Category Archives: Music

Talent Personified – The Beach Boys Without Their Instruments

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How The Beach Boys Sounded Without Their Instruments

Brian Wilson photo: audio-eclectic.com

Brian Wilson is a genius. The proof is at the bottom of this post.

Andy Warhol said everyone would have 15 minutes of fame. With hits songs I believe it is more like 15 seconds.

Will anyone ever remember most of the “music” that has been on the pop charts during the last 30 years – 50 or 100 years from now?  I’m asking rhetorically, because the answer is no. I believe most music is transitory and of the time. To be remembered 100 years or 200 years from now, the way Mozart and Beethoven are or The Beatles and Duke Ellington will be, is unlikely for the majority of musical artists.

The Beach Boys Brian Wilson used session musicians to record a lot of the songs on their albums. But the singing was all theirs.

Here are three songs from the album Pet Sounds;

God Only Knows

Sloop John B

Wouldn’t It Be Nice

Now here are The Beach Boys performing those three songs sung a cappella.

This is what separates Brian Wilson from 99.9% of rock n’ roll musicians. Brian Wilson’s genius at arrangement and harmonies.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame Knows Nothing About Hard Rock Or Heavy Metal

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The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame’s 5 Biggest Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Snubs

I am not one for lists. They are subjective and open to arguments.

Having written that, I will still compile a few lists here and there on this site and possibly instigate something Palin-esque (Michael not Sarah.)  So, with that warning, this list concerns one of the most meaningless institutions ever created – the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.  Who cares about who is in and who is not? I certainly don’t. The idea that you are given an award or recognized by some all knowing group of people has never excited me.  I’m sure most bands really don’t care and it makes no difference in validating their career.

Yet to legions of dedicated fans of various bands, it does matter. They start online petitions, vent in Rolling Stone or on blogs about their band not being included in The RNRHOF. Every year when the inductees Continue reading →

What Goes Around Comes Around – Cheer Up! Smile! Nertz!

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Nertz?!

Sometimes the songs of yesteryear are apropos for today.  The lyrics of a song from the 1920’s or 30’s can translate very well in today’s economic tumult, with millions of Americans still out of work in the midst of our “economic recovery.”  I see many of the same things happening today that transpired during the Great Depression.

Bread Line 1930’s Brooklyn, NY

Current events played a bigger role in the writing of songs back then, including this gem from composers Wesley and Mischa Portnoff and lyrics by Norman Anthony, performed by Eddie Cantor in 1931, Cheer Up! Smile! Nertz! The song was featured in the 2005 film Cinderella Man.

Eddie Cantor was one of the great entertainers of all time. He was a humanitarian and optimist.  His rags to riches story is one that I shall elaborate on at another time.  He was usually among the first choices for many songwriters to showcase their work.

Is the current recession over? I don’t believe it.

And what does nertz mean? — nonsense or nuts or (a polite way at the time of saying) B.S.

Here for your listening pleasure an mp3 with lyrics below of Cheer Up! Smile! Nertz!

Cheer Up! Smile! Nertz!

Cheer Up, Smile, Nertz!

Sure, business is bunk,
And Wall Street is sunk,
We’re all of us broke, and ready to croak.
We’ve nothing to Continue reading →

Carole King, Tapestry & The Art Of The Album Cover

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The Story Of The Tapestry Photo Shoot And Some Out-takes

One of the best selling albums of all time is Carole King’s Tapestry from 1971. The appealing cover image of Carole King sitting in the living room of her home in Laurel Canyon, CA was taken by rock n’ roll photographer Jim McCrary. An interesting sidenote was that King’s cat Telemachus was moved while sitting on the pillow from across the room by McCrary to be used in the final cover shot.

We identify famous covers and just accept that is the cover. The conclusion is “it’s the right cover!”  In Tapestry’s case, McCrary’s use of the cat definitely helps draw the viewer in.

Tapestry

What if a different cover had been used?

Here are four other photos from The Tapestry shoot

   

March 2 is the premiere of PBS’s “American Masters” which features Carole King in Troubadors: Carole King / James Taylor & The Rise of the Singer-Songwriter.