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Forever, Live, 1971
David Frost Show, 1971
Forever has become, over the years, the quintessential Dennis Wilson
love ballad. It has everything one comes to expect from Dennis Wilson - simple, emotional lyrics,
a sensitive and vulnerable lead vocal, and a formal structure that sounds simple and effortless on the surface, but
actually incorporates some unpredictable chord changes and surprising
harmonic elements.
Forever is actually one of the easiest of Dennis's compositions to perform, and the Beach Boys performed it alot
in 1971. Things were looking up for Dennis...he had a happy relationship, he was becoming a confident and creative songwriter, and the band was showcasing his work.
He was out from behind the drums, playing keyboards or standing center stage singing lead and background vocals, and he had just wrapped filming "Two Lane Blacktop". Dennis was
on top of his game.
The two sound files below feature Dennis and the band performing Forever. The first is from the David Frost Show, and features additional backing instruments, including flute. This is a great live performance of the song, and a good audio source. The
second is from the Kingsbridge Armory the same year, also w/ the flute intro. Listen for the alternate lyrics!
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