Endless Harmony Soundtrack


Endless Harmony Soundtrack is an anthology album of previously unheard material by The Beach Boys, originally released by Capitol Records in August 1998. Named for Bruce Johnston's song on the 1980 album Keepin' the Summer Alive, it was designed as a tie-in with the band's. The soundtrack was re-issued in March 2000 with some remixing and different artwork, while the original 1998 edition went out of print shortly thereafter.

Background

The Endless Harmony project was undertaken shortly after the death of founding member Carl Wilson, who died of lung cancer in February 1998. At this point, Brian Wilson decided that the band was officially finished and disassociated himself from any further group activity. At odds with Mike Love for continuing after Carl's passing, Al Jardine did the same. Both Love and Bruce Johnston continued to perform live as The Beach Boys until all five surviving members reunited for their 50th anniversary in 2012.
The Endless Harmony Soundtrack itself is patterned like The Beatles' Anthology albums, with alternate versions and live renditions of songs, as well as previously unreleased ones. Spanning from a stereo remix of 1963's "Surfer Girl" to the completion of the unreleased 1969 recording "Loop de Loop ", the album also includes a brief snippet of both Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks routining three Smile songs in 1966.
Endless Harmony Soundtrack never charted in the U.S. or the UK. Although the album was not a commercial success, it did encourage Capitol Records to issue a more comprehensive archival package in Hawthorne, CA, released in May 2001.

Track listing

All tracks written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, unless otherwise noted.
  1. "Soulful Old Man Sunshine" – 0:42
  2. "Soulful Old Man Sunshine" – 3:25
  3. "Radio Concert Promo 1" – 0:15
  4. * The version on the revised 2000 edition features a different promo from Dennis Wilson.
  5. "Medley: Surfin' Safari/Fun, Fun, Fun/Shut Down/Little Deuce Coupe/Surfin' U.S.A." – 3:33
  6. * Recorded on 22 October 1966 in Michigan
  7. "Surfer Girl" – 2:27
  8. * The version on the revised 2000 edition of the album is more of an a cappella mix
  9. "Help Me, Rhonda" – 2:50
  10. "Kiss Me, Baby" – 2:42
  11. "California Girls" – 2:44
  12. "Good Vibrations" – 3:40
  13. * Recorded in rehearsal on 8 December 1968 in London, England
  14. "Heroes and Villains" – 2:27
  15. *Recorded on 4 November 1966, this run through for Los Angeles DJ "Humble" Harve features, in addition to "Heroes and Villains", the fragments "I'm in Great Shape" and "Barnyard"
  16. "Heroes and Villains" – 3:40
  17. * Outtake from the 1973 live album The Beach Boys in Concert
  18. "God Only Knows" – 2:45
  19. * Actually a live-in-the-studio recording in September 1967
  20. "Radio Concert Promo 2" – 0:15
  21. "Darlin'" – 2:26
  22. * Recorded on 21 June 1980 at Knebworth, Hertfordshire, England
  23. "Wonderful/Don't Worry Bill" – 5:52
  24. * A medley of Smile's "Wonderful" and a song released by The Flame called "Don't Worry Bill" recorded on 23 November 1972 at Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York
  25. "Do It Again" – 2:30
  26. "Break Away" – 2:38
  27. * "Reggie Dunbar" is a pseudonym for Murry Wilson
  28. "Sail Plane Song" – 2:12
  29. "Loop de Loop " – 2:56
  30. * Recording begun in March 1969, finished by Al Jardine in July 1998
  31. "Barbara" – 2:58
  32. "'Til I Die" – 4:52
  33. "Long Promised Road" – 4:17
  34. * Recorded on 23 November 1972 at Carnegie Hall in New York City
  35. "All Alone" – 3:36
  36. "Brian's Back" – 4:07
  37. * Written in response to Brian Wilson's 1976 return to the public eye
  38. "Endless Harmony" – 3:29
  39. * Includes a hidden a cappella sample of "Kiss Me, Baby" after the song ends''