The Smiley Smile Message Board

I just experienced the Beach Boys’ musical development chronologically, and it was quite an experience.

My wife is going on a long trip and wanted me to load up her iPhone with Beach Boys (among other things).  I initially put MIC on there, but she doesn’t like the session stuff and demos when she has it on random.  So I remade and upgraded a compilation I made years ago (and lost the disc I burned it to.)  Essentially I was making a custom big box set.  

It ended up being 122 tracks and clocks in at 5 hours, 25 minutes.   At my desk here at work, I just listened to the whole thing straight to make sure the files were good, I didn’t forget anything, etc.  That’s some damn fine music.   Going from Surfin’ to Summer’s Gone in 5 ½ hours was pretty awesome.   When Summer’s Gone was on, I found myself getting emotional unwillingly. The overused word “epic” certainly described it.

Have many of you sat down and spent the better part of the day going through the BB catalog like this?


The track listing is below.



1961 – 1965
01. Surfin’
02. Surfin' Safari
03. 409
04. Moon Dawg
05. Surfin' USA
06. Shut Down
07. Stoked
08. Lonely Sea
09. Let’s Go Trippin’
10. Surfer Girl
11. Catch a Wave
12. Little Deuce Coupe
13. The Surfer Moon
14. Surfer’s Rule
15. Hawaii
16. Our Car Club
17. In My Room
18. Be True to Your School
19. Johnny B. Goode ("Live" 1963)
20. Fun, Fun, Fun
21. Don't Worry Baby
22. Why Do Fools Fall in Love
23. The Warmth of the Sun
24. Louie Louie
25. I Get Around
26. All Summer Long
27. Little Honda
28. Carl’s Big Chance
29. Hushabye
30. Wendy
31. Don’t Back Down
32. Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow (Live Rehearsal 1964)
33. Do You Wanna Dance?
34. Good To My Baby
35. Kiss Me, Baby
36. Please Let Me Wonder
37. Dance, Dance, Dance
38. When I Grow Up (to Be a Man)
39. She Knows Me Too Well
40. Then I Kissed Her
41. You're So Good to Me
42. Let Him Run Wild
43. Summer Means New Love
44. Girl Don’t Tell Me
45. Help Me, Rhonda
46. California Girls
47. I Should Have Known Better
48. Tell Me Why
49. There’s No Other (Like My Baby)
50. Devoted To You
51. Barbara Ann
52. The Little Girl I Once Knew
 
120 mins

1966 – Pet Sounds
01. Wouldn't It Be Nice
02. You Still Believe in Me
03. That's Not Me
04. Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
05. I'm Waiting for the Day
06. Let's Go Away for Awhile
07. Sloop John B
08. God Only Knows
09. I Know There's an Answer
10. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
12. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline, No  

36 mins
 

1966 – 2012
01. Good Vibrations
02. Our Prayer / Gee  (Smile Sessions version)
03. Heroes & Villains (Smile Sessions version)
04. Cabin Essence (Smile Sessions version)
05. Wind Chimes (Smile Sessions version)
06. Vega-Tables (Smile Sessions version)
07. Wonderful (Smile Sessions version)
08. Surf’s Up (Smile Sessions version)
09. With Me Tonight  
10. Gettin' Hungry
11. Whistle In
12. Wild Honey
13. Darlin’
14. Let The Wind Blow
15. I’d Love Just Once To See You
16. Meant for You (Alternate Version)
17. Friends
18. Wake The World
19. Passing By
20. Little Bird
21. Be With Me
22. Do It Again
23. I Can Hear Music
24. Time To Get Alone
25. Aren’t You Glad (Live 1968)
26. Break Away
27. Slip On Through
28. This Whole World
29. Add Some Music To Your Day
30. It’s About Time
31. Forever
32. Cool, Cool Water
33. Lady (Fallin’ in Love) [2009 Stereo Remix]
34. Long Promised Road
35. Feel Flows
36. ‘Til I Die
37. (Wouldn't It Be Nice To) Live Again
38. You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone
39. Marcella
40. Sail On, Sailor
41. California Saga: California
42. Only With You (Live 1972)
43. Trader (Live 1972)
44. Good Vibrations (Live 1972)
45. It’s OK
46. Ding Dang
47. I’ll Bet He’s Nice
48. Baby Blue
49. Good Timin’
50. Getcha Back
51. Kokomo
52. Don’t Fight The Sea
53. Surfer Girl (Live acoustic 2012)
54. Heroes & Villains (Live in Japan 2012)
55. Think About The Days
56. Pacific Coast Highway
57. Summer’s Gone
 
170 mins


I kept the early covers and instrumentals because I feel that was an important part of their early sound.  I know I left off some stuff that people might take issue with, but decisions had to be made! (And I'm sure someone will come along to point out how certain tracks are in the wrong order for it to be chronological.  So, I'll say "roughly chronological." So there.)

Nice!  I think this is a great "basic" BB's starter kit.  IMO, you hit just about all the high points (except for "All I Wanna Do"; what happened there?). 

I'm sure there's about to be a grand debate over this track list, but personally......I like it.

  Nice job! But...no one ever sees fit to include either "Steamboat" or "Honkin' Down the Highway" on these things.

I love those two songs as well.

I have made my own. I included some solo stuff. I think it  tells the story of the BBs and shows their progression and diversity.
1 Surfin'
2 409
3 Surfin' Safari
4 Heads You Win-Tails I Lose
5 Cuckoo Clock
6 Surfin' USA
7 Shut Down
8 Lonely Sea
9 Surf Jam
10 Farmer's Daughter
11 Surfer Girl
12 Catch A Wave
13 Little Deuce Coupe
14 Hey Little Cobra (Bruce & Terry production- Rip Chords)
15 In My Room
16 Hawaii
17 Surf City (Jan & Dean- but BWs first #1)
18 Surfer Moon
19 Ballad Of Ole Betsy
20 Custom Machine
21 Don't Run Away (Bruce & Terry)
22 Fun, Fun, Fun
23 Warmth Of The Sun
24 Pom Pom Play Girl
25 Don't Worry Baby
26 All Summer Long
27 Drive In
28 Wendy
29 I Get Around
30 Girls On The Beach
31 Little Honda
32 Don't Back Down
33 Do You Wanna Dance?
34 When I Grow Up
35 Dance, Dance, Dance
36 Please Let Me Wonder
37 I'm So Young
38 She Knows Me Too Well
39 In The Back Of My Mind
40 Kiss Me, Baby
41 The Girl From New York City
42 Salt Lake City
43 Help Me Rhonda
44 You're So Good To Me
45 California Girls
46 Girl Don't Tell Me
47 Tell Me Why (Party Album)
48 Barbara Ann
49 Little Girl I Once Knew
50 Wouldn't It Be Nice
51 Sloop John B
52 I Know There's An Answer
53 Here Today
54 God Only Knows
55 I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
56 Good Vibrations
57 Wind Chimes (Smile Sessions)
58 Cabinessence (Smile Sessions)
59 Heroes And Villains (Single)
60 Do You Like Worms?
61 Wonderful (Smiley Smile)
62 Little Pad
63 Vegatables (Smiley Smile)
64 Gettin' Hungry
65 Wild Honey
66 Aren't You Glad
67 Let The Wind Blow
68 Here Comes The Night
69 Country Air
70 Darlin'
71 A Thing Or Two
72 Friends
73 Little Bird
74 Anna Lee, The Healer
75 Busy Doin' Nothin'
76 Wake The World
77 Be Here In The Morning
78 Do It Again
79 I Can Hear Music
80 Bluebirds Over The Mountain
81 Cottonfields (Single)
82 Breakaway
83 Time To Get Alone
84 Add Some Music
85 Deirdre
86 Slip On Through
87 At My Window
88 All I Wanna Do
89 This Whole World
90 Tears In The Morning
91 Forever
92 It's About Time
93 Cool Cool Water
94 Don't Go Near The Water
95 Long Promised Road
96 Disney Girls
97 Student Demonstration Time
98 Feel Flows
99 Til I Die
100 Surf's Up
101 You Need A Mess Of Help
102 Marcella
103 Hold On Dear Brother
104 All This Is That
105 Here She Comes
106 Sail On Sailor
107 Big Sur
108 California
109 The Trader
110 Steamboat
111 Leaving This Town
112 Funky Pretty
113 It's OK
114 Had To Phone Ya
115 California Feelin'
116 Susie Cincinnati
117 Everyone's In Love With You
118 Roller Skating Child
119 Honkin' Down The Highway
120 The Night Was So Young
121 I'll Bet He's Nice
122 Let's Put Our Hearts Together
123 Good Time
124 River Song (Denny Solo)
126 Come And Go With Me
125 Wontcha Come Out Tonight
126 My Diane
127 Winds Of Change
128 Good Timin'
129 Lady Lynda
130 Full Sail
131 Angel Come Home
132 Shortenin' Bread
133 Goin' On
134 Keepin The Summer Alive
135 Santa Ana Winds
136 Endless Harmony
137 Getcha Back
138 Maybe I Don't Know
139 Crack At Your Love
140 She Believes In Love Again
141 Where I Belong
142 Love And Mercy (BW Solo)
143 Melt Away (BW Solo)
144 Still Crusin'
146 Make It Big
147 Kokomo
148 Somewhere Near Japan
149 In My Car
150 Summer In Paradise (Live from MIC)
151 Island Girl
152 Slow Summer Dancin'
153 Lay Down Burden (BW Solo)
154 Happy Days (BW Solo)
155 Don't Fight The Sea (Al Solo)
156 Isn't It Time
157 That's Why God Made The Radio
158 Spring Vacation
159 From Here And Back Again
160 Summer's Gone
161 The Right Time (BW Solo)
162 Sail Away (BW Solo)
163 The Last Song (BW Solo)
164 CARL WILSON CODA

That's a pretty good collection.  I've been toying with the idea of putting together an Ultimate BB playlist for driving, or when I'm grilling.  But, just never got around to it. 

Cool list.  I wouldn't have added Louie Louie...'cause I don't think that THAT version was indicative of their sound...or Richard Berry's for that matter.  Might have added Had to Phone Ya from 15 'bigguns'.

Quibbles really.

What a progression...to what a depression.  Those who say "No Wilsons...No Beach Boys" look to be pretty much right creatively speaking.  W/O a Wilson...there ain't much.  Yet all 8 guys who spent significant time touring and recording were a part of the whole.  The 'sound' was a shared success...as long as there was a decent song to arrange and then sing.

Well, in my case I had to keep my wife's taste in mind.  As for "Louie, Louie," it is FAR from an essential track but it is fun.  I like the "doo-dit-dit-doo-do" backing vocals. I've always found it charming.