C or D : Sail On Sailor

Van Dyke Parks on "Sail On, Sailor"

"This is my first public comment on the authorship of this song.

Once upon a time, Brian Wilson owned a house on Bellagio Drive in Bel Air, California, (built by Edgar Rice Burroughs). I visited him there one day, with a trusty Sony tape recorder in hand, hoped to resurrect an aborted attempt at commercially successful song collaboration. Let me back-track.

I was working at Warner Brothers' Records at the time, both in A&R and in my newly developed office of "Audio Visual Services". The CEO of the company was Mo Ostin, the Executive V.P., A&R was Lenny Waronker. My influence on Mr. Ostin is best shown by a corporate "org.chart" of that period, which shows that my only superior officer was Mr. Ostin himself. I'd pressured Mo to sign the beleaguered Beach Boys to the label, in spite of industry-wide reservations about the group's ability to deliver. When I went to Bellagio Drive to work on a song with Brian, the entire group was in Holland, working on a record aptly titled "Holland" for delivery to the label.

Mo and Lenny had held great expectations for that record. They suggested that my working with Brian might goad him to similar creative heights reached in "Smile". Mo and Lenny were astonished that Brian wasn't participating in the album effort, and feeling somewhat deceived, thought I should step forward, as I was in large part, the reason for their commitment to the group.

Having only gotten a partial song out of that one meeting with Brian, I put the tape away, and lay low. I wanted to avoid getting involved with the internecine group dilemmas once again.

"Holland" arrived at the Burbank offices, DOA. It was the consensus of everyone in A&R, Promotion, and distribution, that "Holland" was "unreleaseable". Knowing the company's enormous investment, and the high stakes involved, I got out the tape cassette from my session with Brian that evening on Bellagio Dr., gave it a listen, and delivered it to the company with my assurance that it would solve all their problems.

On the tape (I gave my only copy to David Berson, Mr. Ostin's assistant), it's clear from the contents that I authored the words (and the musical intervals to) "Sail On Sail On Sailor". It's also clear that I composed the chords to the bridge, played them, and taught them to Brian.

Ecstatic, Mr. Ostin immediately messengered this tape (or a copy of it) to Amsterdam, and the Beach Boys were instructed to slap words on the verses and deliver it, as a pre-condition for their album's release.

When the song was delivered back to WB, it was designated as the single for the album. My name appeared as co-author on that first issue copy, with Brian's. After Ray Kennedy's lawsuit (claiming authorship of the lyrics), my name and participation diminished, and in some ensuing cases, I've been given no royalties or credit at all.

I understand that there was a general "feeding frenzy" around the tune's lyrics, as the Beach Boys regrouped back in L.A. I have no idea how many people may have been at those final vocal sessions, now claiming additional credit. That's none of my business. All I can attest to is my seminal contribution to "Sail On Sailor", and the authorship of that famous chorus.

Repeated questions about my role in this composition compel me to respond, as "history is written by the victors". I've always believed that honesty is the best course, and I'll be doing all I can to pursue this matter soon, to a just conclusion. I hope that the attorneys' fees don't outweigh the royalties involved. What can I say---it's a town full of heroes and villains!"

-- Van Dyke Parks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail_On,_Sailor#Van_Dyke_Parks_on_.22Sail_On.2C_Sailor.22

Although no one mentioned the best song on Holland: Carl Wilson's "Trader" (although the fairytale 7" is also great.. and probably the last gasp before the steady decliine for the group thereafter.)

No, wait. It's a great song. No matter who it sounds like.

Anybody own the Landlocked boot? Any good? bad?

I love it, but you get overlap (San Miguel, etc.)

has anyone heard the LP by Blondie Chaplin's group The Flame?

I only sought out an mp3 of "See the Light" after it was touted as "the best thing on their album". It's just okay.

Didn't they hire the two Flamers due to Dennis breaking his arm?

"You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" is great great great.

But "Sail On Sailor" isn't even dodgy. It is just different, and basically just a plain normal MOR song sounding like it could have been made by almost any act at the time. (You forgot "Student Demonstration Time" in your list btw)

As sampled by Air in Remember

I'd replace "Kokomo" with "Good Timin'" - despite its dated production, it's a great "Surfer Girl"-esque track (and one of the only Brian/Carl collaborations).

Uninspired, drenched and tired

Blondie Chapin guested on Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds (50th Anniversary?) tour and sang "Sail On Sailor" in force of nature level vocals. his guitar playing/soloing was a wall of dissonance like Scary Monsters era Fripp. all the more impressive as he seemed quite petite and aged!

(Chsplin)

haha Chaplin

it’s a pretty cool song. I group it with their cover of “I was made to love her”, which is also good..

I haven't seen The Departed in a while but I recall it felt like an uninspired sync. Good song tho.