Sail On, Sailor

Van Dyke Parks elaborated upon Wilson's role in the compositional process: "I went over to Brian's with my new [tape recorder] and told him the name of the tune and sang those intervals, and he pumped out the rest of that song."[4] He explains: "That was a tough moment for both Brian and me. I just went over to see how he was, and he wasn't good. Of course, you couldn't tell that from this song, because it represents such hope, but it came out of a very difficult time."[4] Wilson said of the song: "Van Dyke really inspired this one. We worked on it originally; then, the other collaborators contributed some different lyrics. By the time the Beach Boys recorded it, the lyrics were all over the place. But I love how this song rocks."[5]

There exists a recording of Parks and Wilson writing the song on Wilson's piano. According to Parks, "it's clear from the contents [of the tape] that I authored the words and the musical intervals to 'Sail on Sailor.' It's also clear that I composed the bridge, played them, and taught them to Brian."[6] In the liner notes written for the 2000 reissue of Holland, Scott McCaughey said that the song was originally written by Wilson with his friends Tandyn Almer and Ray Kennedy, and that Parks "structur[ed] the song and add[ed] a middle-eight" before Rieley contributed a last minute lyric revision.[7] In 2015, Wilson remembered "writing 'Sail On, Sailor' with a guy named Ray Kennedy. I wrote the music and he wrote the lyrics."[8]

Wilson biographer Peter Ames Carlin stated that the song was essentially co-written by Wilson and Parks in 1971, with Kennedy and Almer's lyrical contributions dating from impromptu sessions at Danny Hutton's house during the epoch.[9] Kennedy recalled that "Sail On, Sailor" had originally been intended by Wilson for Three Dog Night, and that he had written the song with Wilson over the course of three days in 1970: "We went in and cut the basic tracks with Three Dog Night; we hadn't slept in about a week. Then Brian got up with a razor blade and cut the tapes and said, 'Only Ray Kennedy or Van Dyke Parks can do this song.' And he left. We all stood there looking at each other going, 'What?' He called me every day after that, and I wouldn't talk to him. Three or four years later, I heard it on the radio and went, 'Who's that?'"[10][nb 1]

When the Beach Boys submitted the original version of Holland to Warner Brothers in October 1972, the album was rejected by the company for lacking a potential hit single. After discussion among Warner executives, Parks (who was then director of audio-visual services at the label) said that he had the aforementioned tape of "Sail On, Sailor", and suggested that the song could be recorded as the album's lead track.[4][13] The label then enjoined the Beach Boys to drop what the company perceived as the weakest track ("We Got Love")[nb 2] and replace it with the song.[15] Parks commented: "I'm glad that every one came out of their little rooms to claim co-writing credit on that song. But I never questioned it, just as I never questioned the various claims on the residuals."[6]

Vocals for "Sail On, Sailor" were recorded in late October 1972, some time after the Beach Boys had left Holland. According to Steven Gaines, Wilson initially "tinker[ed] with the song, trying to make it perfect as he had with 'Good Vibrations' and Smile"; following this bout of "procrastination," his bandmates "did not allow [him] to work on it at all."[16] This development left the basic track to be recorded by Brian's brother Carl and ex-Flame and then-Beach Boys members Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin. The lead vocal was first attempted by Dennis Wilson, who sang the vocal once before leaving to go surfing. Carl was the next to attempt a vocal, but he then suggested that Chaplin make an attempt. After two takes, Carl decided that Chaplin's vocal would feature as the lead. [17] Brian acknowledged himself being "grossly incompetent" with the song, failing to show up at its backing vocals session, but giving some instructions by phone.[7]

The song was featured in Martin Scorsese's Academy Award-winning film The Departed, and on the motion picture soundtrack CD.

• 1976 – KGB, KGB (Ray Kennedy on lead vocals)
• 1977 – Steve Hunter, Swept Away
• 1980 – Ray Kennedy, Ray Kennedy
• 1995 – Golden Earring, Love Sweat
• 1996 – Shawn Colvin, Head Above Water
• 2002 – The Bluetones, "After Hours"
• 2002 – Sting with Lulu, Together
• 2003 – Jimmy Buffett, Meet Me In Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics