MARCELLA
1972

Today’s session for vocals and instrumental tracking is the first carried out at the group’s new recording studio in Santa Monica, an impressive complex converted from an old cinema. It boasts state of the art equipment and beautiful stained glass windows. Working with engineer Steve Moffitt, Mike Love and Al Jardine work alone recording “All This Is That”, a song co written by Al, Mike, and Carl Wilson, based on a poem by Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken.

Further tracking sessions at the new studio continue intermittently until the  10th of this month as the group starts recording work on “Beatrice from Baltimore”, (later to become “Mess Of Help”), “Here She Comes” and “He Come Down”. Brian and Bruce are occasional visitors to the studio, but the bulk of the recording during thsi period focuses on completing “One Arm Over My Shoulder”, an “ode to a masseuse” that soon becomes better known as “Marcella”.

Carl sings lead vocal, with Mike on the tag and Brian on backing vocal. The completed recording of 3:52 duration – featuring joint production from all band members – will eventually appear on Carl & The Passions “So Tough” next year, along with the four other pieces completed around this time. After working on various vocal arrangements for “Marcella”, the group and manager Jack Rieley earmark the completed recording as a potential new single.    

Pictured: Backside of the European single (Top) B Side label (Bottom)