'' is an anthology album of previously unheard material by
The Beach Boys , originally released by
Capitol Records in
1998 . Named for
Bruce Johnston 's song on the
1980 album ''
Keepin' The Summer Alive '', it was designed as a tie-in with the band's biographical documentary of the same name. The soundtrack was re-issued in
2000 with some remixing and improved artwork, while the original 1998 edition (with the orange/yellow cover) was deleted shortly thereafter.
This project was undertaken during a time when The Beach Boys fractured apart - irrevocably - after the death of 51-year-old
Carl Wilson in
February 1998 from lung cancer.
Brian Wilson , a temporary member for several years by this time, decided that the band was over and disassociated himself from any further group activity. At odds with
Mike Love in continuing on after Carl's passing,
Al Jardine did the same. To the present day, while Wilson and Jardine are pursuing solo careers, both Love and
Bruce Johnston (with their accompanying concert act) still perform live as The Beach Boys.
The ''Endless Harmony Soundtrack'' itself is patterned somewhat like
The Beatles ' ''Anthology'' albums, with, variously, alternate versions and live renditions of songs, as well as unreleased ones. Spanning from a stereo remix of
1963 's "Surfer Girl" to the completion of the unreleased
1969 recording "Loop De Loop (Flip Flop Flyin' In An Aeroplane)" 29 years after it was started, the album also includes a brief snatch of both Brian Wilson and
Van Dyke Parks routining three ''
Smile '' songs in
1966 .
Although the album wasn't a commercial success, it did encourage
Capitol Records to issue a more comprehensive archival package in ''
Hawthorne, CA '' in
2001 .
#"Soulful Old Man Sunshine" (Writing session excerpt) (
Brian Wilson /Rick Henn) - 0:42
#"Soulful Old Man Sunshine" (Brian Wilson/Rick Henn) - 3:25
#"Radio Concert Promo 1" - 0:15
#"Medley: Surfin' Safari/Fun, Fun, Fun/Shut Down/Little Deuce Coupe/Surfin' USA (live) (Brian Wilson/
Mike Love /Roger Christian/
Chuck Berry ) - 3:33
- ''Recorded on 22 October 1966 in Michigan''
#"Surfer Girl" (Binaural mix) (Brian Wilson) - 2:27
- The version on the revised 2000 edition of the album is more of an a cappella mix
#"Help Me, Rhonda" (Alternate single version) (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 2:50
#"Kiss Me, Baby" (Stereo remix) (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 2:42
#"California Girls" (Stereo remix) (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 2:44
#"Good Vibrations" (Live) (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 3:40
- ''Recorded in rehearsal on 8 December 1968 in London''
#"Heroes And Villains" (Brian Wilson/ Van Dyke Parks ) - 2:27
- ''Recorded on 4 November 1966, this run through for Los Angeles DJ "Humble" Harve features, in addition to "Heroes And Villains", "I'm In Great Shape" and "Barnyard"''
#"Heroes And Villains" (Live) (Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks) - 3:40
#"God Only Knows" (Live) (Brian Wilson/
Tony Asher ) - 2:45
- ''Actually a live-in-the-studio recording in September 1967''
#"Radio Concert Promo 2" - 0:15
#"Darlin' " (Live) (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 2:26
- ''Recorded on 21 June 1980 at Knebworth''
#"Wonderful/Don't Worry Bill" (Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks/Ricky Fataar/Blondie Chaplin/Steve Fataar/Brother Fataar) - 5:52
- ''A medley of ''Smile'''s "Wonderful" and an unreleased song called "Don't Worry Bill" recorded on 23 November 1972 at Carnegie Hall in New York City''
#"Do It Again" (Early version) (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) - 2:30
#"Break Away" (Demo) (Brian Wilson/Reggie Dunbar) - 2:38
- ''"Reggie Dunbar" is a pseudonym for Murry Wilson ''
#"Sail Plane Song" (Brian Wilson/Carl Wilson) - 2:12
#"Loop De Loop (Flip Flop Flyin' In An Aeroplane)" (Brian Wilson/Carl Wilson/Al Jardine) - 2:56
- ''Recording begun in March 1969, finished by Al Jardine in July 1998''
#"Barbara" ( Dennis Wilson ) - 2:58
#"Til I Die" (Alternate mix) (Brian Wilson) - 4:52
#"Long Promised Road" (Live) (Carl Wilson/Jack Rieley) - 4:17
- ''Recorded on 23 November 1972 at Carnegie Hall in New York City''
#"All Alone" (Carli Munoz) - 3:36
#"Brian's Back" (Mike Love) - 4:07
- Written in response to Brian Wilson's 1976 return to the public eye''
#"Endless Harmony" (Bruce Johnston) - 3:29
- ''Includes a hidden a cappella sample of "Kiss Me, Baby" after the song ends''
''Endless Harmony Soundtrack'' (Capitol 72435 24002 2 5) never charted in the US or the UK.
- ''Endless Harmony Soundtrack'' CD booklet notes, Brad Elliott, c. 2000.
- AllMusicGuide.com
