Caroline, No
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| “Caroline, No” | |||||
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| Single by Brian Wilson from the album Pet Sounds |
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| B-side | "Summer Means New Love" | ||||
| Released | March 7, 1966 | ||||
| Format | Vinyl | ||||
| Recorded | January 31, 1966 | ||||
| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 2:53 | ||||
| Label | Capitol Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Brian Wilson/Tony Asher | ||||
| Producer | Brian Wilson | ||||
| Brian Wilson singles chronology | |||||
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"Caroline, No" is a song by Brian Wilson, one of the founder members of The Beach Boys. It was co-written with Tony Asher, and was released as a Brian Wilson solo single in March 1966. Later in the year it appeared as the thirteenth and last song on The Beach Boys' album Pet Sounds.
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[edit] Title and subject matter
The song was inspired by a former girlfriend of lyricist Tony Asher, who had moved to New York and cut her hair. The song was initially written as "Carol, I Know". When spoken, however, Brian Wilson heard this as "Caroline, No." After the confusion was resolved, the pair decided to keep the new title, feeling that it brought a poignant earnestness to the song's sad melody.
[edit] Recording
The song's backing track was recorded on January 31, 1966 at Western Recorders in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Wilson produced the session, with Chuck Britz as the engineer. As with the rest of the Pet Sounds backing tracks, Wilson employed players from a select group of southern California session musicians, who were later nicknamed The Wrecking Crew. None of the other Beach Boys appeared on the record. Wilson chose the session players because of their work with Phil Spector. Although The Wrecking Crew were primarily younger musicians, most were formally trained and already veterans of session playing.
For "Caroline, No", harpsichord and bass flutes accompany more typical pop/rock instrumentation in a sound that, like other compositions from this period, reflects a jazz influence. The percussive exchange that opens the song features a tambourine and a large empty water bottle from the studio, played either by drummer Hal Blaine or percussionist Frankie Capp.
After Brian Wilson's double-tracked vocals were overdubbed, the entire recording was sped up, so that although it was recorded in the key of F, it sounds in the key of F#. This was done at the suggestion of Brian Wilson's father Murry. Although Murray was no longer managing the Beach Boys, it is often speculated that Brian Wilson was pressured into this decision. Brian, however, maintains that he preferred the "sweeter" sound of the sped-up version.
Brian later stated that "'Caroline, No' was my favorite on the album, the prettiest ballad I've ever sung. Awfully pretty song. The melody and the chords were like Glenn Miller...a Glenn Miller-type bridge. The fade-out was like a 1944 kind of record...Listen for the flutes in the fadeout."[citation needed]
The sound of a passing train can be heard at the end of the track, accompanied by barking from Brian's dogs, Banana and Louie.
[edit] Single
"Caroline, No" was Brian Wilson's first solo single, released on Capitol Records as Capitol 5610 on March 7, 1966. Although Brian Wilson was the driving force behind The Beach Boys at the time, the solo release of "Caroline, No" was perhaps his first official recognition as an individual outside the band. However, it was also released on The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album (as well as on subsequent Beach Boys compilation albums), where it is credited as a Beach Boys recording, even though Wilson is the only Beach Boy performing on the record.
[edit] Recognition and influence
- The song was named at #211 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of greatest songs of all-time.
- A song entitled Caroline, Yes appears on the Kaiser Chiefs' 2005 album Employment in reference to Brian Wilson's song.
- Neil Young mentions the song in his own composition "Long May You Run".
- They Might Be Giants have covered this song on their Indestructible Object EP.
[edit] Album appearances
The song's first album appearance was on The Beach Boys classic 1966 album Pet Sounds.
The song appears on several occasions from different stages of the recording process and in different formats on The Pet Sounds Sessions box set:
- It appears on disc one in the first original stereo mix of the song.
- On disc 2, the 'Caroline, No' highlights from tracking date appears, which documents the progress of the recording of the instrumental track of the song. This track goes for over four minutes.
- Again on disc 2, the complete backing track is featured.
- On disc 3, an A cappella (or vocals only) version of the song is featured.
- A 32 second 'Caroline, No' promotional spot is featured on disc 3
- Also on disc 3 appears the song in stereo at its original speed.
- A second 'Caroline, No' promotional spot is also featured on disc 3 which goes for 28 seconds.
- Lastly on disc 3 appears the song in mono at its original speed.
- The song also appears on the bonus disc, disc 4, in its original mono mix.
A Live version of the song also appears on the band's 1973 live album The Beach Boys In Concert, with Carl Wilson taking lead vocals.
[edit] Details
The track was recorded on January 31, 1966 at Western Recorders, Hollywood, California and was engineered by Chuck Britz. It was released as a single on March 7, 1966 under Capitol Records as single 5610. It entered Billboard "Hot 100" on March 26, 1966; remained on chart 7 weeks; peaked at #32 on April 30, 1966. The B-side of the single was "Summer Means New Love"
[edit] Performers
- Brian Wilson: Lead vocals
- Hal Blaine: Drums
- Frank Capp: Vibraphone
- Carol Kaye: Electric bass
- Glen Campbell: Guitar
- Barney Kessel: Guitar
- Lyle Ritz: Ukelele
- Al de Lory: Harpsichord
- Bill Green: Flute
- Jim Horn: Flute
- Plas Johnson: Flute
- Jay Migliori: Flute
[edit] Overdub session
- Hal Blaine: Drums (in vamp)
- Carol Kaye: Electric Bass
- Al de Lory: Harpsichord
- Steve Douglas: Tenor saxophone
[edit] References
- Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds by Charles L. Granata. Chicago Review Press, 2003.
- Pet Sounds reissue liner notes, written by Brad Elliott, 1999
[edit] See also
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