Meanwhile… I'm Still Thinking

Ok…

My assumption is that sometime before the 7th day Brian Wilson listened to “Good Vibrations” as it existed and heard that it was good. The other eleven or so songs (depending on how you count) that were to appear on Smile never got his seal of approval. In whole or in part many of them would show up on later Beach Boys albums in touched up, appended or re-recorded form, but Brian never really got what he wanted at the time and ultimately gave up the fight.

In 2011 we were finally able to listen (officially, anyway) to the bits and pieces of Smile as it existed when it was scrapped, and I’m not entirely sure what I think about it all. It’s one thing to swap tapes of generations-old song snippets with other Beach Boys lovers and quite another to be presented with the best available versions in best-guess sequence by the record company that had been sitting on them for 45(!) years.

I’ve only listened to the Brian Wilson solo Smile once, so there is no influence coming from that project.

I welcome all BeachBoysicologists to post comments, there are plenty of you out there that know a lot more about all of this than I do!

For what they’re worth, here are my thoughts:

Our Prayer – The version with additional vocals on 20/20 was beautiful, but my feeling is that this would have been used the way it was on Smile.

Gee – None of this ever showed up later on… introduces a couple of themes and couldn’t have easily existed outside of the Smile concept.

Heroes And Villains – This version is a little more ambitious than the single that ultimately got released, but is nowhere near “finished”, at least not in the same sense that Good Vibrations was finished. For one thing, the edit just before the first la-la section was never resolved (even on the 45) and must’ve driven Brian nuts.

Do You Like Worms (Roll Plymouth Rock) – Expands a little on the Bicycle Rider theme. Borderline incoherent, but still pretty wonderful. Like Gee, not a stand-alone piece that could have been re-purposed later on.

I’m In Great Shape – The vocals sound like hell and I can’t imagine that this would have wound up here (or anywhere?) on the finished product.

Barnyard – Love this one. The lead vocal is probably just a scratch track.

My Only Sunshine – The three short pieces that comprise it are all very nice and they DO fit together, but you could say that about most of the snippets recorded for the project. I may change my mind a few years from now, but this has an arbitrary feel to it.

Cabin Essence – An astounding track… this and Good Vibrations were quite possibly the only songs that were truly completed.

Wonderful - A gorgeous piece in this incarnation, although I’ve always loved the Smiley Smile version. The lead vocal probably was going to get worked on and it might’ve ended differently instead of fading out at the beginning of another verse.

Look (Song For Children) – Sneaks in one of the themes from Good Vibrations, but doesn’t sound like a segue thing – it has plenty of space for a lead melody and is the prime candidate for the “What Might’ve Been” award.

Child Is Father Of The Man – A few variations on a theme. Not meant to exist on its own, I don’t think. Makes perfect sense when used in Surf’s Up.

Surf’s Up – One of the greatest songs ever. I probably like the cleaned up version on the Surf’s Up album a little more, but the idea that this might’ve come out in 1966 just boggles the mind.

I Wanna Be Around & Workshop – A segue. Glad to hear it, but kind of inconsequential.

Vega-Tables – LOVE this version. A part of it got used on the Smiley Smile version, but why was the rest of it re-recorded when this is so good? The end vocals (more Heroes and Villains), don’t really add anything.

Holidays – Another great backing track begging for a lead vocal.

Wind Chimes – Lead vocal and backing tracks are perfect. If this is unfinished (and I think that it is) it’s because the backup vocals are a little harsh and don’t mesh well.

The Elements, Fire (Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow) – Backing vocals were re-used for the Woody Woodpecker thing on Smiley Smile. Again I wonder if there were supposed to be lead vocals on this. Sometimes I can close my eyes and hum something that fits, and I believe that if I can do it then it’s very possible that something was intended to be there to begin with.

Love To Say Dada – A piece of this one wound up being used on Sunflower. All of the parts are nice and the finished product might’ve sounded much like what we got with Cool, Cool Water

Good Vibrations – Nothing to say… it’s Good Vibrations. I like the single better but this is a fun alternative version.

You’re Welcome – Was released on a single later on. Smile-era, but I don’t think it was meant to be on the finished album.

To sum up, this box set is chock full of incredible pieces of music. The endless takes of many of the tracks are fascinating to listen to, and some of the vocal-only tracks are downright mind-blowing. Brian worked hard to get the music right, and the Beach Boys worked just as hard on the vocals. You get the feeling that despite what we’ve read over the years, the Beach Boys as vocalists were not the problem. They might have questioned what they were doing, but they did it anyway, and incredibly well.

Going by what feels finished (Good Vibrations, Cabin Essence, Surf’s Up, Our Prayer) or 90% finished (Heroes and Villains, Wonderful, Vega-Tables) it’s pretty clear that Smile would’ve been one of the greatest albums ever. As it is, we’ve got 3/4 of the best album ever and 1/4 that would’ve been quite fine on Stack-O-Tracks Volume 2.

Again… your comments will be greatly appreciated.

The Smile Sessions