Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them

[schiaffino]

Dont know if there's already a thread about this - couldnt find it after a quick search - but I wanted to discuss Brian Wilson's working titles for singles/albums/projects. For example, anyone knows why Smile was initially called 'Dumb Angel'? Any cool story behind it?

I thought about this 'cause I was reading something about Back to the Future (the movie) and remembered the scene where they play 'Earth Angel'. And somehow I thought it would a funny word-game on Brian's side to name the Smile project - code name it - Dumb Angel.

Most likely I'm wrong about that hypothesis. I invite anyone with cool stories to share about this and other interesting working titles like:

• The old man and the sea
• In my childhood
• I hate rock and roll

Cheers 

[Matt Bielewicz]

If anyone knows how on Earth the warped brain of BDW came up with 'You're Grass, And I'm A Power Mower' as a working title for 'California Girls', I will be... most impressed.

[monicker]

It would be great if this thread became an exhaustive database of all BB working titles.

[joshferrell]

If anyone knows how on Earth the warped brain of BDW came up with 'You're Grass, And I'm A Power Mower' as a working title for 'California Girls', I will be... most impressed.

Pot?

[Bicyclerider]

If anyone knows how on Earth the warped brain of BDW came up with 'You're Grass, And I'm A Power Mower' as a working title for 'California Girls', I will be... most impressed.

I don't think there's much revelatory information about the workings of Brian's mind or what he originally intended for the songs to be gleaned by most of the provisional titles.  The You're Grass comment was a joke - it was a common expression for kids at the time who are boasting or "talking s#it" with their friends.  He didn't have a title so he made a funny comment.

I think the same thing applies to "I hate rock and roll."

In My Childhood clearly reflects the subject matter of the song as originally planned - have to wonder what lyrics Brian had worked out before the change in lyrics.  And isn't Old Man and the Baby or something like that?  Again, theme of childhood and aging that we're themes in Pet Sounds and subsequently Smile (and When I Grow Up!).

[TheLazenby]

"Just call it Granny Smith Part Friggin' Two!"

[Mr. Cohen]

Who can forget Al's "Brian Wilson"? The lyrics reportedly went something like this:

Well Brian, Brian Wilson
Got a groovy little motor car
He lives for the night
And his girlfriend hired a security guard

He knows all the honkies
And the kids are all home in bed
He'd rather do this
Than anything else instead
He got the nicotine fit
And before he discovered it
Everybody in his bedroom suffocated

Brian, Brian Wilson we thought you were winner
Brian, Brian Wilson city's number one sinner

Yeah

[Generation42]

I still find "Dumb Angel" to be a spectacularly evocative image (and yes, I wonder about the Deaf Angel and the Blind Angel, too).

[Amazing Larry]

Who can forget Al's "Brian Wilson"? The lyrics reportedly went something like this:

Well Brian, Brian Wilson
Got a groovy little motor car
He lives for the night
And his girlfriend hired a security guard

He knows all the honkies
And the kids are all home in bed
He'd rather do this
Than anything else instead
He got the nicotine fit
And before he discovered it
Everybody in his bedroom suffocated

Brian, Brian Wilson we thought you were winner
Brian, Brian Wilson city's number one sinner

Yeah

I'm recording a version with those lyrics now.

[schiaffino]

It would be great if this thread became an exhaustive database of all BB working titles.

Actually that's a cool idea...so far we have:

• Dumb angel=Smile
• In my childhood=You still believe in me
• Old man and the baby=Let's go away for a while
• I hate rock n roll=Let him run wild
• You're Grass, And I'm A Power Mower=California Girls

Please correct (sure I made mistakes) and add more  sweet

[Chris Brown]

We all know the story, but can't forget "Run James Run" which became "Pet Sounds".

[Heteronym]

I don't have much to add, just wanted to say that I'd LOOOVE the "original" In My Childhood. The lyrics to You Still Believe In Me are quite obvious and cliché. The sweetness and nostalgic hope in the instrumental would mean the world to me combined with a young Brian Wilson singing about childhood. Perfect match.

Not that those cliché lyrics spoil the song, because that'd be almost impossible, but...how I wish Brian hadn't changed them... Nothing would be more innocent and honest than a true Brian Wilson lyrics.

[bgas]

Rabbit's Foot =  Our Car Club

[leggo of my ego]

If anyone knows how on Earth the warped brain of BDW came up with 'You're Grass, And I'm A Power Mower' as a working title for 'California Girls', I will be... most impressed.

Pot?

Sounds like...

the Danny Hutton "answer to everything Brian".

Ya think Brian had a mental image of Murry when he uttered those choice words? Could be.

[leggo of my ego]

It would be great if this thread became an exhaustive database of all BB working titles.

Actually that's a cool idea...so far we have:

• Dumb angel=Smile
• In my childhood=You still believe in me
• Old man and the baby=Let's go away for a while
• I hate rock n roll=Let him run wild
• You're Grass, And I'm A Power Mower=California Girls

Please correct (sure I made mistakes) and add more  sweet

If you listen to Take 2 of what would become "I Know There's An Answer", Brian slates the track as "Let Go Of Your Ego" instead of Hang Onto Your Ego.

So would that be the first working title of the song?

[37!ws]

Rabbit's Foot =  Our Car Club

Thing is, it wasn't so much a working title as it was an actual complete song with lyrics. One of the "Dutch import" CDs that was out years ago actually had a session for OCC and at the tail end of it the original "Rabbit's Foot" backing vocals are still intact.

BTW, I'm surprised nobody mentioned the most obvious working title:

"Do You Like Worms"

[metal flake paint]

It would be great if this thread became an exhaustive database of all BB working titles.

Actually that's a cool idea...so far we have:

• Dumb angel=Smile
• In my childhood=You still believe in me
• Old man and the baby=Let's go away for a while
• I hate rock n roll=Let him run wild
• You're Grass, And I'm A Power Mower=California Girls

Please correct (sure I made mistakes) and add more  sweet

Actually, Califonia Girls was slated using a number of different titles, including "We Don't Know",  "Oh Yeah" and "(Yeah) I Dig The Girls."

[petzounds29]

 I have often wondered if old man and the baby had any connections with child is the father of the man

[petzounds29]

 1-rendevouze=do it again
 2-sail plane song=loop de loop
 3-beatrice from baltimore-you need a mess of help

[Rocky Raccoon]

• The old man and the sea

Well, that's a famous Hemingway novel.

[schiaffino]

• The old man and the sea

Well, that's a famous Hemingway novel.

Ooops

[mrski]

Goody Connie Won't You Come Back Home = Surf City

The Big Beat = Do You Remember?

Good Humour Man = The Rocking Surfer

Memphis Beach = Carl's Big Chance

(When Summer Comes) Get A Chance With You = The New Girl In school


[The Summer Moon = The Surfer Moon]

[metal flake paint]

Untitled Ballad = Then I Kissed Her (?)

[bgas]

Rabbit's Foot =  Our Car Club

Thing is, it wasn't so much a working title as it was an actual complete song with lyrics. One of the "Dutch import" CDs that was out years ago actually had a session for OCC and at the tail end of it the original "Rabbit's Foot" backing vocals are still intact.

Suppose it depends how you define Working Title; I've heard an acetate of "Rabbit's Foot" and the only lyrics are "We'll Get a Rabbit's Foot" sung as one line, repeated several times during the song, with backing vocals. It's OCC, with the one line as a placeholder, IMO

[Sheriff John Stone]

'Mike Come Back To L.A." started during the 1977 M.I.U. sessions. It eventually became "Some Of Your Love".