The Smiley Smile Message Board

Pardon my ignorance, but what's the story with Rio Grande? When was this released and on what album? Is this all Brian's writing and sequencing? It seems amazingly ambitious but I'm sure I read some some cynical theories about the conception of this song. 

Rio Grande is on the BW solo LP from '88. Co-written with Andy Paley if I remember rightly. The story goes that Warner Music CEO, Lenny Waronker wanted Brian to write something 'Smile' like for the album.

As usual Brian re-used some old riffs (oh no not Shortenin' Bread again!) including bits of Heroes & Villains and Mrs O'Leary's Cow. There's more but I can't remember right now except for an excerpt of 'Night Blooming' Jasmine' a track originally cut as a demo by Brian circa early 80's.

At over 8 minutes it's way too long but excellent in parts imo.  Some suggest that it has a 'river of life' theme..but who knows.
 
8)

That's pretty much the story that I read somewhere. I believe that Lenny Waronker and Brian were kicking around two ideas - either a cowboy song/suite or a Hawaiian song/suite. Obviously the cowboy theme won out, though I'm not sure why.

I like the "I want the river to take me home" part, and I really like the "night-blooming jasmine" part; but it's kind of grating when Brian starts yelling like a bunch of indians, and at the end when he's screaming "rollin', rollin' on"...

I think "rio grande' is a fine piece of work. I wait for the middle when he breaks into that part..'heeeey, heeey,yeeey,yeey,yeah---aaaaahh-aaahaa-aayyyyy'   Love THAT!!!

Thanks for the info - yeah I love it, it's got loads of good pieces in it. The 'night blooming jasmine' part is the most interesting I think - I hadn't realised there was an earlier demo of this on it's own.

Originally Brian was working on a 3 section piece based on a day in the city. This first part was 'Saturday Morning in the City', eventually re-recorded and released on the GIOMH album. The second part was an untitled instrumental piece and the third was 'Saturday Evening in the City' a version of which, I think, was cut during the 'Sweet Insanity' sessions.

The 'western' theme that Rio Grande follows was allegedly taken up by Brian after seeing a book with pictures of cowboys on it's cover in Lenny Waronker's office.

The full demo of 'Night Bloomin' Jasmine' is on the expanded remastered CD version of the BW 88 album issued by Rhino in 2000, although it is incorrectly dated to '79. I think that 'Night Bloomin' Jasmine may have been recorded during the infamous 'Cocaine' sessions or if not during that period (1981-83).

 :hat

The other story - related in the Todd Gold book - is that it started life as a dubious-psychobabble themed suite (supposed title escapes the top of my head), before Waronker stepped in and demanded the Western travelogue vibe.

CB...that would be either "Life Suite" or "Child, Adult, Parent".

I really like the aforementioned "HEYEEYYY AYYY AYYYEE AYYYE AYYYYYYYY" part and the part right after that.  The "Night Blooming Jasmine" part is very good... and at the end of that part, it just KILLS me, when way in the back, you hear Brian start the "RIOOOO GRANNNNNNDEEE!" theme again.  Some really cool stuff, there.  Kind of reminds me of the "Magic Transistor Radio" type stuff.

That's the one. Cheers, Billy.