Published February 1964 Genre Rock, baroque pop Label Capitol | Released May 16, 1966 Length 3:07 | |
Recorded March 6–10, 1966, United Western Recorders and CBS Columbia Square, Hollywood | ||
"I'm Waiting for the Day" is a song written and composed by Brian Wilson with a small lyric adjustment by Mike Love for American rock band the Beach Boys, released as the fifth track on their 1966 album Pet Sounds. The song is a simple love poem told from the point of view of its narrator who wishes to offer his comfort and support to a girl whose heart was broken by someone else. It was copyrighted by Wilson as a solo composition in February 1964, indicating that it predated the album's sessions by some years.
Contents
Its arrangement is characterized for its jazz chords, doo-wop progression, timpani blasts, English horn, flutes, and string section episode. When asked about "I'm Waiting for the Day", Brian said that "there really was no specific inspiration for [the] song." Carl Wilson has stated he loved 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."
Recording
The instrumental track (including string overdubs) was recorded on March 6, 1966 at United Western Recorders. Vocal overdubs finished the track on March 10, 1966 at CBS Columbia Square. The track, a vocals only mix, and highlights from the tracking session can be found on The Pet Sounds Sessions boxset, released in 1997.
The lead vocal was sung by Brian Wilson who thought his performance 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."
Personnel
Sourced from liner notes included with the 1999 mono/stereo reissue of Pet Sounds, except where otherwise noted.
Variations
The Pet Sounds Sessions compilation included an alternate take featuring Mike Love on lead vocals.