Mama Says

[mikeyj]

I was just wondering, how does Mike get a credit on this? I thought it was part of Vegetables (in its SMiLE form)? So shouldn't it be "B. Wilson/V. Parks"?

Also, can anybody figure out what the lyrics to the backing vocals are on Let Us Go On This Way?

[Dancing Bear]

I think that for the Wild Honey project Brian and Mike had a Jagger-Richards deal. Every Brian track would be credited to both.

PS: This is TOTAL conjecture on my part.

[Aegir]

Well, Vegetables with the Mama Says section, doesn't have the "or poof". Maybe he wrote "or poof". Also, sometimes writer's credits are all about the idea. Isn't Mike's credit on I Know There's an Answer just because he didn't want the words to be "hang on to your ego"? Maybe Mike thought Mama Says would work better as its own song.

[mikeyj]

Well, Vegetables with the Mama Says section, doesn't have the "or poof". Maybe he wrote "or poof". Also, sometimes writer's credits are all about the idea. Isn't Mike's credit on I Know There's an Answer just because he didn't want the words to be "hang on to your ego"? Maybe Mike thought Mama Says would work better as its own song.

I never noticed that minor "or proof" difference. I always thought that Mike came up with the line "I Know There's An Answer" as well as the few other minor lyrical changes? I've never read that anywhere, but I just assumed because Terry Sachen wrote the original lyrics, which Tony Asher had nothing to do with. Maby thats a stupid assumption but it would explain Mike's credit. IF he gets credit just for the "idea" to change the lyrics in "..Ego" and for the "idea" of having Mama Says as its own song, then that's pretty stupid, in my opinion.

[Bicyclerider]

Mama Says wasn't part of the original "cornucopia" version recorded probably in November 66, which was all Van Dyke's lyrics.  Then in april we get a rewritten Vegetables (cornucopia is gone, as is smash the stalk green) and Eat a Lot is included in April.  Could be Mike helped rewrite Veggies (Van Dyke was gone at this time) and wrote the eat a lot lyrics at this time.

We have instrumental versions of Eat a Lot dating back to at least January (tag to part 1 of Heroes) but are there vocal versions before april?

[Mahalo]

On BWPS Mike gets no credit for Vega-Tables which does include the Mama Says part.....If history is any indication, Mike would've sued by now, I'm sure.

[Chris Brown]

I always thought that maybe Mike got a credit on "Mama Says" for coming up with one of the rhythmic variations (I think there are four of them)...other than that I have no idea why he would get one.  I would really hope that coming up with the "poof" at the end would not entitle him to a songwriting credit, but who knows?

[Dancing Bear]

Let's be fair, there are 3 tracks in "Friends" with 4 to 6 songwriters. Some of the people credited there must have only contributed on the "poof" level.

But I still bet on the "let's do a Jagger/Richards this time" theory.

[Goin’Bald]

Could it be the Mamy Says part of Vega-Tables was Brian's input? Then it was left off the song and a couple of months later Mike listens to this part, realizing he could make a real track out of it. The varied vocal parts may be his idea and adding "pooooof". If so, he gets a credit. That could be a reason we don't see his name on BWPS.

[Aegir]

The vocal parts makes sense, actually. Lines like "eat-alot, sleep-alot, brush 'em like cra-a-a-zy" (the first variation) could technically count as altering the composition.

[Chris Brown]

The vocal parts makes sense, actually. Lines like "eat-alot, sleep-alot, brush 'em like cra-a-a-zy" (the first variation) could technically count as altering the composition.

That's what I was thinking...that is really the only logical way I can imagine him getting a credit on "Mama Says" and not on "Vega-Tables".