Had to Phone Ya

"Had to Phone Ya"
Single by The Beach Boys
from the album 15 Big Ones
A-side "It's O.K."
Released July 5, 1976 (album)
August 30, 1976 (single)[1]
Format Vinyl
Recorded March 30, 1976,
Brother Studios, California
Genre Baroque pop
Length 1:43
Label Brother/Reprise
Writer(s) Brian Wilson/Mike Love
Producer(s) Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys singles chronology
"Rock and Roll Music"
(1976)		 "It's O.K."
(1976)		 "Everyone's in Love with You"
(1976)
15 Big Ones track listing

"Had to Phone Ya" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band the Beach Boys. It was released on their 1976 album, 15 Big Ones and was the b-side to the single "It's O.K." The song originally had Diane Rovell listed as a cowriter, but her name was subsequently removed from songwriting credits in later releases.[2] She is still listed as co-writer in the Broadcast Music, Inc. database.[3] The instrumental track of the Beach Boys' version was made available on Made in California in 2013.

Composition

Byron Preiss wrote of how it was written by Brian Wilson while his wife Marilyn was away in Europe.[4] Brian spoke about the song in 1995:

“ All I wanted to do was to make a person feel they were free to call at any time-if they felt the world was upside down, they could call and I could correct their world. In other words, I wanted to feel like I can call somebody and tell them, "Look, I’m swamped, I’m scared, I got all these emotions deep inside of me."[5] ”

All five members of the band take turns on lead vocals, with Mike Love handling the majority. Brian Wilson takes the closing segment, in which the key shifts from A to G. After an extended staccato vamp on a Gmaj7, the final section begins with an unusual chord sequence of Gmaj7, to B♭maj7, and E♭maj7, as Brian sings in a rough but passionate baritone, "Come on / Come on and answer the phone / Come on, come on!"

"Had to Phone Ya" was originally recorded in late 1972/early 1973 by American Spring at Junior's Motel in Otho, Iowa. The Beach Boys' version was recorded on March 30, 1976, at Brother Studios in the middle of the primary sessions for 15 Big Ones.[6] It was produced, arranged and conducted by Brian Wilson.

Lindsay Planer of Allmusic noted "Although the tune may sound uncomplicated, it is part of a larger sonic tapestry that combines the interaction of several simultaneous melodies." noting similarities to earlier Brian Wilson compositions "Good Vibrations" and "Love to Say Dada".[7]

Personnel

The Beach Boys
Session musicians and production staff

References

  1. ↑ Badman, Keith. The Beach Boys. The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band: On Stage and in the Studio Backbeat Books, San Francisco, California, 2004. ISBN 978-0-87930-818-6 p. 367
  2. ↑ Diken, Dennis; Buck, Peter (2000). 15 Big Ones/Love You (booklet). The Beach Boys. California: Capitol Records. p. 2. 72435-27945-2-2 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:9Fj6dxsXd_MJ:albumlinernotes.com/15_Big_Ones_Love_You.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au&client=safari |url= missing title (help).
  3. ↑ Had to Phone Ya, BMI
  4. ↑ Preiss, Byron (1979). The Beach Boys (1st ed. ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 122. ISBN 0345273982.
  5. ↑ "Brian Wilson interview". Record Collector (185). January 1995.
  6. ↑ Doe, Andrew G. (2012). "GIGS76". Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  7. ↑ Planer, Lindsey. "Had to Phone Ya - The Beach Boys". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
  8. ↑ Diken, Dennis; Buck, Peter (2000). 15 Big Ones/Love You (booklet). The Beach Boys. California: Capitol Records. p. 2. 72435-27945-2-2 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:9Fj6dxsXd_MJ:albumlinernotes.com/15_Big_Ones_Love_You.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au&client=safari |url= missing title (help).

External links