Live in London (The Beach Boys)

Infobox Album | Name = Live in London
Type = Live Album
Artist = The Beach Boys


Released = May 1970 (UK)
15 November 1976 (US)
Recorded = 8 December 1968
Genre = Rock
Length = 34:03
Label = Capitol Records
Producer = Brian Wilson
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:utfnzfohehpk link] |Last album =
This album = "Live in London"
(1970)
Next album =

"Live in London" ("Beach Boys '69" in North America) is a live album by The Beach Boys, released through Capitol Records. It was initially released by EMI in the UK in May 1970. It's believed that The Beach Boys owed Capitol one more album (this may have been it, instead of the "The Fading Rock Group Revival/Reverberation" project), and it does seem suspect that Brian Wilson was the official producer of an unauthorized album. Nonetheless, The Beach Boys may have been displeased at "Live in London"'s appearance.

After their mid-70's resurgence of popularity at home, it was finally issued as "Beach Boys '69" in America (despite the fact that the performances were all recorded in December 1968). It was released without their permission, as The Beach Boys were contracted with Reprise Records at the time, and it became a small chart success in the US, following the Top 10 placing of "15 Big Ones". When their albums were remastered for CD in 1990 (and again in 2001), "Live in London" was reissued along with the rest of them.

1968 was a very difficult year for The Beach Boys at home, where their reputation had soured considerably, yet their European success was still strong as evidenced by these confident performances recorded while The Beach Boys were making "20/20".

Track listing

#"Darlin' " (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 2:41
#"Wouldn't It Be Nice" (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher/Mike Love) – 1:53
#"Sloop John B" (Trad. Arr. Brian Wilson) – 2:30
#"California Girls" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 2:19
#"Do It Again" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 2:47
#"Wake The World" (Brian Wilson/Al Jardine) – 2:26
#"Aren't You Glad" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 3:09
#"Bluebirds Over The Mountain" (Ersel Hickey) – 2:53
#"Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring" (Bobby Troup) – 2:49
#"Good Vibrations" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 4:36
#"God Only Knows" (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher) – 3:27
#"Barbara Ann" (Fred Fassert) – 2:32

"Live in London" is now paired on CD with "Beach Boys Concert", with bonus tracks from both periods.

"Live in London" (Capitol ST 21715) never charted in the UK. As "Beach Boys '69 (The Beach Boys Live In London)" (Capitol ST 11584), it reached #75 in the Fall of 1976, during a US chart stay of 10 weeks.

A live version of Dennis Wilson's "All I Want To Do" was recorded at the these concerts but not released. It remained unreleased until 1983's "Beach Boys Rarities" album.

ources

* "Surf's Up: The Beach Boys On Record" Brad Elliott c. 1981
* "Beach Boys Concert/Live in London" CD booklet notes, David Leaf, c. 1990.
* AllMusicGuide.com