I'm In Great Shape

[Jim V.]

So I have a few questions regarding "I'm In Great Shape". First of all, when it was recorded, was it recorded under the title "Heroes And Villains" or "I'm In Great Shape"? Because we all know that at one point it was probably considered part of "H&V". 

And then, were "I Wanna Be Around" and "Workshop" recorded under the name "I'm In Great Shape"? And is that why they were grouped together? I'm pretty sure that were recorded under the "IIGS" name, but I'm not positive. I hope to get some info on this. Thanks everybody.

[Bicyclerider]

So I have a few questions regarding "I'm In Great Shape". First of all, when it was recorded, was it recorded under the title "Heroes And Villains" or "I'm In Great Shape"? Because we all know that at one point it was probably considered part of "H&V". 

And then, were "I Wanna Be Around" and "Workshop" recorded under the name "I'm In Great Shape"? And is that why they were grouped together? I'm pretty sure that were recorded under the "IIGS" name, but I'm not positive. I hope to get some info on this. Thanks everybody.

I see no one has answered you, so here's my descriptions from the Smile Primer:

I’m in Great Shape (Barnyard Suite) (B.Wilson)
Shape instrumental track recorded Oct 27, 1966 with 4 musicians at Western (at a Heroes and Villains session).  Vocals recorded Oct 17, 1966 with 6 Beach Boys.
Barnyard instrumental track likely recorded Oct 20, 1966 at Western (see Heroes and Villains below). 

One of the great mysteries of Smile was at least partially solved with the release of the Endless Harmony Heroes and Villains demo, where a section included the lyrics “eggs and grits and lickety split, I’m in the great shape of the open country” (or “agriculture” in Smile 2004) before leading into Barnyard.  Brian confirmed in an interview that this was Great Shape.   One vocal session is documented but the tape is missing.  If Shape was part of Heroes and Villains in November, why was it recorded under a different title in October?  And then in December became its’ own track?  One explanation may be that it was recorded under a “subtitle” or section title, and all along was planned as part of Heroes, much as “Home on the Range” and “Who Ran the Iron Horse” (vocal session) were recorded as sections of Cabinessence.  The instrumental track was discovered on a Heroes and Villains session tape from Oct 27.   “Great Shape” is noted on the tapebox, and Brian and Van Dyke participate.  The tape has several takes with bass, saxophone, and piano, then bass, saxophone and piano with the strings taped, with the sax playing the melody of “eggs and grits.”  Unfortunately the final master take had been cut from the reel.  This supports the theory that Shape was always part of Heroes until December, when Brian decided to split it off as its own song (perhaps already planning to replace the Oct./Nov. Heroes with the cantina version).

Another explanation for the Oct 17 Great Shape session is that Brian originally wrote it as a separate song, then included it in Heroes, only to break it out again in December (the “out-in-out” theory).  This is also consistent with the sequence of the sessions, and with Brian’s modular working method.  Great Shape may be part of the track referred to in contemporary press accounts as a “Barnyard Suite.” Besides “eggs and grits” and Barnyard, the song may have included Do A Lot.  A Beach Boys insider with access to the tape library in 1988-89 examined a tape box labeled Great Shape that contained two versions of “Do a Lot” on it, the first fast, the second slow with organ and sound effects of running water and scrubbing and clanging noises  (although the tape stock did not match the tape box).  And a purely vocal or vocal with Brian keyboard track of Do a Lot (or “eggs and grits”) would explain the vocal session preceding the instrumental tracking for Shape.  The “Swedish Frog” snorting swine fragment which was excised from a mix of the Heroes “Part Two” sessions (on SOT) may also have been destined for a “Barnyard Suite.” I Wanna Be Around/Friday Night may have been planned as part of the song (see below).  The Barnyard track was recorded Oct 20, 1966 at Western; the vocal session date is not known, but may have been recorded by Brian and friends on Oct 20 or by the Beach Boys on Dec 13, 1966.

I Wanna Be Around/Friday Night (trad./B.Wilson)
Recorded Nov 29, 1966 with 6 musicians at Goldstar. 

See The Elements entry above.  Brian edited together take 1 of IWBA with take 11 of FN at the session and overdubbed the sound effects.  While Carol Kaye considered this part of The Elements, the AFM session contract sheet lists the song as Friday Night (I’m in Great Shape), which raises the possibility that Brian had already taken Great Shape out of Heroes and Villains and recorded this piece as a fade or section of Great Shape to make it a complete song.  That's how it appeared in Smile 2004 in the Elements movement, preceding Fire so it would not be about "rebuilding after the fire."

[A Million Units In Jan!]

Where can I find the SMiLE primer? Used to be here awhile ago. I think it's the only place where all sessions are listed with musicians.

[Tricycle Rider]

Yeah, where CAN we find the SMiLE Primer?   

[A Million Units In Jan!]

Yeah, where CAN we find the SMiLE Primer?   

If you ask, I believe eventually you will receive! 

[Tricycle Rider]

Ok!...I'm asking! (see: begging) 

[Mikie]

I’m in Great Shape (Barnyard Suite) (B.Wilson)

Shape instrumental track recorded Oct 27, 1966 with 4 musicians at Western (at a Heroes and Villains session). 

Vocals recorded Oct 17, 1966 with 6 Beach Boys.

Bicyclerider, does that sound right to you?  The vocals for the song were recorded 10 days before the instrumental track?  Should it be the other way around, did they record the vocals first, or should I re-read the rest of your explanation for it being on a Heroes session tape?

[Bicyclerider]

The Oct 17 session is documented as occurring but the tape is missing, so no one knows exactly what they recorded.  Definitely strange that the first session was a vocal session.  The paperwork for vocal and instrumental sessions was not always accurate - there could be reasons (mostly related to billing the record company) why a session would be backdated or dated later than the actual session, besides the obvious just making a mistake.  As I speculate it could have been Brian on piano with the Boys on vocals, or an a capella thing (Do a Lot?).  In terms of confirming dates, the best evidence would be the date on the tapebox correlating with the session sheet.  I'm sure with Alan Boyd's tape vault search we'll have more accurate dates for the sessions with the release of The Smile Sessions.

The reason the instrumental track was at a Heroes session was that I'm in Great Shape was a part of Heroes at that point.  Whether it was always a part of it (which I think likely) or it was it's own song-then became part of Heroes-then was out again we can't say.

Tricycle Rider - PM your email.

[Tricycle Rider]

Just sent you a PM, Bicyclerider.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I'm not a unicycle rider, but I would like one ^_^

[Alan Boyd]

Just noticed this:

"A Beach Boys insider with access to the tape library in 1988-89 examined a tape box labeled Great Shape that contained two versions of “Do a Lot” on it, the first fast, the second slow with organ and sound effects of running water and scrubbing and clanging noises  (although the tape stock did not match the tape box)."

We've never come across anything like that in the tape library....  Does anyone have any idea who this insider might be?

Alan

[bgas]

Just noticed this:

"A Beach Boys insider with access to the tape library in 1988-89 examined a tape box labeled Great Shape that contained two versions of “Do a Lot” on it, the first fast, the second slow with organ and sound effects of running water and scrubbing and clanging noises  (although the tape stock did not match the tape box)."

We've never come across anything like that in the tape library....  Does anyone have any idea who this insider might be?

Alan

Guessing, I'd say the infamous BE; good luck tracking him down, tho. He probably did more than just examine it...

[Alan Boyd]

Does anyone know how to reach Desmond Jones?

[adamghost]

Does anyone know how to reach Desmond Jones?

Troublemaker!

[A Million Units In Jan!]

Does anyone know how to reach Desmond Jones?

Check out your PM's.