The Smiley Smile Message Board

Variations on a theme... it has been said that the 1988 Rio Grande suite was based on a handful of old Brian Wilson compositions and some new Andy Paley links.

One of the songs mentioned in connection with the original Smile sessions was something called "Indian Wisdom." 

And I've heard distinctly, for 27 years now, a section of Rio Grande that. lyrically, goes... "In-dian Wis-dom...Indian...Indian..."

Any connection?

Never was a Smile song called "Indian Wisdom". The little bit of cod-philosophy on the back of Smiley Smile tagged "Indian Wisdom" originates from a Hallmark card of the day, as does the illustration of the flower & butterfly. Sorry.

Timothy White mentions "Indian Wisdom" as a Smile track in "The Nearest Faraway Place", however, I'm with Andrew - I've never seen such a track mentioned anywhere else as being a part of Smile.

It was a Hallmark book for sure; don't know if this was ever issued as a card.

There was a rumor that the "Night Blooming Jasmine" section originated around the time of SMiLE. My own guess would be, right after SMiLE, maybe during the whole Can't Wait Too Long thing--always sounded like it could be a part of that. Same mood, same nighttime theme, same sense of longing.

There was, of course, a disco-ey version of NBJ that's on the BW88 deluxe version--and it's horrific!

<<Never was a Smile song called "Indian Wisdom". The little bit of cod-philosophy on the back of Smiley Smile tagged "Indian Wisdom" originates from a Hallmark card of the day, as does the illustration of the flower & butterfly. Sorry.>>

And now that I think about it, my source was Brad Elliott's book, which has apparently has its own factual errors.  Thanks for the clarification, Andrew.  You've cleared up a decades-old mystery for me.

Wasn't "Night bloomin' Jasmine" written with Dennis or if not with him during the cocaine sessions periode?

FWIW, I could have sworn I saw a picture with a tape box labeled "Indian Wisdom".

I thought that the demo on the deluxe version was from '79?

Our capacity to delude ourselves is considerable: for years I was convinced Herbert Lom was dead. When he came out to present an award on a show I was watching, it came as a helluva shock. In fact I actually yelled at the TV "BUT HE'S DEAD !!!!".  ;D

I've seen it, too.

there's an instrumental spanish guitar tune that has been referred to as Indian Wisdom and been associated with SMiLE, but was actually recorded during the Friends time frame if i'm not mistaken

Recorded on 3/26/68, same session as "Even Stephen" (= "Busy Doin' Nothin'"), logged as "New Song".

The Indian Wisdom on Smiley Smile is  Asian Indian. The wisdom in Rio Grande is Native American.