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It was 70 years ago today...
Topic Started: Jun 14 2012, 12:25 PM (355 Views)
May-Cee

... well, next week.

Macca is 70 on Mon and Brian Wilson on Weds.
Nice coincidence given their friendly rivalry in the 60s.

For what it's worth, methinks...

The Beatles by far the greater band.
But no one Beatles album as great as "Pet Sounds".
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becky sharp
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May-Cee
Jun 14 2012, 12:25 PM
But no one Beatles album as great as "Pet Sounds".
Can't agree with that,May-Cee.. :)
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rumbaba
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Me either. 'Pet sounds' is a producer's album. I'm more interested in great songs with heart and soul and good lyrics. It doesn't give me 'excitations', whatever they are :(
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May-Cee

Yes, it is brilliantly produced - but it's also packed with great songs with heart and soul and good lyrics.

If you leave aside "Sloop John B" (which Capitol stuck in the middle and which spoils the flow) "Pet Sounds" is the most extraordinary, beautiful organic suite of bittersweet songs ever recorded. (In that respect, only "Astral Weeks", for me, comes close.)

It's a more fluent, coherent statement than anything the Beatles managed.
Their direct response, "Sgt Pepper", isn't in the same league; and their best albums - "Rubber Soul", "Revolver", "Abbey Road" - are collections of great songs that don't quite make up the "whole" that "Pet Sounds" achieves.


"I keep looking for a place to fit
Where I can speak my mind
I've been trying hard to find the people
That I won't leave behind

They say I got brains
But they ain't doing me no good
I wish they could

Each time things start to happen again
I think I got something good goin' for myself
But what goes wrong

Sometimes I feel very sad
Sometimes I feel very sad
(Can't find nothing I can put my heart and soul into)
Sometimes I feel very sad
(Can't find nothing I can put my heart and soul into)

I guess I just wasn't made for these times..."
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Mobson
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<bubbly> Happy 70th Birthday to Sir Paul McCartney! <star> <magic>

Honoured by PETA UK, an animal charity who sent him a personal birthday greeting whilst Paul Weller paid tribute by releasing a new cover of The Beatles' 'Birthday' today to help celebrate the occasion. The Modfather has recorded a cover of the Fab Four's 1968 track, which served as the opening track on the second disc of 'The White Album'. All the proceeds go to War Child....

http://www.nme.com/news/paul-mccartney/64371
Edited by Mobson, Jun 18 2012, 02:09 PM.
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becky sharp
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May-Cee
Jun 18 2012, 11:07 AM
It's a more fluent, coherent statement than anything the Beatles managed.

Not in my opinion but hey as is often said the world would be a dull place if we all thought the same.



I join Mobs in wishing Macca a happy 70th birthday....... <bubbly> <magic> <pres> <magic>

He is a complete and utter twinklestar ..and I hope he is having a lovely day
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rumbaba
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I agree about 'Astral Weeks' May-Cee. It seemed to come from nowhere and was so different to the 'Them' stuff Van was doing before. It still gives me tingles.
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caissier
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Yes Paul McCartney's beem through a lot but keeps going; he seems very resilient. Maybe that's why he succeeeded in the early days along with the rest of Fab Four. He comes over as an unshowy good bloke.

Favourite Paul song ???? Hmm .....

(Songs ... ! )

I'll Follow The Sun - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq7DGPYzAvg

I Will - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8muJIOznsg

Here There and Everywhere - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcTQC_vhwT4

(God, what joy they gave ... )
Edited by caissier, Jun 18 2012, 05:41 PM.
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May-Cee

To mark Brian's 70th, a few trivia bits'n'bobs about The Greatest Pop / Rock Album Ever Made.

(Becky and me are never gonna agree on this one; fair enough!
But my first witnesses for the Defence are... Sir Paul McCartney and Sir George Martin...)

Anyways...

Minutes after the cover photos were taken, they were chucked out of the petting zoo for causing a "disturbance".

"God Only Knows" is - it's said - the first time "God" was used in the title of a pop song.

"Let's Go Away For Awhile" (sic) wasn't meant to be an instrumental; Capitol grabbed the tapes before the vocals were recorded.

"Caroline No" was released as a single but - oddly - credited to Brian Wilson rather than The Beach Boys.

"I Know There's An Answer" was originally called "Hang On To Your Ego".
It can still be heard in that version on the 4-CD set that makes up the complete "Pet Sounds" experience.

Yep, four CDs; but it's worth it!

(Not really!
I love it to bits; but I think I'll stick to the "Pet Sounds" I already know and love.)
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becky sharp
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May-Cee
Jun 20 2012, 10:51 AM
(Becky and me are never gonna agree on this one; fair enough)
<ok>

Happy 70th to Brian... <bubbly>
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Mobson
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<ok> <bubbly> Ditto - glad he made it! <happy>
Edited by Mobson, Jun 20 2012, 11:33 AM.
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chris crossing
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Without Jan and Dean, The Beach Boys would have been nothing at all, and they originally introduced the Wilson brothers to the idea of proper studio recording using session musicians.

Now Astral Weeks was the first flowering of the fresh, creative genius of Van the Man. <magic>

Sir Paul was always way too sugary for my taste, but combined with Lennon's bitter, incisive wit and an added dash of rock 'n roll... <star>

But here's to all survivors <bubbly>


Edited by chris crossing, Jun 27 2012, 09:14 AM.
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rumbaba
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Nothing comes from nothing and you can always argue about where something originated. People learn and pick up ideas from other people and it's the way those influences, ideas and techniques are combined to produce an end result that matter.
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chris crossing
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Of course!
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becky sharp
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chris crossing
Jun 27 2012, 09:12 AM
Jan and Dean,


Love this one of theirs....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfG4s50faZ8
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waiting4atickle
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May-Cee
Jun 20 2012, 10:51 AM
"God Only Knows" is - it's said - the first time "God" was used in the title of a pop song.

I suppose it depends on what you mean by a 'pop song'. Dylan's "With God On Our Side", appeared on his 1964 album, The Times They Are A-Changin' and was first performed in 1963, so it pre-dates "God Only Knows" by 2 or 3 years.


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rumbaba
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There are loads of early Memphis soul tracks with 'good God y'awl' exclamations.
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Caro

I'm sure With God on our Side is a pop song. I am less certain about NZ's national anthem which is God Defend New Zealand. I don't suppose that's a pop song. Not a hymn, though, or operatic, and a lot older than 1964. (I'm sure you need the Oxford comma after 'operatic' here.)
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May-Cee

To qualify...
I guess what I really meant was "mainstream pop single".

Here's Brian in the (March '90) sleevenotes:

"Just before we did "God Only Knows", Carl and I had prayer sessions asking the Lord for guidance and maximum love vibes for this crucial single. It was the first time that anyone ever used the word "God" in a commercial song... at least this is what we were told."

All accounts say that Capitol were genuinely nervous about this; which is, almost certainly, why it was only the B-side of "Wouldn't It Be Nice".

The sleevenotes state, rather confusingly:

"A-Side Charted 8/13/66 Reached #8
B-Side Charted 8/13/66 Reached #39"

So I assume that airplay, as well as actual sales, was a factor in deciding chart positions.
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rumbaba
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It's double B -sides you have to watch out for :)
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