The Smiley Smile Message Board

Been enjoying some Christmas music lately and have a question about "Winter Symphony". Is Brian Wilson the only Beach boy to appear on the recording? Also, does anyone know who the musicians were on the track?

I'm not a big fan of Brian's re-recording so much of his past stuff, but I wouldn't mind hearing a fuller production of "Winter Symphony". Maybe add some oooh's and ahhh's. Maybe add that "Surf's Up"-like tinkley percussion sound in places. This would be a great song to put on The Beach Boys' next studio album. Since it's not specifically a Christmas song, it could be like their "River". :police:

Wonderful song in my opinion.  I've always especially enjoyed these lyrics:

Winter symphony
Snowflake fantasy
Warms my heart like a tropic sea

Yea a fine song indeed..!!

The chances of the Beach Boys ever putting out their "next studio album" are next to zero.  And consider yourself fortunate about this...

Wonderful tune...very dramatic...moody.  Man up here on the east coast of Canada...winter has set in! Major!  The past five years or so, we have been spoiled...getting away till really late January until we got major snowfall.  Now, it seems the WHOLE of Canada is in for a long cold winter....brrr!!! Winter Symphony indeed!  I have been listening to alot of sunshine pop also (yellow balloon, etc...) to get me in a California mood!

The vocal on WS-does not sound  like Brian in anyway shape or form-I know of no recorded performances where Brian sounds like this.

Totally agree. It has Love You production without the raspy vocals. Do I assume it was recorded during the MIU sessions? Brian's voice was in a very interesting place in late 1977 - in a good way.

I love that tune, although the instrumental part could be a bit shorter.
Like many tracks on the unreleased 1977 Christmas album, WS originally wasn't a Christmas song.
The basic track was recorded in 1975/76 by Brian. Al rewrote the lyrics & added horns & trumpets in October/November 1977 and Brian delivered his solo vocals.

The lyrics are from the pen of Diane Rovell. Check out the correspondance in ESQ after the release of Ultimate Christmas.

WS is one of my favorite Beach Boys songs and easily the most underrated one, IMO. And probably Brian's best vocals since Sunflower...

Thank you AGD. So was it originally a Spring symphony?

Always thought it would've improved MIU or LA considerably.

"Love You production"  How do you figure?  It's all horns and soft drums, not the burping synth and banging snare of "Love You"...

It reminds me a little bit of "I Wanna Pick You Up", with the piano and horns. The lead vocal stands alone with little backing vocals, like some of the Love You songs. True, it doesn't have "burping synths", but I never defined Love You with them so much.

I love the song - the melody, lyrics, Brian's lead - but everytime I listen to it, I envision a grander production. I mean, the title is "Winter SYMPHONY". :police: 

I like the track too -- does anyone notice more than a passing musical resemblance (chord progression, melody line) to "Summer in the City"?  (both the verses and the bridge)

Yes, and the "Penny Lane" trumpets....

Maybe ALL Brian's songs were inspired by John Sebastian!  :o

I know I seem to be following a train of thought, but I swear it's just a coincidence!

I don't agree. I think, for example, that Still I Dream of It was better.
I like WS, but I always thought Brian sounded a little bit like a muppet on it. I don't know why or how to explain what I mean...something about how he sings "Warms my heart like a tropic seeeeeeeaaaa..."

I love this song! Its one of the best songs recorded after ES IMO. I agree with Sherrif John Stone that the w/ Symphony in the title, maybe a bigger production was intended. Although, I had never thought of that before he mentioned it, because I like it the way it is.

Also, to these, unproffesional and unofficial ears, it sounds that Al Jardine is singing some back up vocals.

To me the late 1977 sessions do have some of Brian's best post 1974 vocals. They aren't quite as good as they had been but only the mid 90's Gettin In Over My Head is better.

I agree Sheriff that this is a really great song. Have always loved this one. I think the song could perhaps be enhanced musically but in terms of backing vocals I'm glad there isn't any "oooh's" and "ahhh's". I have to disagree with you on that one. I think vocally the song is fine the way it is.

It could use some decent mmm, Bob-did-it 's

Highly doubtful - the basic track (without any vocal) was recorded at least a year earlier, and it was Diane who came up with the "Symphony" bit when she wrote the lyric.

Andrew (or anyone for that matter), why doesn't she get credit? I'm not doubting she wrote the song, but is it because it is released on later archival-type releases. As another example, Jack Rieley never got credit on 4th of July.

According to Brad Elliott, she didn't confirm her contribution in time for it to be included in the liners for Ultimate Christmas. According to Diane, she did. Details in the germane issue of ESQ (in other words, i can't recall which one - 1999, obviously).

I was wondering about that, if Brian titled the song and then gave it to Diane to supply the lyrics, or if the entire concept was Diane's.

I also feel that, for some reason, Carl and/or Al didn't get a hold of the track and finish/sweeten it like was done with many of Brian's late 70's songs. Come to think of it, also his 80's, 90's, and 00's songs too. Maybe they thought it was fine the way it is, or thought it would never see the light of day.

Again, does anyone know if Brian was the only Beach Boy on the recording, and who the musician's were?

Musicians were the standard road band at the time, except for the horn solo - that was a student at MIU whose name no-one recalls.

I would think that eventually, the student would reveal him/herself. Unless there have been hundreds of people who have tried to take the credit. I would make the claim myself, except that I was born in 1977.

I was just listening to this over the weekend.  Great song.   And my question of who wrote the lyrics has been answered.  "Cuddle up in a cozy nook" does have a feminine feel to it.  I guess this could have been on MIU but they were saving it for the 2nd Christmas album?  The cold starkness of the music warmed by the french horn is perfect background for watching a snowstorm from the window of my backroom.  Almost as good as putting on California Girls on a perfect summer morning as I cruise out in my old chevy.