The Smiley Smile Message Board

I've loved this song and it's one of my top Beach Boy songs, I've wondered whats the story behind this lovely song? And I'll never know why this song was never released as a single. Should've been (in my opinion)

It wasn't.

I only really appreciated it when I heard the vocal in the Beach Boys mini series American Family. However the stereo mix on Hawthorne,CA is disappointing... I hope for a new, better mix that places the vocals higher in the mix.

  I meant to say why it was never :P

Has anyone ever herd the mono mix of Let the wind Blow? or an alternate take?

It is in mono on the album. Don't recall hearing any alternate of it. One of my favorite songs, love it very much. A lotta soul there. Do you like Carl's version of it on the In Concert album? I do.

I herd it, it's pretty good but I pefer the studio version

Really? I prefer the Hawthorne stereo mix.

Awesome song.
Sounds like Smiley Smile and Wild Honey had a baby.

1. Stereo version on 'Hawthorne'.
2. Beach Boys '73 'In Concert'.

I like this song too.  It was nice in concert in early 70s too.  It again reminds me of how conservative the set list got by around 1980 that they never pulled out gems like this to play (except in 93 box set tour).  BB concerts in the 80s-early 90s could have used an occasional injection of lesser known album cuts like this-I know Carl would have agreed

Are these Mike lyrics?

Incredible moving song

Yes, Mike wrote the song & brought it to Brian, who changed the beat & improved the melody (paraphrase of what Byron Preiss wrote in his authorized band biography).

So, did Mike write the music too, or just lyrics?

He just wrote that Mike wrote the music too and Brian revised it.

I obviously skipped right over that.
Thanks for saving the day.

Always thought Carl sang a soulful, meloncholy, heartfelt version on the '73 Concert album.   Just a great vocal on that.

When introducing the song on the Munich '72 show Mike says (and I'm paraphrasing here): "This started out as a prayer until Brian put music to it".

Why has this odious individual who posts pictures of dead children been allowed to re-register?

I dunno, but if I were a woman, I would really like Mike Hunt.

I deleted all versions of this, both live and studio, and replaced it with the version with that Amy chick singing. Man oh man, Bruce. Man. Oh. Man.

Me too! Of all the lowlights we could pick out in that strikeout of a film, I have to say the "Let The Wind Blow" music video sequence was somewhat moving and a nice montage of imagery set to a great song. I never forgot that scene, again even though the film itself was forgettable.

I think the most likely scenario is that Mike had the lyrics and the main melody, and Brian arranged the instruments and vocals around it.

Or memorable in ways that are only unfortunate!

I never liked the live version, the studio version (to me) had more compassion and just gives me goosebumps, the live never really had that, to me anyway. This plus Til I Die is I consider to be Brians great arragments, besides stuff on Pet Sounds and smile

3. Version with the "Amy" vocal.

I've always wondered exactly how the poor fat bunny would take away their sorrows and give them sunshine tomorrow.

I've never known a poor fat bunny to not take away my sorrows. Weather manipulation, though... nop.

Poor fat bunny? I don't understand.

"Amy" Vocal?

You think you want to hear it, but you don't.

Best leave it at that then  :lol

My first hearing of this beautiful song was on the BB- An American Family, and I've loved it ever since. I do dig the Concert version, more bluesy, but the original is so darn good, with that Wild Honey era piano Brian was using. From the film, I got the idea he was writing it when Marilyn left him during the Smile era, but I'm sure that's not the case. Made for dramatic effect  ;)

Basically, this Amy lady was signed to Brother Records for "about ten minutes" (Bruce's words) and a 1970 recording featuring her singing over the original Wild Honey track was done by Brian. Didn't amount to anything beyond that, and you'd know why once you heard it. I'd send, but alas, I don't have it on me :( using a certain search engine and typing "beach boys priess tape" into it may help.

The first time I heard the song was as a brand-new fan back in 1995 on the Don Was IJWMFTT soundtrack. I fell in love with this song especially, but also that whole album and film. I was fascinated by Brian's vocal delivery, how he radically distorted his face while barking the lines out with a gulp and a yelp. I actually found it very expressive for a man emerging from a long shadow. I know many people hate the vocals in that film, but not me.

I'm with you...I love that film, the soundtrack and Brian's vocals on it. The versions of Melt Away and Love and Mercy on there are far, far superior to the BW88 versions. 

Well I just downloaded the Amy vocal one, Her voice is pretty good I might add

A-LET THE WIND BLOOO
A-LET THE GRASS GROOO

She's not turrible, and it really feels like this song/arrangement are a terrible fit for her, but ehhh. Not surprised she wasn't around long, I guess. Not terrible, but not especially good and a little comically grating at times, at least on this song. Again, it doesn't feel appropriate for her, or at least not as is without going an octave up mid-verse as per the original.

Man :( she's probably still around. I doubt she has any idea folks're trashing a one-off performance of hers from over forty years ago, and I can't imagine going through the whole "I'm signed to the Beach Boys' label! Wait, they let me go. Uhhh, wow, this is depressing," thing. I feel bad.

 
I'm looking at this thread and thinking, Doesn't this count? 

    (http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww302/bgasnow/ltwb.jpg)

I always include her version on the Best of the Brother Records disc I made up. Ranging from the Flame to America I Know You to Leaves of Grass to the H&V/You're Welcome to The Letter to Oh Yeah to Fig Plucker to Cease to Exist to Time to Get Alone (Redwood)...etc. etc.

I never knew that lol

The live version from In Concert (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0WshQmpH68) is greatest, to me the final best arrangement. It has many things different to the studio version.
I like Carl's 'desperate and lonely' voice, the guitar solo, the moog basslines with those octave leaps, and the final modulation to the lowered 7th note of the scale, just before it ends, and how it returns to an unresolved I7 chord. Brilliant.

Kayla Williams's version is different but ain't bad either: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSMkJMM3Gkc

oh god, the comments on those Kayla Williams videos make me hate the internet.

I'm ok with most of the lead vocals.

But keep in mind that Brian is lip-synching to his previously-recorded vocals. He overacts a little bit, I think.

Assume that's mono, Bgas?

Completely agree with that assessment!

Yes, it's mono, John.  Came out around the time of the Warners Wild Honey/20/20 2-fer album release in '74.

Thanks Mikie, what was on the flip?

Now that I have a turntable again I must revisit my 45s to see how many of them I've forgotten!

Mikie's tongue tied...  I Can Hear Music gets the nod.

Sorry John - just saw this!  Yes, this was a reissued single in the U.S. on Brother Reprise in 1974:

RPS 1310 - I Can Hear Music/Let The Wind Blow

RPS 1310 - I Can Hear Music/I Can Hear Music (promo)  -  stereo/mono

why's that?

Speaking of the Amy Vocal one, if anyone hasn't herd it yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBqyvLsUmZA