"Look" from SMiLE

[Sheriff John Stone]

It's obvious that you couldn't read much into some of the working titles of the 1966-67 SMiLE songs. "I Love To Say Dada", "Do You Like Worms", "Tones", "Tune X", and maybe "I Ran" and "Friday Night" are examples of this.

But the song/title "Look" always intrigued me. Did "Look" mean anything? To me, it always sounded like an opening song, or a song that would've been placed near the beginning, like the sun rising and rays shining down. It also has the feel of a ship chugging along, with the Sloop John B-like flutes and brass. I can envision a ship mate spotting something, pointing out to the horizon, and saying, "Look!"

There is also that "Good Vibrations" riff in "Look" which could also tie it into that song. And, finally, there is a child-like quality about "Look", where you can see a small child skipping along. However, I was mildly surprised when "Look" appeared as "Song For Children". I'm not saying it doesn't fit - it does - but I was a little surprised by it's placement on BWPS.

Anybody have any thoughts?

[Jason]

Like you said before, most likely just a title thrown around by Brian that became a given once the bootlegs came around. I quite like the title. It really does fit the music. But even the BWPS title is great, too. It's one of the best moments from that period, a great composition.

[Chris Brown]

Like you said before, most likely just a title thrown around by Brian that became a given once the bootlegs came around. I quite like the title. It really does fit the music. But even the BWPS title is great, too. It's one of the best moments from that period, a great composition.

I agree that "Look" is a cool title, despite its randomness.  However, I really didn't care for the new title on BWPS.  "Song For Children" is just a bit too dull and generic for me, even if it does describe the music well. 

I do love what he did with it on BWPS though.  I loved it as an instrumental, but it sounds even better with vocals.

[Mark H.]

I always took it as a throw-away title for a piece of music that was never completed.  Do you think it still had a place on SMiLE by 1/67 in Brian's mind?  Nothing on the Capital list is close.

BTW I love the whole 2nd movement of BWPS....maybe he had that in mind all along but in my heart of hearts I don't think so.

[Jason]

Mark, remember in the Beautiful Dreamer documentary how Brian said he might have needed another year to finish Smile. Anything could have happened if he had another year.

Hey, maybe all we know as Smile would have been moved away from, with Brian taking on a whole new direction and stance for the project.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I always took it as a throw-away title for a piece of music that was never completed.  Do you think it still had a place on SMiLE by 1/67 in Brian's mind?  Nothing on the Capital list is close.

BTW I love the whole 2nd movement of BWPS....maybe he had that in mind all along but in my heart of hearts I don't think so.

Agree and agree.

I put more stock in the infamous list submitted to Capitol than most do. And "Look" ain't on it. But what was the song about?

And (this is gonna get me in trouble) I believe that Darian recognized the greatness of this track, stuck it in between "Wonderful" and "Child Is Father Of The Man", and Brian said, "Yeah, sounds good..."

[Mark H.]

I always took it as a throw-away title for a piece of music that was never completed.  Do you think it still had a place on SMiLE by 1/67 in Brian's mind?  Nothing on the Capital list is close.

BTW I love the whole 2nd movement of BWPS....maybe he had that in mind all along but in my heart of hearts I don't think so.

Agree and agree.

I put more stock in the infamous list submitted to Capitol than most do. And "Look" ain't on it. But what was the song about?

And (this is gonna get me in trouble) I believe that Darian recognized the greatness of this track, stuck it in between "Wonderful" and "Child Is Father Of The Man", and Brian said, "Yeah, sounds good..."

Agree and agree!

[Jason]

I put more stock in the infamous list submitted to Capitol than most do.

Seriously.....if more fans took the quoted words as the gospel, we might have been spared so many fan mixes that turned Smile into a progressive rock album with movements and overtures and undertures and inbetweentures.

Ever made a fan mix with JUST THE 12 SONGS ON THE LIST? Using the most complete, concise sources, you're left with about 33 minutes of music, and it's QUITE enjoyable.

[Roger Ryan]

And (this is gonna get me in trouble) I believe that Darian recognized the greatness of this track, stuck it in between "Wonderful" and "Child Is Father Of The Man", and Brian said, "Yeah, sounds good..."

I did this as well back in 1999 in my fanmix version. It just sounded right. I seem to remember reading that Darian specifically stated that Brian suggested combining the two pieces, but he may have simply been glossing over the truth for Brian's sake. Regardless of who should take the credit, the entire second movement is genius spread over 37 years, something completely right and seemingly inevitable.

[Chris Moise]

Anyone know for certain if the BWPS Look/SFC vocal melody is vintage '66?

[Sheriff John Stone]

I really didn't care for the new title on BWPS.  "Song For Children" is just a bit too dull and generic for me, even if it does describe the music well.

I feel the same way. So I ask the question, which is a rhetorical question, because it doesn't require an answer. Because there isn't one!

Why was the working title "Look" instead of "Song For Children"? You can't get much more generic or "working title-ish" than "Song For Children.

[Mahalo]

Anyone know for certain if the BWPS Look/SFC vocal melody is vintage '66?

I don't know for certain, but I think it is more likely than not. Man, I don't know- it just seems like Brian knew more than we were ever let on about this SMiLE music. Granted, 37 years is a long time but I wouldn't be surprised if he had more tapes, notes, or ideas in his possesion concerning this music. It was his baby after all. The tag to Wonderful on the box set obviously led into something else....

[Bicyclerider]

While I think Look is a cool title, it was a provisional title - it was renamed "I Ran" for the vocal session in October 66.  The instrumental session sheet was logged as “Untitled Song #1,” the tape box as “Look” but the song was “I Ran (formerly Untitled Song #1)” for the vocal session.  I've tried to figure out what Brian was thinking with the "I Ran" title - things that scared him and in the chorus he runs away from them?  Running away from love?  Children running in play?  Kind of a stretch I realize.  Wish that vocal tape would materialize - maybe it's on a Durrie Parks acetate?

[onkster]

I, for no real reason, took the title "Look" to refer to Brian's fascination with telescopes/stargazing.  I imagined the music as what you might hear in your head when you looked through the 'scope at the stars.

I also fancied "Look" as the perfect theme song for a documentary on Pacific Ocean Park.

[Bill Tobelman]

I take "Look" to be a reference to Brian's "moment of clear light" while he was watching a sunrise during his "ultimate religious experience." You can deduce this stuff by reading the Surfing Saints article in LLVS. Brian says that the "clear light" is "the thing you really look for."

You can also find stuff about the "clear light" in Timothy Leary's "The Psychedelic Experience."

[Bill Tobelman]

Peter Reum took the whole "Song For Children" thing as playing off of "Wonderful" and the idea of 2 people becoming three in the spirit of that song from FRIENDS, "When A Man Loves A Woman" if I'm remembering correctly.

But a different take has to do with ego-death; and being reborn as a (flower) child. This is more in line with the spirit of the times during which SMiLE played out. The ego-death experience coincides with the "moment of clear light" thing which is essentially the Enlightenment thing which is "love" which is totally connected to the present moment (now) after which the experience feeler feels reborn, a child.

So if the aim of SMiLE was to promote such an experience, then the title "Song For Children" makes some sense. And the prior post's representation of the title "Look" would also fit perfectly into such an interpretation.

"I Ran" may have something to do with being on the beach & the clear light thing.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I take "Look" to be a reference to Brian's "moment of clear light" while he was watching a sunrise during his "ultimate religious experience."

Interesting theory. I definitely hear a "sunrise" thing in "Look".

It's too bad you can't just ask Brian the question and get a simple answer. What a novel concept. Ask the songwriter what a song meant. Can't do that...

[buddhahat]

To me, it always sounded like an opening song, or a song that would've been placed near the beginning, like the sun rising and rays shining down. It also has the feel of a ship chugging along, with the Sloop John B-like flutes and brass. I can envision a ship mate spotting something, pointing out to the horizon, and saying, "Look!"

Wow - I have also always envisioned people on a ship spotting land when I listen to that track! Maybe the title of Look influenced the way we visualise the music a bit, but it definitely sounds like a ship finally arriving at land. The beginning of Worms also sounds like a ship to me, but I guess it's supposed to, hence the lyrics about waving from the ocean liner or whatever. I love the way all the best Beach Boys songs make you feel like you're in or sailing on the ocean! God Only Knows sounds so nautical to me, which is weird because presumably it has nothing to do with the sea.