The Smiley Smile Message Board

Hello, people of Smiley Smile Message Board, and far beyond!

Imagine that, somehow, in late 1967, Brian straightened himself out, gained enough confidence to make great music again, and decided to release what could have been SMiLE as a cohesive 12-track album, with all the material that was left in the vaults at that time. (I know that somewhere in 1968, Capitol supposedly burned a half-inch reel of tape containing Look (Master Vocals and Clarinet parts), Wonderful (possibly alternative takes/mixes), Cabin Essence (again, possibly alternative takes and mixes), and Surf's Up (alternate takes, maybe the rumored Pt. 2 w/ strings [if it exsited at all])).

Just pretend that Capitol burned those tapes in May 1967, not 1968, the boys insisted to record some vocals on "Cabin Essence" and "Surf's Up" at Wilson's home, and most of the tapes that are circultating currently are what Brian had to work with...

That's the scenerio I used to create a mono, 12-track, SMiLE album. I am not guaranteeing that this is how SMiLE would have definetlely been released in '67, since I am not Brian Wilson himself, but a mere fan of his music.

Side 1:

1. Prayer (one thing we definetely know FOR SURE is that "Our Prayer" or "Prayer" was going to open the album, unlisted or listed. I used The SMiLE Sessions version, but made a cut to follow a sequence that was presented in an acetate recording from Brian Wilson sourcing from 1966.)

2. Heroes and Villains (this, Vega-Tables, and The Elements single-handedly contributed to the demise of this project. Here and there, day by day, Wilson was always recording new "sections", changing sequence at random, making it harder for him to even complete an album utilizing the same approach he was using just to record "Heroes and Villains." I used the sequence that was presented on The SMiLE Sessions Box-Set in Disc 4. The Disc 4 mix sounds like an acetate, or a pairing up of various acetates, and the sequence itself is very solid, since it utilizies 75% of everything recorded in those turbulent sessions, under roughly 5 minutes. I DO KNOW that "Heroes and Villains Pt. 1 and 2" where out to be singles, but it wasn't uncommon for artists to have extended, "album" versions of their singles. Using this mindset, I cleaned up some musical inaccuracies, and edits, using parts from "Pt. 1 and 2." I extended the Swedish Frog section, I smoothed out a rough cut during the "Animals" section, I added some laughter during "Cantina" and I shortened the "Whistling Bridge" section to flow better musically to "My Children Were Raised/Often Wise" and then added the "Gee" section from "Pt. 2" instead of the rough outtake presented on the original Disc 4 mix. Wala! A working "album version" of Heroes and Villains!)

3. Vega-Tables (quite similiar to Smiley Smile's track order. I used the SMiLE Sessions mono mix, considering that 1967 Brian himself would've been satisfied with this mix. The only edit I made was that I faded put the song after the slow acepella version of "I know that you feel better when you send us in...." just like how BWPS ended.)

4. Do You Like Worms (I used the intro with the alternative "Worms" vocals from The SMiLE Sessions, till the harpsichord, when I use SNL's mono mix. I keep on continuing to use SNL's mono mix until the bass solo, where I use the SMiLE Sessions vocals as an extra "Rock, Rock, Roll" vocal, and then cut right back into the harpischord ending.)

5. Wonderful (I used The SMiLE Sessions mix, since they pretty much got it right!)

6. I'm In Great Shape (as SNL visualized, and oversaw, this is the 4-part barnyard suite that would've probably closed Side 1, so I used his mono mix, since he pretty much got it right as well!)

7. Cabin Essence (pretend Mike felt sorry for Brian's condition, and insisted to record lead on Cabin Essence in 1967. I do know that indeed, Mike Love recorded his lead in 1968. I again used the SMiLE Sessions mix, since it captures a typical 1960s production style so well, with all the cuts, and muddiness, I love it.)

I am halfway done this project, only delayed due to the tracklisting for Side 2. I would love you all to give feedback, and suggestions, and possibly disscuss about a Side 2 tracklisting that could flow, while still being historically accurate. Thank you!

Well guys. I have came about with a working track-order for Side 2, but would still appericiate constructive critism on the tracklisting. I am complete Side 1, and am due to upload it on Vimeo soon.

Side 2

1. Good Vibrations (Single Edit)

2. Wind Chimes (SMiLE Sessions)

3. The Elements (Mrs. O' Leary's Cow from SMiLE Sessions, cut down to two repeats and an outro, then Water Chant, then the "I know that you feel better when" reprise till fade from Vega-Tables SMiLS Sessions, into Wind Chimes Piano Solo)

4. Child Is The Father of The Man (SMiLE Sessions)

5. The Old Master Painter (SMiLE Sessions)

6. Surf's Up (SMiLE Sessions)

Your track listing is fine - any track listing of Smile music is fine.   this is part of the point, or became part of the point, of Smile anyway - the fans playing with the various bits of music, working their own puzzle of it.   I personally would love to see an official interactive release similar to the old Project Smile. 
Anyway, I look forward to giving it a listen when you have uploaded it.   :)

I really like your second side particularly

An official "Project SMiLE" would be marvellous, but I'm sure this is where Brian'd halt it, due to his growing under-appreciation of the original SMiLE music these days. He's obviously looking into the future, and isn't the slightest interested in the past, especially if that past deals with.... I think we all know by now.

Thank you very much. It is strange since I didn't put very little time and thought on that Side 2. I like my Side 1 better, since it sounds legitimate, considering what Van and Brian where concieving during 1966. Side 2 sounds less cohesive to my ears, but I guess that's just me.

Is it true that these were the sessions contained within that half-reel of tape?

Sorry, I was making an educated guess on what sessions the tape probably contained, but Wiki did say that the tape contained alternate Wonderfuls, Surf's Ups, Cabin Essences...  The Look was probably an educated guess, considering the song was completed at one point, with vocals/clarinets...

Side 1 is up in Vimeo.... NOW!!!!:

https://vimeo.com/143823850

LOOK, LiSTEN, ViBRATE, SMiLE!!  :lol

I like it!  :)

Sorry, I'll re-edit Side 1 due to volume issues...

Either way, a true shame indeed.  Someone in charge of the archives should investigate, because Brian wouldn't do it.

Yes! Get Mark on it! (By Mark, I mean Mark Linett, of course).

Absolutely. If they havent already, every tape and every archive even possibly BB related should be listened to and cataloged. I know much is known to be missing too, and itll be hard if not impossible to track down.

AAEERGGGHHHH.... where is it?? :'(

https://vimeo.com/143988714

Hopefully this link works....

Guys, should Side B go like this:

1. Good Vibrations

2. Wind Chimes

3. Child Is The Father of The Man

4. The Elements (Mrs. O' Leary's Cow, Water Chant, My Vega-Tables, Wind Chimes Piano, Whispering Winds....)

5. The Old Master Painter

6. Surf's Up

(Unlisted: You're Welcome)

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Or just like how it originally was, which was:

1. Good Vibrations

2. Wind Chimes

3. The Elements

4. Child Is The Father of The Man

5. The Old Master Painter

6. Surf's Up

Or even this

1. GV

2. WC

3. Child

4 Sunshine

5. Elements

6. Surf's Up

(7.) Welcome

I'm again having problem with this link! Am I stupid or something  ???
This is frustrating, even more when you love smile mixes like me ;D

HERE IS SIDE 1: (FINALLY, SWEET JESUS!!)

https://vimeo.com/144187144

And yes, I modified the tracklisiting a bit, but I'm happy with it.

I always try and sequence it as if it were 1966 - GV at the top of side two, Cabinessence ending side 1. 14 tracks. The elements not all on side 2. And I get rid of the 3 movements from 2004
Side 1
1. Our Prayer
2. Heroes and Villains
3. Vega-Tables
4. Do you dig worms?
5. Wonderful
6. The Old Master Painter/You were my sunshine
7. Cabinessence

Side 2
8. Good Vibrations
9. Wind Chimes
10. The Elements: Fire
11. I love to Say dada
12. Look
13. Child is the father of the man
14. Surf's Up

I like it.  The transition between Veggies and Cabin E left me wanting, but overall - excellent.  
Reiterates, for me, just how much ass Smile would have kicked if it had been accomplished in late 66, early 67.

I love your mix of Heroes and Villains, the lead vocals with Brian + Mike alternating between lines are just incredible. I feel like the fade-out to Vega-tables is a bit long though, but overall, I really like it so far, it kinda makes me want to put my mix up online...

This is probably my favourite "non-December tracklisting" version. I'll definitely add Great Shape/Barnyard into Heroes and Villains, if I had to follow your tracklisting, just to make it more 1966-ish.

seems to have gone.... :(

Fear not...

Here are brief liner notes to an upcoming update on my mix:

This is my own compilation/mono mix of one particularly famous unfinished album, "SMiLE." I created my own compilation/mix of this album as per the testimonials and interviews of Van Dyke Parks, Brian Wilson and many others who took part in this project to recreate, as closely as possible, what "SMiLE" could've been in 1966/67 WITHOUT digitally altering the music, adding fly-ons from Brian Wilson's 2004 solo rendition of SMiLE, and only using material from 1966-1971. I used a 12-track shortlist sent in by Wilson on December 1966 as the blueprint for my own running order, to remain true to the documented intentions of what Wilson and Parks where conceiving, conceptualizing, and planning to put out in late 1966.

Musical Genres/Sub-Genres: Progressive Rock, Art Pop, Rock Opera, Psychedelic Rock, Impressionistic Music, Yodelling, Baroque Pop, Contemporary Americana, Folk, Avant-Garde, Comedy, Cowboy Songs, Spoken Word, Country, Comic Songs, Doo-Wop, Revival Music, Barbershop Singing, Chanting, Noise, Cartoons, Field Recordings.
LOOK! LiSTEN! ViBRATE! SMiLE!

Track Running Order and Track/Side Lengths:

Side A: [21:35]

(Hidden Track: Our Prayer) [0:58]

1. Heroes and Villains [5:12]

2. Vega-Tables [3:41]

3. Do You Like Worms? (Roll Plymouth Rock) [3:42]

4. I'm In Great Shape: [[The Barnyard Suite]] (Barnyard/I'm In Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop) [2:35]

5. The Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine [1:55]

6. Cabin Essence (Home On The Range/Who Ran The Iron Horse?)  [3:30]


Side B: [20:18]

7. Good Vibrations [3:38]

8. Wonderful [2:04]

9. Wind Chimes [2:35]

10. The Elements: [[The Elements Suite]] (Fire/Water/Air/Earth) [4:50]

11. Child Is The Father of The Man [1:45]

12. Surf's Up [4:12]

(Hidden Track: You're Welcome) [1:08]

Total LP Running Time: [41:50]

 Fear not...

Here are brief liner notes to an upcoming update on my mix:

This is my own compilation/mono mix of one particularly famous unfinished album, "SMiLE." I created my own compilation/mix of this album as per the testimonials and interviews of Van Dyke Parks, Brian Wilson and many others who took part in this project to recreate, as closely as possible, what "SMiLE" could've been in 1966/67 WITHOUT digitally altering the music, adding fly-ons from Brian Wilson's 2004 solo rendition of SMiLE, and only using material from 1966-1971. I used a 12-track shortlist sent in by Wilson on December 1966 as the blueprint for my own running order, to remain true to the documented intentions of what Wilson and Parks where conceiving, conceptualizing, and planning to put out in late 1966.

Musical Genres/Sub-Genres: Progressive Rock, Art Pop, Rock Opera, Psychedelic Rock, Impressionistic Music, Yodelling, Baroque Pop, Contemporary Americana, Folk, Avant-Garde, Comedy, Cowboy Songs, Spoken Word, Country, Comic Songs, Doo-Wop, Revival Music, Barbershop Singing, Chanting, Noise, Cartoons, Field Recordings.
LOOK! LiSTEN! ViBRATE! SMiLE!

Track Running Order and Track/Side Lengths:

Side A: [21:35]

(Hidden Track: Our Prayer) [0:58]

1. Heroes and Villains [5:12]

2. Vega-Tables [3:41]

3. Do You Like Worms? (Roll Plymouth Rock) [3:42]

4. I'm In Great Shape: [[The Barnyard Suite]] (Barnyard/I'm In Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop) [2:35]

5. The Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine [1:55]

6. Cabin Essence (Home On The Range/Who Ran The Iron Horse?)  [3:30]


Side B: [20:18]

7. Good Vibrations [3:38]

8. Wonderful [2:04]

9. Wind Chimes [2:35]

10. The Elements: [[The Elements Suite]] (Fire/Water/Air/Earth) [4:50]

11. Child Is The Father of The Man [1:45]

12. Surf's Up [4:12]

(Hidden Track: You're Welcome) [1:08]

Total LP Running Time: [41:50]

[/quote]

I know "Child" is a little short, but I couldn't get a hold of that vintage test edit, and couldn't have done it justice.

Would love to hear this mix - all the links on Vimeo don't seem to work though.  Can you repost?  Thanks!

Well, you know what? Here's my updated Side One, incorporating the revised running order. Enjoy!

https://vimeo.com/145680537

(As for CITFOTM, I decided to use my 1:45 mix, [which is basically SMiLE Sessions without that Child intro thing], as opposed to a 3:03 mix based on Wilson's original edit. The reason why is because I feel it tackles all the major "Child" vocal and instrumental parts from the 3:03 mix without repetition, and in a coherent order, since there are no existing additional verse vocal parts anyways [but according to Linnet, there where! They're just nonexistent now, possibly wiped out]. I reckon 1967 Brian would've digged it for an album cut).

I think what you'll all dig is "The Elements" on Side 2. It's 4:50 minutes long (Not incredibly long once you consider some "Heroes" acetates went on for 4-6 minutes). I am one of those people that an Elements Side is bullshit. If the SMiLE Sessions kept Side One as is, and Side Two relatively the same, but with a track called "The Elements" added before Child or Surf's Up, instead of a whole Elemental Side, we'd probably get a more accurate representation of what SMiLE could've been in '67, without the odd "Three Sides" blueprint, which is DEFINITELY NOT how SMiLE would've been in 66/67.

Nevermind, 3:03 mix it is. Vintage accurate, and it balances side lengths out.

https://vimeo.com/145680537

Side 2. No You're Welcome, since it ruins the climaxing drama of Surf's Up...

Enjoy!

https://vimeo.com/146388962


(The Water sounds on The Elements are not vintage 1966, btw).

I could kiss you for this post

Thank you!  :lol

So what did y'all think? Anything you particularly digged on this fan mix? Did I nail The Elements, or not so much? Let me know. I'm eager to know what you all have to say.

Awesome work! I absolutely love your Elements track, even if the water sounds aren't vintage. Where are they from exactly?

From an iTunes sound library, containing water sounds. Mixed down to mono, and lowered in volume to compliment the water chant. I do not believe in the idea Dada was water. There is very little evidence to say Dada eas the water section, other than the fact that it got recylced to become Cool Cool Water....

TBH, no vintage water sounds exist, although they did exist, as well as a rough take of an "Elements : Air" that Brian seemed to have suggested were attempted, yet not complete. In 1966, "The Elements: Earth" was proposed as Vega-Tables, but then in 1967, it got branded into a single. Either way, the point is, I'm always frustrated when somebody flys-on a 2004 "Worms" lead vocal part onto the 66 backing, but there isn't much difference between water sounds from 49 years ago, compared to water sounds, let say, 10-5 years ago.