A Cork on the Ocean: Beach Boys and Wilson Brothers song-by-song

For me it's the fact that what he does is so unusual it really rewards the study. You saw a lot of those type of comments in the XTC thread as well for instance. Another group where there's a lot to learn from their achievements musically.

 

Be Here in the Mornin'

A minor songwriting effort fluffed up with lots of arrangement effects, this track was clearly fun to record and play around with—but none of it is meant to be taken seriously.

I find it bizarre to think that the incense line is meant to suggest that the smell of coitus with some prior lover must be concealed. You have quite an imagination, @Lance LaSalle! I also don't think the narrative voice is meant to be a woman, there is nothing to support that other than the delivery, which I would instead characterize as being deliberately "cute." The vocals on this LP side have been predominantly pitched on the high side already, and will continue to be elsewhere.

I had no idea the verse singer was Al—the versatility of these singers is extraordinary. I'll say it again: the whole track seems to be something thrown together, with considerable care, on a lark. It's a nice segue track, works perfectly here on the album between "Wake the World" and the birds-and-the-bees theme of the next song, but it's somewhat vaporous.

3/5

 

Be Here in the Mornin'

What's to say? It's another little gem, along the lines of bigger gem Friends and with a similar feel rhythmically and harmonically. Idiosyncratic, charming songwriting... check! Brilliant production full of nuance and detail... check! What more can a BB fan ask for? Okay, the vocals don't quite land with everyone (I honestly had no idea that was Al!) but I like 'em, they're funny and contribute to the sweet homey aspect of the song. The harmony lines themselves are inventive and work beautifully. And who can resist Dennis' sighs, especially the second time as they slide us into that pretty major 7th chord. An affinity with the previous album is hitting me more now going through these songs. This was a totally natural next step. Bring back the production!

I completely agree. I think it was a great idea to have the two waltzes so close to each other, the similarities help establish the unique identity of this LP from the get-go. However it was also wise to buffer them with a song in-between, and the thematic connection works well. In fact, I think this whole album is expertly sequenced. Quite possibly the strongest in that department so far, for my money.

4.5/5

With regards to "weird" chords that seem to throw some people off, I won't go into detail since @SMRobinson has done it so well. But no doubt for me personally part of the enjoyment of these chords comes from growing up in a post Kurt Cobain era. He had a particular knack for making even the most unusual chords sound normal (and even catchy!) which just shows how ahead of his time Brian was. To me most of these chords don't sound weird at all, because I'm used to them (30 years into the future). They just sound COOL. No kid in the 60s would have learned guitar to the chords of Lithium, for example, as so many kids I knew did, and I do think those kinds of experiences change our ears and musical expectations.

I've been playing Friends over and over for the last three days. The rising part, as far as I can tell, is D E G A Bb C D. It's almost a whole tone scale, with G and A being a half-step higher than they should be (but remaining a whole step away from each other). It's a bonkers progression that achieves that feeling of rising, but with much more tension and release than would happen just going up a major scale (or something). I only just clued in to the fact that the descending line at the end of the song uses exactly the same notes in reverse: D C Bb A G E D

Sorry a bit slow on the uptake with that, but it kinda blows my mind.

And to finish tidying up the loose ends in my head from yesterday:

What a great interpretation of that lovely musical moment! I'd never thought of it that way before.

 

Didn't see too many reference that lovely organ break, one of many great "peaceful and calm" moments on the album

 

Al could have sang that line in a robust more rounded tone had he chosen. Or could have sang it more traditionally romantically. Do it in his Johnny Mathis impression. Instead he is definitely 100% in my estimation imitating a woman.

The sentiment of the song also suits would be sex stereotypes that would have been typical in 1968. In other words the sentiment of the song is what the boys would have likely considered a woman's sentiment.

My two cents anyway for what it's worth!

 

I like to play those first 4 chords as 7ths.

I love that ending! These are fun songs to play because there's no time to think. The changes keep coming. You have to be alert. There's more going on in certain 2 minute BB songs than some bands can muster in a whole album side.

 

Be Here In The Morning

A personal favorite. I see the shortcomings of the lyrics but look the other way when the chorus comes in and cyborg Carl is riding with us down a rural country lane on a bicycle built for two.

5/5

 

Wake The World: 4/5
Be Here In The Morning: 4/5

I think Friends might be the best Beach Boys album for bass. Yes, it might even be ahead of Pet Sounds! You can't beat that rich, sultry tone. Both of these tracks just perfectly convey that cheerful, relaxing tone that the rest of the album does. There's something infectiously happy about the Wake the World chorus or Brian's high "ahh-ahh"'s in Be Here In The Morning.

Would it be safe to call this Brian's "domestic bliss" album? Every song just conveys this message of contentment. Settling down and starting a family. Instead of dance, dance, dancing we're taking all the time we need on a lovely night.

 

100%. I will defend you if anyone attacks you for this.

 

"Be Here in the Morning" is fine. I never skip it, it's nice, but I never get excited about it. I like the uke and the steel guitar, but it's not the waltz tempo that doesn't move me, it's more all the little production tricks (Leslie'd and sped up vocals) don't work for me and maybe it's the specific naming of Korthof, etc. that takes me out of the moment. 3.8/5

Paul Simon did live, and he sold Brazilian records in 1990.

 

Arranging is more or less part of the songwriting process so I don't always separate the two. This song is no more a minor effort than, say, Hey Jude, which takes three times as long to say even less.

 

Agreed. Great moment and reminds me of the break in Weezer’s Surf Wax America. And as was mentioned, I can’t hear either of them when I listen while driving due to bass masking, so it’s best enjoyed turned up and with no background noise in the way.

 

That song makes me happy.

 

A quiet album like this would be hard to listen to in the car, with all the road noise etc.

 

Getting up early, meditating, making babies, having friends over, avoiding unwanted calls, writing notes to absent pals, getting a rubdown, enjoying nature, keeping busy (sorta), skating on the roller rink, dreaming about a Hawaiian getaway -- just enjoying life. And when the big city eventually gets a little cacophonous and overwhelming, simply take a cleansing breath and repeat the process. So I'd say yes. No wonder it's Brian's favorite album.

 

A quotidian concept album. Celebration of the little daily events that make one's life full.

 

Unfortunately I get most of my listening done in the car these days. It’s good to have something to do during a long drive, so I make lists of which albums to go through and I get a lot in that way.

You’re right it’s not the greatest for many different types of music. Works great for Steppenwolf though!

But I also try to listen properly to an album side or two at least once a day, and succeed a good portion of the time.

 

Innocuous soft sounding tune that fits so well on the LP. For a laid back composition, it really is multi faceted in nature. The "...make my life FULL..." is, like someone else said, akin to the "Deep and wide" line that I love to hear. The Dennis flavored ending is another item that perfectly ushers one so comfortably out of the song with fading drum rolls. Exquisitely done and I cannot come up with anything to chip away from a 5/5 score!

 

I wonder where Bruce was in all of this. Given the number of tracks here with nearly all the band members credited, it's odd that he's not. I wonder if he was trying to put some distance between himself and the rest of the group for whatever reason. I know he's always been a bit weird about his place as a Beach Boy.

 

Parlophone released a greatest hits Beatles album in 1966. That's part of a normal record company pattern of doing what they do: selling records. Nothing cynical or shortsighted about selling records.

The bigger issue for The Beach Boys is that by 1967 they had decided that they weren't concerned with connecting with their fans. Nothing wrong with making artsy fartsy albums. People need to understand that making artsy fartsy albums might come with a price in terms of record companies selling music that people actually want to buy.

The Beach Boys had been self referential since the beginning on their cruisin' epic "Chug a Lug". That continued on "Cassius vs. Sonny", "Our Favorite Recording Sessions", and the live version of "Monster Mash".

BB did "Glass Onion" type stuff way before the moptops.

 

I often played Friends in the morning. A feel-good way to start the day with side one.
I wanted something to be here this morning. Sam Beam's new album. I got it! Clear
blue vinyl. I had Song Cycle by the time Friends came out, which I used to terrorize
my buddies with at listening parties, "You pick the white album again, I'm gonna
pick Van Dyke, next." Friends could do the same trick. I didn't understand why
friends didn't like either. Think having Song Cycle helped me enjoy Friends more.

Was a bit distracting reading all the posts about Brian's condition today, I must say.
Remember hearing something in 1969, I didn't focus on it until 1970 really. Guess
it came more to light when Brian was missing from 20/20. The press always looked
for answers that didn't matter to the music.

"Be Here In the Mornin'" is a beautiful gem that kept the feel coming, washing over
me with its positivity. Side one of this album blows me to a windswept hillside with
the one I love. I was listening to Laura Nyro's first two albums, Emitt Rhodes band
The Merry-Go-Round, and Traffic - "Paper Sun", Mr Fantasy, the Springfield.
I thought this song was just as much fun. 5/5.

 

Similar to the title track, I feel like I want to give "Be Here in the Morning" a 5 but it's not quite there. 4/5

Lots of discussion about the various elements that make this a cool song/recording - I agree! I do enjoy it very much, just not quite at the level of a few others on the album.

 

"Be Here in the ?": fun sexytime song. Lyle Ritz lays down the sick waltz funk. Crazy and wacky vocals from multiple different BB throughout the recording.

This is a bit "adult" for their target audience.

5/5

 

Be Here in the Mornin'

There's so much to like about this song. The ukulele immediately brings the Hawaii vibes, and the organ break around 1:26 is nice. Even Dennis's little moans seem perfect for the part. Lyrically it's not very strong, rhyming home with home right away, and the personalization of including "Korthoff, Parks, or Grillo" in a kind of diss (they can't call because you unplugged the phone). This is such a sweet album, though, and the atmosphere makes up for more than a few faults.

The album is 7 minutes old and we're already through four songs.

3.8/5

 

but the mops did it better...; )