Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys
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.
| Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album (unreleased) by | ||||
| Recorded | 1970–1977 | |||
| Genre | Christmas | |||
| Length | 33:38 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. (rejected) | |||
| Producer | Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, Ron Altbach, Dennis Wilson, Terry Jacks | |||
| The Beach Boys recording chronology | ||||
| ||||
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 were 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
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", respectively conceived as "Bells of Christmas" and "Melekalikimaka" (also known as "Kona Christmas").[1]
Track listing
Track sequencing adapted from Andrew Doe.[1]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Christmas Time Is Here Again" | Buddy Holly, Norman Petty, Jerry Allison, Al Jardine | Brian Wilson | 3:05 |
| 2. | "Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" | Brian Wilson, Stephen Kalinich | B. Wilson | 2:51 |
| 3. | "Winter Symphony" | B. Wilson | B. Wilson | 3:02 |
| 4. | "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" | traditional | B. Wilson | 3:40 |
| 5. | "Seasons in the Sun" | Jacques Brel, Rod McKuen | Terry Jacks | 3:21 |
| 6. | "Morning Christmas" | Dennis Wilson | Dennis Wilson | 3:26 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Alone on Christmas Day" | Love, Ron Altbach | Al Jardine and Ron Altbach | 2:52 |
| 2. | "Go and Get That Girl" | Ed Tuleja, Ron Altbach | Jardine and Altbach | 3:15 |
| 3. | "Santa's On His Way" ("H.E.L.P. Is On the Way") | B. Wilson, Jardine, Love | B. Wilson | 3:25 |
| 4. | "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" | Tommie Connor | B. Wilson | 2:24 |
| 5. | "Xmas Carol Medley" | Jardine and Altbach | 2:26 |
Personnel
Partial credits sourced from Craig Slowinski and Stephen Kalinich.[6][7][8][9][10]
- The Beach Boys
- Brian Wilson – vocals, keyboards; “Grinch voice” and “everything else” on “Child of Winter (Christmas Song)”
- Mike Love – vocals
- Al Jardine – vocals
- Carl Wilson – vocals; guitar on “Child of Winter (Christmas Song)”
- Dennis Wilson – vocals; drums on “Child of Winter (Christmas Song);” ARP String Ensemble, bass harmonica, and orchestra bells on “Morning Christmas”
- Additional personnel
- Carnie Wilson – sleigh bell on “Child of Winter (Christmas Song)”
- Wendy Wilson – sleigh bell on “Child of Winter (Christmas Song)”
- Stephen Kalinich – kazoo on “Child of Winter (Christmas Song)”
- Sonny Curtis – guitar on “Seasons in the Sun”
- Mike Deasy – guitar on “Seasons in the Sun”
- Lyle Ritz – bass on “Seasons in the Sun”
- Earl Palmer – drums on “Seasons in the Sun”
- Virgil Evans – trumpet on “Seasons in the Sun”
- Sterling Smith – piano on “Morning Christmas”
- Dave Hessler – bass on “Morning Christmas”
- Tommy Smith – drums on “Morning Christmas”
- Gayle Levant – harp on “Morning Christmas”
- Marisa Conover, Susan Murphy – backing vocals on “Morning Christmas”
- Ron Altbach – piano, electric piano, organ, percussion, synthesizer, horns
- Gary Griffin – piano, electric piano, organ, synthesizer, string arrangements
- Ed Carter – guitar, bass guitar
- Billy Hinsche – guitar
- Mike Kowalski – drums, percussion
See also
References
- Doe, Andrew G. "Unreleased Albums". Bellagio 10452. Endless Summer Quarterly. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- Preiss, Byron (1979). The Beach Boys. Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-27398-7.
- 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.
- Musician. Amordian Press. 1985. p. 47.
- 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.
- http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,277.150.html
- http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,6501.msg104717.html#msg104717
- Elliot, Brad (1998). Ultimate Christmas (Digital Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records.
- http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,18602.msg486035.html#msg486035
- Tamarkin, Jeff (2000). M.I.U./L.A. Light Album (booklet). The Beach Boys. California: Capitol Records.
