Ten Years of Harmony
Ten Years of Harmony | ||||
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Greatest hits album by The Beach Boys | ||||
Released | December 7, 1981 | |||
Recorded |
Autumn 1969 – February 1980 Except: "Surf's Up": backing track recorded November 1966 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 1:34:34 | |||
Label | Brother, Caribou, CBS | |||
Producer |
The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, James William Guercio, Bruce Johnston (Except "River Song": Dennis Wilson and Gregg Jakobson) | |||
The Beach Boys chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Ten Years of Harmony is an official double album compilation album released by The Beach Boys in 1981, and spanning their entire Brother Records-era up to that point, (1970–80), including some unreleased or rare material. Although the song "Darlin'" was recorded in 1967 while at Capitol Records, the version on Ten Years of Harmony is a live version, recorded in 1973 for the album The Beach Boys in Concert.
The Beach Boys had more or less splintered in 1981. Far from lucid, Brian Wilson would occasionally appear on stage, primarily as a replacement for brother Carl, who was concurrently embarking on a solo career. Dennis Wilson would show up to occasional concerts, but would usually be argumentative and disruptive. Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston were the only stable members of a band who now had a whole cast of supporting musicians when they performed live. However, the release of Ten Years of Harmony kept the pretense going and, unexpectedly, the M.I.U. Album cover of "Come Go with Me" became a US top-twenty hit when released as a single from this collection.
While taking tracks from 1970's Sunflower to the previous year's Keepin' the Summer Alive, the compilers also included some oddities, rarities, and unreleased tracks. First, a handful of the songs, namely "Rock and Roll Music" and "California Saga: California" are presented in their original single mix. Moreover, Ten Years of Harmony includes a 1979 A-side "It's a Beautiful Day" (which failed to chart), a Dennis Wilson-written track called "San Miguel" (which was a Sunflower-era outtake from 1969), a cover of "Sea Cruise", which was a rejected track from the 15 Big Ones sessions, and a selection from Dennis' solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue, "River Song".
Only then-active Beach Boys (Al Jardine, Mike Love, Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Dennis Wilson) appear on the gatefold cover on the original LP issue. The group vetoed the use of a photo with Bruce Johnston, who had rejoined the group in 1978 after a six-year absence, and also declined a suggestion that Johnston appear in an inset on the already-chosen photo.
Ten Years of Harmony, now deleted, sold enough in its release to reach number 156 in the US.
Track listing
Disc one
- "Add Some Music to Your Day" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love/Joe Knott) – 3:34
- "Roller Skating Child" (Brian Wilson) – 2:16
- "Disney Girls (1957)" (Bruce Johnston) – 4:06
- "It's a Beautiful Day" (Love/Al Jardine) – 3:15
- The longer version of this song was on the soundtrack to the film Americathon.
- "California Saga: California" (Jardine) – 3:13
- The original LP contains the single mix whereas the US CD reissue contains the album version.
- "Wontcha Come Out Tonight" (Brian Wilson/Love) – 2:29
- "Marcella" (Brian Wilson/Jack Rieley) – 3:52
- "Rock and Roll Music" (Chuck Berry) – 2:26
- The original LP contains the single mix whereas the US CD reissue contains the album version.
- "Goin' On" (Brian Wilson/Love) – 3:01
- "It's OK" (Brian Wilson/Love) – 2:08
- "Cool, Cool Water" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 3:24
- The shorter single edit.
- "San Miguel" (Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson) – 2:25
- This song was recorded in 1969 during the very early sessions for Sunflower, but was unreleased until 1981.
- "School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell)" (Chuck Berry) – 2:46
- The original LP contains a rare single mix whereas the US CD reissue contains the album version.
- "Good Timin'" (Brian Wilson/Carl Wilson) – 2:10
- "Sail On, Sailor" (Brian Wilson/Ray Kennedy/Jack Rieley/Tandyn Almer/Van Dyke Parks) – 3:17
Disc two
- "Darlin'" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 2:22
- This is the live version from the 1973 double album The Beach Boys in Concert. The original studio version appears on the 1967 album Wild Honey.
- "Lady Lynda" (Al Jardine/Ron Altbach) – 3:56
- "Sea Cruise" (H.P. Smith/Frankie Ford) – 3:25
- This was originally an outtake from the 15 Big Ones sessions.
- "The Trader" (Carl Wilson/Jack Rieley) – 5:04
- "This Whole World" (Brian Wilson) – 1:55
- "Don't Go Near the Water" (Al Jardine/Mike Love) – 2:38
- "Surf's Up" (Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks) – 4:10
- "Come Go with Me" (C.E. Quick) – 2:06
- The original LP contains the correct album mix from M.I.U. Album whereas the US CD reissue contains a previously and since unreleased version originally recorded during the sessions for 15 Big Ones.
- "Deirdre" (Bruce Johnston/Brian Wilson) – 3:26
- "She's Got Rhythm" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love/Ron Altbach) – 2:26
- "River Song" (Dennis Wilson/Carl Wilson) – 3:44
- This is a Dennis Wilson recording from his 1977 Pacific Ocean Blue solo album.
- "Long Promised Road" (Carl Wilson/Jack Rieley) – 3:29
- "Feel Flows" (Carl Wilson/Jack Rieley) – 4:44
- "Til I Die" (Brian Wilson) – 2:39
Singles
- "Come Go with Me" (from M.I.U. Album) b/w "Don't Go near the Water" (from Surf's Up) (Brother/Caribou), November 2, 1981 US #18
Ten Years of Harmony (Brother/Caribou/CBS Z2X 37445) reached #156 in the US. during a chart stay of six weeks.
References
- ↑ Eder, Bruce. "Ten Years of Harmony - The Beach Boys : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
Sources
- "The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience", Timothy White, c. 1994.
- "Wouldn't It Be Nice - My Own Story", Brian Wilson and Todd Gold, c. 1991.
- "Top Pop Singles 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- Allmusic.com