Surf's Up (album)
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The album Surf's Up was released in 1971 and was the eighteenth album officially released by The Beach Boys. The album is named after a song that was to have appeared on the abandoned Smile album from 1966/67. It was produced by Brian Wilson and Carl Wilson.
The album was originally known as "Landlocked", with a different song line up, which didn't include the song "Surf's Up" itself. Then Beach Boys manager Jack Reiley, reportedly made Brian Wilson give up the original backing track to the song. Carl wilson sang a new lead vocal over the first half of the song, which segues into a 1966 recording of Brian singing the second half. Backing vocals at the song's conclusion are from another Smile song, Child is Father of the Man.
For a Seventies Beach Boys album, the record hangs together remarkably well. Only Mike Love's Student Demonstration Time, a re-write of The Coasters' (then known as The Robins) Fifties hit, Riot in Cell Block #9, is a complete dud. Bruce Johnston's "Disney Girls" is one of his finest, and Al Jardine's three co-written songs are all of high quality. Carl Wilson's "Long Promised Road" and "Feel Flows" are, musically, both very good, but are let down by some very dated "progressive" lyrics from Reiley.
Brian Wilson's contributions are much reduced from previous albums. Apparently, he had little to do with the recreation of his legendary title track. "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" is either a bizarre joke, or proof positive that Brian really was a deranged as people claim that he was at a time.
The achingly beautiful "'Till I Die", however, is unquestionably one of Brian's finest achivements. It is probably the last time that he was ever able to impose his will over the band, especially Mike Love, who called the song "a downer", and didn't want the band to record it.
Track Listing
- Don't Go Near The Water (M. Love/A. Jardine)
- Long Promised Road (C. Wilson/J. Reiley)
- Take A Load Off Your Feet (A. Jardine/B. Wilson/G. Winfrey)
- Disney Girls (1957) (B. Johnston)
- Student Demonstration Time (J. Leiber/M. Stoller/M. Love)
- Feel Flows (C. Wilson/J. Reiley)
- Looking At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) (A. Jardine/G. Winfrey)
- A Day In The Life Of A Tree (B. Wilson/J. Reiley)
- Till I Die (B. Wilson)
- Surf's Up (B. Wilson/V. D. Parks)