What happens in the studio stays in the studio, right?

Well that’s a take-off on that Vegas theme but sometimes in rock n’ roll, some of your best work never sees the light of day. Allow me to explain:

1. Check out this earlier version of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” as compared with its actual released version. Both are great, of course, but my ears find the earlier version more interesting, both musically and instrumentally. Not only is it in a different key, but the song sounds brighter, less hazy than the finished version, and the sitar more playful (and for that time) unique sounding.

2. Then there is the Beach Boys “Back Home”, which started out as a folksy outtake rejected on their fine 1970 release “Sunflower”. In 1976, the band resurrected the song and began working it out keeping Alan Jardine on the lead vocal, but backing him with former members of that legendary band of studio musicians dubbed “The Wrecking Crew”.

Listen how the saxophones by Jay Migliori and Steve Douglas grab you right from the start, and how Hal Blaine’s drums slam this tune throughout - this is primal-sounding, New Orleans rock and roll straight from the Fats Domino school. Sure, there’s still some work left to do here - the song does have an unfinished quality to it - but there’s a solid foundation to work from here. All you need to do is push the vocals up front a little more, add an additional “middle eight” instrumental or a capella break, and you’re home free with a solid piece of work.

But unfortunately that’s not how it turned out in its final, released version.

I’ll let you be the judge. While it still remains one of my favorite tunes from their 1976 release “15 Big Ones” (a tune I always looked forward to singing as a member of Top Priority, BTW), there’s now a sparse, almost antiseptically clean, arrangement. Jardine’s laid-back, rockin’ vocal has been replaced by a raspy Brian Wilson lead. The horns are long gone, replaced by piano and some organ, and while you still can’t keep a good tune down, there’s something missing in terms of passion and excitement.

But that’s why it’s often said, what happens in the studio stays in the studio.

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Pool temp: 60 degrees!