Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys

Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys
Studio album (unreleased) by The Beach Boys
Recorded 1970–1977
Genre Christmas
Length 33:38
Label Warner Bros. (rejected)
Producer Al Jardine, Ron Altbach
The Beach Boys recording chronology
Adult Child
(1977)		 Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys
(1977)		 California Feeling
(1977)

Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys is an unreleased studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys. Planned for issue in November/December 1978,[1] the album would have followed their twenty-first studio album Love You (1977) and their only Christmas-themed album The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (1964). Its content was a mixture of original songs penned by the group and traditional standards.

The album was produced by Brian Wilson[2] after the dissolution of Adult Child (unreleased),[1] but ultimately rejected by Warner Bros. Records[3] who was reportedly "highly skeptical" that Wilson was anywhere on it.[4] Some of its recordings were later released on the 1998 compilation Ultimate Christmas.[5]

Background

Main articles: Adult/Child and California Feeling

After Warners rejected the Beach Boys' 1977 album Adult/Child, the group submitted Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys in late 1977, but they were once again rejected, and the label demanded the band submit a regular studio album instead. New lyrics were overdubbed on to some of the original Christmas tracks the following spring, which, together with quickly penned new material, formed the basis of a new album entitled California Feeling, named after an original song recorded in 1975 which Brian refused to include on the album. The track listing was revised a final time in 1978, when their twenty-second LP was finally published as M.I.U. Album.[1]

Recording

Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys was mostly recorded between November and December 1977 at the Maharishi International University in Iowa. Exceptions are "Seasons in the Sun", "Santa's On His Way", "Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore", and "Christmas Time Is Here Again", all of which were variously recorded between 1970 and 1976.[1] Other songs worked on during these sessions would later be reworked for M.I.U. Album. These include that album's "Belles of Paris" and "Kona Coast", conceived as "Bells of Christmas" and "Melekalikimaka" (also known as "Kona Christmas").[1]

Track listing

Track sequencing adapted from Andrew Doe.[1]

Side one
No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Christmas Time Is Here Again"  Buddy Holly, Norman Petty, Jerry Allison, Al JardineBrian Wilson 3:05
2. "Child of Winter (Christmas Song)"  Brian Wilson, Stephen KalinichB. Wilson 2:51
3. "Winter Symphony"  B. WilsonB. Wilson 3:02
4. "Michael Row the Boat Ashore"  traditionalB. Wilson 3:40
5. "Seasons in the Sun"  Jacques Brel, Rod McKuenTerry Jacks 3:21
6. "Morning Christmas"  Dennis WilsonDennis Wilson 3:26
Side two
No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Alone on Christmas Day"  Love, Ron AltbachAl Jardine and Ron Altbach 2:52
2. "Go and Get That Girl"  Ed Tuleja, Ron AltbachJardine and Altbach 3:15
3. "Santa's On His Way" ("H.E.L.P. Is On the Way")B. Wilson, Jardine, LoveB. Wilson 3:25
4. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"  Tommie ConnorB. Wilson 2:24
5. "Xmas Carol Medley"  Jardine and Altbach 2:26

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Doe, Andrew G. "Unreleased Albums". Bellagio 10452. Endless Summer Quarterly. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  2. ↑ Preiss, Byron (1979). The Beach Boys. Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-27398-7.
  3. ↑ Badman, Keith (2004). The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band, on Stage and in the Studio. Backbeat Books. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-87930-818-6.
  4. ↑ Musician. Amordian Press. 1985. p. 47.
  5. ↑ Lambert, Philip (2007). Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 315. ISBN 978-1-4411-0748-0.
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