Had to Phone Ya
"Had to Phone Ya" | |||||||
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Single by The Beach Boys | |||||||
from the album 15 Big Ones | |||||||
A-side | "It's O.K." | ||||||
Released |
July 5, 1976 (album) August 30, 1976 (single)[1] | ||||||
Format | Vinyl | ||||||
Recorded |
March 30, 1976, Brother Studios, California | ||||||
Length | 1:43 | ||||||
Label | Brother/Reprise | ||||||
Writer(s) | Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Diane Rovell | ||||||
Producer(s) | Brian Wilson | ||||||
The Beach Boys singles chronology | |||||||
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"Had to Phone Ya" is a song written for the American rock band the Beach Boys. It was released on their 1976 album 15 Big Ones, and was the b-side to the single "It's O.K.".
Composition
Brian Wilson and Mike Love wrote the song, with Diane Rovell also contributing.[2] Diane was originally listed as a cowriter, but her name was removed from songwriting credits in subsequent releases.[3] She is still listed as co-writer in the Broadcast Music, Inc. database.[4]
Byron Preiss wrote of how it was written by Brian Wilson while his wife Marilyn was away in Europe.[5] Brian spoke about the song in 1995:
“ | All I wanted to do was to make a person feel they were free to call at any time-if they felt the world was upside down, they could call and I could correct their world. In other words, I wanted to feel like I can call somebody and tell them, "Look, I’m swamped, I’m scared, I got all these emotions deep inside of me."[6] | ” |
All five members of the band take turns on lead vocals, with Mike Love handling the majority. Brian Wilson takes the closing segment, in which the key shifts from A to G. After an extended staccato vamp on a Gmaj7, the final section begins with an unusual chord sequence of Gmaj7, to B♭maj7, and E♭maj7, as Brian sings in a rough but passionate baritone, "Come on / Come on and answer the phone / Come on, come on!"
Lindsay Planer of Allmusic noted "Although the tune may sound uncomplicated, it is part of a larger sonic tapestry that combines the interaction of several simultaneous melodies." noting similarities to earlier Brian Wilson compositions "Good Vibrations" and "Love to Say Dada".[7]
Recording
The Beach Boys' version of "Had to Phone Ya" was recorded on March 30, 1976, at Brother Studios in the middle of the primary sessions for 15 Big Ones.[8] It was produced, arranged and conducted by Brian Wilson.
The instrumental track from was this session was made available on Made in California in 2013.
Personnel
- The Beach Boys
- Al Jardine – lead, harmony and backing vocals
- Mike Love – lead, harmony and backing vocals
- Brian Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocal; acoustic grand piano
- Carl Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals
- Dennis Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals; drums
- Session musicians and production staff
- Arnold Belnick – violin
- Eddy Carter – electric guitar
- Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
- Dennis Dreith – clarinet
- Henry Ferber: violin
- Billy Hinsche – electric guitar
- Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
- Stephen Moffitt – sound engineer
- Jules Jacobs – clarinet
- Lyle Ritz – bass guitar
- Sidney Sharp – violin
- Bobby Shew – trumpet
- Marilyn Wilson – spoken word and backing vocals[9]
American Spring version
"Had to Phone Ya" | |
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Song by American Spring from the album Spring | |
Released | 1988 |
Recorded | 1973 |
Length | 2:02 |
Writer(s) | Brian Wilson, Diane Rovell |
Producer(s) | Brian Wilson |
"Had to Phone Ya" was originally recorded in 1973 by American Spring at Junior's Motel in Otho, Iowa. Their version was released as a bonus track for the CD reissue of the album Spring (1972).
References
- ↑ Badman, Keith. The Beach Boys. The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band: On Stage and in the Studio Backbeat Books, San Francisco, California, 2004. ISBN 978-0-87930-818-6 p. 367
- ↑ Lambert, Philip (2007). Inside the music of Brian Wilson: the songs, sounds, and influences of the Beach Boys' founding genius. Continuum. p. 311. ISBN 978-0-8264-1876-0.
- ↑ Diken, Dennis; Buck, Peter (2000). 15 Big Ones/Love You (booklet). The Beach Boys. California: Capitol Records. p. 2. 72435-27945-2-2 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:9Fj6dxsXd_MJ:albumlinernotes.com/15_Big_Ones_Love_You.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au&client=safari
|url=
missing title (help). - ↑ Had to Phone Ya, BMI
- ↑ Preiss, Byron (1979). The Beach Boys (1st ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 122. ISBN 0345273982.
- ↑ "Brian Wilson interview". Record Collector. No. 185. January 1995.
- ↑ Planer, Lindsey. "Had to Phone Ya - The Beach Boys". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
- ↑ Doe, Andrew G. (2012). "GIGS76". Retrieved October 26, 2012.
- ↑ Diken, Dennis; Buck, Peter (2000). 15 Big Ones/Love You (booklet). The Beach Boys. California: Capitol Records. p. 2. 72435-27945-2-2 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:9Fj6dxsXd_MJ:albumlinernotes.com/15_Big_Ones_Love_You.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au&client=safari
|url=
missing title (help).
External links
- "Had to Phone Ya" review at Allmusic