Greetings, one and all! I come before you a sleep-deprived zombie, still consumed with amazement at the incredible awesomeness of having a first child. My daughter is very healthy, seemingly happy, and thus far, seems perfectly perfect to me. The possibility that she could have shitty taste in music, be afraid to dance, or (shudder) fall in love with a broke-ass drummer is still far enough in the future that I choose to believe none of those things could ever possibly happen.
But I didn’t make this appearance to talk seriously about years to come. No, I am here as Master of Japery and Lord High Commissioner of Fun & Games to ask you one simple question: what song do you think filled my head in the first 24 hours after my Miss M was born?
Those of you who have had the experience I just did will know that after the birth of a first child (assuming you wanted it), one’s heart is filled to bursting, and all the cares and worries of parenthood are subsumed in a tidal wave of the purest ell-oh-vee-ee LUVV. In fact, the days I spent in the hospital right after my girl was born were surprisingly reminiscent of the first few precious, hazy days I’ve spent locked up with the special girls I’ve fallen in love with over the years — you know that feeling, like you’re in an opium den of pure positivity and nothing-could-ever-go-wrong-ism. You don’t want to leave, but at the same time, you know one day you must. You suck on that love-opium pipe as long as you can, and then cross your fingers as you cross the threshold back into the cold light of day, and inevitable reality.
But, again, what I want to know is: for those first few precious, purely positive days, before the sleepless nights and screaming tantrums — what song was stuck in my head? Give me your best guesses. I’ll guide you with clues and hints as I deem necessary. First Townsman to get to the correct answer wins a coveted RTH No-Prize!
I look forward to your responses,
HVB
Patience And Prudence – Tonight,You Belong To Me
I don’t know why but this is the first song that popped in my head.
Ha! This is a piece of cake because I went through the very same thing. “Adorable” by the Coasters (“Adorable, dorable dorable dorable baby…”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj6vak1-L3E
XTC’s “Then She Appeared,” one of the only great songs on Nonsuch.
Well, the song that’s been going through my mind since hearing your news was Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.”
That would be my pick. A great song. Not having had the experience myself, it makes me think I have an inkling of what it would feel like.
Ok, if it’s not Stevie Wonder, then how about The Psychedelic Furs, “Pretty In Pink.”
Of course! You’re changing diapers: ZZ Top’s “Tush”!
I must admit I don’t know that one, Cliff.
THAT is a great baby girl song, cdm! But you are (buzz) incorrect.
Oh, wow. Another goodie. But a bit brainy for the first 24 hours of shell-shocked, love-fueled new-baby existence.
Well, as you’ll see, my follow-up guess is quite the opposite.
“Rock and Roll Damnation” and I also assume you rode into the hospital on a dirt bike.
Good guess, and close to the spirit I describe, but no. On a related note, as a kid, I used to have a dog who would stop whatever he was doing, anywhere in or out of the house, and run up to my room any time I played that song. He would sit in front of the speakers, smacking his chops in happy-dog fashion, until the song ended, at which point he would leave. “Isn’y She Lovely” was the only song that had this effect.
Gaaack! No!
That came later. Incidentally, after the wondrous inner love festival of days one and two, I was dismayed to find that for some inexplicable reason “I Am the Warrior” by Patti Smythe and Scandal got stuck in my noggin.
High Five!
Here’s another clue for you all: think American, West coast, 1960s.
Congratualtions! I was going to guess something from Thin Lizzy’s Live and Dangerous album, but you’ve gone and given us a clue that definitely excludes that. So I’ll guess Surfer Girl, mostly because when my first one was born I listened to Patti Smith’s Wave album front to back and then slept for hours. I have no idea why that was the record I picked, but it seemed to fit.
That version? Because surely you know the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxpAyPj-nJo
2000 Man correctly ID’s the band! But this is a forum for irritating music nerds, people. You can bet the song that flowed through my head was a DEEP CUT.
God Only Knows?
For the sake of your beautiful daughter it best not have been the one that Charles Manson had a hand in writing! It’s not particularly a deep cut, but what about the amazing “Girl Don’t Tell Me”?
Ooh, am I reading a hint in your reference to the song having “flowed?” Is it that “Feel Flows” song you dedicated Beach Boys followers somehow manage a way to rave about?
One of the greatest songs in the history of everything, but that is not a DEEP CUT, my man!
Ha! No, but I find your choice of deep cutz very interesting. Listening to that tune, it seems a perfect match for your general 60s pop preferences, and — I suspect — explains much about your friendship with the Accuser/e. Pluribus. We should explore this further in a group setting sometime.
No, but you’re getting closer to the answer here, in more ways than one. I believe my track and this one share a lead singer.
True. You could probably locate the essence of the friendship that E. Pluribus Gergely and I share over just that song, “Girl Don’t Tell Me.”
It’s kind of a deep cut to me.
Where’s Berlyant when you need him?
You need that Lately David guy. He’d have this sorted out, toot sweet!
Or Al or your old friend Christian. Where are the Post-Pet Sounds True Believers when a bunch of rock nerds needs them?
Well, I’m here but not much of a post Pet Sounds type, certainly not the deep cuts type. A post-post Pet Sounds possibility could be the Brian only Love & Mercy.
Put me in any group that sings the praises of Girl Don’t Tell Me, my favoritest Beach Boys song ever.
And what ever happened to Christian?
Congrats hvb! As you will discover (even if you don’t believe me now), it keeps getting better and better!
Hello, everyone. I’ve been summoned by hrrundivikbashi. My guess is that the song in question is either “Long Promised Road” or the Beach Boys version of “I Can Hear Music”.
Aren’t they all deep cuts?
Ouch. Damnably close, but no cigar! This track hails from an album the Mod is supposed to enjoy, but probably doesn’t. I wonder if he’s even heard this song? I have to assume he has; the album from whence it comes is one of those LPs every Beach Boys fan is supposed to recognize as the band’s “secret weapon” — the great comeback that inexplicably stiffed upon release. For me, it’s pretty thin gruel. But the few songs that make the cut are indeed quality material. This song is one of them.
Darlin?
Wow, another great song that I would have been proud to put to use at the time. But no. You’ve left the album in question.
Please don’t tell me it’s Kokomo.
It is not Kokomo. Though I was tempted to honor our Moderator by giving my daughter that name.
Sloop John B? Did you name your daughter John?
Based on your description, I’m gonna guess “This Whole World”. I almost wanna say “When a Man Needs a Woman” because part of its chorus is “they make things like you, my love” as its clearly addressed to a young child, but I don’t know if that would be appropriate here given its title (thought that is how babies are made) and that Brian sang lead on that one. In any case, this is tough, even with all of the clues given! Are either of these right?
Lyrically I know it doesn’t fit the “new baby girl” theme, but it’s a nice little lullaby.
Oh, oh, oh is it “Wonderful” from Smiley Smile ?
No. But the idea of “Sloopy” kind of appeals to me, for all kinds of rock nerd reasons.
Ay-yi-yi! So close! But no, “This Whole World” is not correct. Come on — barring Bruce Johnston’s mega-turds, what’s the sweetest love song on that album?
Nope. Wrong album.
Take Good care of Your Feet?
And btw we want to hear more about all those girls you’ve locked up over the years.
Forever?
Nope. And it isn’t “Ding Dang” or “Johnny Carson” either.
No. Interesting guess, though. Don’t get me started on that song and that album.
Here today!
Oh, hell. I’ll just tell you. The song that occupied my brain, very appropriately, for the first 24 hours of my daughter’s life was “Our Sweet Love” by the Beach Boys. It’s one of the DEEP CUTZ off of “Sunflower” — an album that only Matt Berlyant could love without reservation. (I love you, Matt — don’t be a stranger to the Hall!) Check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15vRuRg_LTo
Congratulations and all the best to you and your family! Remember it all because it Goes So Quickly
When our boy was born my college roomie dropped this CD on us, if you’re interested.
http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/index.php/music/rockabye-baby-lullaby-renditions-of-the-beach-boys.html
Now at almost four years old my boy’s all about the Beatles and Il Volo, so it’s kind of intriguing.
And from the FFreshmen vid my guess would have been the Boys’ cover of “Their Hearts Were Full of Spring.”
aloha
LD
And yeah, I kind of thought it was a crock that they “lullabye-ized” “Let’s Go Away For Awhile,” but what the hell? It was a gift!
aloha
LD
I was starting to worry that thought of “family” had gotten “Never Learn Not To Love” stuck in your head.
I *almost* guessed “Our Sweet Love” as I figured out that you meant Sunflower from the earlier clues as far as what Lp it’s on. Anyway, I think that’s an underrated song. I remember putting it on a compilation cd-r years ago and thinking it must have been an influence on XTC.
And yeah, Sunflower is actually pretty great from start to finish (even the Bruce Johnston stuff) though the thing with the Beach Boys is that many of their albums (even the good ones) are full of filler and not-so-great material amongst the gems.
And love you, too, and congrats!
“Our Sweet Love is indeed vastly underrated. I really don’t understand why it isn’t included in the, uh, expanded-core BB canon. For my money, it’s better than “Feel Flows,” “Add Some Music to Your Day,” *all* of “The Beach Boys Love You,” and a bunch of other songs that BB revisionists swear are the greatest things the BB did since Pet Sounds. It’s simple and it’s beautiful, without becoming one of those creepy songs where Brian sees the world “through a child’s eyes” and so forth. My only beef with the song is that it’s a kind of “God Only Knows”-lite — similar, but not as good. Then again, how could it be?
Without re-starting ancient debates on the merits of the post-Pet Sounds Beach Boys catalog, I think you’re grossly overrated it compared to the other material you mentioned. If you’d like to go down this road, I’m game, but I’m warning you that it will be long. The land of ’70s Beach Boys is deep, vast and potentially dangerous! 🙂
Otherwise, I’ll just say there’s no way it’s better than “Feel Flows,” but that relates to what I said before about many of their (even good) albums being inconsistent. “Feel Flows” might seem better than it actually is (same with other stuff on that record like “Long Promised Road”) because of the crapiness of “Student Demonstration Time” and the like. It’s great regardless, but something to ponder.
I meant “you’re grossly overrating it” or “you’ve grossly overrated it” (each would work here). Sorry!
I am with HVB on Love You. A candidate for “Please Explain” and if it already was hashed out on RTH, please excuse me.
“Johnny Carson” — how many hamburgers did Denny give Brian for writing that one?
Y’all are a bunch of cranks (though I love ya). Love You is amazing.
“Love You” is good, for sure. But amazing?
We did work through this album many moons ago. You can check it out here:
https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/the-beach-boys-lemglove-youl-emg-do-you
If we ever need to revisit, well, the Halls of Rock were made for punishment gluttons!
Thank you. I should have known that this important record got the full RTH treatment.
This will take some time to digest. The idea of the album being outsider art makes me smile.
I bought it in the cutouts. I hated it as a teenybobber.
I recall the record cover had a kind of texture to it, instead of the glossy cover of most records. I also recall they used the same picture of the band for the next record, M.I.U.
Well if it means anything, it’s the Beach Boys album I play the most along with Friends and maybe Sunflower.
I’d be much more willing to call “Love You” amazing than I’d ever be willing to call it good.
Good is a very subjective thing, alexmagic. With that in mind, I think it’s more important that it’s enjoyable and less important if it’s as conventionally good as their ’60s stuff and what not.
As a side-note, I have to say: This pic of Brian is on last.fm is pretty bad-ass.
http://www.last.fm/music/Brian+Wilson/+images/86070367
I think my last.fm profile pic is still an image of the Beach Boys circa the late ’60s or early ’70s, FWIW.