I'm not much of a Beach Boys fan, largely because all of their songs kind of start to sound alike after awhile. But this is one song that I absolutely love!! I love the R & B/bluesy vibe to this song; it is a nice, refreshing sound from the usual songs that they write. Also, it probably helps that there is a different person singing lead vocal (it adds a different sound to the song).

Love this song!

I've never paid much attention to the Beach Boys, so I wonder if this is after Brian Wilson was out of the group.

MickyDolenz said:

I've never paid much attention to the Beach Boys, so I wonder if this is after Brian Wilson was out of the group.

Here is what I found on Wikepedia:

"Sail On, Sailor" was the final song recorded for the 1973 Beach Boys album Holland. The song was written by Brian Wilson, Ray Kennedy, Tandyn Almer, Jack Rieley, and Van Dyke Parks.

Background

When the Beach Boys submitted the original version of Holland to Warner Brothers in October 1972, the album was rejected by the company for lacking a potential hit single. After discussion among Warner executives, an associate, Van Dyke Parks, said that he had a tape of a song that he had co-written with Brian Wilson entitled "Sail On, Sailor." Warner then told the Beach Boys to drop what the company perceived as the weakest track, "We Got Love," and replace it with the Wilson-Parks tune. The song eventually featured contributions (some dating back from 1971) from Ray Kennedy and Tandyn Almer, and underwent some lyrical revision from Beach Boys manager Jack Rieley.

Vocals for "Sail On, Sailor" were recorded in late October 1972, some time after the Beach Boys had left Holland. However, Brian Wilson was not involved at all with the song's recording sessions, leaving the basic track to be recorded by Brian's brother Carl and ex-Flame and then-Beach Boys members Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin. The lead vocal was first attempted by Dennis Wilson, who sang the vocal once before leaving to go surfing. Carl was the next to attempt a vocal, but he then suggested that Chaplin make an attempt. After two takes, Carl decided that Chaplin's vocal would feature as the lead.

"Sail On, Sailor" was released as a single in 1973, backed with "Only with You." However, the single only reached #79 on the singles charts. "Sail On, Sailor"/"Only with You" was re-released in 1975, and ended up charting higher at #49.

Statements by Parks on Wilson's message board, however, suggest that the song was not really worked on by Wilson, but rather that Wilson gave him a few chords with a small melody. Parks states that part of the reason it was so heavily stressed to be a mostly Wilson composition (indeed, Parks had to sue to gain any credits at all) is because Warner Brothers had demanded Wilson return to writing music and to the front of the band—something Wilson was not willing to do.

It has also been stated by former Beach Boys engineer and mixer Steven Desper that the song was actually completed just after the release of Surf's Up in late 1971. The song was then remixed and a Blondie Chaplin vocal was rerecorded onto the original track.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...On,_Sailor

Beautiful song... I've seen Brian Wilson play this in concert a couple of times in the past decade so he must like it too

pacey68 said:

Beautiful song... I've seen Brian Wilson play this in concert a couple of times in the past decade so he must like it too

psychodelicide said:

I'm not much of a Beach Boys fan, largely because all of their songs kind of start to sound alike after awhile. But this is one song that I absolutely love!! I love the R & B/bluesy vibe to this song; it is a nice, refreshing sound from the usual songs that they write. Also, it probably helps that there is a different person singing lead vocal (it adds a different sound to the song).

Love this song!

What a great song! I have been playing this to death.

elem55 said:

What a great song! I have been playing this to death.

Me too!

I really dig this toon also! Has anyone ever heard Ray Charles' version of this song? It's great as well, but the harmonies on the original always gives me boosegumps!!!

The Holland album is a wonderful record. My favorites are 'Sunflower', 'Friends', 'Surf's Up'.

brian wilson was a genius before his breakdown...single handedly making pet sounds and smile while fighting with his record company and people in his own band who just wanted him to write surf hits instead of growing musicially...if you have never really listened to their music..get pet sounds and smile and sunflower albums and listen to some of the best music ever written...