By that I mean something that sounds almost like a parody of themselves and something you'd see on This Is Spinal Tap? IMO, I think In The Parking Lot sounds as generic as you can get. The layered harmonies at the beginning and end, the fast music and Chuck Berry-like guitar in the middle and the "do-ron de ron" harmonies to accompany Mike is almost like a recipe on how to right an (old) Beach Boys song.

Kokomo

Or most that Brian wasn't involved in.

My friend who lives relatively far away has expressed intrest in Smile. I don't really know how to start them off (what exactly to listen to, what to read). In addition, the fact that I can't get to them personally makes it a pain when choosing what to teach them.

How would you start somebody off?

Well, Smile never really existed back in 67, so I'd say play them the songs that were to go on the album (on later BB albums), to show you what could have been, check out these songs, imagine how amazing this album would have been (if they came out properly sequenced on the Smile album)

Our Prayer
Surf's Up
Heroes and Villains
Wonderful
Good Vibrations
Cabin Essence

Then you could point them to Brians 2004 SMiLE to give him an approximate idea of the theme and sequencing Brian would have had in mind to tell that musical story.

I'd have to say ...

1. Sunflower
2. Wild Honey
3. 20/20
4. Surfs Up
5. Pet Sounds

I'm down.  The 62-69 one was amazing.  Waaaaaaay better than I was expecting when I bought it.

Big fan.  My favorite song is "Pleasant Valley Sunday".

I have my set music I like listening to on my mp3 player everyday (Beach Boys, Beatles, Gordon Lightfoot, Pink Floyd), just a mix of the classics.

Though I do obsess and play to death certain songs.  Currently that would be...

No Matter What (by Badfinger)
Vegetable Man (Pink Floyd)
Let The Sun Shine (5th Dimension)
Paradise (Coldplay)
Best of Herp Alpert (Lonely Bull)
Never Getting Back Together (Taylor Swift)
Stop Right Now (Spice Girls)
Theme to "You Only Live Twice" (Nancy Sinatra) - I'm obsessed with that brilliant violin riff.


Obscure list I know. 

Abbey Road, without a doubt.

Boom.

That's a quote from the "I Wasn't Made For These Times" dvd (which they were in).  Great dvd.

Hmm...not a lot of songs I dislike, but it would probably be the car, girl pre 1965 stuff.  Not that I don't necessarily dislike them, but I've heard them a million times.

That looks like right around the time of Sunflower.  Great period.  And my fav BB album.