Still I Dream of It: The Beach Boys’ ‘We Gotta Groove’ Highlights ‘Love You,’ ’15 Big Ones,’ ‘Adult/Child’ Eras
Over three years after the release of Sail On Sailor: 1972, The Beach Boys’ long-running archival series is back in full force with a new box set due on February 13. We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years brings together highlights from the band’s 1974-1977 period, with the title referring to the band’s own Santa Monica studio. The set will look a bit different than the past releases in this series, eschewing separate CD and LP formats for a combined 3LP/3CD box with a number of tracks only in the CD format. (UPDATE (1/22/2026): thanks to reader Phil Cohen for pointing out that Universal Music Group’s Japanese division will be releasing a version on three SHM-CDs, without the additional vinyl! Links for it are below.)
We Gotta Groove opens with the 1977 album The Beach Boys Love You, which Al Jardine has been celebrating on the road with The Brian Wilson Band in the wake of Wilson’s 2025 passing at the age of 82. Love You marked a return to form for Wilson as the band’s creative force and primary songwriter, with a suite of moving, personal, and often idiosyncratic songs. While most of Love You took on a lo-fi/DIY aesthetic, the lush likes of “The Night Was So Young” could have stood alongside the melodic best of Pet Sounds or SMiLE. It appears here on CD and LP, and is joined by ten bonus cuts on CD. These include a number of outtakes which are officially previously unreleased but nonetheless familiar to longtime Beach Boys collectors such as “Lazy Lizzie,” “Marilyn Rovell,” the oldies “Ruby Baby” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” and “Sherry, She Needs Me,” which Wilson would rewrite as “She Says That She Needs Me” on his 1998 album Imagination. Further treasures include an alternate mix of the album’s “Johnny Carson” and an Al Jardine vocal on “Love Is a Woman.” Three outtakes have been freshly mixed: the box’s title track and lead single “We Gotta Groove” (a Brian song with lead vocal by Mike Love), “Hey There Mama,” and “Clangin’.”
Disc Two sheds some light on the long-mythologized (and long-bootlegged) Adult/Child, another intensely personal album spearheaded by Brian Wilson which ended up shelved. Nine complete songs from Adult/Child are presented including the four on which Wilson collaborated with Four Freshmen and The Beach Boys Christmas Album arranger Dick Reynolds: a cover of the standard “Deep Purple,” the bittersweet “It’s Over Now,” the swinging “Life Is for the Living,” and the ravishing “Still I Dream of It.” (Some of the tracks long associated with Adult/Child are missing from this disc but originated with other album sessions such as “Hey Little Tomboy” from 15 Big Ones; “Games Two Can Play” from Sunflower; and “H.E.L.P. Is on the Way” from Surf’s Up.) The Dick Reynolds backing tracks are appended here as well as new mixes of outtakes including Carl Wilson’s existing vocals for Dennis Wilson’s “Holy Man,” Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford’s “Honeycomb,” and outtakes such as “10,000 Years Ago” and two of “Carl’s Song[s]” including an embryonic “Angel Come Home.” Eight of the bonus tracks are CD-only.
The third and final set here is dedicated to outtakes and alternate mixes relating to 1976’s 15 Big Ones and beyond. Curiously, the complete original 15 Big Ones album isn’t present, though its closing track – a touching cover of Goffin, King, and Spector’s “Just Once in My Life” sung by brothers Brian and Carl – is among the new mixes. Nine demos recorded on a cassette by Brian also debut (including “it’s Over Now,” “Still I Dream of It,” and “Love Is a Woman”) as well as odds and ends. Longtime sideman Billy Hinsche takes the lead on “Honkin’ Down the Highway,” the quirky “Ding Dang” is heard in unedited form alongside session highlights, and Love You’s “Mona” gets a “Deconstructed Mix.” The first twelve tracks on this disc are included on LP while all 28 are on the CD.
Some tracks from this period – both commercially released and unofficially circulated – are missing from We Gotta Groove which is a more compact look at the era than many of The Beach Boys’ past box sets. We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years is produced by James Sáez (who also serves as mixing engineer) and Beach Boys historian Howie Edelson, with input from band archivist Alan Boyd. The 12.75″ x 12.75″ package is topped by a beautiful cover evoking the stained glass that once adorned the studio; Edelson pens liner notes for the new 40-page booklet, drawing from new and archival band interviews as well as Stephen Moffitt, Earle Mankey and John Hanlon, the engineers at Brother Studio. (Sáez, Edelson, Moffitt, Mankey and Hanlon will all gather at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on February 12 for a special conversation about the era and the material in this set.)
It’s available a day after that event, on February 13, from Capitol/UMe. You’ll find the track listing and pre-order links below. (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)
We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years (Capitol/UMe, 2026)
3CD/3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD / Official Store / uDiscoverMusic
3 SHM-CD: CDJapan
CD/LP 1: Love You (released as Reprise/Brother MSK 2258, 1977) and bonus tracks (* CD only)
- Let Us Go On This Way
- Roller Skating Child
- Mona
- Johnny Carson
- Good Time
- Honkin’ Down the Highway
- Ding Dang
- Solar System
- The Night Was So Young
- I’ll Bet He’s Nice
- Let’s Put Our Hearts Together
- I Wanna Pick You Up
- Airplane
- Love is a Woman
- Ruby Baby *
- Marilyn Rovell *
- Sherry She Needs Me *
- Lazy Lizzie *
- We Gotta Groove (2025 Mix) *
- Hey There Mama (2025 Mix) *
- Clangin’ (2025 Mix) *
- Love is a Woman (Al Jardine Vocal) *
- Johnny Carson (Alternate Mix with Intro) *
- You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling *
Alternate versions of Tracks 17 and 24 released on Made in California – Capitol/UMe B0018509-02, 2013
CD/LP 2: Adult/Child Sessions and 1974-1977 Select Outtakes (* CD only)
- Life is for the Living
- Deep Purple
- It’s Over Now
- Still I Dream of It
- Everybody Wants to Live
- Lines
- It’s Trying to Say
- Shortenin’ Bread
- New England Waltz
- Life is for the Living (Backing Track)
- Deep Purple (2025 Backing Track Mix)
- It’s Over Now (2025 Backing Track Mix)
- Still I Dream of It (2025 Backing Track Mix)
- Holy Man (2025 Mix Carl Wilson Vocal) *
- Carl’s Song 1 (It Could Be Anything) (2025 Mix) *
- Carl’s Song 2 (Angel Come Home) (2025 Mix) *
- String Bass Song (Rainbows) (2025 Mix) *
- 10,000 Years Ago *
- Gimme Some Lovin’ (2025 Mix) *
- Honeycomb (Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford Vocal) *
- In the Back of My Mind (1975 Alternate Take 2025 Mix) *
Tracks 3-4 released on Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys – Capitol C2 07777 81294 2 4, 1993
CD/LP 3: 15 Big Ones Outtakes and Alternate Mixes
- Just Once in My Life (2025 Mix)
- Mony, Mony (2025 Mix)
- Running Bear (2025 Mix)
- Shake, Rattle and Roll
- On Broadway (2025 Mix)
- Sea Cruise (2025 Mix)
- Chapel of Love (2025 Mix)
- Short Skirts (2025 Mix)
- TM Song (2025 Backing Track Mix)
- Rock and Roll Music (2025 Backing Track Mix)
- Had to Phone Ya (2025 Deconstructed Mix)
- Just Once in My Life (2025 Backing Track Mix)
- Let Us Go On This Way (Alternate Mix) *
- Mona (2025 Deconstructed Mix) *
- Honkin’ Down the Highway (Billy Hinsche Vocal) *
- Ding Dang (Session Highlights and Unedited 2025 Mix) *
- Solar System (2025 Backing Track Mix) *
- The Night Was So Young (2025 Vocals Only Mix) *
- Let’s Put Our Hearts Together (2025 Coda Mix) *
- That Special Feeling (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
- It’s Over Now (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
- They’re Marching Along (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
- Love is a Woman (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
- Mona (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
- Airplane (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
- Let’s Put Our Hearts Together (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
- I’ll Bet He’s Nice (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
- Still I Dream of It (Brian’s Cassette Demo) *
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33 thoughts on “Still I Dream of It: The Beach Boys’ ‘We Gotta Groove’ Highlights ‘Love You,’ ’15 Big Ones,’ ‘Adult/Child’ Eras”
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I know I won’t be the only person to post this, but I gotta buy THREE LPs to get the CDs in the book? That makes this an instant downgrade from a must buy to a might be nice someday.
Requiring fans to buy both formats instead of also offering separate CD and LP packages is greedy and short-sighted. That’s an expensive bundle.
This looks like a fiasco. Three vinyl albums that are not needed or wanted by CD listeners, and only part of 15 Big Ones. Doesn’t look like it will fit with the others on the shelf, either.
What a letdown.
I might’ve been the only one looking forward to a remixed 15 Big Ones, saying that as others have said this format makes this a stream only release for me. This is probably the last big box set they’re going to do, what a way to go out.
Yeah, disappointing to put it mildly. Too expensive for a set that is not top drawer BB, and I don’t want the vinyl. What was the thinking behind this?
I hope there’s a change of heart down the line and a 3cd deluxe in a card sleeve is released.
My only complaint is why not include the complete “15 Big Ones”, not just the outtakes?? Thats just stupid!! I wanted this box to replace the 2000 twofer of “15 Big Ones/Love You”…so i can sell that to a friend who wants it…have to figure this out, but at least “Sea Cruise” is on this set…also according to this recent BB collectors mag, there aims to be 2 more sets that go through 1985’s self titled album (MIU/LA) & (KTSA/BB)…getting this out of the way Q1, they can prepare for Pet Sounds 60…
Hate to say it but at this point it’s going to be streaming. This is $42 a CD to include vinyl I don’t have any use for. Hoping they’ll come to their senses and break the CD’s out while I listen to the stream. This is a really niche era for the band and fans like me want it, but we don’t want to be forced to buy redundancy (and incomplete) vinyl. Hope it doesn’t kill future reissues but it’s just too spendy to buy for most. Would also love it if they made CD’s of I Can Hear Music: The 2020 Sessions and Wake the Word: The Friends Sessions too.
The 2 reasons i have no problem with this set having both CDs & vinyl is…one, i like & love vinyl…and two, this set will fit nicely with other BB boxsets i have (Made In California/The SMiLE Sessions/Feel Flows/Sail On Sailor)…and if this is only Part 1 of a 2 part box?? Cool!! And i figured out what i will do with the 2000 twofer of 15 Big Ones/Beach Boys Love You…i will sell it to my friend & buy a used copy of the Caribou CD of 15BO i saw at a fairly local record store in my area…if on a Part 2 of this era 15BO is included, i will trade or sell the Caribou CD…i have no prob with the 1991 Caribou CDs, i have the 2CD “Ten Years Of Harmony” and it sounds fabulous, much better than CDs from 35 years ago usually sound!! And yes, I too want physical CD copies of the digital only “1968” collection of “Friends” & “20/20” sessions…according to Mark Linnett, it was digital only cuz a record company call…boo!! Perhaps when they finish the boxes (the other 2…3??…will be physical not digital only), there could be one of Friends & 20/20…this set also skipped the killer 1973 live album too…
Hopefully they will re-think this and issue a CD only set. I’ll hang up and listen.
Piling on, but for good reason – mixing the media is disappointing. I also don’t need the LP’s, although I’m sure numbers were crunched to decide that combining LP’s and CDs will somehow yield higher profit margins than separate releases. Of course, that assumes enough copies are sold. Anyway… this is a hard pass
I agree with the general sentiment here. I would have plumbed for just the CDs. If this were really good Beach Boys, I would have bought it, but we’re at the tail end of the great output the boys have released.
We’ve had most of the better stuff already (Sunflower, Surf’s Up, Holland), now we’re down to MIU, Light Album, Keeping the Summer Alive, which won’t be a big draw apart from to die hard fans.
An easy pass for what they have done to this reissue.
Greedy, dumb AND stupid. Format is greedy. Leaving unreleased tracks from Brian’s Back off is dumb. And not releasing the full remixed 15 Big Ones is incredibly stupid. Even worse than leaving the single and the video off (and forcing you to buy duplicate CDs and blu rays) of Lennon’s Power to the People release. These estates are clueless.
I agree with other comments here that this set for me is unnecessarily inflated by adding three unwanted vinyl records thus also making it impractical to store aside earlier boxes by the band.
As i was born after The Beach Boys started their recording career i’ve been late to the party only discovering how magnificent they could be over the last ten years or so owning the ‘Good Vibrations’, ‘Smile’, ‘Pet Sounds’, ‘Feel Flows’ and ‘Sail On Sailor’ cd sets by now all obtained for prices in the 40€ – 60€ range.
I’m certain that there will be some surprisingly good music included in this set too but at the current format and price i’ll give this a hard pass too, listening to it as far as it’ll be made available via streaming and if i like what i hear i’ll wait for either a triple cd set or the individual cds to be offered as stand-alones.
At first I was also annoyed. It seems odd that the set is only 3 CDs and not the complete Adult/Child album. I am guessing (speculating) that this may be the first part of a two part collection, and that the second half will consist of the “Merry Christmas/M.I.U./L.A. (Light Album)” sessions (maybe with some “KTSA” material. That could account for the missing “Hey Little Tomboy” on the upcoming set. If that is the case, may we anticipate a 3rd Quarter release of that material.
(Personally, I would love to hear the unreleased songs from the infamous “CBS demo tape” that Walter Yetnikoff received in 1979.
Is anyone really surprised that this release is a dog’s dinner? The Beach Boys have been f***ing up their inheritance for 60 years!
Someone posted that this release will sell for $42. At that price, it’s a good deal. Just buying a three-record set these days can cost $55-$75. I don’t mind that the whole 15 big one is not included since some are clunkers.
You missed a letter there Beto, because ‘Robert’ wrote that this set comes to ’42$ a cd’ thus pointing out that the current asking price at UMe is 126€.
Important Update: Universal Music in Japan is releasing a CD-only edition of “We Gotta Groove”. It’s a 3-SHM-CD set.
Really welcome news, Phil. This is how I solved the problem with the Weezer Blue 30 box set. Just the CDs. No tchotchkes.
Not sure how to navigate that site Phil. Any suggestions? TIA
I highly recommend CDJapan for any purchase of Japan-exclusive CDs. Their customer service and packing is top-notch, and shipping is always quick.
https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICY-16375
Any discount coupons available for CDJapan?
I just took a look at the CD-only version on CD Japan, for shipping to Canada. The shipping charges are more than the costs of the discs. I think I’ll wait to see what the cost of the domestic version is. There might not be much discrepancy.
I guess your problem is that the website uses Japanese as language.
Usually there should be either the word ‘English’ or the flag symbol for either the U.S. (Stars and Stripes) or the U.K. (Union Jack) somewhere on the landing page.
If you click / tap on that the language for the site should change to English.
It can happen though that this edition is as expensive as the normal SDE because of SHM-cds normally cost way more than plain pedestrian one’s and p&p from Japan also raises the price significantly, especially if you order just one item…
It’s about $32 for the discs and $65 shipping to the USA.
Not worth it for me.
With shipping I was able to pay just $68.64. (FedEx FICP) plus I did use 692 points. I considered it a deal given the sold out status of the other outlets and approaching twice the price. Plus SHM CDs!
Thank you, Phil!
Imagine going back to, say, 1990, or even 2010, and telling people that the only way to buy a new collection of music by their favorite band was to buy it, at a premium price, on *two formats simultaneously*. What a joke.
I wonder who made the decision to exclude 15 Big Ones. I don’t think anyone was happy with it, and the liner notes to the Love You/15 Big Ones two-fer all but admit it’s a stinker. Its absence here seems like a statement that the curators of the BB’s legacy—apart from the part of their legacy that is Mike Love, Bruce Johnston, and some ringers lip-synching at a Trump rally near you—want the album to be considered a mistake. I have to agree with that. (Not that it’s necessarily worse than a lot of the stuff that was to come in the 1980s and 1990s. Will there be anyone to buy the 5 CD box set collecting ephemera from the Keepin’ the Summer Alive era?)
BTW “The Night Was So Young” is a track that the band had been working on since the early 1970s, which is why it sounds out of place on LOVE YOU, with its elaborate vocal harmonies and complex backing track.
“15 Big Ones” a mistake?? Perhaps, but i sorta like it, it’s no masterpiece tho…i’m glad i have the 2000 twofer though…the first 2 tracks, “Rock & Roll Music” is a fun cover & i really dig “It’s OK”…the rest is quite uneven but light fluffy fun regardless…i do want this set (either the bigger D2C set OR the Japanese one), and no matter how long it takes to get one, it will happen…
Doing more investigation, the big box is D2C, which makes it even more of a challenge to purchase…HOWEVER that Japanese set is REALLY affordable (like $32 and change…not sure about how much the shipping is)…no vinyl, but not sure if you get the book & what the dimensions are…yet you get the music which is most important…and i came to a decision, i am keeping that 2000 twofer of “15 Big Ones/Beach Boys Love You”, not selling it to my friend…as this new set is more a companion piece now than an outright replacement, plus the fun liner notes by Dennis Diken (Smithereens) & Peter Buck (REM, etc)…
SOLD OUT??? On both the Beach Boys’ site and UMG websites??? Not being sold on Amazon??? WTF??? Stupid all the way around. How many copies did they make??? I have no problem with the LPs/CD’s format, but it totally pisses me off that the set is not readily available. I did place an order for the CD set from Japan, but still… Just plain ridiculous!!!!
This is a great set. It’s a grower for sure!