My opinions on some songs

Little Bird

• The first song Dennis wrote is already a little masterpiece. Brian's influence still can be heard but the eerie melody sounds only like Dennis. I wish there were more duets of Dennis and Brian like this.

Be Still

• A simple and beautiful song performed by Dennis alone

Be With Me

• The best song Dennis released in the 60's. .

All I Want to Do

• One of the few rockers Dennis wrote. My father can't stand this but I think it's quite listenable. Probably Dennis's worst song though. Probably done very quickly. There's a nice surprise when it fades out.

Slip on Through

• Maybe the best vocals Dennis recorded. A really powerful song.

Got to Know the Woman

• A parodical rocker. Quite funny and much better than "All I Want to Do" - especially the performance is much better.

It's About Time

• This is what I call soul. It  makes me think of Marvin Gaye's best stuff. Carl has never sung better, and the guitar solo...

Forever

• Dennis's best known song is a perfect love song both musically and lyrically. The Beach Boys 1970 version is better than American Spring version and definitely better than the 1992 version

Make It Good

• Dennis's most operatic song. Basically a recitativo accompagnato which could be very boring if it was written by a worse songwriter.

Cuddle Up

• This is my favorite. One of the songs that made me a Beach Boys fan. Definitely too lush for most people but why should I care about that.

Steamboat

• The "steamboat" means The Beach Boys and Mr Fulton means Brian Wilson. A beautiful song that differs quite a lot from most songs by Dennis.

Only with You

• The third bigger than life love song is more simply arranged than the others. I prefer "Cuddle Up" but I'm not saying that this one is worse.

Love Surrounds Me

• So this is Dennis idea of reggae... quite original. Maybe not very easy to get into, just as the solo album.

Baby Blue

• The fourth perfect love song is very simple but lovely. Both Dennis and Carl sound beautiful.

Pacific Ocean Blue album

• The five silent years made Dennis' music even darker, more introspective and difficult. Definitely no humour. The album has to be heard many times before you can understand what a masterpiece it is.

River Song

• Probably the easiest song on Pacific Ocean Blue with gospel kind of backing vocals. Not one of the best but starts the album nicely.

Friday Night

• The beautiful guitar sounds a bit like the Pink Floyd classic "Shine on You Crazy Diamond".

Moonshine & Thoughts of You & Time & Farewell My Friend

• Very introspective piano and orchestra ballads with some strange chord progressions and jazzy arrangements.

Rainbows

• Sounds like a happy song written by an unhappy person who thinks that tomorrow might be better.

 I've been a huge Beach Boys fan since Summer 1991 when I was 15. I was on holiday in Germany, France and Belgium. I frequently heard the song I Get Around on the radio. Then I heard another Beach Boys song. I don't rememer which song was it but I think it must have been from Smiley Smile or Pet Sounds or Smile. That was something I had never heard before. I started listening to my dad's old Beach Boys records and fell in love with the album Surf's Up. The Christmas 1991 I was listening to the album Carl and the Passions - So Tough all the time. The two Dennis Wilson songs became my favorite Beach Boys songs and I started to think Dennis was the real genius of the band. Now I love Brian Wilson's music as much as Dennis'. I didn't make a page for Brian because there already is a very good one:                  
The Brian Wilson page at cabinessence.com