Produced by Brian Wilson
Recorded October, 1963 and April to May, 1964
Released July 13, 1964
Capitol Records 2110
October 1963 & April-May 1964 Masters
Personnel & Session Info
Drive-In
I Get Around
Girls on the Beach
Little Honda
Hushabye
Malibu Sunset
Wendy
Carl’s Big Chance
Don’t Back Down
We’ll Run Away
Let’s Live (Before We Die)
Do You Remember?
All Summer Long
Our Favorite Recording Sessions
COLOR CODING KEY
green = basic track
blue = overdub(s)
red = erased (basic or overdub)
TRACK LAYOUT KEY
(b/t) = basic track
(o/d) = overdub
(c) = copied or combined from previous tape generation
(p/p) = ping-ponged from other tracks
(x) = erased
Drive-In
(Brian Wilson – Mike Love)
Working Title: Little Saint Nick
Music: Brian Wilson
Lyrics: Mike Love, Brian Wilson
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineers: Charlie L. [Radio-Universal] / Chuck Britz [Western]
Personnel:
(voices)
Mike Love – lead vocals
Brian Wilson – backing vocals
Carl Wilson – backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – backing vocals
Al Jardine – backing vocals
(alternate voices – “Little Saint Nick” version)
Brian Wilson – lead & backing vocals
Mike Love – lead & backing vocals
Bob Norberg – backing vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – upright piano
Leon Russell – grand piano
Jerry Cole – acoustic guitar
Glen Campbell – electric guitar
Ray Pohlman – electric 6-string bass
Hal Blaine – drums
Frank Capp – jingle bells
Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
Recorded to ½” 3-track (3 to 3 to 3):
October 18, 1963 / Sunset-Highland Radio-Universal Recorders – Studio 11-H (track)
October 18, 1963 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (“Little Saint Nick” vocals)
Circa May, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (“Drive-In” vocals)
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1991 “Little Saint Nick” Mono Mix – The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album (1991 CD, Capitol Records)
1998 “Little Saint Nick” Stereo Mix – Ultimate Christmas (1998, Capitol Records)
2012 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (2012 CD, Capitol Records)
2014 “Little Saint Nick” Stereo Mix – Keep an Eye on Summer – The Beach Boys Sessions 1964 (2014, Capitol Records)
Remix engineers: Mark Linett (1991, 2012, 2014), Andrew Sandoval (1998)
Vocal Guide
– lead: Mike
– verse ‘ooh wop’ backing: Brian>Al+Carl>Dennis
– chorus ‘we love the drive-in’: Brian+Al>Carl>Dennis (Al sometimes sings with Carl)
– tag ‘oooh’: Brian / ‘we love the drive-in’: Al>Carl>Dennis
Vocal Guide (Alternate “Little Saint Nick” Version)
– verse lead: Brian+Mike (Mike alone on low lines, Brian alone on ‘grinch’ line, harmony at end)
– bridge leads: Brian, Mike
– backing: Brian>Bob>Mike
Tracks – 1st Gen
(take 2)
1 – upright piano, grand piano, saxophones (b/t)
2 – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric 6-string bass (b/t)
3 – drums, jingle bells (b/t)
Tracks – 2nd Gen
(take 2A – “Little Saint Nick” / “Drive-In”)
1 – track (c)
2 – Brian, Mike lead vocals 1 [LSN] (o/d 2) (x) / group vocals 1 [DI] (new o/d 1)
3 – Brian, Bob, Mike backing vocals [LSN] (o/d 1) (x) / group vocals 2 [DI] (new o/d 2)
Tracks – 3rd Gen
(take 4B – “Little Saint Nick”)
1 – track (c)
2 – Brian, Mike lead vocals 1 (c) + Brian, Mike lead vocals 2 (o/d)
3 – Brian, Bob, Mike backing vocals (c)
Drive-In began life as the original, straight rock-and-rolling version of Brian and Mike’s Little Saint Nick, cut alongside another Brian Wilson original called Bobby Left Me at Radio-Universal Recorders’ Sunset-Highland division in October 1963. The instrumentation, performed only by Brian and session musicians, was recorded live across all three tracks on the tape. Later that day, Brian, Mike, and Brian’s roommate/collaborator Bob Norberg convened at Western Recorders where the track was bounced down to mono for vocal overdubs. The trio added an overdub of “run, run reindeer” backgrounds, then Brian and Mike performed their unison and trade-off lead vocals, doubled as everything was bounced to a third generation tape. Discussion on tape (with some Ronettes in attendance) reveals a plan to release this production as a one-off single by a uniquely billed artist, with some potential names for the group being “Rudy and the Reindeer” and “Santa and the Helpers”. But within days, Brian reimagined Little Saint Nick at the piano as a proper Beach Boys song, and this version bit the dust.
During the All Summer Long sessions, Brian and Mike pulled the track back out and wrote a new lyric to the old melody, turning a holiday tune into a tribute to drive-in movie theatres. The second generation master, once featuring the first layer of Little Saint Nick vocals, was re-used when all five Beach Boys sang and doubled the new vocal arrangement. The mono mix differs from stereo by muting the double during Mike’s half-spoken lines, and by sounding like somebody sat on the tape.
I Get Around
(Brian Wilson – Mike Love)
Music: Brian Wilson, Mike Love
Lyrics: Brian Wilson, Mike Love
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
(voices)
Brian Wilson – lead & backing vocals
Mike Love – lead & backing vocals
Al Jardine – backing vocals
Carl Wilson – backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – backing vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – upright piano / harpsichord / electric organ [Hammond B-3] / hand claps
Carl Wilson – electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] / electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] (x2 – double, lead) / hand claps
Ray Pohlman – electric 6-string bass [Danelectro Longhorn 4623] / electric 6-string bass [Danelectro Longhorn 4623] (double)
Al Jardine – electric bass [Fender Precision] / hand claps
Dennis Wilson – drums / hand claps
Hal Blaine – timbale (w/puili sticks)
Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
Mike Love – hand claps
Recorded to ½” 3-track and ¼” mono (3 to 3 to 1):
April 2, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (track, vocals)
April 2 or 10, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (mixdown overdub)
Mixed to ¼” mono:
April 2 or 10, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – I Get Around / Don’t Worry Baby 7″ Single (1964, Capitol Records)
2012 Extraction Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (2012 CD, Capitol Records)
2021 Extraction Stereo Mix – Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys (Expanded Edition) (2022, Capitol Records)
Remix engineers: Derry Fitzgerald (2012), Mark Linett (2021)
Vocal Guide
– chorus lead: Brian / ’round, round’: Al>Carl>Dennis>Mike
– verse lead: Mike
– turnaround ’round’: Dennis>Mike / ‘get around round’, ‘ooh’: Brian>Al
– bridge ‘wah-ooh’: Brian>Carl>Al>Dennis>Mike
Tracks – 1st Gen
(take 15)
1 – upright piano, electric guitar 1, electric 6-string bass 1, electric bass, drums, timbale, saxophones (b/t)
2 – vocals 1 & claps 2 (o/d 2)
3 – harpsichord, electric guitar 2, electric 6-string bass 2, claps 1 (o/d 1)
Tracks – 2nd Gen
1 – upright piano, electric guitar 1, electric 6-string bass 1, electric bass, drums, timbale, saxophones (c)
2 – vocals 1 & claps 2 (c) + vocals 2 & claps 3 (o/d)
3 – harpsichord, electric guitar 2, electric 6-string bass 2, claps (c)
Tracks – 3rd Gen
1 – mono (c) + organ, electric guitar 3 (o/d)
I Get Around was Brian’s first answering shot to the Beatles. After soul searching in jealousy for a few weeks post-Ed Sullivan, he came back to the studio do-or-die to make the most exciting, dynamic, unique Beach Boys record yet, doubling down on all of the group’s most unreproducible qualities – the California cool, the contrasting high-to-low vocal stylings, the complex modern harmony arrangements and unexpected modulations, those West Coast guitar sounds – everything that made the Beach Boys the Beach Boys dialled to 11. Brian originally envisioned the song’s opening to be a slow rubato verse, à la Be True to Your School, but Mike earned his stripes for gutting that and suggesting the eternal “round, round, get around, I get around” hook, inspired by the Regents’ Barbara Ann.
The de facto 1964 studio band of Brian (piano), Carl (guitar), Al (bass), and Dennis (drums) cut the backing track, augmented by Ray Pohlman’s crunchy Dano bass, Hal Blaine playing sixteenths on a timbale with puili sticks (an idea borrowed from Hawaii), and almost comically minimal sax blowing from woodwind pals Steve Douglas and Jay Migliori. Brian had become acquainted with the harpsichord while working on a Gary Usher single the previous month – inspired by its potential for rock ‘n’ roll, he snooked baroque instrumentation into the Beach Boys’ world for the first time here, thickening up the rhythm as Carl and Ray doubled their parts and the remaining group members clapped. The five-man vocal arrangement was recorded on the same day, with everyone sans Mike adding more claps as they sang, double-tracked onto a (now-missing) second 1/2″ tape. A final overdub of lead guitar and organ was likely added during the mono mixdown, either within that session or a week later, per an unexplained extra date in Capitol’s files.
Brian later moved the first generation master onto a preliminary master compilation reel for Beach Boys Concert. Unsatisfied with any live (or even “live in the studio”) version of the song, he simply sped up and added applause ambience to this stripped down version of the studio production.
Girls on the Beach
(Brian Wilson – Mike Love)
Music: Brian Wilson
Lyrics: Mike Love, Brian Wilson
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineers: unknown [Gold Star] / Chuck Britz, unknown [Western]
Personnel:
(voices)
Brian Wilson – lead & harmony vocals
Al Jardine – harmony vocals
Carl Wilson – harmony vocals
Dennis Wilson – harmony & co-lead vocals
Mike Love – harmony vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – grand piano / celeste (in alt. vocal version)
Carl Wilson – electric guitar [Fender Jaguar]
Al Jardine – electric bass [Fender Precision]
Dennis Wilson – drums
Hal Blaine – kick drum (w/sticks)
Recorded to ½” 3-track:
Circa April 3 to 9, 1964 / Gold Star Recording Studios – Studio A or B (track)
April 10, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (vocals)
May 19, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (alternate vocals)
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
April 10, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (mono mix)
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (stereo mix)
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
Vocal Guide (album version)
– lead: Brian / harmony: Al>Carl>Dennis>Mike (Al & Carl are sometimes unison)
– bridge solo: Dennis
Vocal Guide (alternate version)
– lead: Mike / backing: Brian>Al
Tracks – 1st Gen
1 – upright piano, electric guitar, electric bass, drums, kick drum (b/t)
2 – vocals 2 (o/d 2)
3 – vocals 1 (o/d 1)
Tracks – Alternate Version 2nd Gen
(take 9A)
1 – new vocals 1 (o/d 1)
2 – new vocals 2, celeste (o/d 2)
3 – track (c)
Tracks – Alternate Version 3rd Gen
(take 9B)
1 – new vocals 1 (c)
2 – new vocals 2 (o/d – simultaneously recorded onto 2nd gen)
3 – track (c) + celeste (o/d – simultaneously recorded onto 2nd gen)
In early 1964, friend and collaborator Gary Usher approached Brian with a proposition for the Beach Boys to record and perform two new songs in a movie called The Girls on the Beach. Brian graciously accepted and invited Mike to the piano. The first song written for the film didn’t search far for a title, or for a melody, as Brian reharmonized large portions of the Surfer Girl lead line to the most topsy-turvy chord sequence he could conjure. According to Brian chatting to Mike on tape, this “big track” was recorded at Gold Star – we don’t have evidence to contradict him, so let’s roll with that. He had recently used the studio for a string of small-scale B-sides. Engineering likely would’ve been Larry Levine or Stan Ross. There were no instrumental overdubs; Carl plays a relentless rhythm guitar pad, Dennis’ drums splash in the reverb chamber, and the presence of a dry overturned kick drum played with sticks (a trick later used on Don’t Back Down) suggests Hal Blaine’s presence. All of the Beach Boys sang in the vocal arrangement at Western, a dense four-and-five-part block harmony that renders some nameless guys pitchy and confused, as if they recorded in a hurry. Dennis gets a heartthrob solo moment in the bridge. An unused mono single (or B-side) master copy was delivered to Capitol on April 21.
Near the end of the All Summer Long sessions, Brian, Mike and Al (with Bob Norberg watching) went into Western to lay down a strange alternate set of overdubs onto the same instrumental track: Mike sang the lead unaccompanied an octave down, the other two added “ahhhs” in the chorus, and Brian played a celeste. Pretty, but they didn’t strain themselves to get a usable master, and the intro, bridge and fade were only used for goofing around, as if Brian intended to splice those sections from the original vocal version. The confused engineer (not Chuck) started recording a second overdub before they’d locked down a first. Nothing ultimately came of it.
Little Honda
(Brian Wilson – Mike Love)
Music: Brian Wilson
Lyrics: Mike Love, Brian Wilson
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
(voices)
Mike Love – lead vocals
Brian Wilson – backing vocals
Al Jardine – backing vocals
Carl Wilson – backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – ‘go!’ & backing vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – upright piano / electric organ [Hammond B-3] (+ extra part in unissued single mix)
Carl Wilson – electric guitar (w/fuzz) [Fender Jaguar] / electric guitar [Fender Jaguar]
Al Jardine – electric bass (w/fuzz) [Fender Precision] / electric bass [Fender Precision]
Dennis Wilson – drums
Recorded to ½” 3-track and ¼” mono (3 to 3 to 1):
Circa April 3 to 9, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (track)
April 10, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (vocals)
June 23, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (unused alternate vocals)
June 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (unused organ)
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
April 10, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (mono mix)
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (stereo mix)
June 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (unissued mono single mix)
Mixed to ¼” stereo:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1990 Alternate Vocals Stereo Mix – Little Deuce Coupe / All Summer Long (1990 CD, Capitol Records)
1964 “Single” Mono Mix – Keep an Eye on Summer – The Beach Boys Sessions 1964 (2014, Capitol Records)
2014 Alternate Vocals Stereo Mix – Keep an Eye on Summer – The Beach Boys Sessions 1964 (2014, Capitol Records)
Remix engineer: Mark Linett
Vocal Guide
– verse lead: Mike / hum backing: Carl>Dennis>Brian
– chorus lead: Mike / ‘Honda, Honda, go faster, faster’: Brian>Al+Carl>Dennis
– chorus ‘faster’: Dennis / ‘it’s alright’: Brian>Al>Carl
Vocal Guide (alternate version)
– verse lead: Mike / hum backing: Carl>Al>Dennis+Brian
– chorus lead: Mike / ‘go little Honda’: Brian>Carl / ‘go, go’: Al>Dennis
– chorus ‘faster’: Mike+Dennis / ‘it’s alright’: Brian>Al>Carl
Tracks – 1st Gen
1 – upright piano, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums (b/t)
2 – original vocals 1 (o/d 2) (x) / new vocals 1 (new o/d)
3 – organ 1, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2 (o/d 1)
Tracks – 2nd Gen A
1 – upright piano, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums (c)
2 – original vocals 1 (c) + original vocals 2 (o/d)
3 – organ 1, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2 (c)
Tracks – 2nd Gen B (Alternate)
(revised take 10A)
1 – upright piano, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums (c)
2 – new vocals 1 (c) + new vocals 2 (o/d)
3 – organ 1, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2 (c)
Tracks – 3rd Gen (Alternate Mix from 2nd Gen A)
(take 1)
1 – mono (c) + organ 2 (o/d)
The second tune written for The Girls on the Beach was Little Honda, an exciting (but unsponsored) motorcycle-themed composition that would double as a new album track and potential single. The backing was recorded by the Beach Boys at Western in the early hours of the morning, with Carl and Al overdriving their amps at Brian’s urging (despite protests) to give the track a heavy, distorted tone, no fuzz box involved. Carl recalled this guitar effect as the one big musical clash he ever had with Brian, and also recalled feeling like a dummy when he heard how hot the track sounded. For the overdub, Brian moved from piano to organ, Carl and Al cleaned up their tones to play alternate parts, and Dennis sat out. Doubling instruments was all the rage in 1964, but Brian concluded after trying it a handful of times that he wasn’t into double-tracked drums. Brian and Mike penned the melody and lyrics while sitting in the booth listening to the backing track, and all five Boys tackled the vocal arrangement, which featured Mike singing lead, Dennis providing the “go!” and “faster” parts, and the others singing backgrounds, including engine-like humming. All vocal parts were doubled as the tape was bounced to a second generation.
Even before its release on All Summer Long, Brian began his long search for a single to follow I Get Around, and in June between Christmas Album sessions had the guys re-record their vocals on Honda with a more complex background arrangement, double-tracked onto another reel. Four days later, he scrapped that idea and remixed the song using the original vocals, playing an added organ countermelody in the verses simultaneous to the mono dubdown. The prospective single mix was to be backed with She Knows Me Too Well. Ultimately, Brian let Gary Usher’s “Hondells” have their own copycat crack at Little Honda instead of putting it out as a Beach Boys single, so these revised June 1964 contributions remained unreleased at the time.
Hushabye
(Doc Pomus – Mort Shuman)
Music: Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Lyrics: Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
(voices)
Brian Wilson – lead, harmony & backing vocals
Mike Love – lead, harmony & backing vocals
Al Jardine – harmony & backing vocals
Carl Wilson – harmony & backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – harmony & backing vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – upright piano
Carl Wilson – electric guitar (w/fuzz) [Fender Jaguar]
Al Jardine – electric bass (w/fuzz) [Fender Precision]
Dennis Wilson – drums
Recorded to ½” 3-track (3 to 3 to 3):
Circa April 3 to 18 or May 20 to 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (track)
Circa May 20 to 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (vocals)
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1993 Binaural Mix – Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys (1993, Capitol Records)
2009 Stereo Mix – Summer Love Songs (2009, Capitol Records)
Remix engineer: Mark Linett
Vocal Guide
– intro & outro lead: Brian / backing: Brian>Carl, Al>Dennis>Mike
– verse lead: Brian / backing: Al>Carl>Brian+Dennis>Mike
– bridge lead: Mike / backing: Brian>Carl>Al+Dennis
Tracks – 1st Gen [track order speculative]
1 – upright piano, electric guitar, electric bass, drums (b/t)
2 – group backing vocals 2 (o/d 2)
3 – group backing vocals 1 (o/d 1)
Tracks – 2nd Gen
(take 4A)
1 – upright piano, electric guitar, electric 6-string bass, drums (c)
2 – Brian, Mike lead vocals 1 (o/d)
3 – group backing vocals 1 + 2 (c)
Tracks – 3rd Gen
1 – upright piano, electric guitar, electric 6-string bass, drums (c)
2 – Brian, Mike lead vocals 1 (c) + Brian, Mike lead vocals 2 (o/d)
3 – group backing vocals 1 + 2 (c)
The Beach Boys’ cover of the Mystics’ Hushabye may have been tracked the same night they cut Little Honda, since it features near identical semi-fuzzed overdriven guitar and bass tones. Brian and Dennis pounded the piano and toms with such deep gravitas that it didn’t call for an instrumental overdub at all, sounding Spector-huge despite only being four guys in a small room. The lush vocal arrangement Brian cooked up involved five parts, which didn’t necessarily need to be recorded in stages, but his desire for extra precision here meant overdubbing a group backing pad before moving onto the leads – Brian and Mike stay out of their own way for the group harmonies in the verse and bridge, though the logic falls apart when Brian is heard loudly duetting with himself in the intro and outro.
Malibu Sunset
(Gary Usher – Roger Christian)
Music: Brian Wilson, Gary Usher
Lyrics: Gary Usher, Brian Wilson, Roger Christian(?)
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson, Gary Usher
Engineer: unknown
Personnel Unconfirmed
Recorded:
April 12, 1964 / unknown location
Unreleased
A 4 Star Music publishing demo for Wilson-Usher ballad Malibu Sunset is known to exist in private hands, but has not been heard by these authors. According to Capitol’s files, a Beach Boys track logged by the title Malibu Pier was recorded April 12, 1964 at an unspecified location (likely Western, Gold Star or Capitol) between other Usher masters; given the timing, it seems quite likely that this was the recording session for the lost version. Gary recalled that it was sung in three-part harmony by himself, Brian, and Glen Campbell, and that the band probably included Glen on guitar, Jimmy Seals on piano, and Sharky Hall on drums. However, without listening to the recording, we can’t be sure of what’s on it. The goal was to place the song with vocal trio the Lettermen, a task given to Roger Christian which may have earned him an official writing credit in place of Brian’s for screwy music business reasons. Gary couldn’t remember how exactly Roger’s name got there. The Lettermen later recorded (but didn’t release) their version of the tune.
Wendy
(Brian Wilson – Mike Love)
Music: Brian Wilson
Lyrics: Brian Wilson, Mike Love
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
(voices)
Brian Wilson – harmony & lead vocals
Mike Love – harmony & lead vocals
Al Jardine – harmony & backing vocals
Carl Wilson – harmony & backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – harmony & backing vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – upright piano / electric organ [Hammond B-3]
Carl Wilson – electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] / electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] (alt.)
Al Jardine – electric bass [Fender Precision] / electric bass [Fender Precision] (double)
Dennis Wilson – drums
Recorded to ½” 3-track (3 to 3):
Circa April 11 to 18, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (track)
Circa May 20 to 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (vocals)
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1993 Binaural Mix – Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys (1993, Capitol Records)
2007 Stereo Mix – The Warmth of the Sun (2007, Capitol Records)
Remix engineer: Mark Linett
Vocal Guide
– group harmony: Brian>Al>Carl>Dennis>Mike
– solo lead: Mike / backing: Al>Brian+Carl>Dennis
Tracks – 1st Gen
(take 22)
1 – upright piano, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums (b/t)
2 – vocals 1 (o/d 2)
3 – organ, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2 (o/d 1)
Tracks – 2nd Gen
(take 7A)
1 – upright piano, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums (c)
2 – vocals 1 (c) + vocals 2 (o/d)
3 – organ, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2 (c)
Wendy seems to have been tracked at its own dedicated session, however with the first generation 3-track tape missing (again), it’s impossible to determine when exactly that occurred. Handily, numbered reels 16 to 21 from the All Summer Long project are all accounted for and dated, with the Wendy second generation dub being an undated reel 22, which tells us that the track was recorded before April 29 and the vocals were recorded shortly after May 19. This is another tackled by the Boys as a self-contained unit, with Brian on a buried piano, Carl tuning his guitar down for a single-note surf rhythm style from the Farmer’s Daughter days, Al doubling up that pattern on bass, and Dennis swapping between a standard rock beat and pounding sixteenths à la Hushabye. The overdub consists of high chord plunks from Carl, a more prominent double of Al’s bass, and Brian on organ, performing the album’s only keyboard solo.
The group vocal session was attended by industry friends Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher, who remembered observing from the booth and witnessing Al’s booster box in action for the first time. Everyone gets their own spot in a massive five-part harmony, cushioning Brian’s pleading voice on top, and Mike takes a lead over a group backing during the bridges. In 2007, a new stereo mix was created by Mark Linett at Brian Wilson’s request to remove the infamous cough during the instrumental break.
Carl’s Big Chance
(Brian Wilson – Carl Wilson)
Working Title: Memphis Beach
Music: Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
Brian Wilson – upright piano / accordion
Carl Wilson – electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] / electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] (lead)
Al Jardine – electric guitar [Fender Stratocaster]
Ray Pohlman – electric 6-string bass
Dennis Wilson – drums
Hal Blaine – drums, tambourine
Recorded to ½” 3-track:
April 29, 1964 (10:30pm-1:30am) / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
Tracks
(take 13)
1 – upright piano, electric guitars 1 & 2, electric 6-string bass (b/t)
2 – electric guitar 3, accordion (o/d)
3 – drums, tambourine (b/t)
This blues vamp can be heard all over pop music of the 1960s, but versions of Chuck Berry’s oft-covered Memphis, Tennessee (E.G. the Johnny Rivers hit) were probably at the forefront of Brian’s mind when he had the idea to record his own instrumental interpretation called Memphis Beach. Chuck recorded the instruments across two tracks on this occasion: Dennis and Hal set up side-by-side on dual drums (predominantly Dennis hitting the snare and hi-hat while Hal mans the floor tom, kick and Ching-a-Ring tambourine attachment, with some crossover during fills), Ray played bass, Al doubled him at the octave on a rattling guitar, Carl strummed a smooth rhythm vamp, and Brian led from piano. On the overdub, Brian added droning accordion fifths while Carl handled the ice cold lead guitar, earning a co-writing credit. His playing gave this tune its hokier re-title Carl’s Big Chance.
Don’t Back Down
(Brian Wilson – Mike Love)
Music: Brian Wilson
Lyrics: Mike Love, Brian Wilson
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
(voices)
Mike Love – lead & backing vocals
Brian Wilson – lead & backing vocals
Carl Wilson – backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – backing vocals
Al Jardine – backing vocals (alternate vocal version only)
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – electric organ [Hammond B-3] / upright piano
Carl Wilson – electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] / electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] (double)
Al Jardine – electric bass [Fender Precision] / electric bass [Fender Precision] (double)
Dennis Wilson – drums
Hal Blaine – kick drum (w/sticks)
Recorded to ½” 3-track (3 to 3 to 3):
April 29, 1964 (10:30pm-1:30am) / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (track)
May 1, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (alternate vocals)
Circa May 20 to 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (final vocals)
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1990 Alternate Vocals Stereo Mix – Little Deuce Coupe / All Summer Long (1990 CD, Capitol Records)
1993 Mono Mix – Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys (1993, Capitol Records)
2014 Alternate Vocals Stereo Mix – Keep an Eye on Summer: The Beach Boys Sessions 1964 (2014, Capitol Records)
Remix engineer: Mark Linett
Vocal Guide (alternate version)
– verse pt.1 lead: Mike / backing: Brian>Al>Carl>Dennis
– verse pt. 2 lead: Brian / backing: Al>Carl>Dennis>Mike
– chorus ‘oooh’: Brian / ‘don’t back down’: Al>Carl>Dennis / bass: Mike
Vocal Guide (final version)
– verse pt.1 lead: Mike / backing: Brian>Carl>Dennis
– verse pt. 2 ‘they grit their teeth’: Brian>Carl / ‘auh-um’: Dennis>Mike
– chorus lead: Brian / backing: Carl>Dennis>Mike
Tracks – 1st Gen
(take 3)
1 – organ, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums (b/t)
2 – original vocals 1 (o/d 2) (x) / new vocals 1 (new o/d)
3 – upright piano, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2 (o/d 1)
Tracks – 2nd Gen A (Alternate)
(take 6A)
1 – organ, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums (c)
2 – original vocals 1 (c) + original vocals 2 (o/d)
3 – upright piano, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2 (c)
Tracks – 2nd Gen B
(revised take 4A)
1 – organ, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums (c)
2 – new vocals 1 (c) + new vocals 2 (o/d)
3 – upright piano, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2 (c)
Tracks – 3rd Gen
(revised take 2B)
1 – track (c) + reverb from vocals
2 – new vocals 1 + 2 (c)
3 – new vocals 3 (o/d)
The second tune tracked on April 29th was Don’t Back Down, a rewrite of the Honeys’ Hide Go Seek with a new chorus, and the first Beach Boys song to mention surfing since the Surfer Girl album. The core Beach Boys rhythm section is back at play here, with Brian on organ for the basic track and Hal playing an overturned kick drum with sticks to provide the two-bar intro and some sixteenth note fills throughout. For the overdub, Brian moved to piano while Carl and Al doubled their respective guitar and bass parts. All five Beach Boys added vocals two days later (dated by conversation on tape), overdubbing onto the open track and then doubling their parts as a second generation bounce was made. But perhaps regretting the song’s closeness to Hide Go Seek after living with it for a while, Brian and Mike completely rewrote the melody and lyrics, necessitating another attempt at the vocal overdubs at a later, unknown date. A four-part arrangement was devised and recorded without Al, erasing the first layer of the earlier vocals. The four Boys then doubled and tripled their singing as the tape was bounced to a second and third generation. “Full” was Bob Norberg’s verdict on the sound from the booth. Like Drive-In, the original mono mix suffers from mysterious fidelity loss.
We’ll Run Away
(Brian Wilson – Gary Usher)
Music: Brian Wilson, Gary Usher
Lyrics: Gary Usher, Brian Wilson
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
(voices)
Brian Wilson – lead vocals
Al Jardine – backing vocals
Carl Wilson – backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – backing vocals
Mike Love – backing vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – upright piano / electric organ [Hammond B-3]
Carl Wilson – acoustic 12-string guitar [Guild F-212] / electric guitar [Fender Jaguar]
Al Jardine – electric bass [Fender Precision]
Hal Blaine – drums (w/brushes), bell tree
Recorded to ½” 3-track (3 to 3):
April 30, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (track)
May 18, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (vocals)
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
Vocal Guide
– lead: Brian
– verse backing: Al>Carl>Dennis>Mike
– bridge backing: Al>Carl>Dennis
Tracks – 1st Gen
(take 2)
1 – upright piano, acoustic 12-string guitar, electric bass, drums, bell tree (b/t)
2 – vocals 1 (o/d 2)
3 – organ, electric guitar (o/d 1)
Tracks – 2nd Gen
(take 6A)
1 – upright piano, acoustic 12-string guitar, electric bass, drums, bell tree (c)
2 – vocals 1 (c) + vocals 2 (o/d)
3 – organ, electric guitar (c)
Soon after tracking Carl’s Big Chance and Don’t Back Down (possibly even during the same session, post-midnight), the group and Hal turned their attention to two yearning ballads in 12/8 time. We’ll Run Away came first, a song about being too young to get married that Brian had recently written with Gary Usher. Carl’s acoustic 12-string (a first for a Beach Boys production) sets the track apart from the rest of the All Summer Long sonic palette, while Brian and Al take on their usual roles of piano and bass respectively. Hal replaces Dennis at the kit here, playing a sensitive part with brushes, along with light touches on a mounted set of percussion (called a “tree cymbal” by Hal on tape, but standardized here to its more common name). A simple overdub of organ and electric guitar completed the instrumental track.
Two weeks later, Brian delivered the impassioned lead vocal onto the open channel while the other four Beach Boys sang an understated background arrangement. Before doubling the vocals and bouncing, Brian had Chuck create a dynamic drop-out moment by wiping the instruments from (most of) the first bar of the second verse, done by punching in a blank signal for a few moments, processed with tape slap echo. The lack of precision on this overdub (or “underdub”) led many to believe it was done in error.
Let’s Live (Before We Die)
(Brian Wilson)
Music: Brian Wilson
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
Brian Wilson – upright piano
Carl Wilson – electric guitar [Fender Jaguar]
Al Jardine – electric bass [Fender Precision]
Hal Blaine – drums (w/brushes)
Recorded to ½” 3-track:
April 30, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
2014 Mono Mix – Keep an Eye on Summer – The Beach Boys Sessions 1964 (2014, Capitol Records)
Remix engineer: Mark Linett
Tracks
(intro take 1 + main take 13 + bridge take 5)
1 – upright piano, electric guitar, electric bass, drums (b/t)
2
3
Next up on April 30th was another 12/8 ballad titled Let’s Live (Before We Die). Brian envisioned an a cappella harmony introduction here, so the first order of business was for him to lay down a short piano roadmap section, likely planning to mute or obscure his playing in the final mix. The main body, which is quite similar in tempo and arrangement to We’ll Run Away, featured the same instrumental line-up of Brian, Carl, Al, and Hal, although Carl traded the acoustic 12 for his usual Jaguar electric. The chord changes gave the group some trouble, requiring a pickup take from the bridge to be spliced onto the first portion of the song (which Chuck never actually carried out). Brian in particular found it difficult to focus during this session, repeatedly breaking into the Carl’s Big Chance groove that he’d been obsessing over of late.
Let’s Live was ultimately shelved before it could be finished for the album, but its history didn’t end there. Brian rewrote it into an original holiday piece called Christmas Eve, and in that form, it was orchestrated by Dick Reynolds for The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album – but that version was also doomed to escape vocal overdubs and collect dust. Months down the line, Brian gathered up arrangement ideas, certain chord changes, and perhaps pieces of the melody, and instead wove them into a new song called In the Back of My Mind.
Do You Remember?
(Brian Wilson – Mike Love)
Music: Brian Wilson
Lyrics: Brian Wilson, Mike Love
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
(voices)
Mike Love – lead & backing vocals
Brian Wilson – lead & backing vocals
Al Jardine – co-lead & backing vocals
Carl Wilson – backing vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – upright piano / upright piano (alt.)
Carl Wilson – electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] / electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] (alt.)
Al Jardine – electric bass [Fender Precision] / electric bass [Fender Precision] (double)
Dennis Wilson – drums
Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone / tenor saxophone (double & lead)
Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone / baritone saxophone (double)
Recorded to ½” 3-track (3 to 3):
May 6, 1964 (6:00pm-10:00pm) / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (track)
May 18, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (vocals)
Mixed to ¼” mono and stereo:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1964 Stereo Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
Vocal Guide
– verse lead: Mike / 2nd verse backing: Al>Carl>Brian / 3rd verse backing: Brian>Al>Carl
– bridge leads: Brian, Mike
– ‘let’s hear the high voice wail’: Mike / high voice: Brian
– ‘and hear the voice down low’: Al / low voice: Mike
– ‘let’s hear the background’: Brian
– tag ‘om didi wada’: Brian>Al>Carl>Mike / lead: Mike
Tracks – 1st Gen
(take 10)
1 – upright piano 1, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums, saxophones 1 (b/t)
2 – upright piano 2, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2, saxophones 2 (o/d 1)
3 – vocals 1 (o/d 2)
Tracks – 2nd Gen
(take 10A)
1 – upright piano 1, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums, saxophones 1 (c)
2 – upright piano 2, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2, saxophones 2 (c)
3 – vocals 1 (c) + vocals 2 (o/d)
Do You Remember, Brian and Mike’s paean to the rock and roll sounds of “old” (as in, about half a decade ago), actually dates back to late 1962, being a reimagining of Brian’s The Big Beat, which was written for, recorded by, then not released by Bob & Sheri. The rhythm instrumentation here is all Beach Boys, with Steve and Jay adding subtle texture as a two-man saxophone section. On an overdub, everybody but Dennis played a double or alternate part on their instrument: Brian moved his piano voicings to a higher octave, and Carl and Steve threw in extra licks to line up with lyrical events. While tackling the vocal overdubs 12 days later, Dennis unexpectedly left the studio early, leaving the other four to sing all the parts. Per usual, Mike and Brian share the lead vocal, but the overlapping lines preceding the fade briefly necessitate a third lead singer, giving Al his first moment in the spotlight with “and hear the voice down low”. As they’re “doing a ’50s thing”, Chuck gives the Boys a little tape echo.
All Summer Long
(Brian Wilson – Mike Love)
Music: Brian Wilson
Lyrics: Brian Wilson, Mike Love
Arrangement: Brian Wilson
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
(voices)
Mike Love – lead & harmony vocals
Brian Wilson – co-lead, harmony & backing vocals
Al Jardine – harmony & backing vocals
Carl Wilson – harmony & backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – harmony & backing vocals
(instrumentation)
Brian Wilson – marimba / marimba (alt.)
Carl Wilson – electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] / electric guitar [Fender Jaguar] (alt.)
Al Jardine – electric bass [Fender Precision] / electric bass [Fender Precision] (double)
Dennis Wilson – drums
Jay Migliori – flute / flute (double)
Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone / tenor saxophone (double)
Recorded to ½” 3-track (3 to 3):
May 6, 1964 (6:00pm-10:00pm) / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (track)
May 7, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3 (vocals)
Mixed to ¼” mono:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
1964 Mono Mix – All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
1993 Binaural Mix – Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys (1993, Capitol Records)
1995 Mono Mix – Endless Summer (1995 CD, DCC)
2007 Stereo Mix – The Warmth of the Sun (2007, Capitol Records)
Remix engineers: Mark Linett (1993, 2007), Steve Hoffman (1995)
Vocal Guide
– verse pt.1 ‘sitting in my car outside your…’: Brian>Al+Carl>Dennis>Mike
– verse pt.2 ‘house’: Brian>Al>Mike / ‘sitting in my car outside your…’: Carl>Dennis
– verse pt.3 solo lead: Mike / backing: Brian>Al>Carl>Dennis
– bridge pt. 1 ‘all summer long you’ve…’: Brian>Al+Carl>Dennis>Mike
– bridge pt. 2 solo lead: Mike / backing: Brian>Al>Carl>Dennis
– bridge pt. 3 ‘won’t be long ’til…’: Brian>Al>Carl>Mike
– ‘not for us now’: Brian
Tracks – 1st Gen
(take 43)
1 – marimba 1, electric guitar 1, electric bass 1, drums, flute 1, saxophone 1 (b/t)
2 – marimba 2, electric guitar 2, electric bass 2, flute 2, saxophone 2 (o/d 1)
3 – vocals 1 (o/d 2)
Tracks – 2nd Gen
(take 11A)
1 – track (c)
2 – vocals 1 (c) + vocals 2 (o/d)
3
The Beach Boys’ great melancholic ode to summer fun and the title track of this album was actually the last one to start production, tracked right after Do You Remember. Brian took an opening to explore texturally and exchanged piano for a marimba, but instead of calling the union for a session musician to play it, he took up the mallets himself! Having devised a four-handed arrangement (translated from his usual rhythm piano), he elected to play the lower two notes on the basic track and would add the higher voices on the ensuing overdub. Carl, Al, and Dennis played along in their usual roles while Steve and Jay contributed sax and flute respectively, providing a harmonic pad throughout and splitting the instrumental solo between them (the flute cleverly mimics Brian’s vocal part to come, while the saxophone is Mike). The limiting factor during tracking was certainly Brian, who tested his abilities as a multi-instrumentalist at the expense of an efficient recording session. After many attempts, and much frustration from the first-time marimbist (“I hate this song!”, “My arms!”), he and the rest of the gang got it right on take 43. An overdub saw Brian and Carl change their chord voicings, while Al, Steve, and Jay doubled their parts.
The following day, all five members of the group sang the rich overlapping vocal arrangement, with Brian taking the high lead throughout the verses, Al being his closest harmony compatriot, Carl and Dennis doing the answering parts, and Mike singing a few solo lines. As usual, they doubled their performances as the entire recording was bounced to a second generation, but with a slight twist: Brian impromptu wrote an extra “Not for us now!” line for himself to sing at the end of each bridge, single-tracked. Because Chuck combined the two tracks of instruments and the two tracks of vocals during the bounce (possibly anticipating another overdub), a true stereo mix was rendered impossible in 1964, so the song’s first available stereo appearance was in a 1993 “binaural” mix (which is really just a straight presentation of the final 3-track). In 2007, both tape generations were digitally synced up by Mark Linett for a more satisfying approach.
Our Favorite Recording Sessions
(Brian Wilson – Dennis Wilson – Carl Wilson – Mike Love – Al Jardine)
Producer: Brian Wilson
Engineer: Chuck Britz
Personnel:
Brian Wilson
Dennis Wilson
Carl Wilson
Mike Love
Al Jardine
Hal Blaine
Chuck Britz
Recorded to ½” 3-track and ¼” mono:
April 30, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
May 7, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
May 18, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Mixed to ¼” mono and edited:
May 27, 1964 / Western Recorders – Studio 3
Initial Release:
All Summer Long (1964, Capitol Records)
Just like you and me, Brian Wilson got a kick out of listening to Beach Boys recording sessions. Chuck Britz claimed that he used to run 7.5ips mono tapes to capture candid studio activity on the regular… but Chuck didn’t know what happened to those, and neither do we, except for a couple of select later vocal sessions and those used in this Our Favorite Recording Sessions edited “highlights” compilation. Most excerpts here were recorded during the vocal sessions for All Summer Long on May 7 and We’ll Run Away and Do You Remember on May 18. A day after the latter, Brian could be heard raving to Bob Norberg about the funny tape from yesterday’s session. One moment (the bit where Brian announces Carl’s high dive) comes from the the April 30 Let’s Live session, and therefore had to be reduced to mono from 3-track. A final canned interaction, where Brian sets up the first note of Don’t Back Down and tells Charlie (Chuck) to make one, was probably recorded when the two of them assembled the album. Another minute of outtakes were left behind on the master reel. Being what it is, all of the Boys got a writing credit.