Check it out ... our New Colony Six buddies have the #22 Record in Alaska this week!!! Chicago's Spanky and Our Gang are just a few spots behind them at #29 with "Like To Get To Know You." (kk)
The name "Fairbanks" is well known, but has only about 30,000 people, sitting in the middle regions of Alaska. Despite the location, by looking at the survey, you might think the station was anywhere in the lower 48. They were even "thinking" of the New Colony 6 (#22!) way up there! They were NOT thinking much of rare tracks, however. How many record services and companies flew 45s up there, I wonder? Looks like R&B was quite popular in Alaska in '68.
One obscure track charting here is by Grammy winning Martha Reeves and the Vandellas' "I Promise to Wait my Love," which has the classic Motown Funk Brothers backing backing track that the 4 Tops could have easily sang the same song over.
-- Clark Besch
THIS WEEK IN 1968:
5/14/68 - The Beatles announce formation of Apple Records and boutique
Also on this date ... John Lennon and Paul McCartney appear together on The Tonight Show to promote Apple – Johnny Carson isn’t there that night so John and Paul hang out with substitute host Joe Garigiola. (At one point Paul asks "Where's Johnny?" Many years later McCartney appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and recounted the incident, explaining "Came to see Johnny ... got Joe!"
5/14/68 - The Rascals record “People Got To Be Free”
5/15/68 - George Harrison’s movie and soundtrack to "Wonderwall " premiers at Cannes 50th ... it is officially the first Beatles solo album!
5/16/68 – Tony Joe White records “Polk Salad Annie”
5/18/68 – Tiny Tim’s “novelty” rendition of “Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips” is released by Frank Sinatra’s Reprise Records.The record made The National Top 20 and landed him key appearances on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In as well as The Tonight Show, Starring Johnny Carson, where he married Miss Vicki the following year.
Also on this date, Archie Bell and the Drells reach the #1 Spot on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart, but Archie was nowhere to be found to enjoy his sudden, newfound success.That’s because he was resting in a West German Hospital after suffering a leg wound he received while serving in the Army in Viet Nam.(We ran a story several years ago about how all these fake “Archie Bell and the Drells” groups sprang up all over America, trying to cash in on the popularity of Archie’s hit record … and they were soon earning bookings all over the country … and there was not a damn thing Archie Bell could do about it because he was still overseas fighting for his country in The Viet Nam War!) You'll see that he also tops this week's Alaskan Chart!
5/19/68:The Fifth Dimension are back on The Ed Sullivan Show tonight to perform “Stoned Soul Picnic” and “On Broadway”
Shelley Sweet-Tufano is back with another Guest Concert Review ...
This time around ... The Fab Four!
I wonder … when asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” did they answer, “The Beatles!”???
The
string music begins, followed closely by Penn Gillette’s recorded
introduction. And out comes … George Trullinger, as Ed Sullivan.
I
have been so tickled to see all the hype here in Forgotten Hits around
The Fab Four. I have been following them since the beginning of the new
century, bringing my kids, their friends, and my students to various
locations to experience the music and the historical representations.
Sure, I have tons of videos of The Beatles and their movies, but the
magic of seeing them perform live (even when it was over the telly) was
something breathtaking. This was as close as I could give to the
children around me, who were soaking up 60’s music like it was water,
and they were parched. So on with the SHOE!
The
Fab Four is an all-live show that portrays, in progressive form, The
Beatles' performances. It continues through the time that The Beatles
retreated into the studio and lets us hear and see what would have
happened if The Beatles had performed their studio hits live on stage.
Tonight they begin in the Shea Stadium suits and open with ‘Please
Please Me’. They continue:
‘All My Loving’
‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’
A new number for them - 'It Won’t Be Long’
‘A Hard Day’s Night’
‘Eight Days A Week’
The
show is a multi-media performance blending the music with actual
Beatles footage and typical Beatles banter with the audience. On the
screen, I am watching the same bespectacled girl in a shift jumper,
experiencing a musical orgasm, that I have been watching since I was 12.
Wonder whatever happened to her? And in The Wolf Den, here in
Uncasville, CT, people are dancing. S*I*G*H. This section of time ends
with:
‘Can’t Buy Me Love’
‘Day Tripper’
‘I Saw Her Standing There’
‘Twist And Shout’
I
have been up twisting with most of the audience and literally twisted
my pen into pieces somehow. I sit down, pull out another pen, and
continue on taking notes.
And
now a transition / costume change. Ardy Sarraf as Paul, accompanied by
Ron McNeil as John, performs ‘Yesterday’ ... except it begins as
“I’m … dreaming … of a white … Christmas.” Clever. The lyrics DO fit into
the melody of ‘Yesterday.’ Beautiful portrayal.
And
WHAT IS NEXT?? After a brief media presentation of Beatle songs sung by
people on the streets of England, comes THE PEPPER SUITS! Colorful and
sparkly, the audience starts to clap as soon as Gavin Pring, portraying
George appears. I remember when Gavin joined The Fab Four Ultimate
Tribute. A rather loud audible “WHOA!” came out of my daughter’s and my
mouths simultaneously. In our case it meant, “He’s nailed it. That’s
George.” Ardy and Ron have always been as close to John and Paul as
imitation can allow, and adding Gavin (who coincidentally rises out of
Liverpool) strengthened the show. Joe Bologna appears as Ringo tonight.
He is so happy and joyful in his portrayal, as well as accurate in his
drumming. The cast can change, but these four are the major players.
‘Sergeant Pepper/With A Little Help From My Friends’
‘Sergeant Pepper Reprise’
‘A Day In The Life’
STANDING OVATION … INCREDIBLE LIGHT SHOW AND LIVE SOUND EFFECTS
‘Got To Get You Into My Life’ (Ron is offstage changing for next set)
When
Ron returns to perform ‘Imagine,’ he has a monologue that pays tribute to John
Lennon. Ron, I can help explain the audience’s quiet reaction when you
expected more applause for what you said about Lennon. We knew you were
not Lennon, but at that moment, in that time frame, to us … you were. So
for you to be talking about him when we were buying the fact that he was
there in front of us … was confusing. We caught on and cheered you
soundly as the other three returned and all are enmeshed in the ‘Let It Be’
era. Gavin performs ‘Something’ and OH MY … it IS SOMETHING. Such a
beautiful song, I am thankful it is performed so well. And to end?? You
say you want a ‘Revolution’? Holy Cow! All these songs performed live!
You know we can’t let them go yet. A song to help us collect ourselves and warm our hearts, ‘Hey Jude.’
I
put my glow stick back in my bag and leave for dinner, echoing my
friends’ voices, “THAT was fun!” Thank you for coming with me.
Next stop
is Art Garfunkel in Tarrytown, NY.
-- Shelley
Great job, Shelley! (Now I wanna see them again!!!)
Jeez, it seems like forever since I've had the chance to sit back down here and pull something together …
So today … in my best effort to "ketchup" a little bit … you'll find something old and something new … until we can get back on track again.
So let's get to it, shall we???
Congratulations to Johnny B (Jonathon Brandmeier) for his nomination into The National Radio Hall Of Fame.(A tip of the hat to long-time Friend of Forgotten Hits, Johnny Holliday, who was also nominated this year!)kk
And, speaking of great radio …
Kent —
I wanted to thank you for mentioning “Rewound Radio” at the end of last year. I’ve had it on my computer and “Echo Dot” ever since. I love it because you never know what will play next. I just thought of you because “I Wanna Meet You “ just came on. Where else are you gonna hear the Cryan’ Shames right now today!
Thanks again,
Danny
PS — I also really enjoy the Gary Theroux “History of Rock and Roll” features that come on five times a day.
It’s the best … Rewound Radio has raised the bar for what great oldies radio can be.Here in Chicago, Me-TV-FM comes close … it’s our “go-to” station when we’re in the Jeep (since I still can’t get it in my new car!) … but keep your ears ready for WCFLChicago.com … I think some great things are in store for this station, too!(kk)
Kent,
When I read about the Breakfast Club and farm reports that were on WLS in its day, it brought back memories of my school days first thing in the morning when I got up. My mother was the first one up in the morning. She went immediately out into the kitchen, plugged in her coffee pot for that morning's brew and turned the radio on. Maybe not necessarily in that order.
Now in our house we had an intercom system with every room wired into the main console located in the kitchen. We listened to WKY-AM 930. Now every morning on Monday - Friday between 6 am – 7 am they had a WKY FARM REPORT hosted by Russell Pierson. Now this was not a continuous show … it ran in about 5 - 6 minute segments with local morning man Danny Williams playing an occasional record as well as reading a daily verse out of the Bible. Danny's top 40 show would begin at 7:15 right after the 7 o'clock 15 minute news block. So every morning I would wake up to my intercom with the WKY FARM REPORT. And would you believe that a lot of times, I would wake up to the station playing a BULL OF THE WOODS chewing tobacco commercial. Don't even know if that product is still around.
Also I found out later on that WKY would play only certain records or maybe not play certain records between 9 am – 3 pm because the teens were in school and not at home.
Larry Neal
My Mom was more prone to listen to Howard Miller on WIND in the mornings … who only very rarely played a record on his program (and then if he did, it was usually something like “Winchester Cathedral,” something that didn’t really whet the appetite of a twelve year old kid into rock and roll.)
I seem to remember hearing him read from The Farmers’ Almanac (which was pretty incredible considering that the local news and weather were likely only a teletype machine away!)
Two vivid pre-teen Howard Miller memories have never left me … make that three:
A very lengthy discussion about the possibility that President Kennedy was being kept alive in a vegetable state in the hopes that modern medical technology might one day be able to bring him back to life …
The first and only times I ever heard (with any regularity) the song “Bend It” by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich on the radio (Man, I LOVED that song!!!How they heck was this not a #1 Record … yet it never even charted on Chicago’s Top 40 Rock Stations!) …
And the big scandalous rumor that Rock Hudson had married TV’s Gomer Pyle, Jim Nabors!!!(OMG … is it possible that Howard Miller was the Howard Stern of his day?!?!)
I also remember her being hooked on Morton Downey, Jr. … so if we wanted to listed to Clark Weber on WLS … or anything on Super ‘CFL … we had to retreat to our bedrooms and listen on our own transistor radios!
From FH Reader Tom Cuddy:
Hugh Wilson discusses the music issues involved with putting together WKRP In Cincinnati … https://youtu.be/PExGo9b1K44
These are the things that drive me crazy!!!
One of the headlines I received last week shows that Post Malone has broken a 54 year old record set by The Beatles for having the most songs in The Top 20 at the same time.(I’m sure history will document the INCREDIBLE influence and culture-changing effects Post Malone had on the music scene and society fifty years from now, eclipsing the legacy of The Beatles in the process … yeah right.)
Thanks to the new measuring method of downloads, Malone placed nine songs in Billboard’s Top 20 on their Hot 100 Chart, breaking a record set by The Beatles back in 1964 when The Fab Four held The Top Five Spots on the chart and, for the next two weeks, had six songs in The Top 20.(Incredibly, J. Cole … I know what you’re thinking … WHO!?!?!?! … TIED The Beatles’ record just a week ago when he had six songs in The Top 20.)
Of course, back in 1964 you actually had to leave your house and drive to a record store with the sole purpose in mind of buying these six Beatles releases and then bringing them back home to play on your little record player. Hard as it may be to believe, The Beatles still today … some fifty years later … outsell many of today’s top contemporary artists on a regular basis … so it is reassuring to know that for the NEXT 50 years, the world can look forward to complete musical domination by Post Malone in a similar fashion.(Odds are 50 years from now Post Malone will be AT BEST an answer on the back of a Trivial Pursuit Card … assuming THAT even exists at that time!!!)
We make light of this but the truth is that on the very first day of its release, Post Malone’s album “Beerbongs And Bentleys” received an incredible, record-setting 47,930,039 Spotify streams … a statistic to be reckoned with for sure.
Now I personally wouldn’t know or recognize a Post Malone song if he walked up to me and personally sang it in my ear … but I’ve got to give him props … that’s a pretty incredible record in ANY day and age!(kk)
By the same token … we offer heartfelt congratulations to Barry Gibb who, 40 years ago this week, set a Billboard Chart Record that has yet to be broken when a song he wrote became the fourth #1 Record in a row, giving him fifteen straight weeks at the top of the charts as a songwriter, spread out over four consecutive #1 Hits. (Nope … not even Lennon and McCartney were able to achieve this feat!)
It all started with “Stayin’ Alive,” which hit #1 on February 4th and then stayed there for four straight weeks, only to be knocked out of the top spot by “(Love Is) Thicker Than Water” by Bee Gee Brother Andy Gibb, who held on to the top spot for the next two weeks until The Bee Gees reclaimed the #1 Position with “Night Fever,” a track that would hold on to the #1 spot for eight straight weeks.On May 13th, it finally gave way to “If I Can’t Have You” by Yvonne Elliman, giving Barry Gibb FOUR consecutive #1 Hits as a songwriter.(1978 was an even more incredible year than that for Barry Gibb … he started the year at #1 with The Bee Gees’ hit “How Deep Is Your Love” … then topped the charts again later that year with “Shadow Dancing” (7 weeks) by Andy Gibb and “Grease” (2 weeks) by Frankie Valli, giving Gibb possession of the #1 position for an incredible 25 weeks that year … just shy of HALF THE YEAR!!!
Pretty frickin’ incredible, no?(But then again I'm sure that history will show that he’s no Post Malone!!!)kk
From the “Now I’ve Seen Everything” Department …
Have you caught the new PetSmart commercial that features Yoko Ono singing “I’m Your Angel”?!?!Who would have EVER thought!Sure, it’s nearly forty years later … but Yoko’s music has FINALLY hit the mainstream … John would have been SO proud!(kk)
After years of retooling (and recasting), it looks like the Freddie Mercury / Queen biopic FINALLY has a release date (November 2nd) … and the first full-length trailer has been released …
After lots of hype (and an original plan to have Sacha Baron Cohen … aka Ali G and Borat … playing the lead role), the band finally settled on Rami Malek … and the promo looks quite good.(A must see at the theater regardless!)kk
And FH Reader Ken Voss sends us this Music Licensing News Update …
House Votes to Modernize Music Compensation Passing by unanimous vote, a bill aiming to reform compensation for music licensing heads to the Senate. Washington, DC (April 27, 2018) — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 5447, better known as the Music Modernization Act, a bill that reforms compensation for music licensing, by a unanimous vote; it now heads to the Senate. “Our industry made history yesterday,” commented Michael Huppe, president and CEO, SoundExchange, in an April 26 statement. “Never have we seen such consensus on an issue of such importance to music creators, and the bipartisan support that we witnessed in the House sends a clear message as music licensing reform moves to the Senate.” The bill was introduced by co-sponsors Robert Goodlatte (R-VA) and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). Goodlatte noted that “music is no longer written on piano rolls, and our laws shouldn’t be based on that technology either.” The Recording Academy, the RIAA, ASCAP, BMI, the American Association of Independent Music, the American Federation of Musicians and other industry groups threw their support behind the bill. Sirius XM and Music Choice are reportedly the only organizations offering any opposition to the MMA. The bill offers benefits not just for artists and rights holders but also producers, engineers and mixers, by “formalizing SoundExchange's long-time practice of honoring letters of direction from artists who opt to share royalties with other creative participants,” according to Huppe’s statement. The MMA also closes a loophole that denied federal copyright protection and royalty payments from digital services for the use of pre-1972 recordings. It additionally establishes a market-based standard rate for writers and artists—a willing buyer/willing seller model long advocated within the industry—and the creation of an organization, similar to SoundExchange, to track credits and distribute royalties. According to Recording Academy president and CEO Neil Portnow, “Music creators compose the soundtrack to our lives. These creators deserve to be paid a fair wage for their work. The passage of the Music Modernization Act in the House of Representatives is a historic step forward for all music creators, ensuring that they are credited, paid, and shown the respect they deserve for the impact they have on our culture and daily life. We are honored that GRAMMYs on the Hill helped to pave the way for these long overdue updates.” The MMA now advances to the Senate, where three similar Senate bills are scheduled for Senate Judiciary Committee hearings in mid-May. Supporters of H.R. 5447 are reported as hoping that the Senate will simply take up and vote on the House bill rather than try to reconcile and combine all four pieces of proposed legislation.
Kent,
While doing genealogy research, I found this fun fact for FH'er Tommy Roe. Knowing that Tommy did the song "California Chrome" for the Kentucky Derby winning race horse a few years back, it was funny to come across the second place finisher in the Pasadena handicap race on January 7, 1905! Check it out!
Clark Besch
And, speaking of The Kentucky Derby (told you we were WAY behind!!!)
Celebrity author Mark Bego attended The Kentucky Derby with two of his rock star chefs from his best-selling cookbook, "Eat Like a Rock Star," (Skyhorse), Joey Fatone and Supremes star Mary Wilson. Bego's cookbook hit the Top 10 on the best-seller list, and now he and Wilson are working on "Supreme Glamour," due to be published in Spring, 2019. While at Churchill Downs, "Chef" Bego and Mary bet on Justify, and won! David Salidor
Our FH Buddy Al Kooper has FINALLY resurrected his “New Music For Old People” project with both a new website and an up-coming radio show.More details to come as they become available.
Hey Kent,
Are you running less and less letters from readers? Just seems like that.Still your content is great.
Chet Coppock
The ratio varies from week to week based on how many responses we get from readers.(I’m a little surprised this came after last week’s Thursday This And That as that posting featured only two commentaries by me … but fourteen letters from readers (including celebs Rick O’Dell of Me-TV-FM, Jim Peterik of The Ides of March, Barry Winslow of The Royal Guardsmen, who shared photos of his band’s recent reunion show down in St. Petersburg, FL, and Rick Levy of The Box Tops, who wished Tommy Roe a Happy Birthday … as well as two press releases promoting the release of the Bang! / Bert Berns documentary on DVD and Chubby Checker’s Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Induction for his recording of “The Twist.”)
Now THIS week I’ve taken over most of the commentary because, after being gone for a week, mail for readers was at a minimum … but for me the perfect balance is you guys responding and then me reacting to your responses.(That being said, there is no etched in stone game plan … I just go with the flow!Lol)kk
Speaking of which … this just in from Barry Winslow of The Royal Guardsmen …
Hi Kent,
Thanks for the post and pics ... it was fun, my friend. May get another
chance soon.
Keep up the great work ... you are the best.
Barry
"The Twist" and "Let's Twist Again" made each other popular in a way. Here in the US, "The Twist" was Billboard's #1 song of the 60's decade! It went to #1 in 1960 as a fall hit and then returned to the Hot 100 a year later in the winter, becoming an even bigger hit. This was somewhat caused by "Let’s Twist Again" becoming a hit that summer. To return the favor, "The Twist"’s rise to number one in the winter of ‘61 led to "Let's Twist Again" recharting for 11 weeks more, only months after reaching a peak of #8. Chubby's "The Twist" was now a big #1 at Christmas time, 1961, and his duet of "Jingle Bell Rock," paired with Bobby Rydell andhis solo hit, “Twistin’ USA,” were also hits at Christmas time that year. Chubby was "in" in 1960, ‘61, ‘62!
Not to be outdone, in the UK, "The Twist" charted FOUR times and "Let’s Twist Again" FIVE times!
Clark Besch
UP-COMING SHOWS:
If you live in or around the Chicagoland Area, we’ve got some GREAT shows coming up that we’re sure you’ll want to know about.
Check out this incredible list of performers and concert events below:
May 17th – Grand Funk Railroad with Rick Derringer – The Genesee Theatre
May 18th – Smash Mouth and The Spin Doctors – Genesee Theatre
May 20th – Rick Springfield (stripped down)
May 24th and 25th – John Waite – City Winery
June 4th and 5th – Al Stewart – City Winery
June 5th and 6th – Yes at The Arcada Theatre
June 8th - .38 Special – Arcada Theatre
June 11th – John Mayall – City Winery
July 9th – Howard Jones – The City Winery
July 11th – Dave Mason with Steve Cropper – Arcada Theatre
July 15th – Jay Siegel’s Tokens, Larry Chance and The Earls, Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon and Ladd Vance (son of Kenny Vance) and the Planotones – The Arcada Theatre
July 27th and 28th – Ted Nugent – Arcada Theatre
August 8th, 9th and 10th – Tower Of Power at The City Winery
August 17th – Happy Together starring The Turtles (featuring Ron Dante and Mark Volman), Chuck Negron, Mark Lindsay, The Cowsills, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and The Association
August 19th – Don McLean – City Winery
August 25th – Jay and the Americans with The Vogues – Arcada Theatre
August 26th – The Jan and Dean Beach Party starring Dean Torrence – Arcada Theatre
August 26th – Justin Hayward – City Winery
September 5th – The Average White Band – City Winery
September 13th – Jesse Colin Young – City Winery
September 15th – Pablo Cruise – Arcada Theatre
September 17th – Canned Heat – City Winery
September 22nd – Tommy James and the Shondells – these guys sell out EVERY time! – The Arcada Theatre
September 23rd – The Bay City Rollers (featuring Stuart “Woody” Wood) – The Arcada Theatre
September 27th – Ambrosia and Orleans – Arcada Theatre
October 19th – April Wine – Arcada Theatre
Paul Anka returns to The Arcada Theatre on October 22nd and 23rd with a brand new show saluting the music of Frank Sinatra (some of which Paul provided in the first place!)Incredibly this week marks the 20th Anniversary of Sinatra’s death at age 82.
This is a class act doing a class show.Tickets available now thru The Arcada Theatre Online Box Office.
November 16th and 17th – America – Arcada Theatre
November 24th – The BoDeans – City Winery
December 9th – Ronnie Spector and The Ronettes – Arcada Theatre
Tony Orlando and Dawn reunite for a Christmas / Greatest Hits show at The Arcada Theatre on Tuesday, December 11th … now this should be a WHOLE lotta fun.
EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT PROUDLY PRESENTS
THE ROLLING STONES … FROM THE VAULT:
NO SECURITY – SAN JOSE 1999 CONCERT FILM,
OUT JULY 13, 2018
On July 13, 2018, Eagle Rock Entertainment releases From The Vault: No Security - San Jose 1999, the latest in the acclaimed and collectable From The Vault series. Mining the previously unreleased treasures of the band’s archive, this is a simultaneous release on DVD, Blu-ray, DVD + 2CD, 3LP and digital. No Security captures a stand-out Stones show, with the band in searing form during the closing leg of their American tour in San Jose. Celebrating their return to the city that originally hosted them in 1965, the Stones played to 33,000 people over two nights – intimate by their current day standards. The band opened with “Jumpin Jack Flash”, hitting the stage with no security, no inflatables, no bells or whistles – just undeniable on-stage camaraderie - a tight-as-hell band delivering the ultimate rock show to their adoring fans. Treating the crowd to an up-close and personal experience on the B stage and leaving a frenzy in their wake, with Jagger pausing to take photographs of the crowd and high-fiving fans - it felt like a special night for both the Stones and the audience, “We’re here to have a good time” said Mick Jagger, and San Jose was excited to join the party. The set list spans from the mid-sixties hit singles to the Bridges to Babylon album, including a bluesy, dramatic version of “Midnight Rambler”, a dark and swaggering “Out of Control”, and the rarely performed live, “Some Girls” and “Saint of Me”. The show was an electrifying, anthem-packed, cross generational hot ticket, concluding yet another chapter from the band that wrote the book on rock ‘n’ roll. The No Security tour was a mostly arena-sized continuation of the Bridges To Babylon tour, which had grossed in excess of $274 million. No Security saw the Stones adopt a more stripped back approach, concentrating on the music and playing smaller venues, using fewer special effects and providing an unforgettable fan experience.
Track listing: 1.Jumpin’ Jack Flash 2. Bitch 3. You Got Me Rocking 4. Respectable 5. Honky Tonk Woman 6. I Got The Blues 7. Saint Of Me 8. Some Girls 9. Paint It Black 10. You Got The Silver 11. Before They Make Me Run 12. Out Of Control 13. Route 66 14. Get Off Of My Cloud 15. Midnight Rambler 16. Tumbling Dice 17. It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It) 18. Start Me Up 19. Brown Sugar 20. Sympathy For The Devil
And, speaking of new releases, we’ve already pre-ordered this one!
The Beach Boys are the next artist to receive the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra treatment when “The Warmth Of The Sun:The Beach Boys With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” is released on June 8th.
TRACK LISTING: 1.California Suite 2.California Girls 3.Wouldn’t It Be Nice 4.Fun, Fun, Fun 5.Don’t Worry Baby 6.God Only Knows 7.Sloop John B 8.Heroes And Villains 9.Disney Girls 10.Here Today 11.In My Room 12.Kokomo 13. The Warmth Of The Sun 14. Darlin’ 15. Help Me, Rhonda 16. You Still Believe In Me 17. Good Vibrations
I always knew the vocal arrangements I did back in the 1960s would lend themselves perfectly for a symphony and there is no better one in the world than the Royal Philharmonic. I am both proud and humbled by what they have created using our songs and I hope everyone falls in love with it like I have. -- Brian Wilson
This album is one of a kind. I think the fact that the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has accompanied the Beach Boys with these great arrangements is just a phenomenal thing. It’s a whole other dimension to our music. -- Mike Love
Don Reedman and Nick Patrick did a terrific job on this. I can’t imagine having more fun than taking some of these great songs and putting them into this perspective. They did a beautiful job of arranging the music around the original vocals, which I think is a terrific idea. It makes the music feel new all over again! -- Al Jardine
When I listened to the album, I realized that the new arrangements performed by the orchestra didn’t add the wrong kind of weight. They just added the beautiful fairy dust of the orchestra to what we already ready recorded.It’s another interpretation of us without losing the groundwork of us.I really like it. -- Bruce Johnston
