Let's Go Away for Awhile

Infobox Song
Name = Let's Go Away for Awhile


Border =
Caption =
Type = Instrumental
Artist = The Beach Boys
alt Artist =
Album = Pet Sounds
Published =
Released = May 16, 1966
track_no = 6
Recorded = January 18 & 19, 1966
Western Studios
Genre = Pop music
Language =
Length = 2:18
Writer =
Composer = Brian Wilson
Label = Capitol
Producer = Brian Wilson
Tracks =
prev = "I'm Waiting for the Day"
prev_no = 5
next = "Sloop John B"
next_no = 7
Misc =
Audio sample? =

"Let's Go Away For Awhile" is an instrumental by the American pop band The Beach Boys, from their 1966 album "Pet Sounds". It is the sixth track on the album. The track was composed and produced by Brian Wilson and was originally titled "The Old Man And The Baby". "This is a great Burt Bacharach type of thing," Brian said in 1996.

Brian stated in 1967 that it was "the most satisfying piece of music I've ever made. I applied a certain set of dynamics through the arrangement and the mixing and got a full musical extension of what I'd planned during the earliest stages of the theme. I think the chord changes are very special. I used a lot of musicians on the track; twelve violins, piano, four saxes, oboe, vibes, a guitar with a coke bottle on the strings for a semi-steel guitar effect. Also, I used two basses and percussion. The total effect is Let's Go Away For Awhile, which is something everyone in the world must have said at some time or another. Nice thought; most of us don't go away, but it's still a nice thought."

It was included on the Neil Young soundtrack album "Journey Through the Past" as the closing track.

Details

*"Written by:" Brian Wilson
*"Album:" Pet Sounds
*"Time:" 2 min 18 sec
*"Produced by:" Brian Wilson
*"Instrumental track:" recorded January 18, 1966 at Western Studios, Hollywood, California. Engineered by Chuck Britz.
*"String and flute overdub:" recorded January 19, 1966 at Western Studios, Hollywood, California.
*"Single:" released October 10, 1966 as the B-side of Capitol single Good Vibrations.

Performers

*"Hal Blaine:" drums
*"Julius Wechter:" Tympani, Vibraphone
*"Lyle Ritz:" String Bass
*"Carol Kaye:" Electric Bass
*"Al Casey:" Guitar
*"Barney Kessel:" Guitar
*"Al de Lory:" Piano
*"Steve Douglas:" Tenor Saxophone
*"Plas Johnson:" Tenor Saxophone
*"Jim Horn:" Baritone Saxophone
*"Jay Migliori:" Baritone Saxophone
*"Roy Caton:" Trumpet

Overdub session

*"Arnold Belnick:" Violin
*"James Getzoff:" Violin
*"William Kurasch:" Violin
*"Leonard Malarsky:" Violin
*"Jerome Reisler:" Violin
*"Ralph Schaeffer:" Violin
*"Sid Sharp:" Violin
*"Tibor Zelig:" Violin
*"Joseph Di Fiore:" Viola
*"Harry Hyams:" Viola
*"Justin Di Tullio:" Cello
*"Joseph Saxon:" Cello
*"Steve Douglas:" Flute
*"Jules Jacob:" Flute

See also

*The Beach Boys
*Pet Sounds
*List of songs by The Beach Boys