Sherry She Needs Me
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"Sherry She Needs Me" (also known as "Sandy" or "Sandy She Needs Me") is a song written in 1965 by
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 ...
and
Russ Titelman Russ Titelman (born August 16, 1944, Los Angeles, California) is an American record producer and songwriter. He has to date won three Grammy Awards. He earned his first producing the Steve Winwood song " Higher Love", and his second and third f ...
for 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 ...
. The recording was not released until decades later. As a solo artist in 1998, Wilson completed the song with lyric changes by
Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter. Early life and career Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...
; it was renamed "She Says That She Needs Me" and released on his album ''
Imagination Imagination is the production or simulation of novel objects, sensations, and ideas in the mind without any immediate input of the senses. Stefan Szczelkun characterises it as the forming of experiences in one's mind, which can be re-creations ...
''. A tender and poignant love ballad,
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
cited "She Says That She Needs Me" as one of the finest tracks on ''Imagination'', writing: "this song captures Wilson's unique and heartfelt balladeer style with extreme effectiveness. The melody is one of Wilson's most beautiful, and this arrangement (loaded with tasteful yet dramatic horns and strings) clearly bears this out. A dramatic, minor-key bridge only adds to the lushness. Lyrically, it's also a great example of Wilson's literate, artless style."


Background

The song began as one of two collaborations between
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 ...
and
Russ Titelman Russ Titelman (born August 16, 1944, Los Angeles, California) is an American record producer and songwriter. He has to date won three Grammy Awards. He earned his first producing the Steve Winwood song " Higher Love", and his second and third f ...
during the mid-1960s, the other being "
Guess I'm Dumb "Guess I'm Dumb" is a song recorded by American singer Glen Campbell that was released as his seventh single on Capitol Records on June 7, 1965. Written by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman, it is a love song that describes a man who regrets ending ...
" which was successfully recorded and released as a single by
Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodt ...
.


Recording

The song was initiated during sessions for
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 ...
' 1965 album ''
Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) ''Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)'' is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on July 5, 1965, on Capitol. The band's previous album, ''The Beach Boys Today!'' (released March 1965), represented a departure for the ...
''. Two versions of the instrumental were recorded with the name "Sandy" or "Sandy She Needs Me". After rough vocals were added on one of these instrumentals, the track lay dormant for several years. Sometime in August 1970, the master tape was transferred from three-track tape to 16-track, although there exists no evidence of any overdubs recorded at that time. On August 21, 1976, Brian retrieved the track, renamed it "Sherry She Needs Me", and overdubbed a lead vocal shortly before sessions for the group's 1977 album '' Love You''. According to archivist Craig Slownski, "While the lead vocal starts out gruff, it eventually ''soars'', proving that even in 1976 Brian was capable of near-crystal shattering 1965-style falsetto singing, when he felt like it." It was abandoned once again after being briefly considered for inclusion in an early track listing for the ultimately rejected ''
Adult/Child ''Adult/Child'' (sometimes typeset as ''Adult Child'') is an unreleased studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys that was produced in early 1977. Similar to their previous effort, ''The Beach Boys Love You'', the album was essential ...
'' LP. In 1978, the song was rewritten and rerecorded as "Tricia" with lead vocals by
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 ...
for his scrapped solo album ''First Love'', and remains unreleased. Titelman reportedly "took another stab" at "Sherry She Needs Me" with Brian as they worked together on his 1988 debut solo album ''
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 ...
'', renaming it "Terry She Needs Me".


Release

Brian revisited the song a final time in 1998, when it was completed as "She Says That She Needs Me" with modified lyrics by
Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter. Early life and career Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...
on the album ''
Imagination Imagination is the production or simulation of novel objects, sensations, and ideas in the mind without any immediate input of the senses. Stefan Szczelkun characterises it as the forming of experiences in one's mind, which can be re-creations ...
''. In 2013, the song was released in a digitally altered form for the group's box set ''
Made in California ''Made in California (1962–2012)'' is a compilation box set by the Beach Boys, released on August 27, 2013. The set, released through Capitol Records, was designed by Mark London in a form emulating a high school yearbook. The set contains six ...
''. It mashed up the unfinished vocals by Brian overdubbed in 1976 with Beach Boys vocals from an alternate 1965 take. Compiler
Mark Linett Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Finn ...
elaborated "That’s a 1965 instrumental track with a 1976 vocal. They were considering finishing the song and putting it on the ''Love You'' album. It got as far as Brian adding a lead vocal. That’s happened a lot where they go back to a song from years ago."


Personnel

*
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 ...
— lead, harmony and backing vocals ;"Sherry She Needs Me" Sourced from Musician's Union AFM contract sheets and surviving session audio, documented by Craig Slowinski.


References

;Sources ;Bibliography * * {{Authority control 1998 songs Songs written by Brian Wilson Songs written by Russ Titelman Songs written by Carole Bayer Sager Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson The Beach Boys songs Brian Wilson songs Pop ballads The Beach Boys bootleg recordings