s voice just had more power and weight to it. I like carls voice, but he butchered it imo.
I like Carl's vocal on everything except the "columnated ruins domino" falsettos. I think Brian's voice just works better for that.
@ true. The way Carl hit them sounds so wimpy
Surf’s Up is definitely an acquired taste…. It ranks right up there with John Cage’s “masterpieces” like 4’33” or some of the “music” that Zappa put out…
I think that Mike Love definitely lacked the vision to appreciate Brian’s genius, but in this case he was spot on. Not a Beach Boys song. Not a rock song. Maybe something more akin to the experimental jazz of the 1960s… that ended up killing jazz. Totally inaccessible to the overwhelming majority of listeners.
Whoever the narrator is on this makes several errors in pronunciation and inflection . . . which leads one to believe that he really in not familiar with the subject matter.
It's AI