[Rhodes22-list] The Beach Boys

[Bill Effros]

Slim,

Can you explain how harmony works?  I read what you wrote, and I sort of 
understand it.  But when I really think about it, I know I don't know 
what you are talking about.  And I would love to understand it, even if 
I can never sing it.

Bill Effros



Steve Alm wrote:

>Rummy,
>
>The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean were practically the same band.  They all
>worked together on many projects.  Ex:  "Barbara Ann" is thought of as a BB
>song but that's Jan Berry singing the original opening:  "Ba, Ba, Ba,...Ba
>Ba-bar Ann..."   Can you listen to Surfer Girl, Little GTO or Good
>Vibrations and NOT feel like you're sixteen and just got your license,
>cruising Main Street in your '65 Mustang with your girlfriend?  Ain't that
>what's it's all about?  C'mon now, let's give Surfer Girl another listen:
>http://home.mn.rr.com/almhome/Surfergirl.mp3
>
>Truthfully, I used to think of the BB as fluffy bubblegum stuff until I was
>in this 5-pc. show band that did a lot of 4 and 5 part harmony.  We worked
>up a big BB segment and I was stunned at how hard it was to sing those
>parts.  Those boys were very well-schooled in formal, classic harmony, and
>that was quite evident when we dug in and tried to learn their material note
>for note.  I found renewed respect!  The vocal lines are blended so well
>that it's hard to tell them apart.  By comparison, we put together the
>entire Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, and pulled it off pretty well, but we
>couldn't touch Good Vibrations.
>
>By the time Brian Wilson became all messed up on drugs and various psych
>problems, his cousin Dennis would come to him with a bag of hamburgers and
>say, "Brian, do you want a hamburger?"  And Brian would mumble, "Uh huh."
>Then Dennis would say, "Then write a song and you can have one."  After
>Brian wrote a song, Dennis would say, "Brian, do you want another
>hamburger?" ...  8-)  True story, or so I'm told.  Brian Wilson is
>certifiably nuts and also a certifiable genius and IMO a national treasure.
>
>I have tons of stories about these guys because we did numerous gigs with
>both BB and J & D back when I was on the "nostalgia circuit." playing either
>before or after them at those big outdoor fairs and festivals multi-band
>venues.  Never played with the Four Tops (love 'em) but we played venues
>with Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Turtles, Three Dog Night, Gary Puckett
>and the Union Gap, The Association, Herman's Hermits, Freddy Cannon, Fats
>Domino, The Buckinghams, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Mary Wilson, The
>Imperials, The Dixie Cups, The Shirells, Mitch Rider, .......... 8-)
>
>Slim Chance And The Gamblers  AKA  Cool Duty   8-)
>
>
>
>On 1/27/05 4:46 PM, "R22RumRunner at aol.com" <R22RumRunner at aol.com> wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Beach boys. Sliimmy, they were bad when they were current and even worse
>>now. Jan & Dean were the best. I also liked the four tops. :)
>>Speaking of sunny weather. It looks like winter is going to deposit a ton  of
>>ice on us Saturday, so if I'm away from the list for a while, it ain't
>>because I'm out sailing. But, I've never tried it in an ice storm. How much
>>rum  
>>would it take to get me to go out sailing in an ice storm? Good question.
>>Hmmm,  
>>gonna have to think on that one for a while. What could happen?
>>
>>Rummy
>>__________________________________________________
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>>    
>>
>
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>
>  
>