This isn't the Beach Boys your parents listened to in junior high. Instead, this is the Beach Boys your parents may have heard in passing while attending college. Written over the course of two years, 1973's 'Sail On, Sailor' was the carefree band's attempt at recaputuring a position in the Top 40.'Sail On, Sailor' was more soulful than other Beach Boys singles quite simply because it was sung by Blondie Chaplin, a South African who briefly joined the band in the early seventies. Minus the defining vocals and sound of musical architect Brian Wilson, 'Sail On, Sailor' sounds more like Stevie Wonder and less like the earnest oceanside pop that dominated Stateside summertime radio stations in the sixties.
Recently, 'Sail On, Sailor' was featured in 2006's The Departed, the Irish-Mafia gangland masterpiece that only last night gave Martin Scorsese his long awaited Oscar, as well as took home the Academy's paramount award for Best Picture.
Listen to 'Sail On, Sailor' here.
2 comments:
As a personally documented "oldie" that I am, I have decided that this review is one of your best, with little known facts and interesting connections. The contribution of Blondie was one of the groups attempts to diversify their sound. A good product. I spent an afternoon in '74 drinking Heineken with the group in Macomb, IL and talking about everything but music. Even treading in the reaches of reality they were fascinating. To be able to perform at that level and not know where you are must be superhuman. Keep up the good work!
rockinjock, that is amazing that you had the opportunity to hang out with the Beach Boys like you did. It seems like only yesterday that you were serving as honorary stage crew for artists such as Journey and Peter Frampton in St. Louis. Now, you choose to capture our imagination further with another musical adventure I had no idea of.
I'm glad you enjoyed the post, and your experiences as the "documented oldie" are always welcome on the Lonely Note :)
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