Track Talk #3: Little Pad

[I. Spaceman]

If you obess on that mediocre track then you got some issues. Telling you.

If loving that track means I have issues, give me a lifetime subscription.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

My history with this song confirms some of the observations made on this thread.

I bought the Smiley Smile/Wild Honey two-fer in the late 90s when I was a teenager. I had spent the better half of that year becoming obsessed with Pet Sounds, which I had in my possession for nearly 10 years at that point and always liked, but something had clicked that year. The obsession motivated me to get more Beach Boys. Since I was quite familiar with the hits, I was more curious about what came after Sounds since the greatest hits I had mostly kept me in the dark about that period, though I had heard Wild Honey because my dad had it on vinyl (as well as Friends but I don't have a memory of having heard it until I bought it on CD). So SS/WH it was. I bought the album in a day out with a few friends. We had all bought CDs that day but it was decided that we would listen to mine first. I popped it on and as soon as Vegetables started, I noticed a bit of resistance from the crowd. And, naturally, after listening to Pet Sounds non-stop for the last year, it was surprising to me too. As the album went on, there was a growing dissastisfaction with the choice and, yes, Little Pad was the track that broke the camel's back. We replaced Smiley Smile with something else.

Me, I was drawn to the weirdness though I wasn't quite sure yet whether it was good or not. For the next few months, I would often come home from school and listen to the album on headphones. The track that was most compelling to me, first, was Little Pad. I thought the humming section was a really fantastic melody and beautifully sung by Brian. It's always been one of my favourite tracks on Smiley Smile. I, of course, like the album now but my introduction to the album was an event.

[David Kennedy]

inb4 Andrew Doe says that part of it derives from "Hawaiian Song".

Also, no way is it a reworking of "Tune X" or "Do You Like Worms?"

Does anyone have an idea about which section of Little Pad was derived from "Hawaiian Song"?

[bossaroo]

has anyone HEARD "Hawaiian Song"??

[runnersdialzero]

has anyone HEARD "Hawaiian Song"??

Mr.Doe has. Otherwise, no.

I bought the album in a day out with a few friends. We had all bought CDs that day but it was decided that we would listen to mine first. I popped it on and as soon as Vegetables started, I noticed a bit of resistance from the crowd. And, naturally, after listening to Pet Sounds non-stop for the last year, it was surprising to me too. As the album went on, there was a growing dissastisfaction with the choice and, yes, Little Pad was the track that broke the camel's back. We replaced Smiley Smile with something else.

Assholes.

[Gertie J.]

Little pad is fine, love organ, laugh and stuff.

[sockittome]

has anyone HEARD "Hawaiian Song"??

Mr.Doe has. Otherwise, no.

I bought the album in a day out with a few friends. We had all bought CDs that day but it was decided that we would listen to mine first. I popped it on and as soon as Vegetables started, I noticed a bit of resistance from the crowd. And, naturally, after listening to Pet Sounds non-stop for the last year, it was surprising to me too. As the album went on, there was a growing dissastisfaction with the choice and, yes, Little Pad was the track that broke the camel's back. We replaced Smiley Smile with something else.

Assholes.

Really it took that long?  I would think She's Going Bald would've done the trick.

[runnersdialzero]

A few weeks ago, myself and a few others were on a trip. I turned my MP3 player on, put it on "She's Goin' Bald", and turned the FM transmitter on and set it to the station we were listening to (I wasn't driving, obviously). Everybody became confused and was wondering what in the f*** was playing on the radio, especially when the pitch shifting came up. It was amusing and very, very hard not to laugh, and it went on until well into the narrated section. After about thirty seconds of "What the f*** is wrong with the radio?" and "What the hell is this?" it was changed to satellite radio and I was sad.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

First time I listened to Smiley Smile track-by-track was via YT & without order. When the next came She's Goin' Bald, with all these vocal tricks, I thought this group can do great psychedelia. Generally, my point is The BBs are good at all genres they made/make attempts at. As for the subject, it's a very entertaining but at the same time, very beautiful composition. Wickedly-said "Do it!", Brian & Co.'s laugh are very catchy to hear, never fail to cheer me up. Addition of 2 finger snaps & chewing sounds are another (eccentric) advantages of the song. Carl's humming is amazing in its beauty! Saying that, LP is still not the most favorite on the record. Wind Chimes is the winner imo.   

I completely agree with you about "Wind Chimes."  I particularly love the Whispering Winds coda.  It's the one Smiley Smile song that, in my opinion, blows its Smile counterpart away.  (The Smiley Smile "Wonderful" is clearly the inferior version, and I'm undecided on "Vegetables"/"Vega-Tables.")

That said, I have to disagree that the BBs are good at all genres they make attempts at.  They are very clearly incapable of doing hip-hop, and their attempts at disco and reggae are disposable.

[SunBurn]

I love just about everything about this track, and agree that it is emblematic of what’s best about Smiley Smile.

Question: I wonder how rehearsed versus spontaneous the laughter at the beginning was? I have heard a spoken word recording from the Smile era in which Brian directed the participants in the style of laughter he wanted to hear. If I had to guess, I’d say the laughter was rehearsed, although it sounds genuine enough.

Another question: what IS the instrument that plays the descending melody at the end of the song, heard prominently right after the upwards slide guitar part? To me it sounds a bit like a harp, but also reminds me of glass bottles.