Had to Phone Ya
{{Short description|1976 song performed by The Beach Boys}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Had to Phone Ya
| cover = It's OK, Had To Phone Ya.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Beach Boys
| album = 15 Big Ones
| A-side = It's O.K.
| released = August 30, 1976Badman, Keith. The Beach Boys. The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band: On Stage and in the Studio Backbeat Books, San Francisco, California, 2004. {{ISBN|978-0-87930-818-6}} p. 367
| recorded = March 30, 1976
| studio = Brother (Santa Monica)
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 1:43
| writer = Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Diane Rovell
| producer = Brian Wilson
| prev_title = Rock and Roll Music
| prev_year = 1976
| next_title = Everyone's in Love with You
| next_year = 1976
| misc = {{Audio sample
| type = single
| file = Had to Phone Ya - Beach Boys.ogg
}}
}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Had to Phone Ya
| cover =
| alt =
| type =
| artist = American Spring
| album = Spring
| released = {{Start date|1988||}}
| recorded = 1973
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=02}}
| label =
| writer = Brian Wilson, Diane Rovell
| producer = Brian Wilson
}}
"Had to Phone Ya" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1976 album 15 Big Ones. It was written by Brian Wilson, his sister-in-law Diane Rovell, and Mike Love. The song was issued as the B-side to their single "It's O.K.". An earlier recording by the group American Spring was included as a bonus track on a later reissue of the album Spring (1972).
Background
Brian Wilson and Mike Love wrote the song, with Diane Rovell also contributing.{{cite book|last=Lambert|first=Philip|title=Inside the music of Brian Wilson: the songs, sounds, and influences of the Beach Boys' founding genius|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7XsZAQAAIAAJ|year=2007|publisher=Continuum|isbn=978-0-8264-1876-0|page=311}} Diane was originally listed as a cowriter, but her name was removed from songwriting credits in subsequent releases.{{cite AV media notes |title=15 Big Ones/Love You |others=The Beach Boys |year=2000 |first=Dennis |last=Diken |author-link=Dennis Diken |last2=Buck |first2=Peter |author-link2=Peter Buck |page=2 |type=booklet |url=http://albumlinernotes.com/15_Big_Ones_Love_You.html |publisher=Capitol Records |id=72435-27945-2-2 |location=California |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916053757/http://www.albumlinernotes.com/15_Big_Ones_Love_You.html |archive-date=2017-09-16 }} She is still listed as co-writer in the Broadcast Music, Inc. database.[https://archive.today/20140911111830/http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=516389&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID Had to Phone Ya], BMI
Byron Preiss described the song's creation by Brian Wilson while his wife Marilyn was away in Europe.{{cite book|last=Preiss|first=Byron|title=The Beach Boys|year=1979|publisher=Ballantine Books|location=New York|isbn=0345273982|pages=122|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I0dWoXNvhkoC|edition=1st}} Brian spoke about the song in 1995: {{cquote|All I wanted to do was to make a person feel they were free to call at any time-if they felt the world was upside down, they could call and I could correct their world. In other words, I wanted to feel like I can call somebody and tell them, "Look, I’m swamped, I’m scared, I got all these emotions deep inside of me."{{cite magazine|title=Brian Wilson interview|magazine=Record Collector|date=January 1995|issue=185}}}}
Lindsay Planer of Allmusic noted "Although the tune may sound uncomplicated, it is part of a larger sonic tapestry that combines the interaction of several simultaneous melodies." noting similarities to earlier Brian Wilson compositions "Good Vibrations" and "Love to Say Dada".{{cite web|last=Planer |first=Lindsey |url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/had-to-phone-ya-mt0006209232 |title=Had to Phone Ya - The Beach Boys |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2012-06-11}} Musician Dennis Diken compared it to Wilson's "Trombone Dixie".
"Had to Phone Ya" was originally recorded in 1973 by American Spring at Junior's Motel in Otho, Iowa.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} Their version was released as a bonus track for the CD reissue of the album Spring (1972).{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}
Recording
The Beach Boys' version of "Had to Phone Ya" was recorded on March 30, 1976, at Brother Studios in the middle of the primary sessions for 15 Big Ones.{{cite web |title=GIGS76 |first=Andrew G. |last=Doe |author-link=Andrew Grayham Doe |year=2012 |access-date=October 26, 2012 |url=http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs76.html}} The lead vocals are swapped between the band members.{{cite book|first=Peter Ames|last=Carlin|author-link=Peter Ames Carlin|title=Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=eYyovo_AbqAC}}|year=2006|publisher=Rodale|isbn=978-1-59486-320-2 |page=209}} The instrumental track from this session was made available on the 2013 compilation Made in California.
Personnel
The Beach Boys
- Al Jardine – lead, harmony and backing vocals
- Mike Love – lead, harmony and backing vocals
- Brian Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocal; acoustic grand piano
- Carl Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals
- Dennis Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals; drums
Guest
- Marilyn Wilson – spoken word and backing vocals
Session musicians and production staff
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
- Arnold Belnick – violin
- Ed Carter – electric guitar
- Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
- Dennis Dreith – clarinet
- Henry Ferber – violin
- Billy Hinsche – electric guitar
- Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
- Stephen Moffitt – sound engineer
- Jules Jacobs – clarinet
- Lyle Ritz – bass guitar
- Sidney Sharp – violin
- Bobby Shew – trumpet
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{15 Big Ones}}
{{The Beach Boys singles}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Had To Phone Ya}}
Category:Songs written by Brian Wilson
Category:Songs written by Mike Love
Category:Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson