Summer in Paradise
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| Summer in Paradise | ||
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| Studio album by The Beach Boys | ||
| Released | 3 August 1992 (U.S.) May 1993 (UK) |
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| Recorded | Autumn 1991–Spring 1992 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 44:10 (U.S.) 41:15 (UK) |
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| Label | Brother Records (U.S.) EMI (UK) |
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| Producer(s) | Terry Melcher | |
| Professional reviews | ||
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| The Beach Boys chronology | ||
| Still Cruisin' (1989) |
Summer in Paradise (1992) |
Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys (1993) |
| Alternate cover | ||
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| Alternate UK cover art | ||
Summer in Paradise is The Beach Boys' first album of the 1990s. It was released in the United States in 1992 on Brother Records (through an independent distributor, Navarre) and in the United Kingdom in 1993 on EMI. (It has been reported that Navarre went bankrupt after distributing the album.)
The entire album was recorded using Pro Tools on a Macintosh Quadra computer, being one of the first (if not the first) albums to do so. Musically, it continued in the vein of The Beach Boys and Still Cruisin' by having an abundance of electronic instrumentation. The entire rhythm section was electronic on most songs, with all the drum parts being programmed (although not credited as such) and most of the bass parts being synthesized as well. Strangely, the only band member to actually play was Bruce Johnston, although Terry Melcher played many keyboard parts, and Van Dyke Parks played accordion on two tracks.
All the surviving band members (except Brian Wilson, who was being removed from the care of Eugene Landy) contributed to this project, though the contributions from Carl Wilson and Al Jardine are purely vocals as they have no songwriting credits here. The idea of this album, in Mike Love's words was to create "the quintessential soundtrack of summer". Every song on the album, with the exception of "Forever", deals with summer in one way or another. In terms of song selection, "Summer in Paradise" features a mixture of new material and covers, along with two re-castings of previous Beach Boys material ("Surfin'" and "Forever"). The track "Summer of Love" was originally intended to be a duet, albeit one with Bart Simpson.
Since Navarre and EMI only did one print run each, Summer in Paradise has technically been out of print since its release. Copies have become somewhat rare, fetching upwards of $25 USD on eBay for a U.S. pressing and upwards of $40 USD for UK pressings.
The album sold very badly (reportedly less than 1000 copies) and was received worse than any album put out by the band to date. Fans pointed out their dislike for the number of covers (and the quality of them as well); the song choices; the lyrics and melodies and especially John Stamos's turn as a vocalist on "Forever". The band has never again released an original album (although Jardine did release a live album with "Al Jardine's Family and Friends", and Mike has nearly always had a new solo project in the works), and Brian disassociated himself from the group after Carl's death in 1998. Love and Johnston now tour under the Beach Boys name (with David Marks joining them around 1998, and leaving not much longer); Jardine plays sporadic concerts with his two sons and a number of former group backing musicians; and Wilson has had a tremendously successful solo career.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- "Hot Fun in the Summertime" (Sylvester Stewart) – 3:29
- "Surfin'" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 3:45
- "Summer of Love" (Mike Love/Terry Melcher) – 2:51
- "Island Fever" (Mike Love/Terry Melcher) – 3:27
- "Still Surfin' " (Mike Love/Terry Melcher) – 4:03
- "Slow Summer Dancin' (One Summer Night)" (Bruce Johnston/Danny Webb) – 3:23
- "Strange Things Happen" (Mike Love/Terry Melcher) – 4:42
- "Remember (Walking In The Sand)" (George Morton) – 3:31
- "Lahaina Aloha" (Mike Love/Terry Melcher) – 3:44
- "Under the Boardwalk" (Mike Love/Artie Resnick/Kenny Young) – 4:07
- Most of the lyrics in this version are new (Love's contribution to the song).
- "Summer in Paradise" (Mike Love/Terry Melcher/Craig Fall) – 3:52
- "Forever" (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 3:05
- Features former Full House star John Stamos on lead vocals.
[edit] UK CD Tracks
The UK CD release, though it has the same track order as the U.S. CD, features different versions of five songs:
- "Island Fever" – 3:11
- Completely re-recorded and features new music and different lyrics.
- "Strange Things Happen" – 3:17
- Remixed and shortened considerably.
- "Under the Boardwalk" – 3:28
- Remixed and shortened considerably, although the bridge was restored.
- "Summer in Paradise" – 3:27
- Completely re-recorded and features new music, different lyrics, and Roger McGuinn singing lead vocals on one verse.
- "Forever" – 2:58
- Remixed and shortened slightly.
[edit] Singles
- "Hot Fun in the Summertime" b/w "Summer of Love" (Brother), July 1992
Summer in Paradise (Brother BBR 727-2 and EMI 0777 7 81036 2 2) failed to chart in either the U.S. or the UK It was the first and only Beach Boys studio album to ever miss the chart in the U.S.
[edit] Sources
- Summer in Paradise CD booklet notes, Mike Love
- "The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience", Timothy White, c. 1994.
- All Music Guide.com
[edit] Miscellanea
- Remember (Walking in the Sand) was remixed for the UK CD but was left off in favor of the U.S. version.
- Three versions of Forever exist; the U.S. CD mix, UK CD mix, and CHR mix.
