Livin' with a Heartache explained

Livin' with a Heartache
Cover:	Livin' with a Heartache cover.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	The Beach Boys
Album:	Keepin' the Summer Alive
B-Side:	Santa Ana Winds
Released:	May 21, 1980
Recorded:	August–December 1979
Genre:	Pop, country
Length:	3:05 (single) 4:06 (album)
Label:	Caribou Records
Producer:	Bruce Johnston
Prev Title:	Goin' On
Prev Year:	1980
Next Title:	The Beach Boys Medley
Next Year:	1981

"Livin' with a Heartache" is a song written by Carl Wilson and Randy Bachman for the American rock band the Beach Boys, one of two collaborations between the two writers.^[1] It was recorded from August 27–29 at Bachman's home studio known as "The Barn" in Lynden, Washington with two further sessions at Rumbo Studios in November and December 1979.^[2] "Livin' with a Heartache" was released on the Beach Boys' 1980 album Keepin' the Summer Alive and was subsequently released with a truncated 3:05 mix as a single backed with "Santa Ana Winds" which failed to chart in the US.

Record World called it a "gem" and said that the "melody & hook are perfect."^[3]

Performers

Adapted from 2000 liner notes^[4] and Craig Slowinski.^[5]

Livin’ with a Heartache

The Beach Boys

• Carl Wilson – lead vocals, guitar, Yamaha electric piano, uncredited producer
• Bruce Johnston – harmony and backing vocals, producer

Additional musicians and production staff

• Terry Melcher, Curt Boettcher, Jon Joyce – harmony and backing vocals
• Billy Joe Walker, Jr. – lead and acoustic guitars
• Bryan Garofalo – bass
• John Hobbs – tack piano
• Gary Mallaber – drums
• Steve Forman – percussion
• Steve Desper – engineer, mixing

Santa Ana Winds

The Beach Boys

• Brian Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, producer
• Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, additional lead vocals
• Al Jardine – lead vocals, harmony and backing vocals, acoustic guitars, spoken word introduction, producer
• Mike Love – harmony and backing vocals, additional lead vocals
• Bruce Johnston – harmony and backing vocals, producer

Additional musicians

• Lyle Ritz – double bass
• Steve Forman – brushed snare drum and timpani
• Tommy Morgan – harmonica
• Igor Horoshevsky, Raymond Kelley – cellos
• James Getzoff, Murray Adler, Bonnie Douglas, Paul Shure, Alfred Breuning, Marshall Sosson, Endre Granat, Spiro Stamos – violins
• Harry Hyams, Samuel Boghossian – violas
• Harry Betts – string arrangements
• Steve Desper – chief engineer, mixing
• Chuck Leary – engineer
• Chuck Britz – engineer

External links

• "Livin' With a Heartache" review at Allmusic

Notes and References

1. Web site: Livin' With a Heartache - The Beach Boys | Song Info . . 2016-10-16.
2. Web site: GIGS79 . Esquarterly.com . 2016-10-16.
3. Record World. May 31, 1980. 2023-02-20. Single Picks. 16.
4. Keepin’ the Summer Alive/The Beach Boys. . 2000 . Randy . Bachman . Randy Bachman . Doe . Andrew . Andrew Doe . 2 . booklet . . California.
5. Slowinski. Craig . Summer 2020 . Keepin' the Summer Alive: 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition. 132. 33. Endless Summer Quarterly Magazine . Charlotte, North Carolina. David. Beard.