Keepin' the Summer Alive
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Keepin' the Summer Alive is the first 1980s album by The Beach Boys, and their second release under their contract with CBS Records (now Sony Music). After L.A. (Light Album) failed to live up to expectations, the executives at CBS expected Brian Wilson's full involvement, and thus, there was another attempt to lure him back into the producer's chair.
In July 1979, after Brian and Mike Love quickly composed some new original songs, the Beach Boys all reconvened at Western Recorders in Los Angeles (where most of the band's classic 1960s material had been produced by Brian) and hoped for the best. Things did not work out as planned, however. Dennis Wilson, at odds with the rest of the group, lasted a couple of sessions before leaving and taking no further part in the album. The initial sessions themselves were halted when Brian only wanted to work on oldies (hence the inclusion of a cover of Chuck Berry's "School Days").
The band took a small break to re-think the project, with Bruce Johnston taking complete control of the album, and placing the songs in a contemporary-sounding (for 1980) context. The album ended up as a mixture of brand new songs and older songs from the archives that hadn't been released up until that point. Of the new songs, "Keepin' the Summer Alive" and "Livin' With a Heartache" were written by Carl Wilson and Randy Bachman (of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive). The rest of the new songs, "Oh Darlin'", "Some of Your Love", "Goin' On" and "Sunshine" were written by Mike Love and Brian Wilson. The older songs date back to 1970 ("When Girls Get Together"), 1972 ("Endless Harmony", the only track on the album where Dennis is heard) and 1978 ("Santa Ana Winds").
Keepin' the Summer Alive was released in March 1980, reaching #75 in the U.S. and #54 in the UK After this album, the Beach Boys would put their recording career on hiatus for five years.
Track listing
- "Keepin' The Summer Alive" (Carl Wilson/Randy Bachman) - 3:43
- * Features Carl Wilson on lead vocals
- "Oh Darlin'" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 3:52
- * Features Carl Wilson and Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Some of Your Love" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 2:36
- * Features Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Livin' With A Heartache" (Carl Wilson/Randy Bachman) - 4:06
- * Features Carl Wilson on lead vocals
- "School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)" (Chuck Berry) - 2:52
- * Features Alan Jardine on lead vocals
- "Goin' On" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 3:00
- * Features Carl Wilson and Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Sunshine" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 2:52
- * Features Group vocals with Mike Love the main lead vocals
- "When Girls Get Together" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 3:31
- * Features Brian Wilson and Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Santa Ana Winds" (Brian Wilson/Al Jardine) - 3:14
- * Features Alan Jardine and Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Endless Harmony" (Bruce Johnston) - 3:10
- * Features Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnston on lead vocals
Singles
- "Goin' On" b/w "Endless Harmony" (Brother/Caribou), 11 March 1980 US #83
- "Livin' with a Heartache" b/w "Santa Ana Winds" (Brother/Caribou), 20 May 1980
Keepin' the Summer Alive (Brother/Caribou/CBS JZ 36283) reached #75 in the U.S. during a chart stay of 6 weeks. It reached #54 in the UK
Sources
- Keepin' the Summer Alive/The Beach Boys CD booklet notes, Andrew G. Doe, c.2000.
- "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.
- All Music Guide.com
External links
| The Beach Boys |
|---|
| Members | Albums | | Full discography |
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