Endless Harmony Soundtrack

Endless Harmony Soundtrack is an anthology album of previously unheard material by The Beach Boys, originally released by Capitol Records in August 1998. Named for Bruce Johnston's song on the 1980 album Keepin' the Summer Alive, it was designed as a tie-in with the band's biographical documentary of the same name. The soundtrack was re-issued in March 2000 with some remixing and different artwork, while the original 1998 edition (with the orange/yellow cover) was deleted shortly thereafter.

Background

This project was undertaken during a time when The Beach Boys fractured apart - irrevocably - after the death of 51-year-old Carl Wilson in February 1998 from lung cancer. Brian Wilson, a temporary member for several years by this time, decided that the band was over and disassociated himself from any further group activity. At odds with Mike Love in continuing on after Carl's passing, Al Jardine did the same. To the present day, while Wilson and Jardine are pursuing solo careers, both Love and Bruce Johnston (with their accompanying concert act) still perform live as The Beach Boys.

The Endless Harmony Soundtrack itself is patterned somewhat like The Beatles' Anthology albums, with, various alternate versions and live renditions of songs, as well as previously unreleased ones. Spanning from a stereo remix of 1963's "Surfer Girl" to the completion of the unreleased 1969 recording "Loop de Loop (Flip Flop Flyin' in an Aeroplane)" 29 years after it was started, the album also includes a brief snippet of both Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks routining three Smile songs in 1966.

Endless Harmony Soundtrack never charted in the U.S. or the UK. Although the album wasn't a commercial success, it did encourage Capitol Records to issue a more comprehensive archival package in Hawthorne, CA, released in May 2001.

Track listing

All tracks written by Brian Wilson/Mike Love, unless otherwise noted.

1. "Soulful Old Man Sunshine" (Writing session excerpt) (Brian Wilson/Rick Henn) – 0:42
2. "Soulful Old Man Sunshine" (Brian Wilson/Rick Henn) – 3:25
3. "Radio Concert Promo 1" – 0:15
4. "Medley: Surfin' Safari/Fun, Fun, Fun/Shut Down/Little Deuce Coupe/Surfin' USA" (Live) (Brian Wilson/Love/Roger Christian/Chuck Berry) – 3:33
   • Recorded on 22 October 1966 in Michigan
5. "Surfer Girl" (Binaural mix) (Brian Wilson) – 2:27
   • The version on the revised 2000 edition of the album is more of an a cappella mix
6. "Help Me, Rhonda" (Alternate single version) – 2:50
7. "Kiss Me, Baby" (Stereo remix) – 2:42
8. "California Girls" (Stereo remix) – 2:44
9. "Good Vibrations" (Live) – 3:40
   • Recorded in rehearsal on 8 December 1968 in London
10. "Heroes and Villains (Demo)" (Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks) – 2:27
    • Recorded on 4 November 1966, this run through for Los Angeles DJ "Humble" Harve features, in addition to "Heroes and Villains", the fragments "I'm in Great Shape" and "Barnyard"
11. "Heroes and Villains" (Live) (Brian Wilson/Parks) – 3:40
12. "God Only Knows" (Live) (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher) – 2:45
    • Actually a live-in-the-studio recording in September 1967
13. "Radio Concert Promo 2" – 0:15
14. "Darlin'" (Live) – 2:26
    • Recorded on 21 June 1980 at Knebworth
15. "Wonderful"/"Don't Worry Bill" (Brian Wilson/Parks/Ricky Fataar/Blondie Chaplin/Steve Fataar/Brother Fataar) – 5:52
    • A medley of Smile's "Wonderful" and a song released by The Flame (also known as "The Flames") called "Don't Worry Bill" recorded on 23 November 1972 at Carnegie Hall in New York City
16. "Do It Again" (Early version) – 2:30
17. "Break Away" (Demo) (Brian Wilson/Reggie Dunbar) – 2:38
    • "Reggie Dunbar" is a pseudonym for Murry Wilson
18. "Sail Plane Song" (Brian Wilson/Carl Wilson) – 2:12
19. "Loop de Loop (Flip Flop Flyin' in an Aeroplane)" (Brian Wilson/Carl Wilson/Al Jardine) – 2:56
    • Recording begun in March 1969, finished by Al Jardine in July 1998
20. "Barbara" (Dennis Wilson) – 2:58
21. "'Til I Die" (Alternate mix) (Brian Wilson) – 4:52
22. "Long Promised Road" (Live) (Carl Wilson/Jack Rieley) – 4:17
    • Recorded on 23 November 1972 at Carnegie Hall in New York City
23. "All Alone" (Carli Muñoz) – 3:36
24. "Brian's Back" (Love) – 4:07
    • Written in response to Brian Wilson's 1976 return to the public eye
25. "Endless Harmony" (Bruce Johnston) – 3:29
    • Includes a hidden a cappella sample of "Kiss Me, Baby" after the song ends

Sources

• Endless Harmony Soundtrack CD booklet notes, Brad Elliott, c. 2000.
• Allmusic

References