The Smiley Smile Message Board

Here's another one that's taken a beating from the commentariat.

Too bad, as what I am hearing is a masterpiece of Psychedelia that is itself as fun as the topic it describes:

     "Come on in and see Stella the Snake Dancer -
       She shimmies, she shakes,
       She's got the biggest asp!"

Of course the BBs had touched upon the theme with County Fair, and Freddie Canon's Palisades Park is a certified R n R classic. Lennon would rework the theme in an English vein with Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite. But none can touch APUSA.

I love the boys' voices on it. :-D "Looks like a fake to me!" etc.

Fun fact: it's Hal Blaine voicing the amusement park announcer. If I remember correctly.

"Amusement Parks USA" might be the wildest, most intense two minutes that Brian Wilson ever recorded. Has it ever been performed live? It would've been cool to hear the C50 band tackle it at a soundcheck or something. Maybe Mike & Bruce will give it a shot some day.

Definitely early psychedelia. I've always loved this song. I think it's the lyrics that put people off, but as I never listen to lyrics, not a problem for me.

While I hate the phrase "Psychedelia", I agree that this is a good song. An entertaining one too with its "EHHHHHEHHEHEHEHEHEHHHH" and "Looks like a fake to me!" and "HAURRRAY HAURRRRAY HAURRRRAY".

Man, again, it's like the majority of "music fans" hate anything that's not stabbing-myself-in-the-face serious. Not everything needs to be "I Just Wasn't Made For Having Fun" and "(Wouldn't It Be Nice To Have A) Sense Of Humor". It's gotta be the best song ever or they don't bother. It's either gotta be over the top self-important or total novelty with these folks to understand, anything in the grey area is in "poor taste" or some sh*t.

Either way, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHIN MISTER. THAT "GREY AREA" IS THE EXACT REASON I LOVE THIS BAND. I LOVE THE SUPER SERIOUS. I LOVE THE TOTAL NOVELTY. BUT I ALSO FUCKING LOVE "TAKE A LOAD OFF YOUR FEET, PETE" AND Gosh Darn "AMUSEMENT PARKS USA" AND "VEGA-TABLES" AND "FRIENDS" AND ETc. ETC>

GHAHRHRHAHRAHRAH WHY CAN'T YOU FUCKING PEOPLE HAVE ANY FUN LIKE ME. IT'S ALL ABOUT FUN OVER HERE. f*** YOU GUYS, I NEED TO GO LAY DOWN, MY CHEST HURTS AGAIN.

(Again, no condescending meant, but it breaks mah heart to see people bashing songs that aren't 10/10 bloated, self-important "I am an serious artist" songs)

Also, what is a TM in the PM ;( more like PM in the TM (aka a Prime Minister you receive at night containing rare unrealized bryan wilson demos called "fuck mike love" and "hoh hoh bobby" that the mods told you you can't post about on the board)

Once more in English please.

(http://organichairproductreview.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cropped-045.jpg)

 :lol :lol :lol

Check out Little Egypt by the Coasters for another point of comparison... I think the whole Stella bit is lifted directly from that.

Also, Runnerz is totally right about the goofy Beach Boys songs. That should be their next comp for fans to complain about.

I just thought of that song, too.
But it is not "lifted" from that song. It was a typical way for advertising on carnivals. You can get an entertaining look into carnival in Elvis Presley's movie "Roustabout" (he sings Little Egypt in that movie, too). And check out the trailer at 1:25 for somebody shouting in the "See Stella..."-style

The Coaster - Little Egypt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuEcvlnD-PE

Roustabout trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZOoKmv6Mhg

Little Egypt, yes! I had forgotten completely. Humor is an important ingredient in Brian Wilson's work, a real saving grace. Rock n Roll was fun in the early days. Alley Oop. Hully Gully. Papaoomowmow. Later in the 60s Ray Stevens had a string of comic hits - Gitarzan being my fave.

But, thinking a bit more along the line of Psyhedelia - the influence of psycho-active substances is obvious now in the making of Summer Days, and, yes, Today, in a way that it was not at the time. Today, like Rubber Soul being the MJ album, Summer Days continuing that and, like Revolver, stepping up to LSD. I'm especially thinking here of the mellow undulating waves of Side 2 of Today, and from Summer Days, Summer Means New Love and, And Your Dream Comes True. The Psychedelic in these is not expressed in the grotesque disorientation of time and space, but as a deep insight into the great cosmic enveloping love lurking just behind the veil of appearances.

I don't know if this has ever been posted, but seems apropos here:

 http://www.goodhumorsmile.com/page205.htm

The first time I heard it I thought that it sounded like Jan and dean, maybe because of how the voices sounded or something or maybe the intro not sure what it was but it had that J&D sound to my ears, not that that's a bad thing.

Oh my God, I LOVE this song, and always have since the very first listen. The instrumental track is fantastic - I've always absolutely loved that carnival sound (see Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected theme, The Beatles' For The Benefit of Mr Kite, The Prodigy's Everybody in the Place, etc.). Mike's lyrics and lead vocal are fun. The melody is great. The middle spoken section is hilarious!

I just do not understand Beach Boys fans who don't like this sort of stuff...

What a great production! Brian was in a special zone. And, I'll be darn if "Amusement Parks USA" isn't a great car song, too. Let's take your car and mess around at the park all day... :-D

Amusement Parks USA is a real favourite of mine too !

Yes, I think all haters of this song should be killed in a horrible roller coaster accident, then have evil gypsies steal the loose change from their corpses.

IMO

I for one am looking forward to hearing the 'early version' on MIC almost as much as anything else that's on the box!

I'm glad to read all these positives concerning APUSA. Still, I'm pretty sure I'd noticed repeated put-downs in the recent past that had me scratching my head. Well, anyway...

You had. Guess the people who don't like it chose not to bother commenting. There's a been a fair bit of 'I can't believe Amusement Parks USA of all songs is on MIC when we could've had [insert unreleased gem here]...'

While we're on the subject of under-appreciated Summer Days... tracks... The Girl From New York City is absolutely stupendous! It works like a dream as an opening track, and as for that bass line on the chorus... Love it!

I haven't seen those comments about Amusement Parks USA being on MiC but as it is an early version I would disagree with them if they are there.

This is an entertaining tune and was a big hit in Japan if memory serves?

#3 in Japan, iirc.

I didn't know people criticized this song, I would think it would appeal to those who are more in the PS/SMiLE camp because of the wildness of it.

Anyway, great, great tune and so fun and very trippy. It does have a little J&D sound to it.

Yeah I always liked this song too.

I like this song too.  The somewhat demented carnival feel is great, especially the organ.  They mention the parachute ride at Riverview Park here in Chicago which my parents used to go on.  That park is long gone. 

Good memories. I spent many the Summer day on Jersey's Steel Pier, and they indeed did have a roomful of "crazy mirrors". I don't recall them ever having any bumper cars though, at least not from the mid-60s on till it's demise when gambling more or less forced it out of business. There was so much to do for one low admission price that you could spend your entire day there.

So it's agreed: we all like Amusement Parks USA. Yay!!!

Great song. The new stereo mix is ace.

Brian's crazy laugh sometime after the first verse is wild!

Great music, weak lyrics. I'd love to hear it as just a backing track.

Izzat really Brian?

I can't remember if it was here or at Hoffman, but there was a lot of negativity about the song when discussing Brian's "Filler" material.

If it's the latter, I'm not surprised. Let them eat their Pet Sounds vinyl while furiously masturbating into the night.

Everything is great and unique about this song. The in-your-face sound of the vocals (in fact the whole track sticks out when compared with the sound of the rest of the album); the classic Mike Love lead-- one of his best from the pre-Pet Sounds era I think; the wild voices; Brian's crazy laughter; the weird organ-loaded track that also includes fuzz guitars; the inventive drumming; the opening overloaded harmonies; and there's this weird "dizzy" effect they do with then backing voices during the third line of the verses.

It is an absolute gem of a song/recording that lyrically goes where it has to.

Definitely sounds like it to me!

But only if it's the green UK Carl And The Passions release

Thought I'd throw an unpopular opinion in here... :P  I've already posted that I love "Amusement Parks U.S.A." (and just listened to it about 25 times on repeat), but I never really liked that crazy laugh by Brian. It kind of distracts, it's (to me) annoying, and lends toward making the song too much of a novelty song. Just sayin'...

I get what you're saying, and can certainly understand how someone could find that the case (as indeed you do), however personally I find the crazed laugh just adds to frenzied, slightly deranged atmosphere.

It always makes me laugh when the girl goes 'let's go see her!' and the guy (Brian?) says 'nah it's too much'. (Is it really a girl or one of the Boys doing a voice?)

Great backing track, terrible lyrics. Enjoy the middle eight. Better than some on Summer Days, but not most...

In hindsight the lyrics are about amusement parks of which many no longer exist. In that sense it is really nostalgic when I hear things like "the bumper cars at Steel Pier" or them sing about "crazy mirrors" in Funhouses. Even some of the rides mentioned no longer exist. I feel same way when I listen to Drive-In, another place that that rarely exists today.

I used to think the first 4 or 5 songs on SDSN were kind of cheesy. Like many have stated that they believe it is a step back from Today! However, I have come to really enjoy these songs. APUSA is a wild ride and I love it. Every bit of it, the lyrics, laughing, everything! I agree with its comparison to Mr Kite.

Girl From New York City rocks. I disagree about it being a great lead track, but a good song none the less. I think the best option for a lead track on this album would have been California Girls.

To me, SDSN has the musical quality of Pet Sounds/SMiLE, but with the lyrical style of 64. But none of it in bad taste IMO!

But that's what helps to give it the illusion of being at some crazy ass amusement park.. The song without the sound effects/crazy laughter would be pretty damn bland.

There is a definite sound progression from County Fair to Amusement Parks USA to Heroes and Villains.

I frankly have never understood the idea that Summer Days is a step back from Today. I certainly didn't think that back in 1965-6. To me, then, it was the best they had yet produced. Now I think of these as basically parts one and two of the same album. Add The Little Girl I Once Knew and you are looking at one of the towering achievements in popular music of the 1960s. Add Devoted To You to the comp and...wow!

And don't even get me started on what Today Side Two meant to us back in the day. You'd be at a party at someone's house, probably on the deck out back, Chinese lanterns strung about, records playing, maybe gabbing with the guys about that afternoon's game, and suddenly came the opening bars of PLMW, you'd catch her eye somewhere across the deck and melt into each other's arms for 15 minutes of bliss.

Slightly off topic, but The Girl From New York City seems to resemble a tune called "It's a Happening World," which opens Leslie Gore's long lost Magic Colors lp. I just heard that for the first time last year and man, is that a great work of Sunshine Pop! And with a light sprinkling of Psychedelic stardust. Who'd ever have thought?

I never associated a crazy laugh like that with an amusement park, but that's just me I guess. I do like the other sound effects and the talking (including Hal Blaine) during the bridge, though. Anyway...

Is the Steel Pier in Atlantic City still around? When I was a kid, our family used to vacation at the Jersey shore and we would visit the Steel Pier. Also, there was a TV show on one of the Philadelphia TV stations in the 1960's and 70's, Summertime On The Pier hosted by Ed Hurst. It was a lower budget Where The Action Is, but it did make you wish you were there!

The pier is still there, but everything that was on it was demolished a long time ago. It was the place of my first Beach Boys show in July 1969.

The backing track is difficult to write lyrics to, though Mike could have tried a little harder with them. Listening to the clunky lyrics on some summer days songs makes it clear why Brian wanted Tony Asher for Pet Sounds.

I would add Loop De Loop to that list!

I was there as well-remember the opening fiasco of Breakaway?

No, I don't remember. All I remember was Carl introducing it as their latest single. I bought as soon as I got back home to Philly. As I recall, they were there for 2 or 3 days. On rainy or overcast days, we would drive from Wildwood up to AC and spend the whole day on the pier. I know it was a weekday, but for the life of me I can't remember which show it was, except that is was around 2-3 pm, thereabouts.

The backing tracks on Summer Days are probably the second best in the Beach Boys cannon, behind Pet Sounds.

Mike does a good job lyrically on this song, come on..It's a song about Amusement Parks. For some reason Mike felt like writing about Amusement Parks and Salt Lake City that year.

When I first became a Beach Boys' fan (mid-1970's), Summer Days (And Summer Nights) was out of print. The album was later reissued under the title California Girls with a new cover - and "Amusement Parks USA" was deleted from the album! :o Does anybody know why a couple of tracks from each of those reissued albums were NOT INCLUDED?

Yes, I had Shut Down Vol II reissued as Fun Fun Fun, minus a few tracks. No idea why.

 Brian updated this on rollerskating child  Check out the backing track on this mother -great keyboards on this track sounds like one  or more of the keyboards are playing  backwards.

I don't think the lyrics are bad at all.

And I definitely agree that  Summer Days is NOT a step back from Today! I think it's sound is more original(less overtly Spector-y) and is more well-rounded.

"Amusement Parks USA" is The Beach Boys doing what they do best, making unique sounding, fun records that just make you smile when you hear them. This is a great song, it may not have meaningful lyrics, but music is meant to be enjoyed in all its forms. A great backing track, great vocals, what more could you ask for?

:) Mark

I just listened to the Summer Days mono/stereo reissue from 2012. The Stereo Amusement Parks USA  is missing the various overdubs that give the track it's maniancal feel. On this one, Brian's original mix takes the day.

True, but there are some things to hear that you miss in the mono mix, as well. Well worth having both.

And the sound quality of APUSA on the stereo issue is not up to snuff - there's a weird phasing artifact or something.  The Amusement Parks alternate vocal on MIC will sound much better if it's anything like the Sea of Tunes track.

I hate it when people on here shorten song titles to a few capital letters and we've then got to try to figure out which song is being referred too. Annoying habit - stop it people! I can't be bothered figuring it out - what does APUSA stand for?

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Ah. See I was racking my brains thinking of 5 worded song titles... A P U S A. My bad. Still, it IS annoying...

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Can I resubmit for a higher grade?

In truth, you are quite right. It is annoying. As of now...I am done with it!