Spin It Again 3: The Beach Boys - Summer In Paradise

[@hippojuice23]

"Kicking yourself in the taint" I'm stealing that

[@chrismcgovern1647]

LUV your laugh, btw!

[@Giggens]

Haha, thanks Chris!

[@murdockreviews]

The asparagus comment had me cracking up.

[@Giggens]

Haha!

[@jfeast5469]

This album would make a great EP is always a telling comment :) Great video!

[@Giggens]

Haha!

[@knockedoutloaded279]

This should be a 20 disc box-set..

[@Flapperdame16]

In the radio station set of s6 of Full house- there is a Sip poster on the front of the desk, John Stamos doing his promo bit!!!

[@jmua8450]

I look at this as Looking Back With Love II.

[@Giggens]

Hahaha!

[@zauberer9687]

Finallyy... the video I've been waiting for... I'm happy now 😊

[@zauberer9687]

I always thought you had the UK version because of the cover. 😁 As I previously wrote I really enjoy this album. Partly because of its strange production and cheesiness. I have to say, I like the Forever 92 version. The only mistake they did with it is Joe Stamos. They should have sung it themselves, left it instrumental or try to reuse dennis' vocals as DJ L33 did in his remix of the album.

[@knockedoutloaded279]

I had this cover on a T shirt, prob only 1 in the World!

[@Giggens]

Awesome!!

[@knockedoutloaded279]

@@Giggens Better than Pet sounds!

[@jeffreysnow2640]

I bought the CD back in 1992

[@ENigma-um8zw]

The worst part about Forever Stamos Edition. If you try to search for Forever tabs on ultimate guitar, the original doesn’t pop up first, it says “Forever by The Beach Boys feat. John Stamos”. And I wrote on the entry to remove it and give an official tab to Dennis and The Beach Boys original, as I’m sure there is a percentage of people out there that think bc of that full house episode that it’s somehow a Stamos song, I did it so much that they told me they’ve begun to officiate and get an original to be made, so if we fans make our voices heard those with ears to hear may listen. PS That Asparagus improvisation after the Hawkins “don’t want to piss on someone else’s Picasso” quote was brilliant btw lol

[@ENigma-um8zw]

@Gabe W totally agree man!

[@orbyfan]

Some of us think pissing on a Picasso would be an improvement; not so with "Forever."

[@minnixmusic]

I don't know who is out there saying this is all computer generated music. It was the first album ever recorded using ProTools. But there was a huge group of musicians on this album. Adrian Baker - vocals Rod Clark - bass guitar Craig Fall - guitars, mandolin, keyboard bass Gary Griffin - accordion on “Forever”, production on “Forever” Danny Kortchmar - guitars Adam Jardine - harmony and backing vocals on “Summer in Paradise” Sal Marullo - congas on “Island Fever” Ken Mary - drums on “Forever” (uncertain) Roger McGuinn - vocals and 12-string guitar (UK version only) Terry Melcher - vocals, keyboards, production on all tracks except “Forever” Sammy Merendino - drums Van Dyke Parks - accordion, keyboards Joel Peskin - saxophones John Stamos - lead vocals and drums on “Forever”, production on “Forever” Richard Titus - keyboard programming, second engineer Keith Wechsler - keyboards, keyboard programming, drums on “Island Fever” and “Still Surfin’", engineer, mix John Weston - pedal steel guitar Kevin Elson, Mike Mierua - engineering on “Forever” Lanny Cordola - production on “Forever”

[@phantomtennisasmr]

The UK Mix of "Forever" could have easily redeemed this album. It is much more subtle and calming- much more profound.

[@Flapperdame16]

Ommg how did I miss this! Gonna listen intently now!!

[@rcollosi]

unpopular opinion: i actually really like this album. even summer of love and even the forever remake. Believe it or not, the electronic kind of sound is one of the reasons why I like it so much. if the mix was better i could easily see it being one of my favorites.

[@xr4ti548]

Wow

[@rcollosi]

@@xr4ti548 shocking

[@knockedoutloaded279]

It's a good feel good album,,,needs remix /reissue...

[@lukasiguess]

I enjoy Bruce’s piano playing on One Summer Night, him and Al trading off vocals, etc.

[@Bobbythepersuader]

Giggens (spell check)

[@dicedsghq7043]

Lahaina Aloha and Strange Things Happen are definitely in the best Beach Boys songs in the 90s

[@Giggens]

Totally, those songs are excellent!

[@leopoldopetrieska6564]

the beach boys have been experimenting with drum machines since Sunfower! I mean Lady (fallin in love) and 'til i die

[@marcofalzone6469]

That's like an early Beat/ rhythm box machine, right??

[@andrewhillabrand4432]

Have you heard DJL 33 remix of the whole summer in paradise album. He did a great Video version of the whole thing

[@Giggens]

He's awesome!

[@superlove35]

Hey Giggens. Fun review. One detail: in Summer of Love that is not auto tune (which wasn't a thing in the 90s), Bruce has a heavy flange on his vocal, giving that robotic effect.

[@ShaNaNa242]

Bruce's vocals are very lovely, but can be weird without proper production.

[@johndoyle2429]

Summer in paradise is terrible album. I remember the Summer in paradise played on Baywatch I believe. In terms of Beachboys albums L.A. light was last best Beachboys album. There stuff in the 80's and 90's were bad. In my own opinion Mike love had ruined that band, by telling Brian Wilson stick to formular . This is Mike love version of Pet Sounds, Summer in Paradise.

[@kokopelli_002]

​@@johndoyle2429 Aye. Stick to the formular, Mr. Squidward.

[@knockedoutloaded279]

Better than Pet Sounds.....

[@quietjarvis]

I agree on summer of love. The chorus is catch as fuck

[@MitchellDanaStewart]

Girls are always ready for a summer of love.

[@indeedken]

I love that cassette art

[@lucaspeixesanto5105]

wow you attended my request for more Spin It Again videos, thanks Giggs!! xD

[@Giggens]

Anytime!

[@branson9271]

"Til I Die" uses a drum machine!

[@TheStarclipse]

Big Sur (4/4) and Lady (Fallin' in Love) Too ;)

[@daniel.holbrook]

I feel like this album could've been genuinely good if it was produced 15-20 years earlier with a track or two changed. That tiny flash of potential kinda just makes it harder to listen to tho, not easier

[@Giggens]

I can totally understand that!

[@AstroMusic1987]

You should review the different tracks on the UK Version!

[@sgtBilko75]

I’ve always loved, LOVED this album. Great tunes, wonderful summer vibes. It’s a shame so many Beach Boys fans are driven by prejudice and so hateful.

[@danielpatternson6149]

And their massive hate boner for Mike Love. A friend of mine met him backstage last year and said he was pretty nice

[@weirdcritter]

Wish I'd kept my CD now 😏

[@vincenta1513]

Great re-review a year ago I managed to find a CD copy at my local record store for $11

[@wesleyrwennerstrom]

I was one of the few who bought this cd on it's initial release. Nowadays it's one of those releases where one week I love it and the next I forget about it. If only they had released this shortly after Kokomo had returned them to the top of the charts and it probably would have been a top ten album for them. On a side note a local record store in my town whose business is 98% used vinyl does have a small used cd section where they rarely charge more then four bucks for cd's. On a visit there within the last couple of years what should appear but a mint cd of Summer In Paradise so for four bucks I now have a second copy of this offering. Great revisiting of this offering Giggens.

[@bikmellown4515]

I always liked that Album a lot. I Do Think that the Version of "forever" on this Album Is much much better than the original . I know i'm maybe the only one that thinks like that, but its true

[@Giggens]

I'm glad you like it!

[@rcollosi]

In my opinion I like them both equally. I just have a soft spot for cheesy soft rock lol

[@bororidley4769]

What killed the Album.... Grunge & Nirvana came out in 1991. Had this came out in 1990 or early 1991 it would have done better. But the music scene completely changed on them, and every other band. I miss Hair Bands.

[@marcofalzone6469]

Not only grunge, but "Alternative" and "urban r&b" as a whole radio format was already overtaking the AOR and top 40 spaces. Yes it's very akin to when L.A. Album was released just as Disco was falling out of favor

[@michaellombardi1620]

I've heard you talk about this album more than I've heard the tracks on this clunker

[@Giggens]

Hahaha!

[@redvine1105]

5:40 😂

[@rileyswedelius-smith6360]

How about Summer of Love b/w Smart Girls for a single

[@TheStarclipse]

I can see that...

[@knockedoutloaded279]

2 feminist classics...

[@chrismcgovern1647]

It's the Congo of Beach Boys albums

[@minnixmusic]

My cassette got eaten by my car. So 997 copies. lol

[@Giggens]

Oh no!!!

[@jameswatson5370]

Your review reminded me of the old Hank Williams song Kicked in the Taint. "I kicked myself in the taaaaaaaaint over yooooooooou/You broke my heaaaaaaaaart and made me bluuuuuuuuue." The heavy metal guitar solo on this song fits though. Anyways, good review.

[@weirdcritter]

They need to get Strange Things Happen on a Beach Boys compilation. The rest I think should stay hard to find

[@BeatleDustino]

I really have to sit down and listen to this. I got a copy of the CD a couple of years ago. Think I found it on eBay for about $40. Still have yet to listen to it. Especially after I started hearing the reviews. I just really wanted to say I owned a copy of all The Beach Boys studio albums.

[@Flapperdame16]

Did you ever see the music video to the JS forever video??? It was put on full house's plot in s5- it was bizzare when I was little, the concept, and now its cringy. But hey blink and you'll miss Carl!!!!

[@Giggens]

Oh yeah, I haven't seen it in yearssss!

[@frommetoyou1981]

I listened to this via you tube, and I got 3 or 4 songs in, I will get round to listening to the whole thing one day, but it's difficult. I then stumbled across them appearing on baywatch, which was both horrifying but fun to watch......

[@tomtester334]

I finally found a CD and it's not all that bad. The artwork is really cool.

[@RichHall1]

Hi Giggens. I see you got a new record shelf. I’d recommend you rotate it. You need to have the long continuous shelves be horizontal and the short pieces hold up those shelves. That way it can’t collapse. The way you have it, it will start to sag and eventually could collapse.

[@mrdaubney]

I was shopping in some department store back in the 90s, and you know how they have music playing in the background in those places? You never really pay attention to that, but suddenly my ears perked up when they started playing Lahaina Aloha from this album haha! It was only the second time I ever heard that song - the first being when I listened to this CD (I'm one of the few who bought it when it came out!). So, I guess some of these tunes were good for Muzak playlists anyway.....

[@dennishealy3351]

I managed to get the CD on Amazon for a surprisingly low price of 25 dollars

[@marcofalzone6469]

I would love to have a framed poster of the full album cover, tbh. Beautiful colors and scenery

[@brennandre8234]

There is a great promotional poster of the LP artwork...I have one and it's fantastic

[@joelgoldenberg1100]

I only had that album on cassette.

[@milestrotter6844]

I've never heard this album before, and after you mentioned how catchy One Summer Dream was, I couldn't resist the temptation to listen. That song left me hypnotized, it's a fun trip but man is it cheesy.

[@TheJoshandFriendsPodcast]

Top 3 Greatest Beach Boys Albums 1. Pet Sounds (1966) 2. Sunflower (1970) 3. Summer In Paradise (1992)

[@TheJoshandFriendsPodcast]

Just for the record, this was a joke lol

[@Giggens]

I was gonna say! hahaha

[@knockedoutloaded279]

Paradise is no1

[@knockedoutloaded279]

Pet Sounds shud be at the bottom..

[@paulharvey7223]

I saw the Beach Boys at Wembley on the tour promoting this album, in fact the live ‘Summer in Paradise’ track was recorded at the concert I went to. They played it twice, presumably to make sure they had a good version. Like you I thought it was the best track and it actually sounds like the Beach Boys! At the time, I wasn’t able to buy the album (thank goodness 😂) as no one had it on sell! I finally bought a US version on eBay a couple of years ago and that was only to complete my collection. I hope to buy the UK version sometime but I’m not in any rush 🤣. I have to say the poster style fold out cover was pretty decent. Great review as usual! 😁👍🏻

[@finkaiser3994]

12:32 I wish anytime someone opened this video it would instantly skip to this exact part.

[@christiandoll4435]

I bought the cd when it was released. I thought Island Fever was pretty good.

[@ENigma-um8zw]

Giggens nice shirt, wanted to share that semi bc of you reinvigorating me during my recent revival of my beach boys fandom, and the general era-love I have for feel flows and listening to the whole set these last few months, I ordered and just today received my Feel Flows Spotify fan special t shirt. It looks so cool. It’s got the feel flows graphics on a night light black T, (ie your original drawing hahjk) the album cover on the front. It’s comfy and I love it. Thanks for your love of The Beach Boys, if I’m there I’d like to buy you a drink next perhaps at an upcoming Brian Wilson show! Peace and love everyone have a great week

[@Giggens]

Take care man!

[@collinmurr3207]

I'm with you on Lahaina Aloha, it's the only song on here I enjoy non-ironically, and Carl's vocals are incredible. Island Fever is something of a guilty pleasure too. I can't even put Summer of Love as their worst song because it's so ridiculous it's kind of hilarious. Meh, at least it steals the hook from Locomotion.

[@mjk-media]

As much fun as it may be to hate this album, I can’t help but have some respect fore Mike Love making a record with a vision to some extent. The result may be underwhelming, but at least I can tell that someone - might it even be only Mike Love himself - at some point truly believed in the project. Where as in general indifference seems to be the main villain of the Beach Boys’ discography.

[@michaeldaley5831]

The cd I bought here in the uk had the whale on the cover,it was made of cardboard,no plastic at all.the three songs you liked,I agree,& I like the cover,buts overall,it’s awful,saw the tour at the time at Wembley,they played summer in paradise again for the third encore.gave the cd to my sister in law,she loves it.

[@andrewhudson8966]

The UK version is different to the US version,not that it’s any better

[@Giggens]

Very true, lots of differences!

[@ronfowlermusic]

Carl is my favorite Beach Boy, so it pissed me off when I saw this album and he didn't have any songs on it. Al didn't, either. Or Brian - but Brian was out of the group after his disastrous autobiography came out in 1991. I think Mike's ego got the best of him in the wake of Kokomo's success, so he thought "that's what we need to have a hit album - 12 Kokomo Klones!" It's not as bad as I originally believed. If this album had come out within a few months of Kokomo's success, it would have at least made the top 50. I find it more interesting than Stars and Stripes. I think Carl had checked out of the group emotionally by 1990. He saw where Mike wanted to take the group, and decided it wasn't worth fighting about, there were more pressing issues - like his mother's health, and getting Landy out of Brian's life. He found another way to express himself musically, with Gerry Beckley and Robert Lamm. You should review that album sometime.

[@Giggens]

Perfectly said man!

[@stanleyferdinand5979]

Love your persistence with this album! Where was Brian at this point.Would he have even known that this came out? Do you think it was Mike's baby? I tried listening to it,but thought was a 1/10 effort at best.

[@wcassady]

You are killing me with the crapping on 'Forever'...I laughed my ass off. When 'Forever' debuted on Full House I was glad that the song got some air play but after the dust settled I hated it. Dammit Uncle Jessie! A guy I used to work with found out I was a BB fan and he would always say, "Isn't that Uncle Jessie's group?"...he loved to screw with me.

[@Giggens]

Omg hahaha

[@trevordixon1427]

Fun fun funnnnnnnnn

[@raoulandthedukes]

You are indeed very generous with your words about this album. I tried stomaching the entirety of it, and only found one song on the whole thing that I keep coming back to, and that's usually only in my playlists. That song is of course one you said the drums ruin, but for me Bruce's 'Slow Summer Dancin' (One Summer Night)' is the only one I find listenable. I simply cannot stand any of the remakes or covers on here, and the rest of the originals just seem like such a self-parody to me. Granted, yeah the drum sound found on the whole album is still on One Summer Night, but it oddly works for me. Still a very beautiful song as Bruce is known for. Maybe it's a long shot too, but I probably like it because it feels like a leftover from the '85 album, not that it actually is. Again, you're a brave soul for coming back to this so often. >.

[@Giggens]

Hahaha I try!

[@matthintz9468]

My view on Summer in Paradise - terrible album as a whole, with some bright spots. It's more "so bad it's good." It was bad for the band, the in-fighting was awful, it was an embarrassment, etc. But it is very much of its time. I love Strange Things Happen, it's the best on the album (the lyrics remind me a little of Funky Pretty and All This is That with the mystical/astrological stuff), and I have affection for One Summer Night. I like both of these because of Al's vocals during the choruses, and Bruce sounds great on the verses of the second song. I really like the U.K. version of the song Summer in Paradise that features Roger McGuinn on the middle eighth compared to the version that was released on the U.S. version of the album. Here's the thing: After Keepin' Summer Alive, I really didn't care for their albums, but I did like key cuts (California Dreamin', Kokomo, Somewhere Near Japan, the three I mentioned I above, a few others), and I find Summer in Paradise really no different than those other albums except for one goofy rap number and no major hit to make up for it. I don't hate the album more than MIU. MIU drives me crazy because it had more potential, opened with some great tracks and had a few others throughout - when it was hittin', it was hittin'. When it missed, it was soulless and irritating. Summer in Paradise, at its worse, just sounds corporate. At it's best, it has a few decent tracks. Mostly, it's corporate, but kind of amusing.

[@danielpatternson6149]

I like it more than That’s Why God Made the Radio

[@orbyfan]

I generally agree with this review; I bought the cassette at the time and didn't like the album, but I didn't hate it as much as a lot of people did. I never liked the drum machine or the remake of "Surfin'". I must correct my comment from your previous review of this album. I thought you had the Canadian pressing of the cassette, but I now see that's not so. The Canadian pressing appeared on the Attic label, with the Attic logo appearing on the spine between the title and the Brother Entertainment logo.

[@theoloutlaw]

Ooooh Yeaahhhh! I love seeing fans 'slooowlllyyy' start seeing this quite tolerable. Do another update in 10 years Giggens, it'll be up there in your top 5 albums by then :) ahaha

[@theoloutlaw]

@Glyn R Yeah, funny that Mr Glyn R, funny how time can change your tastes in music. There's still a lot of bands and artists people love that I still can't get into. Sometimes it just takes that one song to change your whole outlook.

[@theoloutlaw]

@Glyn R I've noticed that too, unless the copyright bandits are blocking their attempted uploads.... It's frustrating. I heard somebody say, now that Brother Records is under new management, they are taking more extreme measures and really noticing what is being uploaded under The Beach Boys banner. True or Not? I don't have a clue. Elora has put up some wonderful stuff over the years, and has also been punished in the past.

[@theoloutlaw]

@Glyn R Yeah, I'll get some stuff up again one day. My dad recently passed away, so I've got a box of videos to go through at one point and see if there is anything that isn't on KZbin that somebody out there might like. I know there's a clip of Johnny Cash on an Australian TV show from the 80's that he had, I'd like to find that at least, some Cash fans would dig it.... Anything I think of as worthy, I'll upload for sure.

[@johnhammond1572]

Bought it when it came out, I've listened to it about 3/4 times it's got a few nice moments on it, nice packaging, but nothing on it that makes me want to go back to it. And your 100% right about Forever. Still waiting for the Flame album to be given the Giggens treatment 😉

[@Giggens]

Soon for sure!

[@jhutch888]

Spot on about Summer Of Love! Soooooo catchy indeed, and Mike raps like he means it.

[@user-is4jf8yr4z]

Roger McGuinn is on it. That's the highlight for me honestly. :D

[@wcassady]

I've always said that had this come on the heels of "Kokomo" it would've been a hit. 'Still Cruisin' sold well just because of the momentum of Kokomo and SIP was very much like 'Kokomo'. New fans were clamoring for that same sound but unfortunately 'Still Cruisin'' was released right after 'Kokomo'...and SIP was released 3 years later. I remember sending off for the poster art from the CD insert and and receiving a letter back saying it was no longer available. There is a lot of crap on here but there are a few nice tracks thanks to Carl (my favorite track is Lahaina Aloha.) Had they combined some tracks from 'Still Cruisin' and some from SIP with different production...it probably would've been a decent BB album. Regardless, I will say this...I don't hate it as much as MIU....

[@Giggens]

Very well said!

[@burlingtonbill1]

The title track is a very good song, it just doesn't have enough chorus repetition distributed throughout it! Too many words, not enough classic BB background harmony. Listen to the original of this, despite LOUSY sonics, @ kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHW3nYmerMSYmac starting @ 37:00 in.) That stellar chorus is only repeated at the end -- FIVE times, starting @ 40:15, which is pure heaven. WHY not more often, in the body of the song? And why would they chop it off, playing it in the live version? Sad.

[@scottstephenson2112]

I wanted Forever to be my wedding song, but Uncle Jessie ruined it. Everyone knew the Full House version so we went with something else. Also, Todd in the Shadows did a review of this album as well and it’s pure gold. Check it out!

[@danielpatternson6149]

The review is something else, I’ll tell you what

[@VictorCastillo-un1gd]

Lol…. The Beach Boys is definitely an acquired taste.

[@41moose]

Not a bad album. The reunion album from 2012 is worse imo

[@dingdongism]

You are way too kind to this album.

[@Giggens]

We are all allowed to have our own opinions :)

[@dingdongism]

@@Giggens Did you read me expressing my opinion as a suggestion otherwise?

[@robertzastrow4648]

I've never thought Summer In Paradise is that bad of an album. I'd give it a rating of 5 or 6 stars, versus your 4 star rating. I especially like the remake of "Surfin" (with its 'harder edge' instrumentation). Think the three covers of songs that they do are decent. Think "Strange Things Happen", followed by "Summer In Paradise" are probably the best songs on the album. Think "Summer Of Love" is goofy, to say the least. Mike's cheesy rap vocal, plus the playing off of Mike's last name in both the song's title and lyrics to me make it silly. I picked up the CD of this when it was released in 1992. Remember reading an interview with the Australian band Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett (?), who sort of tied into the Beach Boys for their "newfound" devotion to environmentalism, via their "Summer In Paradise" song and album. I wondered if Garrett was aware that the Beach Boys had done albums like Surf's Up and Holland, when he was either very young, or not yet born. Anyhow, decent review, Giggens, of an album which I think should not be overlooked. Oh, I thought their remake of Dennis's signature song "Forever" was interesting, but not necessary. Had a friend who really enjoyed the Stamos remake. I then played him the original with Dennis. He still preferred the Stamos remake!

[@joelgoldenberg1100]

I can't get past cheesy sax solos.