Title: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: schiaffino on April 30, 2013, 09:17:34 AM 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:
Cheers ;D Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Matt Bielewicz on April 30, 2013, 11:30:51 AM 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.
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: monicker on April 30, 2013, 12:39:24 PM It would be great if this thread became an exhaustive database of all BB working titles.
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: joshferrell on April 30, 2013, 12:40:14 PM 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???? :lol :lol :smokinTitle: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Bicyclerider on April 30, 2013, 02:58:32 PM 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!). Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: TheLazenby on April 30, 2013, 08:49:52 PM "Just call it Granny Smith Part Friggin' Two!"
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Mr. Cohen on April 30, 2013, 10:33:54 PM 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 Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Generation42 on May 01, 2013, 09:48:45 PM I still find "Dumb Angel" to be a spectacularly evocative image (and yes, I wonder about the Deaf Angel and the Blind Angel, too).
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Amazing Larry on May 01, 2013, 11:37:46 PM Who can forget Al's "Brian Wilson"? The lyrics reportedly went something like this: I'm recording a version with those lyrics now.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 Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: schiaffino on May 02, 2013, 03:11:46 PM 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:
Please correct (sure I made mistakes) and add more ;D sweet Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Chris Brown on May 02, 2013, 04:16:15 PM We all know the story, but can't forget "Run James Run" which became "Pet Sounds".
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Heteronym on May 02, 2013, 07:30:05 PM 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. Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: bgas on May 02, 2013, 08:31:07 PM Rabbit's Foot = Our Car Club
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: leggo of my ego on May 03, 2013, 06:44:04 AM 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???? :lol :lol :smokinSounds 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. Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: leggo of my ego on May 03, 2013, 11:37:35 AM 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:
Please correct (sure I made mistakes) and add more ;D 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? Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: 37!ws on May 03, 2013, 10:06:33 PM 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" Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: metal flake paint on May 03, 2013, 11:54:15 PM 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:
Please correct (sure I made mistakes) and add more ;D 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." Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: petzounds29 on May 04, 2013, 05:36:49 AM I have often wondered if old man and the baby had any connections with child is the father of the man
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: petzounds29 on May 04, 2013, 05:45:31 AM 1-rendevouze=do it again
2-sail plane song=loop de loop 3-beatrice from baltimore-you need a mess of help Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Rocky Raccoon on May 04, 2013, 10:52:26 AM
Well, that's a famous Hemingway novel. Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: schiaffino on May 04, 2013, 02:35:30 PM
Well, that's a famous Hemingway novel. Ooops Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: mrski on May 05, 2013, 01:03:45 PM 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] :-\ Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: metal flake paint on May 05, 2013, 03:35:42 PM Untitled Ballad = Then I Kissed Her (?)
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: bgas on May 05, 2013, 04:02:02 PM 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 Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Sheriff John Stone on May 05, 2013, 04:12:44 PM 'Mike Come Back To L.A." started during the 1977 M.I.U. sessions. It eventually became "Some Of Your Love".
Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: schiaffino on May 08, 2013, 10:04:50 AM Updated inventory list:
Anyone knows if Wouldnt it be nice had a different working title? Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: Andrew G. Doe on May 09, 2013, 03:28:03 PM Updated inventory list:
Anyone knows if Wouldnt it be nice had a different working title? FTFY. :lol Also: "Old Movie" = "4th of July" and "Cuddle Up" "Carol K" = "Salt Lake City" "Highschool" = "Almost Summer" Freckles = Pacific Ocean Blue California Feeling = Winds Of Change = MIU Landlocked = Surf's Up Add Some Music = Sunflower Group Therapy = Pick Ya Up At Eight = 15 Big Ones Summer's Gone = TWGMTR Title: Re: Working titles: What they mean and cool stories behind them Post by: metal flake paint on May 12, 2013, 10:39:44 PM When was the working title "Memphis Beach" first mentioned/written? The earliest I can trace it to is the two-fer booklet for LDC/ASL.
The reason I ask is that I hear the track slated as Memphis Beat and Detroit Beat rather than Beach. Actually, the piano track bears a resemblance to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmirnSeD5hc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmirnSeD5hc) |