Co-lead vocal on Surf City

[jdman]

Thx JDman. Again, I hear a falsetto on a Jan & Dean record and assume it must be Brian Wilson. Typical Beach Boys' fan, LOL.

LOL, come on Moon Dawg!  Dean actually sang falsetto on a lot of Jan & Dean songs too. In fact, most falsettos that replaced Dean were actually Phil Sloan and Tony. Some Brain too. lol
By the way, I just bought Beach Boys Today album. Brian was really stepping it up at that point. His production was reaching it's stride. Really good stuff!

[rob]

Not sure who's singing falsetto on this one, but Jan told me it was a trio of singers singing the lead in unison, all around the mic at the same time.  It was Jan, Tony and I don't recall who the third person was...

[NateRuvin]

So it sounds like we've got Jan on prominent lead vocals, with Brian doubling his voice. Jan, Brian and Matadors possibly with Dean on backing vocals too, and Tony on the signature falsetto maybe with additions Brian here and there

[Admin]

So it sounds like we've got Jan on prominent lead vocals, with Brian doubling his voice. Jan, Brian and Matadors possibly with Dean on backing vocals too, and Tony on the signature falsetto maybe with additions Brian here and there

That's pretty much it. The Matadors were the main backing vocalists, with Jan singing bass in the harmonies, for sure. Brian doubled with Jan on the lead vocal.  No question there. And Brian contributed some falsetto lines, "Surf City, Here We Come."

But if you listen to the isolated opening . . . "Two Girls for Every Boy" . . . it's clearly not Brian Wilson on lead falsetto.

[Admin]

are you referring to Drag City? That's a song that I only hear Jan on lead but it's possible there's another co-lead hidden a bit.

"Ride the Wild Surf"

[jdman]

Yes, Ride the Wild Surf seems more consistent. Surf City definitely had at least two voices on the verses. But I still stand by my earlier comments that the chorus seems to only have Jan. If Brian is co-lead during the chorus, it certainly seems that he takes a step back. But I don't know. I hear Jan the most.
I wish there could be a book or documentary dedicated to Brian and Jan's friendship and collaboration. But only if it's done in a way that honors the time frame. Too many people talk about that with Pet Sounds in mind. Obviously, Brian became a legend. But in 1963, the admiration was mutual and the benefit was received on both sides.

[1Jay1]

a good idea, i d love a tv program or a book on jan and brian, then beachboys fans will know how much brian learned from jan.

[jdman]

Exactly, and Mark does a great job expressing that. Of course, Brian was very important to Jan & Dean as well. I would never discount that. But it was mutual and reciprocal.