The 20th of February 1973
Official U.K. Albums Chart results from Sunday the 18th to Saturday the 24th of February 1973
Cut-off for sales figures was up to the end of Saturday the 17th of February
Results counted from Sunday the 18th,
announced on Tuesday the 20th,
and broadcast on B.B.C. Radio 1 on Sunday the 25th of February 1973.
The Beach Boys
Holland
At No.20, on the “The Top 50 U.K. Albums Chart” on my 1st Birthday, is The Beach Boys with “Holland”.
The Beach Boys had been through a lot in the last several years.
From scaling the highest creative peaks with “Pet Sounds” and the epic “Good Vibrations”, the years since had seen them being hit by tidal waves from all sides. Whether it was from the struggles Brian Wilson was facing, to troubles with management, record companies,…even a visit from Charles Manson who ended up freaking them out when he outstayed his welcome along with the rest of his cult.
Since then, the landscape had been decidedly quieter while the members of the band regrouped (Bruce Johnston having now left, Flames member Ricky Fataar being upgraded to an official member of the group after sitting in for Dennis Wilson after the latter had injured his hand previously, and another Flames guitarist Blondie Chaplin coming on board), and since their label change from Capitol to Reprise, they were now looking into a new and different future.
The band decided they needed to get away from California…
…as they felt suffocated, quite literally, from the smog, but also from the negative publicity which had followed them lately in their own country.
Getting out of the United States, they headed for Europe, in particularly the Netherlands, where the fanbase there was still favourable.
Well, even that wasn’t easy. It took 3 attempts to get Brian on the plane for a start.
However, when they eventually arrived, ready to embark on their next recording sessions and produce a new album, they found all existing studios were completely booked up.
Also, due to a Dutch housing crises, the band found it a challenge to even settle there, eventually finding seperate accommodation within a 30 mile radius of each other.
Having no studio to record in therefore, the decision was made to bring over their existing home studio from California and the search was on to find a suitable establishment which could accommodate it.
They chanced upon an old barn near Amsterdam which still had an existing, though now defunct, studio set-up.
With their own studio eventually arriving into the country, they then went to work converting the existing studio to suit their requirements, which wasn’t easy due to the european electrical power differences.
After successfully accomplishing this mammoth task, and in honour of this new environment, they named the album after the country.
Even though they’d only recorded the basic tracks there (the rest of the process took place back in Los Angeles), the whole process had cost them over a quarter of a million dollars, and that’s back in 1972 prices.
When the album was eventually released, it came with an extra EP. A fairytale which Brian had dreamt up while drinking apple cider and listening to Randy Newman’s latest album over and over again.
Originally Brian had pushed for the tale to be a big part of the actual album, in the end it became a 12 minute fable becoming an extra gift to the fans with the album.
On the whole, the fresh faces in the group, and the change of scenery, provided a breath of fresh air in more ways than one. Not just for them, but for us people listening to the fruits of their labour.
This is evident from the Brian Wilson composed very first track which is, undoubtably in my mind, one of the first and best yardsticks of the sound that would one day be classed as Yacht Rock.
The album package had first entered the U.K. Album Chart last week,..
…when it quietly turned up at No.50.
This week it hits it’s peak position and gives them a Top 20 album. A feat which wouldn’t happen for them again, in this country anyway, for another 40 years.
Next week will see it dip down to No.28, then the week after, fall another ten places to No.38 before recovering a little over the next few weeks.
Eventually it won’t be able to hang on any longer and will sail on out after the last day of March, completing 7 weeks on chart in total.
I’ve created my own separate playlists for both Sides 1 and 2 of both the album and bonus disc with (I hope) the correct versions and the original track sequencing order for the U.K. release.
Record 1 (12″), Side 1
Record 1 (12″), Side 2
Record 2 (7″), Side 1
Record 2 (7″), Side 2
Many thanks go to the following YouTube Channels for providing the chance to hear this music once again.
Please show your appreciation by visiting their channel:
The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart Playlist for the week of my 1st Birthday:
The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart Playlist for the day I was born:
Grab Your Binoculars, Come Follow Me
What is it…?
Why am I…?
How do I…?
When am I…?
