The Smiley Smile Message Board

I know I've posted something like this before a long time ago, genre by album....but I feel like I wasn't satisfied with the response to some....maybe it's just harder to consider some of the 70s albums.

Here's some songs I'd like to know what their genre could be considered. And to be honest, I'd really like to hear something besides that it's a pop or rock song. I know most of em are pop songs, but I feel like 3/4 of the BB/BW/DW/etc. catalog are considered pop/_____ (insert unique genre).   ;D  

San Miguel
Trombone Dixie
California Role
Full Sail
4th of July
Take a Load off Your Feet
Solar System
Country Air
Wake the World
Time (POB)
Walk On By
She's goin' Bald
Be With Me
Til' I Die
You're Welcome
All I Wanna Do
Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
Can't wait Too Long
Feel Flows
Moonshine
You need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone
Barnyard
Long Promised Road
Santa Ana Winds
Day in the Life of a Tree
All this is that
Look/Song for Children
Common
With Me Tonight
Anna Lee the Healer
California Saga
Marcella
Steamboat
HELP is on the Way
TM Song (the song not the argument)
In the Back of My Mind
She Says that She Needs Me
It's trying to Say
Live Let Live
Nearest Faraway Place
Make it Good
Sweet Mountain
Rainbows
Orange Crate Art
Sail On Sailor
Pet Sounds
Love Remember Me
Tennessee Waltz (Spring)
Matchpoint of Our Love
Everybody Wants to Live
Tug of Love
Happy Days
Oh Darling
Roll Plymouth Rock
After the Game
California Feeling
What's Wrong?
Loop De Loop
Trader
My Diane
Constant Companion
Mt. Vernon and Fairway (EP)
Kiss Me Baby
Cool Cool Water
Album Tag Song
Funky Pretty
It's About Time
Wonderful (both Smile and Smiley versions)
Good Time
Never Learn Not to Love
On a Holiday
Saturday Morning in the City
Number One (Rachel & The Revo-lution)
Walking Down the Path of Life
Holy Man
Let Him Run Wild
At My Window
Time to get Alone
Whistle In
River Song
Fall Breaks and Back to Winter
Oxygen to the Brain
Mexico
Lookin' at Tomorrow
Passing By
Slip On through
I Got Plenty O nuttin (specifically BW's version)
Leavin' this Town
When Girls Get Together
The Like in I love You
He's a Bum
Male Ego
I went to Sleep
City Blues
Be Still
Old Folks At Home/Ol' Man River
Rio Grande
Wild Situation


As a follow up question about genres, I feel like a lot of 66-67 material may be considered Baroque pop, I'd like to hear what's considered this genre of the catalog, beyond those specified years if possible (Old Master Painter? When I Grow Up? Let Him Run Wild? the whole Pet Sounds album or some parts? Wonderful? etc.)



Any help on any, even if it's just one song or so would be a great help!

I post this kind of stuff because, one, I am curious what you all think and two, I think this type of thing is fun and gets our minds rolling in possible directions that haven't been discussed.

If it's not fun or being enjoyed, I'm sorry if it seems I'm wasting a post

This seems like a good place to ask something I have always been curios about. Is Smiley Smile a "psychedelic" album? I'm thinking of the Smiley Smile version of Wind Chimes in particular. Whatever you want to call it, you have to admit that it's fairly weird.  ;D I have always thought that the "water chant" sounded very psychedelic. It's just voices and an organ drone, but it's very...hypnotic.

I think that it's a psychedelic pop album.
I make a big distinction between psychedelic pop, which is sort of 'trippy'sounding and weird and psychedelic rock, which is sort of abrasive and hard-edged --it sounds more like the way acid FEELS.

in my opinion, lyrically and vocally, it is psychedelic

If pressed, I guess I'd have to call it "do it yourself acid casualty doo-wop".

I'd say it's a psychedelic/humor album.  Even if it isn't all that funny, Brian's intent was to make it somewhat humorous.

What I'd consider Baroque Pop from that list:

Trombone Dixie
Wake the World
Walk On By
Til' I Die (Desper Mix)
Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
Look/Song for Children
In the Back of My Mind
Let Him Run Wild
She Says that She Needs Me
Pet Sounds
Love Remember Me
Roll Plymouth Rock
Wonderful (Smile)
On a Holiday
At My Window
Time to get Alone
Be Still

Then again, I wouldn't classify the song 'Wonderful' under "pop" - it is more like spiritual/classical music.

 ??? Does anyone know if Brian intended the song 'Wonderful' to be connected with 'Surf's Up' by the lyrics "I heard the word, Wonderful thing, A Children's song"? Not connected as is Brian splicing the tapes together in the studio, but connected as in having similar/connected meanings.

I Got Plenty O nuttin (specifically BW's version) - I just realized the striking similarities between this song and 'Ol Man River.

Holy Man - For me this goes in the "Holy sh*t this is the greatest instrumental I've ever heard" genre.

YES! that is a fantastic list!
I think i can see how they're baroque pop songs, the instrumentation, let alone what instruments are involved.
The style of those songs as well.

Holy Man, when that synth came in the first time I heard it, I thought, damn, this kills 1/4 of the Beach Boys catalog.

I consider most of it Gospel music.

Indeed, besides In The Back Of My Mind, Holy Man is my favorite backing track out of any Beach Boys related recordings.

With how long that Holy Man track has been hiding, you gotta wonder what's the story behind it.

You know one of the guys like Mike heard it and said "sh*t, this is more artistic than anything we've done since Smile, we can't let anyone know Dennis is a genius too."   ;)

i like to think so.  They're both part of that middle suite.  obv can't say if that existed in 67, but it sounds so nice. and i like to think the coda to surf's up IS the children's song/song for children.