Can't Wait Too Long
| "Can't Wait Too Long" | |
|---|---|
| Song by the Beach Boys | |
| from the album Smiley Smile/Wild Honey | |
| Released | September 1990 |
| Recorded | October 28, 1967–July 26, 1968 |
| Genre | Rhythm and blues, psychedelic pop |
| Length | 5:33 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriter(s) | Brian Wilson |
| Producer(s) | Brian Wilson |
| Audio sample | |
| "Can't Wait Too Long" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Brian Wilson | |
| from the album That Lucky Old Sun | |
| Released | September 2, 2008 |
| Recorded | April 2008 |
| Length | 0:54 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriter(s) | Brian Wilson |
| Producer(s) | Brian Wilson |
"Can't Wait Too Long" (also known as "Been Way Too Long") is a song written by Brian Wilson for the American rock band the Beach Boys. The song dates from 1967, and remains unfinished by the group. In 2008, a newly recorded "Can't Wait Too Long" was released for Wilson's solo album That Lucky Old Sun.[1]
Composition
The Beach Boys version consists of an elaborate collection of vocal and instrumental tracks comparable to the group's earlier compositions "Good Vibrations" and "Heroes and Villains".[2] It includes a melody line played instrumentally without sung lyrics, a bass line bearing resemblance to the Smile sessions version of "Wind Chimes", plus several sections of chorus and a vocal middle section.[citation needed] It was recorded throughout 1967 and 1968, well after the sessions for Smile ended.[3] On February 11, 1980, overdubs were attempted on the original late 1960s recordings.[4]
Brian Wilson sings lead vocals.[3] There are very few lyrics. The title phrase is sung several dozen times, sometime alternating with "been away too long baby". Elsewhere is a simple couplet: "I miss you darlin' / I miss you so hard" which was evidently meant to be followed with "So come back baby / and don't break my heart", as Wilson can be heard instructing the other Beach Boys.[2] The final arrangement of the tune segues into an R&B inspired arrangement, and towards the end of the master outtake, there is a bass riff that had been labeled for years as an edit piece that is part of the "Heroes and Villains" suite — consult the bootleg album, Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 17.[original research?]
Reception
Biographer David Leaf said: "[the song] needs no analysis or description other than to say that it’s an incredible piece of music ... sections of it are complete enough to be a terrific example of how Brian, in Van Dyke Parks' words, used to 'saturate the tape with music.'"[3]
Releases
The song was eventually released in a sound collage form in September 1990, as a bonus track on a CD reissue compiling two Beach Boys albums onto one disc—Smiley Smile/Wild Honey.[5] A shorter form of the song was also released in June 1993 on the group's 5-disc anthology, Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys.[6] On the latter version, Brian Wilson is heard instructing brother Carl on some other lyrics which were never recorded. In May 2001, a 51-second a cappella version of the song was issued on disc two of the Beach Boys rarities compilation album, Hawthorne, CA.[7] This same version reappears on the 2013 Made in California box set. An early version of the track can be found on 1967 – Sunshine Tomorrow, released June 30, 2017. A longer version, titled Been Way Too Long (sections), appears at I Can Hear Music: The 20/20 Sessions, released in December 7, 2018. Another edit was released for the 2022 compilation, Sounds of Summer: Expanded Edition.
Sources
- ^ Bush, John. "Review: That Lucky Old Sun - Brian Wilson". Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
- ^ a b Williams, Paul (2010). Back to the Miracle Factory. Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-4299-8243-6.
- ^ a b c Leaf, David (1990). Smiley Smile/Wild Honey (CD Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records.
- ^ Doe, Andrew G. "GIGS80". Bellagio 10452. Endless Summer Quarterly. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
- ^ Eder, Bruce. "Review: Smiley Smile/Wild Honey - The Beach Boys". Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Review: Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys - The Beach Boys". Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
- ^ Bush, John. "Review: Hawthorne, CA - The Beach Boys". Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
