Chapter 24: Whole Lotta Love (March - November 1971)

March 9, 1971

Dennis Wilson, 1971.

DENNIS WILSON: "It was on that particular day that we were going through Brian's old belongings. There were some that Carl and I both wanted to keep for sentimental reasons. I then came across a box that had a cassette with some writing on it. It was labeled 'Till I Die' in handwriting that looked like Brian's. I then showed it to Carl who also expressed surprise upon seeing it. We didn't know what it was meant for as it had never been presented to us while we were the Beach Boys." (1992)[1]

CARL WILSON: "I took the tape from Dennis and then played it. That voice was undeniably Brian; we almost cried. It had been four years since he left the world, and it was almost like coming across a recording of your parents after they'd both gone. We then played it over and over again several times and after like, I dunno, the sixth or seventh time, I told Dennis, 'That's got potential to be on the next album. We should share Brian's last gift to the world.'" (1975)

But it wasn't just the Wilson brothers who had the rights to the Beach Boys' recordings following Brian's unexpected death in 1967. His widow, Marilyn Rovell, also shared the rights, and her in-laws had to consult with her first before making any further decisions. Like Carl and Dennis, she too was moved by the recording, even comparing it to a self-epitaph in a sense. With Marilyn's approval, the brothers gathered Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston to the studio to record the next Passions album.

However, there was a problem; they needed a producer.

AL JARDINE: "Our first choice was Phil Spector, but he was already off recording with the Ladders, and Alan Parsons and Tony Visconti were also out of the question. We couldn't even get Norman Smith back to help us like he did with Smile. But Dennis, of course, had another idea in mind." (2012)

Linda and Paul McCartney, 1971.

Paul McCartney had just completed the work for Cherry Wine, due out within two months, and it was to be his first solo album following the Beatles' split. The album was currently in post-production when he received an unexpected visit from one Dennis Wilson on his Scottish farm.

PAUL McCARTNEY: "So Dennis stops by the farm, y'know, and he shows me this tape Brian did before his death, which blew me away, and then he popped the question on if I was interested in helping 'em out with producing this song, to which I said, 'Of course!'" (1983)

To the public, there truly was camaraderie between the former Beatles and Beach Boys after Brian Wilson's death four years ago; the Beatles had sent in their condolences to Wilson's family and bandmates when they had received the news, and all profits made from Tribute to Brian Wilson went to the Wilson family as well as research towards mental illnesses. Now a former Beatle was going to be producing an album featuring four of the former Beach Boys. It seemed like a dream come true.

But of course, the sole obstacle in making this a reality was Marilyn, still bitter about the Beatles playing a role - albeit unintentionally - in her husband's early demise.

Brian Wilson with his wife Marilyn Rovell, 1966.

MARILYN ROVELL: "You just didn't get that Brian was mentally ill, and you and your fucking 'rivalry' with Brian ended up killing him! How do you fucking sleep at night?! And now you want to ruin his last song with your bullshit?! Fuck you! Fuck you! *sobs*" (to Paul McCartney, 1971)*

"...how do you think I feel..." was the first sentence Paul had said after Marilyn screamed in his face. At that point, he too was tearing up. Linda was now holding Marilyn in her arms, trying to calm her down.

"I'd been outright ditched by my former bandmates," Paul continued, "and they went and recorded an album behind my back, y'know." There was a hint of anger and resentment in his voice, but still clearly filled with sadness. Marilyn paused for a while, before she pulled Paul in for a tight embrace. Almost immediately, she had regretted what she had just screamed in his face.

"Maybe... Brian would have wanted you to help produce it," she said at last.

(* - Many years later, some journalists often misquoted Rovell's rant towards McCartney as being the inspiration behind John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep".)

May 10, 1971

Mike Love with his girlfriend Tamara Fitch, 1971.

BRUCE JOHNSTON: "We were in the midst of recording a song - I forget which exactly - when all of a sudden, we noticed Mike Love coming into the room. I was surprised; we hadn't played with him since the completion and release of Smile. After explaining the situation with him, he asked if he could provide some backing vocals to some of the songs. It really began to feel like a Beach Boys reunion album." (2001)

MIKE LOVE: "Yeah man, they played me that last Brian song, cut me deep in my core, and I thought, screw it, I'll help contribute to it! Plus Paul producing it really made it hit home for me. And whilst we were recording the album, the taps seemed to open up and I had begun to write up new songs. Not for Landlocked, but for a potential third post-Smile album." (1988)

LINDA McCARTNEY: "Something inside me told me that it was going to take more than venting her anger towards Paul to allow Marilyn to move on from her bitterness. I spoke her, gave her some advice on how to deal with her grief. Board games provided a great source of dealing with grief, as I'd learned after Paul was dumped by John, George and Ringo. Marilyn and I ended up bonding over it." (1979)

August 15, 1971

Steve Winwood, 1971.

Whilst Landlocked (working title, Till I Die) was undergoing the final stages of production, Dennis Wilson went down to a pub in Hollywood called Whisky a Go Go where he came across Steve Winwood of the jam band Traffic. According to Winwood, he and his group were playing a few gigs at the pub when he noticed Dennis come into the pub. For the past few years, Dennis had stayed away from drugs and alcohol of any kind, so it was surprising that he had decided to come down to Whisky a Go Go. "Hey man, can't keep away from alcohol forever," Dennis had told Winwood. Of course, Dennis had only drunk alcohol in moderation, usually a couple of shots at a time.

STEVE WINWOOD: "Dennis and I chatted for a bit and then he asked me if he'd like to play alongside Traffic for a one-off in tonight's gig. I told him, 'Alright, I'm sure our drummer [Jim Gordon] won't mind if you fill in for him.' Sadly, Jim was beginning to lose it at that point." (1984)

Despite drummer Jim Gordon's absence on stage, the performance of Traffic with Dennis Wilson went down well and was met with a positive audience response, especially since they were playing with a former Beach Boy. Winwood had even offered Dennis to perform a mini-set in the midst of the performance. The mini-set consisted of a few songs from the Passions' Sunflower album, as well as the Beach Boys' "In the Back of My Mind".

Following this performance, the band and Dennis went to have some drinks where he asked them if they wanted to do something else together another time. Winwood was in favor of the idea, whilst the other band members felt that they needed to think about that so they could discuss it further.

August 27, 1971

The Passions - Landlocked

Released: August 27, 1971

Recorded: 1967 - July 29, 1971

Producer: Dennis Wilson, Paul McCartney

Track listing[2]

Side A

Loop De Loop
Susie Cincinnati
San Miguel
Fallin' in Love
Disney Girls
4th of July

Side B
Long Promised Road
Feel Flows
Lookin' at Tomorrow
A Day in the Life of a Tree
Till I Die
(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again

Bruce Johnston's "Disney Girls" was chosen as the lead single off of Landlocked, with Dennis Wilson's "Lady" being the B-side. Released June 28, eight days after what could have been Brian Wilson's 29th birthday, the single soon reached #1 in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Critics and fans alike praised Johnston's performance, calling it the best song he had ever written. The "Lady" B-side as well as Paul McCartney's co-production were also met with similar appraisal.

The album was finally released at the end of August, soon reaching #1 in the United Kingdom for three nonconsecutive weeks and topping out at #2 in the United States. Landlocked was met with even better reviews than Sunflower, with critics likening it to a Beach Boys reunion album after Brian Wilson's untimely demise.

Billboard

August 27, 1971

The Passions bring Brian Wilson back to life in Landlocked

"Brian Wilson left us too early whilst the Beach Boys were working on their final album, Smile. Despite dying at the ripe age of twenty-five, along with the other members of the Beach Boys, Wilson left behind a legacy that will live on forever. His final gift to the world, 'Till I Die' - which some will interpret as Brian's last words to give to his fans, friends, and family alike - is a lovely piano demo piece polished up by brothers Dennis and Carl along with former Beach Boy bandmates Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston, as well as the surprise comeback of Mike Love to the music scene after being absent for four years. It almost sounds like the Beach Boys have reunited after Brian's death.

Speaking of which, Dennis' '(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again', the album's grand finale, could be seen as a plea to his older brother. It's a touching moment for the album, and even more touching closure between the brothers.

That isn't to say the songs prior to 'Till I Die' are in any way inferior. Johnston's 'Disney Girls' is a nice ode to the 50s about growing up, and 'Falling in Love' sounds like a lost track from the Pet Sounds sessions. In fact, if there was one complaint we had overall, it's that Landlocked leaves the listener wanting more. It's an album with six distinctive talents (and we include Mike Love and the late Brian Wilson) that leaves little room for each to express themselves. But that's neither here nor there; it's a special album for sure."

9 September 1971

The Ladders - Imagine

Released: 9 September 1971

Recorded: March - July 1971

Producer: Phil Spector, The Ladders

Track listing[3]

Side A

Imagine
What is Life
Jealous Guy
It Don't Come Easy
I Dig Love
Crippled Inside

Side B
Bangla Desh
Gimme Some Truth
Art of Dying
Oh My Love
Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
Loser's Lounge
Power to the People

The success of the Concert for Bangladesh, as well as the "Bangla Desh/Imagine" double A-side single, helped to propel the Ladders' second album, Imagine, straight to #1 in both the United States and the United Kingdom based off of pre-orders alone. Imagine was met with universal acclaim from fans and critics, and retrospective reviews have cited it as the second best album of the 1970s, beating out Jimi Hendrix's Black Gold and only being topped by Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water. "Can't believe we were beaten by a bloody folk duo," John Lennon would state years later. (1990)

The second single off of the album, "What Is Life" would also top the charts in the United Kingdom, but topped out at #4 in the United States. The B-side, "It Don't Come Easy", also charted at #4 in the United Kingdom. But beyond the four songs that were released as singles, there were other tracks that also had the potential to be singles: Lennon's "Jealous Guy", "Gimme Some Truth" and "Power to the People", George Harrison's "Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp" and "Art of Dying", and even Ringo Starr's vocal cover of "Loser's Lounge". It seemed as though the album had been recorded to give every song included the potential to become a single.

But alas, not every song recorded during the sessions were chosen for inclusion. Lennon had five tracks which didn't make the cut ("It's So Hard", "Oh Yoko!", "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier", "How?", and "How Do You Sleep"), Harrison had three ("Run of the Mill", "Deep Blue", and "Hear Me Lord"), and Starr only had "Coochy Coochy". That being said, most of them would soon find their way on a later album whilst a select few were chosen for non-album B-sides.

17 September 1971

Yoko Ono - Fly

Released: 17 September 1971

Recorded: 1971

Producer: John Lennon, Yoko Ono

Track listing[4]

Side A

Midsummer New York
Mind Train
Mrs. Lennon

Side B
Mind Holes
Fly

Yoko Ono's first album on Apple Records, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band, was released on 11 December 1970, the same day as the Ladders' Shine On. It had been met with mixed reception from critics and failed to chart in the United Kingdom, although it did reach #182 in the United States. The only single off of the album was "Why" backed with the non-album single "Who Has Seen the Wind", which also failed to hit the Top 100 on either side.

Nine months later, Ono came out with Fly, which, unlike Plastic Ono Band, was produced without any involvement from Phil Spector. Compared to the avant-garde sound of the latter album, Fly was given a more pop rock sound with "Mrs. Lennon", "Midsummer New York" (both of which were released as the lead single with the former being the A-side) and "Mind Holes", balanced out by the lengthy jams of "Mind Train" and the title track. Both album and single did not reach the Top 100 on either side of the Atlantic.

October 28 - November 24, 1971

The cover for the Ladders' non-album Christmas single, "Happy Xmas (War is Over)".

The Ladders reconvened with their spouses and producer Phil Spector at Record Plant East in New York to record a single for the Christmas market, much like the Beatles had done between 1963 and 1969. (There was none in 1970 due to the band splintering away from Paul.) John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" was a protest song against the Vietnam War set to the traditional English ballad "Skewball" and included a children's choir at his request. Yoko, Maureen and Pattie provided backing vocals. "Paul was working with Linda at that point," said George. "As was John with Yoko. It seemed fair that Ringo and I brought in Maureen and Pattie." (1987)

The single was recorded very quickly over two sessions, taking place on October 28 and 31. For the B-side, the Imagine outtake "Deep Blue" was chosen, fitting with the A-side's message it wanted to spread.

"Happy Xmas (War is Over)" was released the day after Thanksgiving in America on the 24th of November, where it reached #3. It topped at #2 in the United Kingdom, being left off of the top spot by the "Bangla Desh/Imagine" double A-side. "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" received extensive airplay and promotion over the Christmas holidays, and the Ladders would film promo videos to be shown across various television shows in both the United Kingdom and the United States, which helped sales greatly.

Footnotes

1. "Till I Die" had actually been written in 1969 for 20/20, not 1967.
2. Tracks are sourced from Endless Harmony Soundtrack ("Loop De Loop"), 15 Big Ones ("Susie Cincinnati"), Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys ("San Miguel", "4th of July"), Made in California ("Fallin' in Love", "(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again"), and Surf's Up ("Disney Girls" and all of side B except for "(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again").
3. All of John's songs are sourced from Imagine excluding "Power to the People", taken from Power to the People: The Hits. All of George's songs are sourced from All Things Must Pass excluding "Bangla Desh", taken from Living in the Material World. "It Don't Come Easy" is sourced from Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr and "Loser's Lounge" is sourced from Beaucoups of Blues.
4. All tracks are sourced from Fly.

Author's Comments

Man, this chapter was a lot harder to write out than I initially thought possible. I received extensive help from The Lifehouse in order to write out the Passions' part of this chapter, so thanks goes to him for assisting in writing with the backstory for Landlocked. The Ladders' part of the chapter (plus Yoko Ono) was fairly simple. This hypothetical Imagine is one of my personal favorite albums that I've made for this series thus far; nine times out of ten, I can just picture John, George and Ringo being in the same room with Klaus and Billy along for the ride. The fact that they (as well as Ringo) played on the majority of the tracks by John and George helped the illusion greatly. I can almost "imagine" being this a true album. (See what I did there?)

Album cover for Landlocked was made by The Lifehouse.