The Beatles vs The Beach Boys

Surell · 07-08-2013, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Larehip

The problem with the Beach Boys is that the vast majority of the time, they are not playing on the studio tracks, it's all session musicians--Carol Kaye, Rikki Fataar, Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, Earl Palmer, Hal Blaine. Did you know that there are virtually no Beach Boys on "Sail On Sailor"? I've always liked the song but it really isn't the Beach Boys not even the singers. The Beatles, otoh, always played their own instruments although they had guest and studio musicians help out. I've always respected the DIY approach.

I think the Beach Boys have been more revered for their songwriting, and the sound that Brian Wilson achieved working with such revered musicians. The music wouldn't have been made without his vision. But you are right, on Pet Sounds, instrumentall speaking just about no Beach Boy are behind it, except for Brian on piano or organ a couple of times and maybe one other instance.

CrazyVegn · 07-08-2013, 06:50 PM

How come nobody believes me Charles Manson was one of the Beach Boys? I tell ppl that and they're like Nuh Uh.
Beach Boys got my vote even tho I don't necessarily like either one.

Surell · 07-08-2013, 07:36 PM

Hehe, well i don't think it was official or anything, he was kinda close to Dennis, but I think it was kind of out of his hands, or he felt threatened. He was a co writer on "Never Learn Not to Love" though, that's for sure.

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 07-09-2013, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nirishan

Okay, after listening to Today! Summer Days, and Pet Sounds. I've realized I tend to defend whichever artist I most recently REALLY listened to. Sooo. I'd have to say a tie. Maybe. Depends. Damn, they're both so good, why must we compare them?!

Hope you've gone through my "comparable songs" comparisons in this thread (see link in my sig). It's probably a pretty good way to compare the two bands. I think you're now going through what I went through early last year when I picked up Smile and really got hooked. Since then I've been like, "Why the f*ck did I never pay attention to this band before?"

In fact, my father is visiting me the past few days and I played Your Summer Dream and Warmth of the Sun for both of them today, and neither of them had heard either song before, and they too were very impressed. Keep in mind these are folks in their 60's and 80's!

Farewell · 07-09-2013, 01:47 AM

The Bard (Bob Dylan) on Brian Wilson:

Quote:

". . .the perfect blend of teen consciousness and musical innovation. That ear! Jesus, he’s got to will that to the Smithsonian."

Personally, I bring nothing new that hasn't already been argued for and against either bands. Just grateful that I can enjoy what each brought to my listening holes.

nirishan · 07-09-2013, 10:33 AM

I looked at your comparable songs, and while I agree with most of it, some I do disagree with, for favor with the Beatles usually. And while those are a few songs, there's far too many songs you're missing. You miss the incredible penmanship of George Harrison entirely. Also, the depth in the Beatles styles is far more respectable to that of the Beach Boys. Juts look at the White Album. BAck in the USSR is Beach Boys. Solid Ballad Dear Prudence, pop fun Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da. Bungalow Bill. While My Guitar Gently Weeeps. Happiness Si A Warm Gun. Piggies. I Will. Rocky Raccoon. Yer Blues. Helter Skelter. Good Night. The range is incredible. And every song is too. The Beatles oeuvre has more, great songs than the Beach Boys but the Beach Boys have MANY more songs. The Beatles never put out a bad album. Obviously, the Beach Boys had. But even in just looking late 60s, early 70s. From Help! to Let It Be, and from Today! to Surf's Up. Beatles were better. With The Beatles and A Hard Day's Night were both excellent albums as well. I mean come on guys. It's the BEATLES. The Beach were and always will be an amazing band. Even to some more favorable to listen to. Obviously it's an unfair matchup, but it was 3 geniuses versus 1, how could he possibly win?

Quzi · 07-10-2013, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Larehip

The problem with the Beach Boys is that the vast majority of the time, they are not playing on the studio tracks, it's all session musicians--Carol Kaye, Rikki Fataar, Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, Earl Palmer, Hal Blaine. Did you know that there are virtually no Beach Boys on "Sail On Sailor"? I've always liked the song but it really isn't the Beach Boys not even the singers. The Beatles, otoh, always played their own instruments although they had guest and studio musicians help out. I've always respected the DIY approach.

Rikki Fataar was a Beach Boy though, he was brought in when Dennis Wilson put his hand through a window pane in 1972 and severely damaged his hand to the point where he was unable to drum. Also, I believe on "Sail, On Sailor" the piano is played by Brian, the guitar Carl and Blondie (who was also a Beach Boy) did the bass and lead vocal.

The band probably shows the least presence on Pet Sounds, but saying they weren't there at all is a myth to a certain extent. On "That's Not Me", Dennis is on drums, Carl on 12-string, Brian on organ and Al on tambourine. Add a few other instrumental credits, Mike's lyrics to "I'm Waiting for the Day" and other contributions here and there, Al's arrangement to "Sloop John B", that awesome vocal blend etc. etc. you begin to realise that while undoubtedly still being a Brian dominated product, the other Beach Boys certainly left their mark on the album.

What's more, I'm confident the band would've been capable of recording those tracks had they been given the opportunity. After all, they played on the aforementioned "That's Not Me", "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" and a host of other complex songs. Even Mike showed us he was halfway decent at sax on this cover of "What'd I Say?":

Most of the time, the guys aren't on the tracks because Brian was recording while the rest of the guys were touring or because he was obsessed with aping Spector's session musicians, studios etc. For me, it all adds to the idiosyncrasy of the band's mythos.

nirishan · 07-10-2013, 11:52 PM

Beach Boys and Beatles. We shall not compare their greatness. They both stand tall.

Gavin B. · 07-11-2013, 08:09 AM

I think Pet Sounds is vastly overrated. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," "Caroline No," and "Sloop John B" are all great songs but the rest of the albums songs are mediocre. When you compare Pet Sounds to what other musicians were doing in 1966, it sounds outdated and behind the times. The Beach Boys seemed completely oblivious to revolution in pop music that's happening all around them in 1966. Brian Wilson is still stuck in the Brill Building songwriter mode of the early Sixties. The Beach Boys were always more of a singles band than a "concept album" band.

Pet Sounds wasn't even the best album of 1966... I've compiled a list of 25 albums released the same year as Pet Sounds that are arguably better albums than Pet Sounds.

Blonde on Blonde- Bob Dylan
Fifth Dimension- The Byrds
Freak Out- Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention
Revolver- The Beatles
Roger the Engineer (aka Over Under Sideways, Down in USA)- The Yardbirds
Aftermath- The Rolling Stones
Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme- Simon & Garfunkel
Fresh Cream- Cream
Sunshine Superman- Donovan
A Quick One (aka Happy Jack in the USA)- The Who
Love- Love
Boom- the Sonics
East-West- The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators- 13th Floor Elevators
The Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton- John Mayall
Web of Sound- The Seeds
If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears- Mamas & Papas
Animalism- The Animals
Buffalo Springfield- Buffalo Springfield
Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful- Lovin' Spoonful
Tim Buckley- Tim Buckley
Face To Face- The Kinks
The Young Rascals- The Young Rascals
The Fugs' Second Album- The Fugs

And I'm not even counting all the great soul music albums that were released in 1966.

Topazchicken · 07-12-2013, 11:01 AM

The Beach Boys fill a niche very well. They crafted beautiful and pleasant summery songs that will never be forgotten, but they did not successfully stray far from their core competency, which is completely fine and respectable: do one thing with excellence. However, the Beatles effectively created and attacked an unbelievable spectrum of music (especially for their time). The Beach Boys are like the month of July, but the fab four are the whole calendar!

07-11-2013, 08:09 AM	#689 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	I think Pet Sounds is vastly overrated. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," "Caroline No," and "Sloop John B" are all great songs but the rest of the albums songs are mediocre. When you compare Pet Sounds to what other musicians were doing in 1966, it sounds outdated and behind the times. The Beach Boys seemed completely oblivious to revolution in pop music that's happening all around them in 1966. Brian Wilson is still stuck in the Brill Building songwriter mode of the early Sixties. The Beach Boys were always more of a singles band than a "concept album" band. Pet Sounds wasn't even the best album of 1966... I've compiled a list of 25 albums released the same year as Pet Sounds that are arguably better albums than Pet Sounds. Blonde on Blonde- Bob Dylan Fifth Dimension- The Byrds Freak Out- Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention Revolver- The Beatles Roger the Engineer (aka Over Under Sideways, Down* in USA)- The Yardbirds Aftermath- The Rolling Stones Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme- Simon & Garfunkel Fresh Cream- Cream Sunshine Superman- Donovan A Quick One (aka Happy Jack in the USA)- The Who Love- Love Boom- the Sonics East-West- The Paul Butterfield Blues Band The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators- 13th Floor Elevators The Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton- John Mayall Web of Sound- The Seeds If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears- Mamas & Papas Animalism- The Animals Buffalo Springfield- Buffalo Springfield Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful- Lovin' Spoonful Tim Buckley- Tim Buckley Face To Face- The Kinks The Young Rascals- The Young Rascals The Fugs' Second Album- The Fugs And I'm not even counting all the great soul music albums that were released in 1966. __________________ There are two types of music: the first type is the blues and the second type is all the other stuff.* Townes Van Zandt Last edited by Gavin B.; 07-11-2013 at 08:15 AM.

07-08-2013, 06:50 PM	#682 (permalink)
CrazyVegn Left due to ban epidemic Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 498	How come nobody believes me Charles Manson was one of the Beach Boys? I tell ppl that and they're like Nuh Uh. Beach Boys got my vote even tho I don't necessarily like either one.

07-09-2013, 10:33 AM	#686 (permalink)
nirishan Groupie Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 10	I looked at your comparable songs, and while I agree with most of it, some I do disagree with, for favor with the Beatles usually. And while those are a few songs, there's far too many songs you're missing. You miss the incredible penmanship of George Harrison entirely. Also, the depth in the Beatles styles is far more respectable to that of the Beach Boys. Juts look at the White Album. BAck in the USSR is Beach Boys. Solid Ballad Dear Prudence, pop fun Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da. Bungalow Bill. While My Guitar Gently Weeeps. Happiness Si A Warm Gun. Piggies. I Will. Rocky Raccoon. Yer Blues. Helter Skelter. Good Night. The range is incredible. And every song is too. The Beatles oeuvre has more, great songs than the Beach Boys but the Beach Boys have MANY more songs. The Beatles never put out a bad album. Obviously, the Beach Boys had. But even in just looking late 60s, early 70s. From Help! to Let It Be, and from Today! to Surf's Up. Beatles were better. With The Beatles and A Hard Day's Night were both excellent albums as well. I mean come on guys. It's the BEATLES. The Beach were and always will be an amazing band. Even to some more favorable to listen to. Obviously it's an unfair matchup, but it was 3 geniuses versus 1, how could he possibly win?

07-10-2013, 11:52 PM	#688 (permalink)
nirishan Groupie Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 10	Beach Boys and Beatles. We shall not compare their greatness. They both stand tall.

07-12-2013, 11:01 AM	#690 (permalink)
Topazchicken Groupie Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 6	The Beach Boys fill a niche very well. They crafted beautiful and pleasant summery songs that will never be forgotten, but they did not successfully stray far from their core competency, which is completely fine and respectable: do one thing with excellence. However, the Beatles effectively created and attacked an unbelievable spectrum of music (especially for their time). The Beach Boys are like the month of July, but the fab four are the whole calendar!