Thursday, April 30, 2020

New Comment on an Old Post

I thought I would pass along the new last comment on on Why I Didn't Like The Beach Boys. That one really attracted some anger.  I think I cross-posted it at Chicago Boyz, with similar response.

For the record, I see why other people liked Brian Wilson's creativity and devotion to getting sounds right.  However, California/Hot Cars/Surfin' is not a lyrically serious channel, and it kept them in the "good times, dude" category. Second, their voices (particularly their highest harmonies), though pure, had too much whinyness, shrillness, lack of tone, whatever you want to call that. It's jarring, even when used in a good spot.

Still haven't changed my mind.  I did find the comment enjoyable, but I'm not going to respond.

4 comments:

RichardJohnson said...

I hope that some of those commenters do not bring to politics the same amount of knowledge and passion that they have brought to a discussion of the Beach Boys. Unfortunately, I suspect that they do.

Agreed that there's no point in responding. If you don't agree that the Beach Boys have both inane lyrics and excellent vocal harmonies, what is the point of further discussion?

Christopher B said...

I'm a bit young for their target demographic but I have to proclaim a strong dislike for most things Beatles. I don't know their catalog well enough to be sure but since I've no problem with Sir Paul's later material with Wings I suspect what I really dislike is mostly Lennon's stuff. Wasn't too crazy about Ringo's solo efforts either.

Philip Sells said...

I revisited your old post there and I think that's the first time I actually heard the words to the verses. I think you're right, there's not much 'there' there. However, I will say that I've also never before heard a pop song that so directly sent my mind back to the days of spectroscopy lab. Excitations, vibrations... they're singing about FTIR and fluorimetry, man!

Maybe due to the fact that there's at least some such connection, even your selected example is not, for me, the gold standard for lyrical vapidity - that is claimed, I feel, by some of Sheryl Crow's material.

RichardJohnson said...

...even your selected example is not, for me, the gold standard for lyrical vapidity - that is claimed, I feel, by some of Sheryl Crow's material.

There's a lot of competition for the gold standard of vapidity. Consider The Trashmen's masterpiece, Surfing Bird.