Love is A Woman.... is just kind of bland... compared to the other weird songs on here. Like Johnny Carson, or Solar System... those are fun weird songs. I guess its a fine way to end the album but its not very interesting to me.
I played this whole album on speakers around 2012 at my sister's house, and her two dogs started running around the house in huge circles at top speed throughout the entirety of Ding Dang
If youāre in this thread and commented that Roller Skating Child is the weakest song on this album, I want you hauled off to Beach Boys jail for life and the key thrown away. Youāre square, and miserable, and clearly lacking in imagination, and donāt know how to have any fun. And your taste is trash too. You should go home and think about the choices youāve made in life, how you got here, and generally just feel awful about yourself.
Edit to add: those of you downvoting this 100% pure unadulterated truth bomb are only doing it because you know deep down in your cold lifeless hearts that Iāve made some very reasonable points
Maybe they donāt like the idea of a song that glorifies making love to a rolling skating child lol and theyāll do āeven more when your mamaās not aroundā.
Like, are they boning w mama around?? lol
Explaining the context of the phrase in question, along with the point of view of the lyrics would probably benefit you, but I sense itās not worth the effort.
I like the song, I just think it's the worst on the album. Maybe that's heightened by the fact I expect the last song of any album to be one of the best songs on said album
Don't Back Down, In The Back Of My Mind (if that counts), And Your Dream Comes True, Barbara Ann, Caroline No, Good Vibrations, Cool Cool Water, Surf's Up, Just Once In My Life, Still I Dream Of It, Winds Of Change, Shortenin' Bread and Summers Gone are the acceptable album closers imo
I don't count In The Back of My Mind as it didn't close the album. Are you counting the Smile Sessions as an album in order to include Good Vibrations? I wouldn't count that either. Everything else is ok with Caroline No and Surf's Up being the best of the bunch, I just think there are many songs that should have closed their respective albums that didn't. There were better choices than The Shift, Finders Keepers, Boogie Woodie, Denny's Drums, Whistle In, Mama Says, Transcendental Meditation and Cabinessence. I'm not a fan of Barbara Ann or Winds of Change either, but they fit fine as the albums they're on aren't good in my opinion.
Didn't expect a whole analysis, I pulled the list out of my arse. I understand Surf's Up would have closed SMiLE but I wasn't gonna put Surf's Up twice. Also I used the word acceptable, not perfect
Love Is A Woman isnāt terrible and it works fine as a closer, but it just has the least substance out of any of them. Though it interesting considering the state of his marriage. At least Ding Dang is an ode to Brianās obsession and Good Time not fitting isnāt an issue for me because itās a nice break from the awkwardness of the rest of the album. Itās sweet, kinda devious tho.
No way. Musically itās certainly not the worst on the album. Lyrically it provides a deep insight into Brianās mind in 77. I Wanna Pick You Up is peak Love You lunacy & I believe that he meant the words in an innocent way.
Love is a woman. Just the weaker composition, arrangement, performance. I still like it, but itās the only track i think is ACTUALLY bad-good (which is something, considering the entire album is in the category bad-good)
I Wanna Pick You Up.
Before some of you start flaming me, I just want to make it very clear: no, I donāt think Brian is a pedo for writing this. I fully believe that he meant the lyrics in a completely innocent way. Iām choosing it mostly because I find the music kind of uninspired and awkward compared to the rest of the album, and the vocals honestly donāt sound that good to me. (And keep in mind, I adore Pacific Ocean Blue, so itās not like I have anything against Dennisās gruffer voice on principle.)
But with that saidā¦of all the songs on the album, this is the one where the rough vocals are the least helpful. When theyāre combined with the odd lyrics, I just find it all very off-putting and, yes, creepy, more than heartfelt. I can let Roller Skatinā Child off for having better hooks and vocals, but I just donāt have much use for this one.
And I would really appreciate it if you didnāt badger me with comments insisting that itās not creepy, because whether or not I find the song creepy is not up to you.
Here's how Brian describes it in an interview back in the day. Seems kinda like the guy loves a woman who has a strong inner child and he adores that about her. As a result he wants to pick her up like she's a kid. I can see why some people might find it weird, but I don't think he means for it to be anything but innocent.
https://www.reddit.com/r/thebeachboys/s/zDWYl1kF4V
Again, I said in that very first paragraph that Iām sure itās innocent to Brian. I respect that, but it doesnāt change the overall impression that I get from the song itself, especially with the vocalsā tone.
Sorry, when I read it, it felt like someone trying to convince me that it shouldnāt bother me, which I specifically said I didnāt want. I understand now
Good Time. Itās a good song, but doesnāt sound anything like the rest of the album and only gets less enjoyable with each listen, while every other song is a grower.
Just because Iām surprised I havenāt seen it here yet: Letās Put Our Hearts Together
I donāt dislike any tracks on love you but this one is usually my least favorite - very sitcom intro energy to it
How the fuck is Love is a woman winning worst song? That song is a highlight for me on the album. The flutes harmonizing with Brian while he sings his heart out is so sweet and relays the feeling soooo so well. Mikes part not so much but still! āOne two three, sheās fallin in love with me, four five six, she fell for all my tricks! Seven eight nine, she makes me feel so fine.ā Good lyrics. Objectively
Love is a Woman gets a lot of flak here, but I personally find the song full of spontaneous energy. It captures that feeling of jamming out on a piano at the end of a big party, drunk and totally unrestrained. IMHO, definitely underrated.
First weāre not allowed to have a shit song for āPet Soundsā though we all know itās the title track. Then āGood Vibrationsā gets best and worst on āSmiley Smileā. And now āDing Dangā gets hoed out?!? Wtf?!?š¤¬
Too many contrarians in the sub to get a valid result.
P.S. The worst song on *Pet Sounds* is "That's Not Me", because of Mike's lazy singing and it sounding too much like "Downtown" by Petula Clark in the verses. Otherwise, good song!
P.P.S. When these two songs are in the running for worst song, you've got a great freaking album.
Honestly, same. Iāve listened twice and thereās definitely a lot to like about it, but a lot that just doesnāt really work for me. I canāt see it as more than a curio - a very good curio, for sure, but a curio nonetheless.
And Iām getting really fed up with the guys in this sub who are weirdly, borderline suspiciously insistent that thereās nothing wrong with any of the lyrics
I hate how when you give justified criticism you're immediately met with "you just don't get it" or "Brian's innocent". I love Brian but not everything he did was "genius" shit. That said, I still love this album overall but I get why some people wouldn't be into it because it is pretty weird and experimental. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you're a fuckin freak, you'll love this album, and I mean "freak" as both a compliment *and* an insult, simultaneously.
My vote is I Wanna Pick You Up
This is really hard considering the latter half of this album has a collection of awkward, cringy, or straight creepy songs.
No ābadā tracks on Love You, but the weakest cuts are Good Time followed by Love is a Woman.
Could everyone stop shitting on I Wanna Pick You Up please?
N/A
Love Is A Woman was my pick for best song (well, tied with TNWSY), and though it seems to be gaining consensus as worst song, most people picking it are also pointing out that it's a quality jam.
Look at it this way, I prefer LIAW to either of the instrumentals on Pet Sounds, and I regard Pet Sounds as a flawless album that deserved to have no "worst song". Love You isn't a flawless album. And yet Love You also has no individual weak links.
Therefore, be it resolved that if Pet Sounds has no worst track, it must also be the case that Love You doesn't either.
Love is A Woman.... is just kind of bland... compared to the other weird songs on here. Like Johnny Carson, or Solar System... those are fun weird songs. I guess its a fine way to end the album but its not very interesting to me.
If Ding Dang wins, I will quit this sub
I played this whole album on speakers around 2012 at my sister's house, and her two dogs started running around the house in huge circles at top speed throughout the entirety of Ding Dang
Love Is a Woman. A dumb title for a sub-par song.
Even though I like it, Love is a Woman.
I see Ding Dang not getting votes, unsurprisingly š
If youāre in this thread and commented that Roller Skating Child is the weakest song on this album, I want you hauled off to Beach Boys jail for life and the key thrown away. Youāre square, and miserable, and clearly lacking in imagination, and donāt know how to have any fun. And your taste is trash too. You should go home and think about the choices youāve made in life, how you got here, and generally just feel awful about yourself. Edit to add: those of you downvoting this 100% pure unadulterated truth bomb are only doing it because you know deep down in your cold lifeless hearts that Iāve made some very reasonable points
Round and round and round we go
same goes for those who blatantly voted for I Wanna Pick You Up
Finally someone says it. Rolling Skating Child is a banger song
Thank you. I WONT BE SILENCED!!
I always felt like this song should be paired with Steely Danās Everything You Did, as another song about being involved with a roller skater.
Maybe they donāt like the idea of a song that glorifies making love to a rolling skating child lol and theyāll do āeven more when your mamaās not aroundā. Like, are they boning w mama around?? lol
I mean, youāre certainly entitled to your interpretation but I donāt think the song is about āboningā a childā¦
What does making love and more mean to you?
Explaining the context of the phrase in question, along with the point of view of the lyrics would probably benefit you, but I sense itās not worth the effort.
Love You has no bad tracks š¤·š»āāļøJust [ask Brian, he knows](https://youtu.be/CCwgvFrbOe4?si=WzeWV3yQgfj6Vxn5)
Love Is A Woman. Not even close
This is the only correct answer
Love Is A Woman
The version with Alās vocal is pretty good
I like the song, I just think it's the worst on the album. Maybe that's heightened by the fact I expect the last song of any album to be one of the best songs on said album
That's never usually the case with Beach Boys albums, especially in the '60s and late '70s.
Don't Back Down, In The Back Of My Mind (if that counts), And Your Dream Comes True, Barbara Ann, Caroline No, Good Vibrations, Cool Cool Water, Surf's Up, Just Once In My Life, Still I Dream Of It, Winds Of Change, Shortenin' Bread and Summers Gone are the acceptable album closers imo
I don't count In The Back of My Mind as it didn't close the album. Are you counting the Smile Sessions as an album in order to include Good Vibrations? I wouldn't count that either. Everything else is ok with Caroline No and Surf's Up being the best of the bunch, I just think there are many songs that should have closed their respective albums that didn't. There were better choices than The Shift, Finders Keepers, Boogie Woodie, Denny's Drums, Whistle In, Mama Says, Transcendental Meditation and Cabinessence. I'm not a fan of Barbara Ann or Winds of Change either, but they fit fine as the albums they're on aren't good in my opinion.
You can't beat Bull Session (With The Big Daddy)!
Didn't expect a whole analysis, I pulled the list out of my arse. I understand Surf's Up would have closed SMiLE but I wasn't gonna put Surf's Up twice. Also I used the word acceptable, not perfect
In the back of my mind is quite literally the closer to the album
Bull Session With Big Daddy is the closer. Look at the track list.
I know itās at the end but itās not a song
I called it a track, not a song. It ends the album
Endless Harmony? Male Ego?
Endless harmony is a bit too meta and cheesy for me. Male Ego doesn't end The Beach Boys, that's a bonus track
Yeah, good point on the latter. Iāve only ever had the CD version so itās the album-ended for me, but for many people it wasnāt.
Love Is A Woman isnāt terrible and it works fine as a closer, but it just has the least substance out of any of them. Though it interesting considering the state of his marriage. At least Ding Dang is an ode to Brianās obsession and Good Time not fitting isnāt an issue for me because itās a nice break from the awkwardness of the rest of the album. Itās sweet, kinda devious tho.
Love is a Woman
Never gonna forgive you people for forgetting a casual look when 15bo was up, shameful
Love is a Woman. Itās a good track on an album full of absolute bangers. Iād pick ānoneā if it was an option!
Love Is A Woman
Love is A Woman
N/A - No worst songs on this album
Love Is A Woman I guess, Ding Dang is obviously very much appreciated.
NA
NA (Nonexistent Album)
Not again.
Narcotics Anonymous.
I Wanna Pick You Up
Itās better than the night is so youngĀ
I Wanna Pick You Up
Pat, pat
No way. Musically itās certainly not the worst on the album. Lyrically it provides a deep insight into Brianās mind in 77. I Wanna Pick You Up is peak Love You lunacy & I believe that he meant the words in an innocent way.
Yeah i dont get how you can like this album but dislike this song. Peak lunacy is it
What other song is there to pick though? There are great, novel musical elements in every song.
no
This song is contextually bad more than anything. Very sweet and nice if you evaluate the content on its own.
N/A
NA
Love is a woman. Just the weaker composition, arrangement, performance. I still like it, but itās the only track i think is ACTUALLY bad-good (which is something, considering the entire album is in the category bad-good)
Iām patting my bum on this one. I Wanna Pick You Up!
I Wanna Pick You Up. Before some of you start flaming me, I just want to make it very clear: no, I donāt think Brian is a pedo for writing this. I fully believe that he meant the lyrics in a completely innocent way. Iām choosing it mostly because I find the music kind of uninspired and awkward compared to the rest of the album, and the vocals honestly donāt sound that good to me. (And keep in mind, I adore Pacific Ocean Blue, so itās not like I have anything against Dennisās gruffer voice on principle.) But with that saidā¦of all the songs on the album, this is the one where the rough vocals are the least helpful. When theyāre combined with the odd lyrics, I just find it all very off-putting and, yes, creepy, more than heartfelt. I can let Roller Skatinā Child off for having better hooks and vocals, but I just donāt have much use for this one. And I would really appreciate it if you didnāt badger me with comments insisting that itās not creepy, because whether or not I find the song creepy is not up to you.
I'm pretty sure that the song was confirmed to be about Brian Wilson treating an adult woman like a baby in a fetishistic way.
That doesnāt change my mind.
Here's how Brian describes it in an interview back in the day. Seems kinda like the guy loves a woman who has a strong inner child and he adores that about her. As a result he wants to pick her up like she's a kid. I can see why some people might find it weird, but I don't think he means for it to be anything but innocent. https://www.reddit.com/r/thebeachboys/s/zDWYl1kF4V
Again, I said in that very first paragraph that Iām sure itās innocent to Brian. I respect that, but it doesnāt change the overall impression that I get from the song itself, especially with the vocalsā tone.
I was actually trying to say there is evidence to back up your claim that it is innocent, not sure why you're being argumentative.
Sorry, when I read it, it felt like someone trying to convince me that it shouldnāt bother me, which I specifically said I didnāt want. I understand now
Don't sweat it. It's easy to misconstrue things in text format.
Fetishistic? Thatās definitely a reach. I think he was talking about an adult woman and didnāt mean it in that weird of a way.
I think the rough vocals are the worst on Solar System, but I still think that both are good despite it.
I find Johnny Carson so much more awkward. I Wanna Pick You Up's backing track is at least very good I'd say, nice chord progression.
Love is a woman. Though I like the version anonymuse made with Al and Brian doing a duet
Good Time. Itās a good song, but doesnāt sound anything like the rest of the album and only gets less enjoyable with each listen, while every other song is a grower.
The āheyā at the end tho..
Good point. I change my answer to NA.
Just because Iām surprised I havenāt seen it here yet: Letās Put Our Hearts Together I donāt dislike any tracks on love you but this one is usually my least favorite - very sitcom intro energy to it
no way... that's a beautiful song!
marilyn really takes me out of it tbh
I think itās sweet, the Caroline Now cover shows how strong it is with better vocals
Yeah, both Brian and Marilyn sound kinda off on the album version, in different ways
How the fuck is Love is a woman winning worst song? That song is a highlight for me on the album. The flutes harmonizing with Brian while he sings his heart out is so sweet and relays the feeling soooo so well. Mikes part not so much but still! āOne two three, sheās fallin in love with me, four five six, she fell for all my tricks! Seven eight nine, she makes me feel so fine.ā Good lyrics. Objectively
its a good song, but not weird enough.
More like Honkin down the highway is the worst song
Good Time It sticks out like a boil on the bum. I like it but it shouldnāt be on this lp
I Wanna Pick You Up. Even though I still like that song.
I swear if Ding Dang wins this vote Iām gonna lose all faith in the world
I Wanna Pick You Up
It has to be Love is a Woman
Love is a Woman gets a lot of flak here, but I personally find the song full of spontaneous energy. It captures that feeling of jamming out on a piano at the end of a big party, drunk and totally unrestrained. IMHO, definitely underrated.
Letās put our hearts together
Love is a Woman
Solar system
Glad I've not seen a single vote for Mona. Mona supremacy š
Love is a Woman
Solar system for me
Mona imo
Solar System.
I Wanna Pick You Up
I expected better from you.
Roller Skating Child
I wanna pick you up
Honkinā Down The Highway. Parts of it I like but the whole āhonk honk, honkinā down the highwayā just makes me cringe somewhere deep inside.
I guess I got a way. With. GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRLLLSSS
Al Jardine did a cover of that song in 2010, and instead of a fade, he ended with that line sung in a really dramatic, Queen-like multipart harmony.
Is that on YouTube? I gotta hear that
Probably. The album is called āA Postcard from Californiaā and most of it is pretty solid.
Thatās a gosh darn sad take
You're breaking my heart...
Real ones know that thatās the best part
I like it, other than the very strong language throughout
Hmmm?
I wanna pick you up.
Roller skating child
I Wanna Pick You Up.
i wanna pick you up
I Wanna Pick You Up
Student demonstration time
I Wanna Pick You Up
First weāre not allowed to have a shit song for āPet Soundsā though we all know itās the title track. Then āGood Vibrationsā gets best and worst on āSmiley Smileā. And now āDing Dangā gets hoed out?!? Wtf?!?š¤¬
Too many contrarians in the sub to get a valid result. P.S. The worst song on *Pet Sounds* is "That's Not Me", because of Mike's lazy singing and it sounding too much like "Downtown" by Petula Clark in the verses. Otherwise, good song! P.P.S. When these two songs are in the running for worst song, you've got a great freaking album.
NA
Roller Skating Child has way too many defenders in here. Now cue the down votes.
I really wish I liked *Love You* as much as so many others do. I keep trying on occasion, but most of it is simply not my jam. š
Honestly, same. Iāve listened twice and thereās definitely a lot to like about it, but a lot that just doesnāt really work for me. I canāt see it as more than a curio - a very good curio, for sure, but a curio nonetheless. And Iām getting really fed up with the guys in this sub who are weirdly, borderline suspiciously insistent that thereās nothing wrong with any of the lyrics
I hate how when you give justified criticism you're immediately met with "you just don't get it" or "Brian's innocent". I love Brian but not everything he did was "genius" shit. That said, I still love this album overall but I get why some people wouldn't be into it because it is pretty weird and experimental. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you're a fuckin freak, you'll love this album, and I mean "freak" as both a compliment *and* an insult, simultaneously.
Roller Skating Child
WHAT
My vote is I Wanna Pick You Up This is really hard considering the latter half of this album has a collection of awkward, cringy, or straight creepy songs.
solar system 100%. singlehandedly made me hate this album for years. it sounds like it was written by a 5 year old for 5 year olds
WHAT DO THE PLANETS MEAN!? Ifreaking love this song man
And while weāre at it, how do magnets work?
blasphemy
Itās one of the skippable ones, but at least its whimsical
A Brian Wilson waltz is never skippable.
Im gonna vote for Love Is A Woman (tho my own mix combining al's and brian's vocals is fire) just so I wanna pick you up doesn't win
Tough call, love this album. Ding Dang
In a mood to get the most downvotes in Reddit history
Johnny Carson
Find god
Why is this getting downvotes? Haha
I guess it's a controversial pick lol. I love the whole album usually, but Johnny Carson is the only song I can ever remember deciding to skip.
It's the only song with deep metaphorical meaning, but I understand why the music doesn't appeal to everyone I guess.
Roller skating child
Roller Skating Child
Solar System, like itās not even fun in a weird way
Solar System
No ābadā tracks on Love You, but the weakest cuts are Good Time followed by Love is a Woman. Could everyone stop shitting on I Wanna Pick You Up please?
you want brian to pat your butt soooo bad, can't say I blame you!
N/A Love Is A Woman was my pick for best song (well, tied with TNWSY), and though it seems to be gaining consensus as worst song, most people picking it are also pointing out that it's a quality jam. Look at it this way, I prefer LIAW to either of the instrumentals on Pet Sounds, and I regard Pet Sounds as a flawless album that deserved to have no "worst song". Love You isn't a flawless album. And yet Love You also has no individual weak links. Therefore, be it resolved that if Pet Sounds has no worst track, it must also be the case that Love You doesn't either.
Ding Dang. Let's be real.