The Smiley Smile Message Board

Does a 1966/67 version of Barnyard, with vocals, exist? I know there's the usual instrumental and then the piano demo, but, uh, I don't know, has anyone mixed the two together or anything?

There is a version from that era that has the original track that was recreated for BWPS along with the "oooooo" backing vocals.  No lead vocal though.  I've never heard of anyone trying to fly Brian's piano demo with verse lyrics into that track, but with some work it may be possible.  At the end we're left with the version from BWPS, which is actually pretty darn good.

Here's my mash-up of the "Barnyard" backing track and the piano demo, from my 2004 SMiLE mix.  Let me know what you guys think...


http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=1921A8B764D5F831

Wow, good job. It's sort of creepy-sounding and demonic during the lead because of the piano, I like it alot.

There's a version of Barnyard with the backing vocals and no animal sound effects and a version of Barnyard with the backing vocals and the animal sound effects.  I don't believe the multitrack has been found, but Alan may know more about that.

As far as I know, the version with backing vocals and animal sound effects available on bootlegs is from an acetate. Is this also the case with "Do You Like Worms?"? I mean, even the officially released version has pitch problems... but is that maybe because of the tape?

The mash-up is very good, by the way.

Did 'barnyard' borrow its theme (or its 'mood', i guess) from some old show/movie about a small farm? What the heck was the inspiration for this?

I was listening to the Heroes and Villains Sessions boot and got to 'Barnyard' and something about it really reminded me of my childhood - then I remembered that my parents bought me books on tape (for kids) when I was young and I swear one of them had this kind of feel to it.

Some here and elsewhere have taken the Barnyard lyrics etched on the GV/H&V 78s as a not-so-subtle hint that something special regarding Barnyard will be happening in the Smile box.  That doesn't seem like a totally unreasonable inference to draw, but we'll have to wait and see.

It's my dream wish that a 'real' lead vocal for Barnyard (my favorite smile song after Surf's Up) exists.

It's always surprised me that there wasn't.  Why?

1. The track was complete with extensive b/r vocals
2. The demo had the lead vocal melody in entirety
3.  The lead was pretty simple singing.  Brian or Al could do it in their sleep, and in one or two takes/20 mins.
4. Why monkey with animal effects on different mixes without a lead vocal existing. Seems you'd do that after cutting the lead.

Agreed on all counts - it would seem to me to be a case of Brian recording a lead vocal at some point, junking it with the intention of going back and re-doing it later, but never getting around to it.  On the massive Smile box set thread, Matt Bielewicz has some great posts on this subject.

i've always enjoyed the BWPS barnyard just for how he elongates "lumberrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"

Sounds like a Mike vocal to me, actually.

Yeah, Mike would sing it nicely too; though I love Brian's voice on the demo.

Yeah me too. Secretly hoping that the quote in the runout groove of the 78 is a clue that a more complete Barnyard has been located. Or an alternate edit of H&V with a complete Barnyard tag!!

Certainly something interesting has been found, as Adamghost's post from a few weeks back suggested. just how interesting is anybody's guess but my gut feeling is that holy grails such as an alternate Heroes or Surf's Up pt 2 are unlikely. Still a lead vocal Barnyard isn't beyond the realms of possibility and certainly would be the icing on the cake of this upcoming release.

Agreed. To borrow an old cliche, Brian could sing the phone book and make it sound beautiful.

Notice though that the vocal for Barnyard is in a lower register and doesn't contain any of the difficult high parts of something like I'm in Great Shape. Couple that with the fact that there really weren't very many meaty vocals for Mike on the album, and I think this one would have gone to him. He seems like he could play the role of the man on the farm quite well too.

I tend to agree, if not Brian I can't really imagine anyone else but Mike singing it.  Aside from the Cantina section and the Cabinessence tag, Mike really didn't have any "leads" to speak of on the album (that we know about anyways), so perhaps Brian would have thrown him a bone here.

I think the reason there's no lead vocal on that track is because the "Barnyard" lyrics that Brian is singing on the "Humble Harv" demo were not originally conceived to go with that track.

I think those lyrics were written for the track that closes the "Cantina" version of "Heroes And Villains"

We'll find out on July 12, 2011 if that's correct or not!

As always, all musings are IMHO  :)

I disagree. The Cantina version coda just doesn't work for Barnyard for tempo and chord changes. I think, though, that the most damning evidence against your theory is the "Let's hear the animals!" that Brian yells out that we indeed hear in the Barnyard backing. I don't think there's much speculation on this matter.

Actually, it's the tempo and chord changes that SUGGESTED this theory to me!

Their both in the same key and have the same 1 to 4 repeating chord pattern, and if you sing the Barnyard lyrics at the tempo Brian is singing them on the demo, they fit perfectly.

Also, I believe those lyrics were originally conceived to go there because the tracking dates for the "H&V verses/I'm in great shape/Cantina version coda" sections were held on October 20 & 27. Then, 8 days after these first sessions (November 4th), we have Brian (and Van Dyke) playing it for Humble Harv and including all three recently recorded sections, and singing the Barnyard lyrics over the last section.

As far as Brian saying "Let's Hear The Animals" on the demo goes, I believe the animal effects were in his mind at the time for this track.

I think the reason there's not much speculation on this matter, is because i'm the first one (that I know of!) to put this theory forward.

Not trying to start anything, I just wanted to share my reasons for believing this.  :)

Interesting theory, but didn't the fade in question actually begin life as the fade to My Only Sunshine? I would be very surprised if there was time for it to be yanked out of that song and made into Barnyard, only to be usurped by the Nov 4 Barnyard, all within the span of two weeks. But anything's possible I guess.

Actually, it's the other way around! Barnyard was recorded on October 20th (as part of H&V) and My Only Sunshine was recorded on November 14th.

Sometimes I think the phrase "Anything's Possible" was created for SMiLE!  :)

But but but... I always thought the "Barnyard" that was recorded on October 20 at an H&V session was the piece of music that ended up on BWPS as Barnyard, NOT the cantina fade. Was I mistaken all this time? (wouldn't be a first)

Hey Catbirdman,

In the May 1988 issue of ESQ (Volume 1 Number 4) with Mike Love on the cover, there was a rundown of known SMiLE sessions that attributed the October 27, 1966 H&V session to the piece known as the fade to the Cantina version of H&V. I hope the SMiLE Sessions Box clears a lot of this stuff up for us!

That's a similarly sincere hope of mine as well.  :)