Caroline, No!

So, did you vote today?  I won't harp on it much, because I told myself when I started this blog that I wouldn't get into any politics or anything controversial like that.  I will, however, show you this video from a few years ago, that, while obviously out-dated, is still really friggin' funny!

BUT, enough of that crap.  All's I know is that I voted, and that's all I can do, aside from persuading other people to do the same.  We may have our differences, and that's okay, because it has nothing to do either way with this particular blog!  We're here to have fun, kids!  :-)

Today, whilst going about doing the home improvements, which consisted of caulking the outside windows, I decided (inspired by a comment from my friend Rene Spencer Saller) to listen to "Pet Sounds" by The Beach Boys.  I tell you what, if you are not familiar with this album, please, do yourself a favor and listen to it!  Go out right now, no matter if you're in your jammies or not, and get it!  You will not be disappointed!

Just about the only thing most people know about this album is "Wouldn't It Be Nice", which is just such a beautiful, emotion-filled song - as is the rest of the album, really!  In fact, Sir Paul McCartney himself called "God Only Knows" the best pop love song ever!  It really is a truly beautiful song, as is the rest of the album!  Every song just oozes emotion  - just takes you back to when you were that age (whether it was in 1966 or 2006)!  You can immediately imagine what they were feeling, not only in the lyrics, which were brilliant, but especially (to me, at least) in the music!  You really believe Brian Wilson when, on "You Still Believe In Me", he sings,"I wanna cry" (honestly one of the most poignant moments in all of pop rock), and you can literally hear the heartbeat in the bass line of "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)".



The instrumental, "Let's Go Away For Awhile" is as stunning a piece as there ever was - I can literally feel myself going to some tropical locale when I listen to this!  Maybe it's simply a massive amount of wishful thinking, but, by damn, the Beach Boys sure help the imagination!


My favorite tune on the whole album, though, is "I'm Waiting For The Day" (and here's a bit of background from the recording of this song, which could actually be my favorite song of all time!)  It's just packed with so much teenage naivete and innocence - I get chills, and maybe a little misty every time I hear this song - and this album, really (with the exception of "Sloop John B").  The whole thing is just really that beautiful! 


It's this album, and only this album, that could possibly sway my vote away from The Beatles as far as "Best Pop Band Ever" goes.  This album was a direct response to "Rubber Soul" by the aforementioned Beatles, who then responded with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", in what could be seen as the best, and most productive, rivalry in all of pop music, as it really brought out the best in both bands, and gave us, the listening public, some of the best music ever made (yes, even the Ringo songs)!

So, since I've been on this big Beach Boys kick today, I thought I'd do a little bit of bright aqua green (and a little white), to go with the whole "surfing" motif.  And now I'm off, to have fun, fun, fun, 'til I have to take my happy ass to bed!