View source for I'm Waiting for the Day

{{short description|1966 song by the Beach Boys}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name          = I'm Waiting for the Day
| cover         = Little Honda b.w. I'm Waiting For the Day - Beach Boys.jpg
| alt           = 1967 Italian Single
| caption       = 1967 Italian Single
| type          = 
| artist        = [[the Beach Boys]]
| album         = [[Pet Sounds]]
| EP            = 
| written       = 
| published     = 
| released      = May 16, 1966
| format        = 
| recorded      = March 1966
| studio        = [[United Western Recorders|Western]] and [[CBS Columbia Square|Columbia]], Hollywood
| venue         = 
| genre         = [[Rock music|Rock]]{{sfn|Carlin|2006|p=82}}
| length        = 3:07
| label         = [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
| writer        = 
| composer      = [[Brian Wilson]]
| lyricist      = {{hlist|Brian Wilson|[[Mike Love]]}}
| producer      = Brian Wilson
| prev_title    = 
| prev_year     = 
| title         = 
| next_title    = 
| next_year     = 
| misc          = {{External music video|type=song|header=Licensed audio| {{YouTube|fB3utoCRRAk|"I'm Waiting for the Day"}} }}
{{Audio sample
 | type        = song
 | file        = I'm Waiting for the Day.ogg
}}
}}

"'''I'm Waiting for the Day'''" is a song by the American [[rock music|rock]] band [[the Beach Boys]] from their 1966 album ''[[Pet Sounds]]''. Written primarily by [[Brian Wilson]], the lyrics describe a man who is "waiting for the day" when the woman he loves will be ready to commit to a relationship with him. Wilson, alongside co-author [[Mike Love]], are the only Beach Boys who appear on the recording.

Musically, the arrangement is characterized for its dynamic use of textures and [[word painting]]. Wilson produced the track in March 1966 with the aid of 17 studio musicians who variously played [[timpani]], [[Bongo drum|bongo]]s, drums, [[flute]]s, [[English horn]], electric guitar, two basses, strings, and an altered [[tack piano]].

==Background and lyrics==
[[File:The Beach Boys TV (Mike and Brian).jpg|thumb| [[Mike Love]] and [[Brian Wilson]] in 1964]]

"I'm Waiting for the Day" was copyrighted by Wilson as a solo composition in February 1964.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=242}} When the song was published on ''[[Pet Sounds]]'', it was credited to Wilson and [[Mike Love]], who revised eight words in Wilson's original lyric.{{sfn|Doe|Tobler|2009|p=23}} Asked in 2014 about the song, Wilson said that "there really was no specific inspiration".<ref>{{cite web|title=Brian Answer's Fans' Questions In Live Q&A|url=http://www.brianwilson.com/news/2014/1/29/brian-answers-fans-questions-in-live-qa|accessdate=27 June 2014|date=29 January 2014|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224224421/https://www.brianwilson.com/news/2014/1/29/brian-answers-fans-questions-in-live-qa|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The song is a simple [[love poem]] whose narrator wishes to offer his comfort and support to a girl who was abandoned by her former lover. The narrator feels that she is "the only one" for him, and that he holds the power to "set [her] broken heart free".{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=242}} However, the broken-hearted girl is reluctant to commit herself to another relationship, leading the narrator to pledge, "I'm waiting for the day when you can love again".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=94}} Biographer [[Peter Ames Carlin]] summarizes the song as a "relatively hard-rocking" tune about "love's restorative power".{{sfn|Carlin|2006|pp=79, 82}} Musicologist James Perone notes, {{quote|It is the story of friends who become lovers; however, at the point in time of the song, they seem to be in a nebulous area somewhere between the two states. Therefore, while the sentiments are more optimistic than those of some of the lyrics on ''Pet Sounds'', the listener can still sense some of the unease of Wilson's character. He may be hopeful, but he is not quite where he wants to be.{{sfn|Perone|2012|p=29}}}}

It is one of the five (of 13) tracks on the LP that Wilson did not write in conjunction with lyricist [[Tony Asher]].{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=80}}{{refn|group=nb|It is also one of only two tracks that Wilson wrote with a collaborator other than Asher, sharing the distinction with "[[I Know There's an Answer]]".{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=80}}}} In his 2003 book about ''Pet Sounds'', Charles Granata refers to "I'm Waiting for the Day" as a "a sensational reminder of the smart songs" Love had co-authored with Wilson on the 1965 album ''[[The Beach Boys Today!]]''.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=94}}

==Composition==
[[File:Drums in Keuruu church.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Timpani]]s serve a prominent part in the song's arrangement.]]

"I'm Waiting for the Day" has a verse-refrain structure{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=115–116}} and [[musical form|AAAB form]].{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|pp=120, 122, 312}} It is in the key of [[E major]], and is one of only five tracks on ''Pet Sounds'' that does not modulate or waver into other keys.{{sfn|Lambert|2008|pp=115–116}}{{refn|group=nb|The other four tracks are "[[You Still Believe in Me]]", "[[Sloop John B]]", "I Know There's an Answer" and "[[I Just Wasn't Made for These Times]]".{{sfn|Lambert|2008|p=116}}}} Although slower in the choruses, the verses contain the fastest tempos heard on the album (approximately 168 beats per minute).{{sfn|O'Regan|2014|p=125}} According to Granata, the song serves as another example of Wilson's use of "[[word painting|metaphoric instrumentation]]", this time to bolster the themes of "commitment and strength" elaborated in the lyrics.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=94}} 

[[File:English Horn picture.jpg|thumb|upright|An [[English horn]] was used to double the song's lead vocal melody line. ]]

The song opens and ends with the heavy sounds of a timpani being struck, which reduces in intensity during other sections.{{sfn|Granata|2003|pp=94–95}} Lambert says that the timpani is evocative of "a throbbing, aching heart" and is "soon joined by other instruments and a brief statement of an inverted arch figure in the flute" which recurs later in the piece.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=242}} In the verses, the lead vocal melody is doubled by an [[English horn]].{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=242}} In Granata's belief, this English horn amplifies the song's restless feeling by suggesting "a sense of longing when voiced behind Brian's lead vocal ('I came along when he broke your heart'), and resignation in the final chorus ('I'm waiting for the day when you can love again')."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=95}}

Chord-wise, the changes in the verses are essentially a [[doo-wop progression]] that gives way to the same progression Wilson had previously used in "[[The Man with All the Toys]]" (1964).{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=243}}{{refn|group=nb|The line "a big man in a chair / and little tiny men everywhere" compared with "but when I could I give I gave strength to you / I'm waiting for the day".{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=243}}}}

The second verse introduces backing vocals singing the same melody that the flutes play in the intro.{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=243}} [[Bruce Johnston]] alluded to the nonsense-syllable bass vocals, a part of the backing harmonies, as an example of the "tremendous amount of [[doo-wop]] and [[R&B]] influence sprinkled throughout ''Pet Sounds''."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=35}} Of this song, he said that there are "beautiful, dumb background parts. The yin-yang works great there. The 'doops' and the 'aahs.' It's kind of like having all the scruffy characters that are in [the musical] ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver]]'' show up at the [[Royal Albert Hall]]. They don't belong but it fits."<ref name="Johnston1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Comments by Bruce Johnston |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=[[The Beach Boys]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[Capitol Records]] |type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Comments_Bruce_Johnston.html}}</ref> 

Preceding the final chorus is a sudden short interlude featuring just a string section as accompaniment.{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=154}} Granata compares the section to the previous track, "[[Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)]]", which similarly emphasizes the stringed instruments' lower register. He writes, "In this seven-second passage we glimpse Brian's refined musical sense, and his predilection for taking us by surprise. Here, the theme is arbitrary—it isn't voiced anywhere else in the song. In this short section, the string ensemble sweeps through an interesting sequence of 10 chords, none of which repeat."{{sfn|Granata|2003|p=154}} Lambert characterizes those chords as "intensely [[chromaticism|chromatic]]" with "internal moving lines of extraordinary intricacy".{{sfn|Lambert|2007|p=244}} 

[[Carol Kaye]], who played 12-string electric guitar on the track,<ref name="PS2016" /> commented of the bass line, "[That] part with the 4th (sus 11th) on the bottom. Very rare! Brian really stretched his orchestrating there, but it's fine. This was a little boring to play without a lead...sort of like [[Beethoven]], the bass wound up playing scale-like figures to a march time, ending a jazz-like chordal spread of violin and cellos."<ref>{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Carol Kaye |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=[[The Beach Boys]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[Capitol Records]] |type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Carol_Kaye.html}}</ref>

==Recording==

Wilson produced the basic track, including string overdubs, on March 6, 1966 at [[United Western Recorders|Western Recorders Studio 3]]. The song was then logged as "Untitled Ballad". Vocal overdubs finished the track on March 10 (or possibly March 10–12) at [[CBS Columbia Square|Columbia Studio A]].<ref name="PS2016" /> Wilson and Love, who both sang vocals, are the only Beach Boys who perform on the recording.<ref name="PS2016" /> A discarded alternate mix, created on March 12, featured only Love on lead vocals.{{sfn|Badman|2004|p=122}}

==Critical reception==
On May 16, 1966, "I'm Waiting for the Day" was released as the fifth track on ''Pet Sounds''. In his self-described "unbiased" review of the album for ''[[Record Mirror]]'', Norman Jopling described the song as an exhibition for "shotgun drums ... strings and organ, but used completely different [from 'Don't Talk'] ... it suddenly develops into a thumpy heartbeating noise, which is the introduction for Brian Wilson to throw in everything including the proverbial kitchen sink, and presumably the washing up water..."<ref name="Jopling">{{cite magazine |last1=Jopling |first1=Norman |title=The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (Capitol) |magazine=[[Record Mirror]] |date=July 2, 1966 |url=http://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-beach-boys-pet-sounds-capitol|url-access=subscription|via=[[Rock's Backpages]]}}</ref>

Wilson felt that his singing on "I'm Waiting for the Day" was inadequate, explaining, "Vocally, I thought I sounded a little bit weird in my head. That's the one cut off the album I didn't really like that much. But, you know, it's okay, it's not a case of liking or not liking it; it was an appropriate song, a very, very positive song. I just didn't like my voice on that particular song."<ref name="BrianWilson1997">{{cite AV media notes |chapter=Interview with Brian Wilson |title=The Pet Sounds Sessions |others=[[The Beach Boys]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[Capitol Records]] |type=Booklet|chapter-url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Interview_w_Brian_Wilson.html}}</ref> His brother [[Carl Wilson|Carl]] praised the dynamics, saying, "The intro is very big, then it gets quite small with the vocal in the verse with a little instrumentation and then, in the chorus, it gets very big again, with the background harmonies against the lead. It is perhaps one of the most dynamic moments in the album."{{sfn|Fusilli|2005|p=92}}

==Live performances==
In 1974 and 1975, the Beach Boys incorporated "I'm Waiting for the Day" in their concert set lists.{{sfn|Badman|2004|pp=342, 347}}

==Personnel==

Per band archivist Craig Slowinski.<ref name="PS2016">{{cite web |last1=Slowinski |first1=Craig |title=Pet Sounds LP |url=http://www.beachboysarchives.com/page10 |website=beachboysarchives.com |publisher=Endless Summer Quarterly |accessdate=September 24, 2018}}</ref>

'''The Beach Boys'''
* [[Mike Love]] – bass and backing vocals
* [[Brian Wilson]] – lead and bass vocals

'''Session musicians''' (also known as "[[the Wrecking Crew (music)|the Wrecking Crew]]")
{{div col}}
* [[Jim Gordon (musician)|Jim Gordon]] – drums
* Bill Green – flute
* Leonard Hartman – [[English horn]]
* [[Jim Horn]] – flute
* [[Carol Kaye]] – 12-string electric guitar
* [[Larry Knechtel]] – [[Hammond B3 organ]]
* [[Al De Lory]] – upright [[tack piano]] with [[prepared piano|taped strings]]
* [[Jay Migliori]] – flute
* [[Ray Pohlman]] – electric bass guitar
* [[Lyle Ritz]] – upright bass, overdubbed ''[[bowing|arco]]'' [[upright bass]]
{{div col end}}

'''The Sid Sharp Strings'''
{{div col}}
* Justin DiTullio – cello
* Harry Hyams – viola
* William Kurasch – violin
* Leonard Malarsky – violin
* Ralph Schaeffer – violin
* Sid Sharp – violin
{{div col end}}

==Cover versions==
{{see also|List of cover versions of Beach Boys songs}}
*1966 – Peanut, 7" single (arranged/produced by [[Mark Wirtz]])
*1998 – Short Hair Front, ''[[Smiling Pets]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brainwashed.com/weddle/reviews/smiling.html|title=Smiling Pets review|accessdate=2010-12-16}}</ref>
*2001 – [[Reigning Sound]], ''[[Break Up, Break Down]]''
*2002 – [[Brian Wilson]], ''[[Pet Sounds Live]]''

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}

==References==
{{reflist|20em}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}
* {{cite book|last=Badman|first=Keith|title=The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band, on Stage and in the Studio|url=https://archive.org/details/beachboysdefinit0000badm|url-access=registration|year=2004|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=978-0-87930-818-6}}
* {{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=https://archive.org/details/catchwaverisefal0000carl/|year=2006|publisher=Rodale|isbn=978-1-59486-320-2|url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book  |last1=Doe |first1=Andrew |last2=Tobler |first2=John|author-link2=John Tobler|editor-first=Chris|editor-last=Charlesworth |chapter=The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds – May 1966 |title=25 Albums that Rocked the World|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TGreXZIq1RgC&pg=PT10 |year=2009 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-0-85712-044-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Fusilli |first=Jim |title=Beach Boys' Pet Sounds |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xVIx8qes4V8C |date=2005 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4411-1266-8 }}
* {{cite book|last1=Granata|first1=Charles L.|title=Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds|date=2003|publisher=A Cappella Books |isbn=9781556525070|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/wouldntitbenice00char}}
* {{cite book|author-link=Philip Lambert|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}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Lambert |first1=Philip |title=Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds |journal=Twentieth-Century Music |date=March 2008 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=109–133 |doi=10.1017/S1478572208000625 |url=https://www.academia.edu/17300178 |publisher=Cambridge University Press|s2cid=162871617 |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite thesis |last1=O'Regan |first1=Jade Simone |title=When I Grow Up: The Development of the Beach Boys' Sound (1962-1966) |date=2014 |doi=10.25904/1912/2556 |url=https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/367243/O%27Regan_2014_02Thesis.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |publisher=[[Queensland Conservatorium]]}}
* {{cite book |first=James E. |last=Perone |title=The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzl1lBFXKhQC&pg=RA2-PT28 |date=2012 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0-313-37907-9 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* {{YouTube|SXpcz7lIyyQ|I'm Waiting for the Day (stereo mix)}}
* {{YouTube|w0jRwo1VChU|I'm Waiting for the Day (instrumental)}}

{{Pet Sounds}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:I'm Waiting For The Day}}
[[Category:1966 songs]]
[[Category:The Beach Boys songs]]
[[Category:Pop ballads]]
[[Category:Songs written by Brian Wilson]]
[[Category:Songs written by Mike Love]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson]]
[[Category:Song recordings with Wall of Sound arrangements]]