Song of the Day 10/19: The Beach Boys, “‘Til I Die”
Mike Love is still adding to his resume as rock ‘n’ roll’s biggest asshole, this time by headlining a Trump fund-raising concert in Orange County without telling Brian Wilson and Al Jardine beforehand. That duo quickly disavowed any connection with Trump, and you can tell they wish they could cut their connections with Love as well.
There’s never been any love lost (sorry) between Love, who leads a touring band under the Beach Boys name, and Brian. The two have butted heads since Wilson began to write songs more sophisticated than the adolescent surf-and-hot-rods music Love still hasn’t outgrown.
This song from their 1971 “Surf’s Up” LP, for example, is widely admired as one of his most sublime inventions. Brian said it was inspired by a nighttime walk on the beach: “I struggled at the piano, experimenting with rhythms and chord changes, trying to emulate in sound the ocean’s shifting tides and moods as well as its sheer enormity,” he said. “I wanted the music to reflect the loneliness of floating a raft in the middle of the Pacific. I wanted each note to sound as if it was disappearing into the hugeness of the universe.”
Producer Don Was said he asked Brian how he came up with the chords. “He told me that he was sitting at a piano, creating geometric patterns with his fingers, trying not to move the fingers on the outside of the patterns, but limiting changes to internal movements. When he landed on a shape that both looked cool and sounded good, he wrote it down. So, essentially he created this masterpiece by contorting his fingers into really groovy shapes. … I’ve absolutely no idea whether this story has any basis in truth or whether he was just making it up on the spot to entertain me.”
Whatever the case, the result is gorgeous. According to Brian Wilson, Mike Love’s first reaction upon hearing it: “What a fucking downer.”
Brian also recorded the song for his 1995 album “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times.” It illustrates just how dispensable Mike Love was.
Nice commentary on one of the greatest songs ever, either version. And not dead yet!
Saw Brian Wilson and Al Jardine on a music cruise back in February and it was a bittersweet experience. They were showcased with a large band (probably 20 people) which had a “music director”. Can’t remember his name but the band and music were good. Al Jardine still has a good voice and Brian’s was OK. Got to see them in concert and at a Q&A. Both times, Brian was seated when the curtain opened and when it closed. Made me think he has physical problems. He was pretty lost at the Q&A and gave mostly one or two word answers after having the question repeated to him (I know he’s had hearing problems for a long time). In concert he was seated center stage at a keyboard and read his between song comments from a teleprompter. As I said, the experience was bittersweet.
Phil Spector
Liam Gallagher
Anton Newcombe. (no idea who this is)
Gene Simmons
Ted Nugent
Morrissey
Eddie Van Halen
Axl Rose
Glenn Fry (?)