Lei'd in Hawaii

Lei'd in Hawaii is an unfinished live album by American rock band the Beach Boys featuring performances recorded by the group shortly after the completion of their 1967 studio album Smiley Smile.[1] Some of these recordings were released on subsequent compilation albums, box sets, and bootleg recordings.

Lei'd in Hawaii
Live album (unfinished) by The Beach Boys
Recorded	August 25–September 11, 1967
Venue	HIC Arena, Hawaii (August 25–26)
Studio	Wally Heider Studios, Hollywood (September 11)
Label	Brother (projected)
Producer	Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys recording chronology
Smiley Smile (1967) Lei'd in Hawaii (1967) Wild Honey (1967)

The title Lei'd in Hawaii is not known to have been the album's official name.[1] In 2017, all studio tracks and live performances were collected for the official compilations 1967 – Sunshine Tomorrow, 1967 – Sunshine Tomorrow 2: The Studio Sessions, and 1967 – Live Sunshine.

Recording

The Honolulu International Center Arena

Shortly after the band shelved Smile, dropped out from the Monterey Pop Festival, and completed recording of the imminent Smiley Smile, they scheduled two performances in Hawaii that would be released on Brother Records[2] as a live album and possibly a concert film.[3][2] Difficulties arose around this time. Member Bruce Johnston refused to travel for the reason that "it had all got too weird." To alleviate this, Brian Wilson was persuaded into making the trip, but he agreed only on the condition that he be allowed to bring his Baldwin organ, thus forcing bass guitar duties on Carl Wilson and Al Jardine per Johnston's absence.[2] The band was also under-rehearsed, adding new songs to their set list such as "Gettin' Hungry", "Heroes and Villains", and a cover of the Box Tops song "The Letter".[2]

Ultimately, the band performed too poorly for the material to be released, and the recording allegedly suffered technical problems that could not be fixed with overdubbing or other studio doctoring.[2] On September 11,[4] they migrated to Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco and attempted to rerecord the entire performance as a live-in-the-studio album with the intention of inserting an audience response track later.[5] Only six tracks were recorded before the idea was abandoned in favor of a regular studio album.[2]

Release

Before 2017, portions of Lei'd in Hawaii were released in piecemeal throughout various compilations and reissues including Rarities (1983), Concert / Live in London (1990), Endless Harmony Soundtrack (1998), Hawthorne, CA (2001), and Made in California (2013).[2] The August 25 show and Heider sessions were also available on the unauthorized compilation Aloha From Hawaii (And Hollywood).[2] In 1994, bootleg label Vigotone released a compilation of the Lei'd in Hawaii recordings entitled Lei'd in Hawaii Rehearsal. It featured additional studio outtakes such as "We're Together Again" from Friends and "Sherry She Needs Me".[6]

An unfinished master tape of the album was released on the 2017 compilation album 1967 – Sunshine Tomorrow. The remaining recordings were released for its digital-exclusive follow-ups 1967 – Sunshine Tomorrow 2: The Studio Sessions and 1967 – Live Sunshine.

Set lists and tracks

Hawaii, August 25 "The Letter" "Hawaii" "You're So Good to Me" "Surfer Girl" "Surfin'" "Gettin' Hungry" "Sloop John B" "California Girls" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" "Heroes and Villains" "God Only Knows" "Good Vibrations" "Barbara Ann"

Hawaii, August 26 "Hawthorne Boulevard" "Hawaii" "You're So Good to Me" "Help Me, Rhonda" "California Girls" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" "Gettin' Hungry" "Surfer Girl" "Surfin'" "Sloop John B" "The Letter" "God Only Knows" "Good Vibrations" "Heroes and Villains" "Barbara Ann"

Wally Heider Studios, September 11 "Sloop John B" "Help Me, Rhonda" "Good Vibrations" "California Girls" "Surfer Girl" "God Only Knows" "The Letter" "You're So Good to Me" "Game of Love" "Heroes and Villains" "Barbara Ann" "Surfin'"

References

1. Badman, Keith (2004). The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band, on Stage and in the Studio. Backbeat Books. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-87930-818-6.
2. Doe, Andrew Grayham. "Unreleased Albums". Bellagio 10452. Endless Summer Quarterly. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
3. Priore, Domenic (2005). Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece. London: Sanctuary. p. 125. ISBN 1860746276.
4. Doe, Andrew Grayham. "GIGS67". Bellagio 10452. Endless Summer Quarterly. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
5. Carlin, Peter Ames (2006). Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Rodale. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-59486-320-2.
6. Unterberger, Richie. "Lei'd in Hawaii Rehearsal". Allmusic. Retrieved December 14, 2014.