The Smiley Smile Message Board

Very happy to share this. A rite of passage for me. Looking forward to your comments.
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MP3: http://www30.zippyshare.com/v/EwF49VdF/file.html
FLAC: http://www30.zippyshare.com/v/obJxqShl/file.html

My aim with this mix were to make a single LP length mono SMiLE that flowed while maintaining distinct tracks (no cross-fades). To me, SMiLE is “an American trip”, meaning it couches the psychedelic trip in the context of the American journey; westward expansion = mind expansion. I tried to stay as historical as musicality would allow and vice-versa.

For those who have been through a lot of mixes, my most unique assemblies are: Heroes & Villains, Vega-Tables, Wind Chimes, Surf’s Up, and Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow. I’m In Great Shape and Do You Like Worms also have some twists. All tracks feature at least minor mastering or editing differences than released versions (some unnoticeably minor)

# indicates unique assembly

Side 1 - 19:08
1. (Prayer)
2. Good Vibrations
3. Wonderful
4. Wind Chimes #
5. Holidays
6. I’m In Great Shape #
7. Vega-Tables #

Side 2 - 18:57
1. (Welcome)
2. Heroes & Villains #
3. Cabin Essence
4. Do You Like Worms? #
5. Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow #
6. Surf’s Up #
7. (Amen)

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track info/sources
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All tracks are in mono

(Prayer)
The Smile Sessions Box Set

Good Vibrations
Single version
Smiley Smile (2012)

Wonderful
The Smile Sessions Box Set

Wind Chimes
Altered structure move version one bridge to after first chorus and ends with tag.
Good Vibrations Box Set - The Smile Sessions Box Set - Made In California Box Set

Holidays
The Smile Sessions Box Set

I’m In Great Shape
Altered structure to Mission Pak/I’m In Great Shape/Barnyard/Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine/Wanna Be Around/Friday Night
The Smile Sessions Box Set

Vega-Tables
Altered structure to include Mono Mix Rehearsals’ reverb on end of verses, toy piano Instrumental Insert on 3rd verse with added reverb, and edit out second (fast) version of “I know that you’ll feel better …”
Unsurpassed Masters 17 - The Smile Sessions Box Set - Good Vibrations Box Set - Made In California Box Set

(Welcome)
The Smile Sessions Box Set

Heroes & Villains
Altered structure to Verse/Gee-Heroes Chant/Cantina/WooWoo/Under Arrest/Fast Heroes Chant/Pickup to 3rd Verse/Verse - Stand or Fall/Children Were Raised/Tape Explosion/Sunny Down Snuff/Prelude To Fade/False Barnyard Fade
The Smile Sessions Box Set

Cabin Essence
Made In California Box Set

Do You Like Worms?
Altered structure to include isolated verse vocals from Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE, extra chorus vocals on final bridge. Fade removed
The Smile Sessions Box Set - Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE isolated by Tilt Araiza

Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow
Altered structure to include fire sound effects, and cut out middle section
The Smile Sessions Box Set

Surf’s Up
Altered structure to include intro section from Child Is Father Of The Man, removed 1971 lyrics from tag
The Smile Sessions Box Set, Surf’s Up (2012 Remaster)

(Amen)
from Prayer
The Smile Sessions Box Set

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track sequencing notes
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We open with what would have been an unlisted (Prayer) as Brian states his intention to be on the original session for it. It also gives a taste of the unexpected which seems like a major focus of Brian’s at the time. We follow with Good Vibrations because Prayer is recorded in the midst of the Good Vibrations vocal sessions, it was featured heavily on the cover design, it gives us a single to start with, it starts a side on Smiley Smile, and it sets us off on a positive journey.

Wonderful’s focus on purity and innocence suggest placement early in the tracklist, followed by Wind Chimes as a mellow track with a fun surprise. It also features a lyric suggesting drifting off into another place which sends us off on what I’d call the SMiLE trip.

Holidays fills the role of Side 1 instrumental. Also feels like sailing away from our world to another world. I’m In Great Shape serves as the "Barnyard Suite" comprised mainly of unused pieces of Heroes & Villains to paint the picture of a day in the life of an early American farmer. I’d also like to point out that “You were my sunshine” may function as both the sun setting and our first subtle drug reference (sunshine being a term for LSD that I believe was already in usage as Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman” is a hit single at the time).

Vega-Tables ends Side 1 with a single and has connections to the agricultural themes from Great Shape as well as references to drugs.

We open Side 2 with an unlisted (Welcome), and follow it with the delightfully epic western single Heroes & Villains which started a side on Smiley Smile. Cabin Essence is yet another song that seems to be an American gothic trip with drug references intertwined and feature the topic of westward expansion.

Do You Like Worms? caps off the lyrical American gothic journey with a look at the negative effects of expansion from Plymouth Rock to Hawaii. Essentially a warning of what psychedelic drugs can do to your mind. (Albert Hoffman, the inventor of LSD, as the bicycle rider has created a highway to the spiritual world once reserved for things like tribal peyote ceremonies). It’s followed immediately by the great American fire with Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow which serves as a psychedelic freakout, climax to our journey, and ascension past the world we’ve come to know.

Surf’s Up is the ultimate enlightenment of SMiLE, the growth, the end of the old civilizations the beginning of the new.

(Amen).

- Wave / doinnothin

I'll give it a listen!

As will I. I still have to make time to listen to the last two which have been posted recently, but I'll get back to you.

made minor mixing/mastering updates to I'm In Great Shape, Vega-Tables, Welcome, Heroes & Villains, Cabinessence, Surf's Up, and Amen. link updated in original post.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Smile. Ballsy move to start with Good Vibrations, but it would have more impact if you remove Prayer from the beginning anf just move it to the end of the album replacing Amen which is way to short to be of any consequence. Seems like there should be more breathing room between some of the tracks. I'd say nice job overall with the editing. I hope you had fun making this version.

Thanks for listening and sharing Krabklaw!

I'm considering trying for a Lei'd in Hawaii fan mix next taking the best of the released rehearsals/concerts/studio sessions and trying to add crowd overdubs, and maybe include some of the stripped down Smiley Smile tracks for Wind Chimes and Wonderful since this would be an alternate world where SMiLE was released. Would love if there'd been Baldwin version of Surf's Up, I would love to use the 67 version but the piano might kill that Lei'd in Hawaii organ vibe.