The Smiley Smile Message Board

Smiley Smile Stuff => General On Topic Discussions => Topic started by: buddhahat on March 13, 2010, 01:10:00 AM



Title: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 13, 2010, 01:10:00 AM
You can't have too many smile threads, right?!  ;)

What was the be included within this track and how?

AGD asked VDP this question and was told it was to have internal crossfades.

Fire is Pt 1.

There is some evidence (namely Carol Kaye's recollection of the sessions) to suggest that I Wanna Be Around/Friday Night was to follow although some dispute this. Personally I think this pairing works very well and if it's true, IWBA and FN could have been a significant part of The Elements - perhaps parts 2 & 3! If so, how do they work as elements? Admittedly, IWBA doesn't seem to have anything  elemental about it. FN has a watery hawaiian vibe, and the woodshop sounds are earthy. Perhaps there could've been a crossfade out of FN and into the water chant?

Earth - Did vegetables start life as the earth element, to be incorporated into the suite? Certainly by the time of the handwritten list (december?) vegetables seems to have been split off as its own track. What is the evidence that vegetables was ever part of The Elements - just Frank Holmes artwork, or is there more evidence?

Water - The main problem for me with Love to say Dada being water is that it was recorded right at the end of the smile period, and also apparently has 3 parts to it: The intro, the main bit, and if you listen to the sessions, they appear to start a piano based coda that sounds very deliberate. It sounds very much like a complete track by this stage, in the same way that Vegetables has become it's own track and has split from the suite.

My thoughts on Dada: How come All Day shares the same melody, has bird sounds, and is part of Heroes? One theory is that, as Cam suggests, for Heroes b side, Brian was trying to do a sampler for the album, putting little snippets together that each represent a track from Smile. In this context, All Day could start out representing The Elements on the Heroes b-side, in the same way that Cam suggests that Heroes Intro represents Fire. There appears to be shortened version of All day that could fit the bill. Perhaps it is the water melody from The Elements, combined with airy bird sounds - an amalgamation of two elements? During these shortened version sessions, an engineer can be heard saying "That sounds wild". Perhaps (and I know it's a big perhaps) Brian was so taken with the sound of this snippet that he decided to work it up into a longer song i.e. All Day, maybe to fill the b-side of H&V. He then decided to take this longer version that has started life as a representative of The Elements, and really work on it with BB vocals and everything, possibly as a main track for Smile and at this point it grows into Love To say Dada - an entire song that perhaps has a water theme, perhaps not. Certainly by the time of Wild Honey, it has grown into Cool Water.

Alternatively that Dada/All Day melody could have nothing to do with The Elements, and water could've been the water chant instead. What is the evidence that Dada was water? Is it just an assumption based on the fact that it grew into Cool Water?

The Elements in later BB albums: Brian appears to be revisiting these ideas after the collapse of Smile. Fall Breaks clearly derives from Fire, but also the bells/whistles session from Heroes. Interestingly it is sequenced next to Vegetables on Smiley. Diamond Head seems to have a very elemental vibe to it - the sound of a storm, the crossfades. Curiously it is also sequenced next to Transcendental Meditation. Clearly a derivation of Fire. Perhaps a coincidence, but perhaps not.

What are your personal Elements theories?







Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: runnersdialzero on March 13, 2010, 01:23:38 AM
Curiously it is also sequenced next to Transcendental Meditation. Clearly a derivation of Fire.


Don't really hear that at all. Maybe a little, but it's a huge stretch - I don't think it's intentional.


Water - The main problem for me with Love to say Dada being water is that it was recorded right at the end of the smile period, and also apparently has 3 parts to it: The intro, the main bit, and if you listen to the sessions, they appear to start a piano based coda that sounds very deliberate. It sounds very much like a complete track by this stage, in the same way that Vegetables has become it's own track and has split from the suite.

Fire was two sections, though, was it not?


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 13, 2010, 02:28:31 AM
Curiously it is also sequenced next to Transcendental Meditation. Clearly a derivation of Fire.


Don't really hear that at all. Maybe a little, but it's a huge stretch - I don't think it's intentional.


Water - The main problem for me with Love to say Dada being water is that it was recorded right at the end of the smile period, and also apparently has 3 parts to it: The intro, the main bit, and if you listen to the sessions, they appear to start a piano based coda that sounds very deliberate. It sounds very much like a complete track by this stage, in the same way that Vegetables has become it's own track and has split from the suite.

Fire was two sections, though, was it not?

I definitely think Transcendental Meditation has grown out of Fire. Compare the melody of fire (the sung parts from BWPS) to the ah-ah-ah melody of TM - they are nearly identical. I would argue TM is just a re-hash of Fire.

Agreed, it may be a stretch to think the sequencing of TM next to Diamond Head was a conscious attempt to put elemnts songs next to elements songs. Wishful thinking on my part - but maybe a happy coincidence.

I don't understand what you're saying about Fire being two sections. As far as I can tell, there's just one part to it, and therefore it's Part 1 of the Elements. Unless you're including Heroes Intro as another part of Fire. I think this whistles section definitely belongs with H&V, not Fire.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Mahalo on March 13, 2010, 05:38:19 AM
I am a believer in the theory that Fall Breaks and Back to Winter Again (Woody Woodpecker Symphony) is/or had something to do with the Earth Element. One of the most criminally underlooked songs in the entire Beach Boys canon...


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Sheriff John Stone on March 13, 2010, 06:36:21 AM
Fire is Pt 1.

There is some evidence (namely Carol Kaye's recollection of the sessions) to suggest that I Wanna Be Around/Friday Night was to follow although some dispute this. Personally I think this pairing works very well and if it's true, IWBA and FN could have been a significant part of The Elements - perhaps parts 2 & 3!

Two questions: Based on this sequence, did the fire just "go out" on its own, and then the rebuilding started? Where do you put the "Water Chant"? I think the fire has to be put out (by the water) before the barn is rebuilt. I always connected the "Workshop" to building the home on the range. But that's just one man's opinion....


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: OneEar/OneEye on March 13, 2010, 07:06:51 AM
When I hear Mrs. O'Leary's Cow my imagination doesn't just picture the raging fire, but also the firemen desperately fighting it,  There's a take of this song that ends with the fire kind of winding down (still crackling, but no longer raging) and then a quick three "boom boom boom" raps on the drums that signify (to me) the fire being stomped out.   Workshop sounds real good following this.  Whether it was definitely intended to, who knows?  But it does sound good.  Of course Fire, Water, Workshop sounds pretty good too, so I guess it comes down to whatever one likes.
I have read about the supposed "Barnyard suite" - which (from what I gather)  included things like In Great Shape, Barnyard and Workshop (possibly Vega-tables too?), but Workshop hasa mournful quality to it, it sounds like people rebuilding after some catastrophe (at least to me it does), so to me it feels out of place in the boppy, finger poppin' world of Barnyard/Great Shape. 
The fire destroys, the people rebuild, the restorative rains come, the earth revives, the crops grow... :)


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Sheriff John Stone on March 13, 2010, 07:18:24 AM
...but Workshop hasa mournful quality to it, it sounds like people rebuilding after some catastrophe (at least to me it does), so to me it feels out of place in the boppy, finger poppin' world of Barnyard/Great Shape. 
The fire destroys, the people rebuild, the restorative rains come, the earth revives, the crops grow... :)

This is what continues to make SMiLE fascinating....I see the tone of "Workshop" completely different. I don't hear a mournful quality to "Workshop". With the sparse, "light", background music, I actually hear a casual, take-your-time tone, as opposed to a "let's hurry and get this barn rebuilt" quality (those are my words).

Restorative rains? That's interesting. So the water is used to revive the earth, grow the crops - not to put out the fire? Let me think about that. :police:


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: OneEar/OneEye on March 13, 2010, 07:31:11 AM
This is what continues to make SMiLE fascinating....I see the tone of "Workshop" completely different. I don't hear a mournful quality to "Workshop". With the sparse, "light", background music, I actually hear a casual, take-your-time tone, as opposed to a "let's hurry and get this barn rebuilt" quality (those are my words).

Restorative rains? That's interesting. So the water is used to revive the earth, grow the crops - not to put out the fire? Let me think about that. :police:

Actually I can dig your interpretation too (and I agree it is fascinating how many different ways one can see the picture), because perhaps after the dude tells his chick he's gonna give her a home on the range, we hear the building of said cabin, followed by farm life (Great Shape/Barnyard/maybe Vega-Tables) and the animals, chickens struttin' in their tennis shoes, etc. and then the stupid cow knocks over the lantern (or whatever it was the cow supposedly knocked over) and starts the fire, and oh heck there goes Chicago, but ahhh - the water puts out the fire, and then...and then... ???   
Anyway, I can see your point there.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Chris Brown on March 13, 2010, 12:29:44 PM
My theory has always been that The Elements was intended to be a four-part suite of approximately one minute long pieces, not full-length songs merely sequenced together. 

Fire is the obvious element, and doesn't really need further discussion, other than to say that it clearly was re-done as Fall Breaks for Smiley (Brian's "candle," if you will).

Water Chant would work well as the "Water" element - it's short enough, and most definitely "water-like." 

Air was described by Brian in the '70's as a piano cut that was never finished...it may exist in some form as a part of something else, but it's anyone's guess whether we've actually heard it or not.  I wouldn't be surprised if it has some connection to DaDa, but there are numerous piano bits floating around that could have been an offshoot of Air.

Earth is the biggest mystery for me.  I don't think it was Woodshop, I Wanna Be Around, I'm In Great Shape, or anything else that we've heard.  If it was in fact something we've heard, my money would be on Vegetables, but not the single version recorded in spring '67 - the early version from '66 with the "cornucopia" lyrics would be my guess.  It's shorter and more in line with Brian's humor concept.  Perhaps by the spring he had abandoned The Elements, and decided to make Vegatables into a stand-alone song. 

Based on the session tape of the "Fire" session, it was clearly delineated that Mrs. O'Leary's Cow was part 1 of the Elements.  No other recording we've heard references the Elements, so I've always assumed that to mean that Brian either didn't know what the other elements were going to be, or he never got around to recording them.  It's definitely the biggest remaining Smile mystery in my eyes, one that was not settled one iota by BWPS.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: A Million Units In Jan! on March 13, 2010, 12:59:20 PM
As much as we don't want to believe it, I don't think that Brian got to a point where there was a concrete idea in his head of what they were going to be. Even 'Mrs. O'Leary's Cow' was gonna be put on the shelf because he believed it caused real fires. No matter what Frank Holmes drew or what Anderle and Vosse said or whomever said or heard whatever it is they heard, Brian was changing his mind every other day. Toss some names in a hat and pull one out-the one you pull was probably  an element at one time.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 13, 2010, 01:00:26 PM
There's a take of this song that ends with the fire kind of winding down (still crackling, but no longer raging) and then a quick three "boom boom boom" raps on the drums that signify (to me) the fire being stomped out.   Workshop sounds real good following this.  Whether it was definitely intended to, who knows?  But it does sound good.  Of course Fire, Water, Workshop sounds pretty good too, so I guess it comes down to whatever one likes.


Yeah I absolutely agree, I wanna be around/workshop comes in brilliantly after those three boom boom booms. I like to think of those as large wooden beams or a building crashing to the ground. I'm pretty sure that at some point Fire and IWBA/FN belonged together as, not only does Carol Kaye claim as much, but they just sounds so right together. I also like the shift in tone from the dramatic fire, to the tongue in cheek humorous lounge music of IWBA - the type of musical joke that I imagine Brian relishing at the time.

I love your idea of the restorative rains after the fire, then earth representing the crops, which sets the scene for tracks like Barnyard and great shape. I could never relate the elements tracks to the americana ones but this works well. I share Sheriff John's opinion that Workshop has a laid back vibe, but I can hear the mournful quality you describe. Workshop reminds me of Don't Talk in it's descending chords and shares its melancholy mood in this respect.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: OneEar/OneEye on March 13, 2010, 03:57:28 PM
I've begun to feel (and my apologies if this is straying off topic a bit) that Bill Tobleman's theory of Smile as a Zen Koan has become a reality in some ways.   First off, i think he's a pretty smart guy, great research for his ideas, etc.  and he certainly made a convincing argument for what he was laying down.  I don't necessarily believe that Brian and Van Dyke were aiming at creating a koan (though honestly, for all I really know they may have been), but certainly zen was an element (no pun intended, but certainly welcome anyway) just as I think a slew of other things were as well - Smile to me seems like the proverbial "everything and the kitchen sink too" kind of project, a hearty stew of all things hip, innovative , spiritual, humorous, intellectual, American, beautiful, scary, enlightened, et al.  The ultimate 60's symphony.   
Would they have managed to pull it off, I don't know, and i guess not because they didn't, but I do think they were aiming at something like this.
So to get to my initial point, it seems to me that while Smile may not have originally been intended as a zen koan by it's creators - it sure as shootin' strikes me that it has BECOME that.  A puzzle we work at over and over obsessively, attempting to "figure it out", and ""find the answer", the "perfect combination", but of course we never will (at least not until its creators reveal more or some undiscovered sessions come to light - and even then i doubt there'd be a resolution, though maybe).   
Will this "koan" bring us ultimately to enlightenment?  Or just drive us all mad?   ;)   Who knows, but Bill if you're out there - you may just have been correct afterall! :-D


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: runnersdialzero on March 13, 2010, 04:01:30 PM

I definitely think Transcendental Meditation has grown out of Fire. Compare the melody of fire (the sung parts from BWPS) to the ah-ah-ah melody of TM - they are nearly identical. I would argue TM is just a re-hash of Fire.

I hear what you're saying, but they're totally different melodies, chords, etc. - everything except the phrasing being somewhat similar. There's a passing similarity at best, I don't think Brian used any elements of "Fire" for "Transcendental Meditation". Anyone agree? Disagree?

Quote
I don't understand what you're saying about Fire being two sections. As far as I can tell, there's just one part to it, and therefore it's Part 1 of the Elements. Unless you're including Heroes Intro as another part of Fire. I think this whistles section definitely belongs with H&V, not Fire.

Has that ever been confirmed? I thought it was said that the supposed "Heroes and Villains intro" on the boxset was an incorrect label on someone's part and that this was indeed intended to be part of "Fire".


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: TheLazenby on March 13, 2010, 09:41:27 PM
Yeah, there's no way that intro was meant for H&V.  I mean, it *KIND OF* works as a chase sequence (I stuck it after "You're under arrest!") but it's awkward as all get out.

That whistle intro was DEFINITELY part of Fire.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 14, 2010, 12:37:45 AM
Yeah, there's no way that intro was meant for H&V.  I mean, it *KIND OF* works as a chase sequence (I stuck it after "You're under arrest!") but it's awkward as all get out.

That whistle intro was DEFINITELY part of Fire.

But if you follow the logic that it must belong to Fire, because it sounds similar to Fire, then surely the Swedish Frog section must belong to Barnyard?

It was recorded during a H&V session and shares the same master no. 50745 as many other Heroes sections, so I see no reason to place it with Fire other than they sound like they belong together. Remember, Brian also recorded a Bells & Whistles part, Barnyard, Great Shape, Swedish Frog, With Me Tonight, a version of Dada and a version of Do A Lot for Heroes, none of which sound like they belong (well, barnyard and great shape do, but you get my point). It seems the structure and nature of this song was changing constantly. My belief (admittedly formed during a recent thread on the possibility of a 2 sided Heroes single) is that Heroes Intro was to kick off side 2, and may have been followed by the minor key variation on the bicycle rider theme that sounds like a train. It actually works well in this context and whenever my kids hear the into within this mix they shout "Train!". This sequence is no more jarring a transition than 20 other goofy musical shifts Brian was doing with Smile songs, Home On The Range to Who ran The Iron Horse for example - that shouldn't work, right?!!  



I hear what you're saying, but they're totally different melodies, chords, etc. - everything except the phrasing being somewhat similar. There's a passing similarity at best, I don't think Brian used any elements of "Fire" for "Transcendental Meditation". Anyone agree? Disagree?


Well I always think that hearing the similarities between these songs is fairly subjective so if you don't believe it's enough of a similarity to warrant any significance, then fair enough. It's times like this that I wish I was a musicologist then I could come up with a more persuasive argument!


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Sheriff John Stone on March 14, 2010, 07:45:07 AM
Yeah, there's no way that intro was meant for H&V.  I mean, it *KIND OF* works as a chase sequence (I stuck it after "You're under arrest!") but it's awkward as all get out.

That whistle intro was DEFINITELY part of Fire.


It was recorded during a H&V session and shares the same master no. 50745 as many other Heroes sections, so I see no reason to place it with Fire other than they sound like they belong together.

You need another reason? When Brian finished SMiLE in 2004, he put the bells and whistles intro before "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Isn't that enough to pursuade you? The creator, the author, the man who composed the piece put it there - and now it stands there for history....


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Bicyclerider on March 14, 2010, 09:01:41 AM
Yeah, there's no way that intro was meant for H&V.  I mean, it *KIND OF* works as a chase sequence (I stuck it after "You're under arrest!") but it's awkward as all get out.

That whistle intro was DEFINITELY part of Fire.


It was recorded during a H&V session and shares the same master no. 50745 as many other Heroes sections, so I see no reason to place it with Fire other than they sound like they belong together.

You need another reason? When Brian finished SMiLE in 2004, he put the bells and whistles intro before "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Isn't that enough to pursuade you? The creator, the author, the man who composed the piece put it there - and now it stands there for history....

You're kidding, right?  Brian and others (Van Dyke) repeatedly said that Smile 2004 was NOT an attempt to finish Smile as it would have been in 67.  It was the creation of a Smile "suite" using Smile era music for live performance - which, when it was completed and received rave reviews, became the BWPS album. 

And who put the "intro" before Fire?  That would be David Leaf, without Brian's input, for the projected 1988 Smile release put together with Mark Linett.  This was widely bootlegged, Darian (the "musical secretary" of Smile 2004 who worked with Brian on sequencing) was well aware of this version, and so . . . it became what it is on BWPS.  But to say because it was on BWPS it was meant to be that way on a 67 Smile just doesn't pass muster.  I guess Good Vibrations on Smile 67 would have had Tony Asher's lyrics included as well in place of Mike's?


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Sheriff John Stone on March 14, 2010, 10:02:04 AM
Yeah, there's no way that intro was meant for H&V.  I mean, it *KIND OF* works as a chase sequence (I stuck it after "You're under arrest!") but it's awkward as all get out.

That whistle intro was DEFINITELY part of Fire.


It was recorded during a H&V session and shares the same master no. 50745 as many other Heroes sections, so I see no reason to place it with Fire other than they sound like they belong together.

You need another reason? When Brian finished SMiLE in 2004, he put the bells and whistles intro before "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Isn't that enough to pursuade you? The creator, the author, the man who composed the piece put it there - and now it stands there for history....

You're kidding, right?  Brian and others (Van Dyke) repeatedly said that Smile 2004 was NOT an attempt to finish Smile as it would have been in 67.  It was the creation of a Smile "suite" using Smile era music for live performance - which, when it was completed and received rave reviews, became the BWPS album. 

And who put the "intro" before Fire?  That would be David Leaf, without Brian's input, for the projected 1988 Smile release put together with Mark Linett.  This was widely bootlegged, Darian (the "musical secretary" of Smile 2004 who worked with Brian on sequencing) was well aware of this version, and so . . . it became what it is on BWPS.  But to say because it was on BWPS it was meant to be that way on a 67 Smile just doesn't pass muster.  I guess Good Vibrations on Smile 67 would have had Tony Asher's lyrics included as well in place of Mike's?

Of course I was kidding, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a shot at BWPS. ;D

But, why would I be kidding? Go with this for a minute...Brian's laying half asleep on an oversized sofa while Darian is feverishly playing him SMiLE tracks from a laptop. They come to the bells and whistles snippet. Now, that short piece of music has to be one of the most interesting things that Brian Wilson ever recorded. Of all the things that he would remember about SMiLE, that would be up there on the list. Now, if that piece wasn't the intro to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", I would think that Brian would "straighten out" the myth, and tell Darian where it belongs. If - if - the bells and whistles was an intro to "Heroes And Villains", or a part that might be to linked to "you're under arrest" or ANYTHING to do with "Heroes And Villains", Brian could SIMPLY tell Darian what he had in mind. Now, you have to admit, that wouldn't be too hard for Brian to do/remember. But, it ended up as the intro to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Doesn't that mean anything? It should....


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: The Shift on March 14, 2010, 10:32:36 AM
Fire is Pt 1.

There is some evidence (namely Carol Kaye's recollection of the sessions) to suggest that I Wanna Be Around/Friday Night was to follow although some dispute this. Personally I think this pairing works very well and if it's true, IWBA and FN could have been a significant part of The Elements - perhaps parts 2 & 3!

Two questions: Based on this sequence, did the fire just "go out" on its own, and then the rebuilding started? Where do you put the "Water Chant"? I think the fire has to be put out (by the water) before the barn is rebuilt. I always connected the "Workshop" to building the home on the range. But that's just one man's opinion....

Fire's stamped out, surely -  the three increasingly louder "bangs" - I think Brian's audibly telling a musician just that on the session tapes.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: The Shift on March 14, 2010, 10:33:58 AM
Apols -  If I'd read one post further I'd see that had already been referred to!


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 14, 2010, 12:49:12 PM
Yeah, there's no way that intro was meant for H&V.  I mean, it *KIND OF* works as a chase sequence (I stuck it after "You're under arrest!") but it's awkward as all get out.

That whistle intro was DEFINITELY part of Fire.


It was recorded during a H&V session and shares the same master no. 50745 as many other Heroes sections, so I see no reason to place it with Fire other than they sound like they belong together.

You need another reason? When Brian finished SMiLE in 2004, he put the bells and whistles intro before "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Isn't that enough to pursuade you? The creator, the author, the man who composed the piece put it there - and now it stands there for history....

You're kidding, right?  Brian and others (Van Dyke) repeatedly said that Smile 2004 was NOT an attempt to finish Smile as it would have been in 67.  It was the creation of a Smile "suite" using Smile era music for live performance - which, when it was completed and received rave reviews, became the BWPS album. 

And who put the "intro" before Fire?  That would be David Leaf, without Brian's input, for the projected 1988 Smile release put together with Mark Linett.  This was widely bootlegged, Darian (the "musical secretary" of Smile 2004 who worked with Brian on sequencing) was well aware of this version, and so . . . it became what it is on BWPS.  But to say because it was on BWPS it was meant to be that way on a 67 Smile just doesn't pass muster.  I guess Good Vibrations on Smile 67 would have had Tony Asher's lyrics included as well in place of Mike's?

Of course I was kidding, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a shot at BWPS. ;D

But, why would I be kidding? Go with this for a minute...Brian's laying half asleep on an oversized sofa while Darian is feverishly playing him SMiLE tracks from a laptop. They come to the bells and whistles snippet. Now, that short piece of music has to be one of the most interesting things that Brian Wilson ever recorded. Of all the things that he would remember about SMiLE, that would be up there on the list. Now, if that piece wasn't the intro to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", I would think that Brian would "straighten out" the myth, and tell Darian where it belongs. If - if - the bells and whistles was an intro to "Heroes And Villains", or a part that might be to linked to "you're under arrest" or ANYTHING to do with "Heroes And Villains", Brian could SIMPLY tell Darian what he had in mind. Now, you have to admit, that wouldn't be too hard for Brian to do/remember. But, it ended up as the intro to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Doesn't that mean anything? It should....

I don't want to get into the whole BWPS vs sessions thing, but why would Brian need to straighten these mistakes out? Maybe he'd forgotten that the whistles intro belonged to Heroes, maybe it was Darian's decision and he had nothing to do with it, or maybe Brian just preferred it preceding Fire. By all accounts Brian decided on putting Look with Wonderful which works beautifully and probably wasn't a vintage sequence, but I don't see that just because he's not making sequence choices that are true to what was planned in 67 that it means he was totally disinterested in the whole project. I'm sure darian had a lot of input in the sequenceing but what does it matter? Imo it's a wonder that we have a Smile that Brian had anything to do with, let alone the fact he wrote new stuff for it, was involved in the sequencing (I think he was more involved than people give him credit for - just my hunch but there you go) and remembered the melody to Worms. Maybe I'm just easily pleased!


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: A Million Units In Jan! on March 14, 2010, 01:08:28 PM
As somebody said earlier, 'I think my head just exploded'....


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Sheriff John Stone on March 14, 2010, 01:33:53 PM
Yeah, there's no way that intro was meant for H&V.  I mean, it *KIND OF* works as a chase sequence (I stuck it after "You're under arrest!") but it's awkward as all get out.

That whistle intro was DEFINITELY part of Fire.


It was recorded during a H&V session and shares the same master no. 50745 as many other Heroes sections, so I see no reason to place it with Fire other than they sound like they belong together.

You need another reason? When Brian finished SMiLE in 2004, he put the bells and whistles intro before "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Isn't that enough to pursuade you? The creator, the author, the man who composed the piece put it there - and now it stands there for history....

You're kidding, right?  Brian and others (Van Dyke) repeatedly said that Smile 2004 was NOT an attempt to finish Smile as it would have been in 67.  It was the creation of a Smile "suite" using Smile era music for live performance - which, when it was completed and received rave reviews, became the BWPS album. 

And who put the "intro" before Fire?  That would be David Leaf, without Brian's input, for the projected 1988 Smile release put together with Mark Linett.  This was widely bootlegged, Darian (the "musical secretary" of Smile 2004 who worked with Brian on sequencing) was well aware of this version, and so . . . it became what it is on BWPS.  But to say because it was on BWPS it was meant to be that way on a 67 Smile just doesn't pass muster.  I guess Good Vibrations on Smile 67 would have had Tony Asher's lyrics included as well in place of Mike's?

Of course I was kidding, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a shot at BWPS. ;D

But, why would I be kidding? Go with this for a minute...Brian's laying half asleep on an oversized sofa while Darian is feverishly playing him SMiLE tracks from a laptop. They come to the bells and whistles snippet. Now, that short piece of music has to be one of the most interesting things that Brian Wilson ever recorded. Of all the things that he would remember about SMiLE, that would be up there on the list. Now, if that piece wasn't the intro to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", I would think that Brian would "straighten out" the myth, and tell Darian where it belongs. If - if - the bells and whistles was an intro to "Heroes And Villains", or a part that might be to linked to "you're under arrest" or ANYTHING to do with "Heroes And Villains", Brian could SIMPLY tell Darian what he had in mind. Now, you have to admit, that wouldn't be too hard for Brian to do/remember. But, it ended up as the intro to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Doesn't that mean anything? It should....

...but why would Brian need to straighten these mistakes out? Maybe he'd forgotten that the whistles intro belonged to Heroes, maybe it was Darian's decision and he had nothing to do with it, or maybe Brian just preferred it preceding Fire.

I'm not saying Brian HAS to straighten out anything. I'm just offering thoughts and looking for answers about The Elements, which, I believe, was the intent of this thread. We now have a completed SMiLE CD (BWPS) which was recorded with Brian's full participation. He had every opportunity to make it the way HE wanted it. While I personally give little merit to it, many do, and I just offerred one example (take it or leave it) to use as a reference.

In addressing your above post, if Brian FORGOT that the bells and whistles intro belonged to "Heroes And Villains" (if it in fact ever did), then Brian was more gone and even less qualified to be finishing SMiLE than even I thought. Second, obviously Brian DID prefer it where it ended up; why else would he allow it? That was a rhetorical question. I already have a few answers of my own. But, it's there, and nobody can change that now. Except on our personal SMiLE mixes... ;D


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: ? on March 14, 2010, 03:49:24 PM
Personally, I think Brian abandoned The Elements long before he abandoned Smile.  I doubt he ever got deep enough into it to have a firm concept in place.  He worked on some pieces, they weren't finished for whatever reason(s), and then it was back to playing with Heroes.  The problem with looking for evidence relating to anything Smile is that there simply is nothing that can be taken as gospel.  The only thing anyone can ever pin down is what Brian was thinking on a particular day, at that particular moment.  A day later and it would be something completely different.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 15, 2010, 01:06:16 AM
Personally, I think Brian abandoned The Elements long before he abandoned Smile.  I doubt he ever got deep enough into it to have a firm concept in place.  He worked on some pieces, they weren't finished for whatever reason(s), and then it was back to playing with Heroes.  The problem with looking for evidence relating to anything Smile is that there simply is nothing that can be taken as gospel.  The only thing anyone can ever pin down is what Brian was thinking on a particular day, at that particular moment.  A day later and it would be something completely different.

Yes good point. It'd be interesting to establish what certainties existed for Smile, even if they were just fleeting ones e.g

Our Prayer was an intro to the album at the point of its session.
Fire was pt 1 of either Fire, or The Elements, at the time of its session.
The 12 tracks on the list submitted to Capitol in December were, at that point, the tracks that made up Smile.
Surf's Up was to be the closer (according to Vosse)

Unfortunately I don't think there's much more besides this!


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: The Shift on March 15, 2010, 04:20:18 AM
I think it's logical to assume, in the absence of any other released BBs' singles on SMiLE, that either Heroes or Vibes could each have kicked-off either one of the two sides, esp if you go with the 12-track-no-links theory.  Just seemed formula at the time to start at least one side on each LP with a single.

Surfin' Safari had S'S and Surfin'
Surfin' USA had S'USA
Surfer Girl had SG and In My Room (B-side)
Little Deuce Coupe had LDC and Shut Down (B side)
Fun Fun Fun had FFF and Why Do Fools Fall In Love (B-side)
All Sumer Long had I Get Around and Wendy (EP-track and non-US B-side)
Christmas had Little St Nick
Today had Do You Wanna Dance and Please Let Me Wonder (B-side)
Summer Days! had California Girls
Pet Sounds had God Only Knows and Wouldn't It Be Nice (double A-side)

A theory based on the commercial aspects of releases, of which BW had to be aware. But just a theory.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 15, 2010, 07:06:39 AM
I think it's logical to assume, in the absence of any other released BBs' singles on SMiLE, that either Heroes or Vibes could each have kicked-off either one of the two sides, esp if you go with the 12-track-no-links theory.  Just seemed formula at the time to start at least one side on each LP with a single.

Surfin' Safari had S'S and Surfin'
Surfin' USA had S'USA
Surfer Girl had SG and In My Room (B-side)
Little Deuce Coupe had LDC and Shut Down (B side)
Fun Fun Fun had FFF and Why Do Fools Fall In Love (B-side)
All Sumer Long had I Get Around and Wendy (EP-track and non-US B-side)
Christmas had Little St Nick
Today had Do You Wanna Dance and Please Let Me Wonder (B-side)
Summer Days! had California Girls
Pet Sounds had God Only Knows and Wouldn't It Be Nice (double A-side)

A theory based on the commercial aspects of releases, of which BW had to be aware. But just a theory.

This is a good point and if we presume this to be the case, then either Heroes or Vibes was to follow Our Prayer as the lead track. My money's on GV as Heroes is in the wrong key to follow Our Prayer. This then shifts H&V to the start of side 2, with Surf's Up as the closer. Hell, we've almost sequenced the album by a simple process of elimination!


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Reverend Rock on March 15, 2010, 09:56:42 PM
Yeah, there's no way that intro was meant for H&V.  I mean, it *KIND OF* works as a chase sequence (I stuck it after "You're under arrest!") but it's awkward as all get out.

That whistle intro was DEFINITELY part of Fire.


It was recorded during a H&V session and shares the same master no. 50745 as many other Heroes sections, so I see no reason to place it with Fire other than they sound like they belong together.

You need another reason? When Brian finished SMiLE in 2004, he put the bells and whistles intro before "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Isn't that enough to pursuade you? The creator, the author, the man who composed the piece put it there - and now it stands there for history....

You're kidding, right?  Brian and others (Van Dyke) repeatedly said that Smile 2004 was NOT an attempt to finish Smile as it would have been in 67.  It was the creation of a Smile "suite" using Smile era music for live performance - which, when it was completed and received rave reviews, became the BWPS album. 

And who put the "intro" before Fire?  That would be David Leaf, without Brian's input, for the projected 1988 Smile release put together with Mark Linett.  This was widely bootlegged, Darian (the "musical secretary" of Smile 2004 who worked with Brian on sequencing) was well aware of this version, and so . . . it became what it is on BWPS.  But to say because it was on BWPS it was meant to be that way on a 67 Smile just doesn't pass muster.  I guess Good Vibrations on Smile 67 would have had Tony Asher's lyrics included as well in place of Mike's?

Of course I was kidding, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a shot at BWPS. ;D

But, why would I be kidding? Go with this for a minute...Brian's laying half asleep on an oversized sofa while Darian is feverishly playing him SMiLE tracks from a laptop. They come to the bells and whistles snippet. Now, that short piece of music has to be one of the most interesting things that Brian Wilson ever recorded. Of all the things that he would remember about SMiLE, that would be up there on the list. Now, if that piece wasn't the intro to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", I would think that Brian would "straighten out" the myth, and tell Darian where it belongs. If - if - the bells and whistles was an intro to "Heroes And Villains", or a part that might be to linked to "you're under arrest" or ANYTHING to do with "Heroes And Villains", Brian could SIMPLY tell Darian what he had in mind. Now, you have to admit, that wouldn't be too hard for Brian to do/remember. But, it ended up as the intro to "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow". Doesn't that mean anything? It should....

Well, Sheriff, I like the way you think...but I already knew that from the thread on SMiLE mixes...

Let me begin by saying that I have fully accepted BWPS as definitive...and whether we accept it as definitive or not, it inevitbably will become more and more definitive as time goes by.  It's such a great "fall and redemption" story that there's just no way it could be otherwise.  The finished SMiLE of 2004 is totally a part of popular music history, and it's not going to change.  When they put out that CD, they "nailed it in stone", and that's that.

That said, I think that indeed "Elements" is the great mystery we haven't solved of what SMiLE might have been in '67.  I really liked the "ragmajesty SMiLE" version of "Elements" which takes "Spanish Guitar Theme", "Water Chant", "Bag Of Tricks", "H&V Intro", and "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", strings 'em together, and puts nature sounds from the Abbey Road Studio collection on top of 'em (along with the fire sounds that exist on one version of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" already).  That makes a pretty fine "Elements Suite".  But of course, it has nothing to back it up as being anything close to something Brian might have had in mind.

Finally, I just have one more comment.  I think "Heroes and Villains Intro" sounds great between "Our Prayer" and "Heroes and Villains", and if I can ever figure out the other "elements" of an LP-length SMiLE mix, that particular sequence will certainly be a part of it.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on March 15, 2010, 10:51:01 PM
  I really liked the "ragmajesty SMiLE" version of "Elements" which takes "Spanish Guitar Theme", "Water Chant", "Bag Of Tricks", "H&V Intro", and "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", strings 'em together, and puts nature sounds from the Abbey Road Studio collection on top of 'em (along with the fire sounds that exist on one version of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" already).  That makes a pretty fine "Elements Suite".  But of course, it has nothing to back it up as being anything close to something Brian might have had in mind.

Considering that the "Spanish Guitar Theme" has nothing to do with Smile and was recorded during the Friends sessions, I'd say less than nothing.  ;D


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Reverend Rock on March 15, 2010, 10:56:22 PM
 I really liked the "ragmajesty SMiLE" version of "Elements" which takes "Spanish Guitar Theme", "Water Chant", "Bag Of Tricks", "H&V Intro", and "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", strings 'em together, and puts nature sounds from the Abbey Road Studio collection on top of 'em (along with the fire sounds that exist on one version of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" already).  That makes a pretty fine "Elements Suite".  But of course, it has nothing to back it up as being anything close to something Brian might have had in mind.

Considering that the "Spanish Guitar Theme" has nothing to do with Smile and was recorded during the Friends sessions, I'd say less than nothing.  ;D

 :lol  I learn something new everyday!  Now I have to go back and take it out of both my SMiLE CD mixes...but then, oh what the hell...I like having it in there too much to bother!


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: rasmus skotte on March 16, 2010, 03:24:05 AM
Me too! (in my own video-edit and I only called it Doves Of Free because I wanted to mix it Sounds Of Free/Doves Of Peace and confused the titles)...


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Reverend Rock on March 16, 2010, 08:18:53 AM
Me too! (in my own video-edit and I only called it Doves Of Free because I wanted to mix it Sounds Of Free/Doves Of Peace and confused the titles)...

OK, let me try to get some things straight now...

Are you saying that what I'm calling "Spanish Guitar Theme" is properly called "Doves of Peace"?


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: rasmus skotte on March 16, 2010, 09:48:37 AM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: A Million Units In Jan! on March 16, 2010, 10:43:43 AM
I didn't think it really had a 'proper' name at all....


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Reverend Rock on March 16, 2010, 10:48:53 AM
...it gets so confusing sometimes...whatever it is and whenever it was recorded, it stays in my SMiLE CD mix...


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on March 16, 2010, 12:23:44 PM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Mahalo on March 16, 2010, 01:16:28 PM
Andrew, in your book you hint at the possibilty of Fall Breaks having some relation to the Earth element, possibly, but no one really knows. In your own opinion, what do you think, could Fall Breaks be closer to the Earth section than we may think? Just curious.

Too me it makes perfect sense. Mrs. O'Learies and Fall Breaks sharing the same theme/melody; and the different sessions of Da Da hint at the same theme/melody for air and water. One being airy (the one with the flutes playing like birds/ and the the splashing sounding of Da Da recorded the next day being watery. Thats just my own opinion. It simplifies the Elements into two themes, with two variations on each theme...


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on March 16, 2010, 01:26:12 PM
Andrew, in your book you hint at the possibilty of Fall Breaks having some relation to the Earth element, possibly, but no one really knows. In your own opinion, what do you think, could Fall Breaks be closer to the Earth section than we may think? Just curious.

Too me it makes perfect sense. Mrs. O'Learies and Fall Breaks sharing the same theme/melody; and the different sessions of Da Da hint at the same theme/melody for air and water. One being airy (the one with the flutes playing like birds/ and the the splashing sounding of Da Da recorded the next day being watery. Thats just my own opinion. It simplifies the Elements into two themes, with two variations on each theme...

From the first time I heard it, before I knew the first thing about Smile, "FB... ABTW" struck me as feeling 'earthy' - I once described it  as having the feeling of a dank wood in late fall (btw, it's astonishing in stereo !). Does the fact it's patently derived from "Fire" cause me any problems ? Nope - after all, the 'bicycle rider' theme is all over Smile. Maybe "Vega-Tables" was once the earth theme, before Brian spun it off as a separate song. My kingdom for a fully-functioning TARDIS !

And for the record, I still think "Country Air" has a lot of shared DNA with the Air theme from "The Elements".


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Mahalo on March 16, 2010, 02:05:20 PM
Cool, thanx dude.  8)


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 16, 2010, 02:38:48 PM
And for the record, I still think "Country Air" has a lot of shared DNA with the Air theme from "The Elements".

I know you've discussed this before but what makes you think this? Did you ask somebody about it and they gave you a knowing wink or something?


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on March 16, 2010, 02:40:47 PM
And for the record, I still think "Country Air" has a lot of shared DNA with the Air theme from "The Elements".

I know you've discussed this before but what makes you think this? Did you ask somebody about it and they gave you a knowing wink or something?

Like this... ?

 ;)


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Reverend Rock on March 16, 2010, 05:39:59 PM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).

Thanks so much, Andrew.  Now, one more question, if you can indulge me...

Do we know for certain that it is a Brian Wilson composition, or is it one of the others'?


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Sheriff John Stone on March 16, 2010, 06:01:17 PM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).

Thanks so much, Andrew.  Now, one more question, if you can indulge me...

Do we know for certain that it is a Brian Wilson composition, or is it one of the others'?

Interesting question; I always assumed it was a BW composition. I'd also like to know if it's a complete song/backing track. It's only 1:25 long, but so are some of Brian's other songs, and there are some short ones on Friends, too. AGD, for you to name your source, would you be jeopardizing confidentiality? For an issue/question like this?


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on March 16, 2010, 10:50:20 PM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).

Thanks so much, Andrew.  Now, one more question, if you can indulge me...

Do we know for certain that it is a Brian Wilson composition, or is it one of the others'?

Interesting question; I always assumed it was a BW composition. I'd also like to know if it's a complete song/backing track. It's only 1:25 long, but so are some of Brian's other songs, and there are some short ones on Friends, too. AGD, for you to name your source, would you be jeopardizing confidentiality? For an issue/question like this?

My source has been named here previously (not by me), so no problem - Alan Boyd.

It's just a track, on the same session tapes as "Even Steven". Who wrote it ? No idea... but have to say, doesn't sound like a BW composition.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 17, 2010, 12:58:47 AM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).

Thanks so much, Andrew.  Now, one more question, if you can indulge me...

Do we know for certain that it is a Brian Wilson composition, or is it one of the others'?

Interesting question; I always assumed it was a BW composition. I'd also like to know if it's a complete song/backing track. It's only 1:25 long, but so are some of Brian's other songs, and there are some short ones on Friends, too. AGD, for you to name your source, would you be jeopardizing confidentiality? For an issue/question like this?

My source has been named here previously (not by me), so no problem - Alan Boyd.

It's just a track, on the same session tapes as "Even Steven". Who wrote it ? No idea... but have to say, doesn't sound like a BW composition.

I always thought this track was Indian Wisdom. What is Indian Wisdom then?


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 17, 2010, 01:32:41 AM
And for the record, I still think "Country Air" has a lot of shared DNA with the Air theme from "The Elements".

I know you've discussed this before but what makes you think this? Did you ask somebody about it and they gave you a knowing wink or something?

Like this... ?

 ;)

Gah - Spill, spill!!!

I have to say, out of all the post Smile songs, the two that sound the most like they could be ex-smile to me are little pad and country air. The latter particularly sounds very similar in style to Dada. The rhythm of its verse (the mm, mm, mm bit)  and ascending notes also reminds me of the doing doing start to Cabinessence and also the dum dum section towards the end of Heroes Sections. Oh and Great Shape too! Actually you've got to wonder about its relationship to Great Shape as it shares the rhythm and lyrically/thematically is very similar.

I find it interesting that Cool water was mooted for Wild Honey, and that Do A Lot is also present. Proves if nothing else that WH was the album most likely to find Smile pieces resurfacing (besides smiley of course)


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: A Million Units In Jan! on March 17, 2010, 02:06:07 AM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).

Thanks so much, Andrew.  Now, one more question, if you can indulge me...

Do we know for certain that it is a Brian Wilson composition, or is it one of the others'?

Interesting question; I always assumed it was a BW composition. I'd also like to know if it's a complete song/backing track. It's only 1:25 long, but so are some of Brian's other songs, and there are some short ones on Friends, too. AGD, for you to name your source, would you be jeopardizing confidentiality? For an issue/question like this?

My source has been named here previously (not by me), so no problem - Alan Boyd.

It's just a track, on the same session tapes as "Even Steven". Who wrote it ? No idea... but have to say, doesn't sound like a BW composition.

I always thought this track was Indian Wisdom. What is Indian Wisdom then?

Indian Wisdom isn't a track. On the back of Smiley Smile there's an old indian proverb about 'the smile you send out returns to you'. That's Indian Wisdom, and sometime, probably in the late '70s 'Indian Wisdom' was a name people tossed around when talking about SMiLE tracks.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 17, 2010, 02:14:31 AM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).

Thanks so much, Andrew.  Now, one more question, if you can indulge me...

Do we know for certain that it is a Brian Wilson composition, or is it one of the others'?

Interesting question; I always assumed it was a BW composition. I'd also like to know if it's a complete song/backing track. It's only 1:25 long, but so are some of Brian's other songs, and there are some short ones on Friends, too. AGD, for you to name your source, would you be jeopardizing confidentiality? For an issue/question like this?

My source has been named here previously (not by me), so no problem - Alan Boyd.

It's just a track, on the same session tapes as "Even Steven". Who wrote it ? No idea... but have to say, doesn't sound like a BW composition.

I always thought this track was Indian Wisdom. What is Indian Wisdom then?

Indian Wisdom isn't a track. On the back of Smiley Smile there's an old indian proverb about 'the smile you send out returns to you'. That's Indian Wisdom, and sometime, probably in the late '70s 'Indian Wisdom' was a name people tossed around when talking about SMiLE tracks.

many thanks for clearing that up!


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Bicyclerider on March 17, 2010, 07:34:27 AM

My source has been named here previously (not by me), so no problem - Alan Boyd.

It's just a track, on the same session tapes as "Even Steven". Who wrote it ? No idea... but have to say, doesn't sound like a BW composition.

Recorded during Friends, Brian was involved in writing all the songs except . . . Dennis's (although he helped with Little Bird).  So if it wasn't Brian, I'd bet on Dennis.  It has a minimalist vibe not unlike Be Still.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: ? on March 17, 2010, 10:40:28 AM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).

Thanks so much, Andrew.  Now, one more question, if you can indulge me...

Do we know for certain that it is a Brian Wilson composition, or is it one of the others'?

Interesting question; I always assumed it was a BW composition. I'd also like to know if it's a complete song/backing track. It's only 1:25 long, but so are some of Brian's other songs, and there are some short ones on Friends, too. AGD, for you to name your source, would you be jeopardizing confidentiality? For an issue/question like this?

My source has been named here previously (not by me), so no problem - Alan Boyd.

It's just a track, on the same session tapes as "Even Steven". Who wrote it ? No idea... but have to say, doesn't sound like a BW composition.

I always thought this track was Indian Wisdom. What is Indian Wisdom then?

Indian Wisdom isn't a track. On the back of Smiley Smile there's an old indian proverb about 'the smile you send out returns to you'. That's Indian Wisdom, and sometime, probably in the late '70s 'Indian Wisdom' was a name people tossed around when talking about SMiLE tracks.

This is true, but is the Spanish Guitar piece being discussed here the same track that's been mislabeled Indian Wisdom on some boots?  I have to admit, sometimes I find myself lost when discussing some of these fragments, even when I'm sure I've heard them before.  Usually when it involves a "Tag to..." or "....Fade" reference.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Reverend Rock on March 17, 2010, 06:42:58 PM
I haven't been on this site much, so forgive me if this is already done-to-death...

But since we're talking a bit about Friends I find it facinating to no end that "Little Bird" contains a snippet of the arrangement for "Child Is The Father Of The Man" towards the fade.  I've always loved the song anyhow, but when I discovered that, I loved it even more.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on March 17, 2010, 10:53:11 PM
I haven't been on this site much, so forgive me if this is already done-to-death...

But since we're talking a bit about Friends I find it facinating to no end that "Little Bird" contains a snippet of the arrangement for "Child Is The Father Of The Man" towards the fade.  I've always loved the song anyhow, but when I discovered that, I loved it even more.

Reportedly, Brian gave Dennis a helping hand on "Little Bird" - probably his idea.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 18, 2010, 01:16:32 AM
I haven't been on this site much, so forgive me if this is already done-to-death...

But since we're talking a bit about Friends I find it facinating to no end that "Little Bird" contains a snippet of the arrangement for "Child Is The Father Of The Man" towards the fade.  I've always loved the song anyhow, but when I discovered that, I loved it even more.

Reportedly, Brian gave Dennis a helping hand on "Little Bird" - probably his idea.

But I tell what I always find interesting about this, is that quote where Dennis has played Child on the piano to a journalist, and then says "and here's a prayer I'm working on for it". What's that all about?! Why would Dennis be writing a prayer for Child? Did Dennis have a hand in writing Child, and is that why the reference subsequently turns up in Little Bird? We'll never know but it makes me wonder if Dennis had something to do with the song in the 1t place.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: A Million Units In Jan! on March 18, 2010, 02:02:27 AM
Dennis also said something along the lines of 'Listen to the jazz patterns I play on Pet Sounds'. When everybody knows it was Hal Blaine playing. Sometimes we gotta take these old interviews with a grain of salt.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: punkinhead on March 18, 2010, 08:51:30 AM
No - Doves of Peace. IF it's the same piece we're talking about(?)

"Doves of Peace" = "Spanish Guitar Theme" = "New Song" (recorded 3/26/68).

Thanks so much, Andrew.  Now, one more question, if you can indulge me...

Do we know for certain that it is a Brian Wilson composition, or is it one of the others'?

Interesting question; I always assumed it was a BW composition. I'd also like to know if it's a complete song/backing track. It's only 1:25 long, but so are some of Brian's other songs, and there are some short ones on Friends, too. AGD, for you to name your source, would you be jeopardizing confidentiality? For an issue/question like this?

My source has been named here previously (not by me), so no problem - Alan Boyd.

It's just a track, on the same session tapes as "Even Steven". Who wrote it ? No idea... but have to say, doesn't sound like a BW composition.

I always thought this track was Indian Wisdom. What is Indian Wisdom then?

Indian Wisdom isn't a track. On the back of Smiley Smile there's an old indian proverb about 'the smile you send out returns to you'. That's Indian Wisdom, and sometime, probably in the late '70s 'Indian Wisdom' was a name people tossed around when talking about SMiLE tracks.



Everyone always says that, but on the SMile Project cdrom, that's what it's refered to


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: All Golden 74 on March 21, 2010, 06:49:46 PM
Fire was two sections, though, was it not?

I know that "Fire" is called part 1 of "The Elements" on the session tape, but is there any chance that they meant part 1 of "Fire", with part 2 recorded the next day ("I Wanna Be Around/Friday Night")?
On a related note, has it been definitely settled whether Brian Wilson was responsible for the burning wood sound effects that are heard on some of the vintage "Fire" recordings?  Jules Siegel mentions them in the section he wrote about "Fire", although I don't recall if this article (Goodbye Surfing Hello God!) has ever had its facts questioned.
If you want to talk about theories of what "The Elements" would be then here's mine: 4 pieces (Earth, Air, Fire & Water)made up of music, vocals and sound effects.  The Purple Chick mix of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow(Fire)" has the "Fall Breaks..." vocals mixed in.  If this had been done to one of the "Fire" mixes with the sound effects then it would be just right (just what I'm talking about).  Both The Smile Shop and the Badman book mention a "Fire" vocal recording session on Dec. 5, 1966.
I have read (on this very board) the quote from Brian Wilson himself that the Air section would be a piano piece with NO vocals, so I guess sucks for my theory.  Still I didn't dream this up out of thin air (no pun intended).  Andrew G. Doe has mentioned a kind of connection between "Country Air" and the unfinished Air section.  The beginning of "Country Air" has music(piano), vocals(humming) and sound effects(rooster).  Also, "Cool, Cool Water" has the Water chant from SMILE as the middle section on which you again have music(organ), vocals(Water chants) and sound effects(ocean waves?).  I know I've read somewhere about Brian sending Stephen Desper "into the wild" to record water sounds during the SMILE recordings.  I know that these might have been for the sound effects record that was supposed to come out on Brother Records, but I don't know that this would rule them out of being used on SMILE.
If you follow the formula of music, vocals and sound effects then "Barnyard" would make a terrific Earth section!  I know that this ("Barnyard") was supposed to be 4 different songs mixed into a suite, but isn't THAT also what "The Elements" was supposed to be?  OK, OK that suggestion may be going TOO far, but it is funny to me that "Barnyard" was NOT on the 12 song list.  The "Barnyard" suite might have become "I'm In Great Shape" (a pretty popular theory), or maybe not, who knows.





Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: All Golden 74 on March 21, 2010, 08:16:37 PM
While I'm on the subject("The Elements") I do remember someone on Youtube commenting on a fanmix of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" saying that it sounds like Frank Zappa and the Mothers and also that Frank had recorded a song about vegetables(Call Any Vegetable maybe?).  Shortly after reading this I came across a thread on this board where Ed Roach remembered playing some FZ for Brian Wilson who tore off the headphones and screamed "Ah, devil music!!!".
This made me laugh out loud because, well, it's funny, but also because it made me remember the first time I heard "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow".  I right away thought that the sounds of the strings reminded me of some of the music on George Crumb's BLACK ANGELS, which is a kind of avant-garde string quartet piece.  The 4th section of the 1st movement is called "Devil-music", go figure!  Now, whenever I hear "Fire" I think of George Crumb's Devil-music, just like I think of Varese whenever I see Frank Zappa's name mentioned (FZ sure liked to namedrop that guy).  Anyway, it's just a goofy story because things are pretty combative tonight on this here board.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: The Shift on March 22, 2010, 04:32:26 AM
Fire was two sections, though, was it not?

I know that "Fire" is called part 1 of "The Elements" on the session tape, but is there any chance that they meant part 1 of "Fire", with part 2 recorded the next day ("I Wanna Be Around/Friday Night")?


David Anderle referred to "Fire, Part 1" in his conversation with Paul Williams back in '68.  Don't have them to hand but don't the SoT session discs also have an engineer calling out the take as "The Elements, Fire, part one, take ..." or similar?

Blimey, suppose there's whole chunk of Fire missing, that we haven't heard yet?


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: armona on March 22, 2010, 06:21:45 PM
Fire was two sections, though, was it not?

I know that "Fire" is called part 1 of "The Elements" on the session tape, but is there any chance that they meant part 1 of "Fire", with part 2 recorded the next day ("I Wanna Be Around/Friday Night")?


David Anderle referred to "Fire, Part 1" in his conversation with Paul Williams back in '68.  Don't have them to hand but don't the SoT session discs also have an engineer calling out the take as "The Elements, Fire, part one, take ..." or similar?

Blimey, suppose there's whole chunk of Fire missing, that we haven't heard yet?

That last part where the fire is "put out" was recorded in a series separate takes IIRC, so I'd hazard a guess that would be the end part.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: Jay on March 22, 2010, 07:21:10 PM
Here's an idea: What if the "water chant" IS the water part of the Elements in itself? It's really short, but what if it was meant to stand alone as it's own track? Sorry if this was already mentioned and I missed it.


Title: Re: The Elements
Post by: buddhahat on March 23, 2010, 07:24:31 AM
Here's an idea: What if the "water chant" IS the water part of the Elements in itself? It's really short, but what if it was meant to stand alone as it's own track? Sorry if this was already mentioned and I missed it.

I've often wondered this. The problem with dada being water is it's so long. It has an intro, the main part, and then seemingly they're about to go into a coda in the sessions too. I definitely think dada was to be it's own standalone track by the time it was recorded, but who knows.