"Long Promised Road" is a song by the American rock band

the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...

from their 1971 album '' Surf's Up''. It was written by

Carl Wilson Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian and Dennis, and the group's ''de ...

and

Jack Rieley John Frank Rieley III (November 24, 1942 – April 17, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter, and disc jockey who managed the Beach Boys between mid-1970 and late 1973. He is credited with guiding them back to popular acclaim and was ...

. Aside from a few guitar instrumentals written in the early days of the band and collective co-writing credits, the song is Wilson's first solo composition, and he plays all of the instruments himself.

Background

Asked about the song in a 2013 interview,

said:

Release

The song was first released as a single in May 1971, and did not chart. It was then included on ''Surf's Up'', and was re-released as a single, with a different b-side, "

'Til I Die "Til I Die" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1971 album '' Surf's Up'', subsequently issued as the B-side of the single " Long Promised Road". With autobiographical lyrics about death and hopelessness, it is one of the fe ...

", in October of the same year. This time it made it to No. 89 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Brian Wilson, who has included the song in his solo concerts, described it as "an incredible tune."

Personnel

Credits from Craig Slowinski. The Beach Boys * Al Jardine – backing vocals * Bruce Johnston – backing vocals *

Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bass-bari ...

– backing vocals *

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

– backing vocals *

– lead and backing vocals, Wurlitzer electronic pianos, grand piano, upright piano,

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

Moog synthesizer The Moog synthesizer is a modular synthesizer developed by the American engineer Robert Moog. Moog debuted it in 1964, and Moog's company R. A. Moog Co. (later known as Moog Music) produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 20 ...

, electric and acoustic guitars, drums, tambourine, shakers, temple blocks, ride cymbal swell Guests *Diane Rovell – backing vocals *

Marilyn Wilson Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford (née Rovell; born February 6, 1948) is an American singer who is best known as the first wife of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Raised in Los Angeles, she started her singing career in the late 1950s, initially as part ...

– backing vocals

References

External links

* 1971 singles The Beach Boys songs Songs written by Carl Wilson Songs written by Jack Rieley Song recordings produced by the Beach Boys Reprise Records singles Songs about roads {{1970s-single-stub