Looking for a piano cover of "Wonderful"

[sofonanm]

I read somewhere that Paul McCartney performed "She's Leaving Home" for Brian and Marilyn and Brian performed "Wonderful" for Paul in response. Since no one seems to have been there documenting important history I'm stuck not being able to hear "Wonderful" performed by mid-sixties Brian by himself at his piano.

I mean, put yer imagination to work here for a second. Paul probably played his song and it's a nice one and it probably floored Brian and Marilyn. At this point, Brian is probably feeling both the impression received through hearing it and his pride to show of his own new work which is of a different quality. Brian's been performing "She's Leaving Home" apparently at shows in a more upbeat, poppy context. Could the same be done with "Wonderful"? I can't imagine it sounding any good!

Anyway, Brian's there listening to Paul perform and he's feeling inspired. Paul gets up, modestly says "Like it?" and B&M were teary eyed. Paul says, "I'd love to hear you play one of yer new songs, Brian."

So he walks over to the piano, sits down, feels that Paul's cheeks kept it warm, and he gives a little bit of information about the song. "Me and Van wrote this in minutes - literally - just flowed through us, it's one of my favorite new pieces." Then begins playing.

First it's a little hesitant, or at least it seems that way due to Brian's soft voice, but as it moves a steady confidence makes itself known as the moving and beguiling chord changes rise and fall. Paul is sitting silently with Marilyn. She's feeling overwhelming love all around for her husband, Paul is profoundly touched and stunned at Brian's compositional advances since Pet Sounds.

Brian's performance of the song flows into the verses of Child Is Father Of The Man as he mentions that the modular style of writing employed on "Good Vibrations" was in fact going to be his main mode of operation from now on.

Anyway - does anyone got a good video or mp3 or whatever of someone performing "Wonderful" on a piano? Not a keyboard set to "harpsi" or any bullshit like that. I wanna see someone sitting down doing an emotional performance of the song. Surely you all agree that it is an amazing song? Otherworldly almost.

She belongs there left with her liberty
Never known as a non-believer
She laughs and stays in the won-won-won-wonderful

She knew how to gather the forest when
God reached softly and moved her body
One golden locket
Quite young and loving her mother and father

Farther down the path was a mystery
Through the recess the chalk and numbers
A boy bumped into the won-won-won-wonderful

All fall down and lost in the mystery
Lost it all to a non-believer
And all that's left is a girl
Who's loved by her mother and father

She'll return in love with the mystery
Never known as a non-believer
She'll sigh and thank God for won-won-won-wonderful

Someone go sit at their piano, give it some practice, set up the video camera, record that sucka, post it on YouTube, post the link here. Goddamnit, satisfy my desires.

[sofonanm]

I want to add something else!!!!!!


Does anyone know of a full midi performance of BWPS? Like, not shitty sounding midi files but decent. I'm reading http://www.princeton.edu/~rwegman/lectures/smile.htm this right now and, goshdarn if I wouldn't like to hear the entirety of Pet Sounds and Smile perfectly done like this. I like hearing it stripped to just the piano. It's inspiring. ANYONE? I don't have the know-how to do it myself so like a true lazy man I want someone to do it for me.

[Mr. Cohen]

Well, this guy plays a bunch of Pet Sounds songs, and some others, on his piano: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=67E1CF135318DAA8. His playing style is a little simplified in comparison to some of those example in The Puzzle of Brian Wilson's SMiLE, but hey, Brian seemed to simplify his songs a lot when he played them on piano.

[sofonanm]

Well, this guy plays a bunch of Pet Sounds songs, and some others, on his piano: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=67E1CF135318DAA8. His playing style is a little simplified in comparison to some of those example in The Puzzle of Brian Wilson's SMiLE, but hey, Brian seemed to simplify his songs a lot when he played them on piano.

Yeah, I've seen a lot of them and spoken to the guy asking for requests. 

I don't know, though.
I kind of feel like I'm watching Daniel Johnston play Brian Wilson.
Which could be pretty good, but I can't get into it.
I see the setting, i.e., "Mom's Basement"
And I hear this guy singing songs of heartbreak,
And I'm like, "C'mon, this guy's had a girlfriend?" 

I'm kidding, I like him. But still...

[Chris Brown]

If it can be played solo on a harpsichord, I don't see why Brian couldn't have done a nice version on a piano as well.

[sofonanm]

If it can be played solo on a harpsichord, I don't see why Brian couldn't have done a nice version on a piano as well.

I like the performance of it on the IJWMFTT soundtrack or album or whatever it is. I haven't heard it in a while but I think it's mainly guitars and piano. I prefer it to BWPS's version. Well, from memory. My memory of both.

[Chris Brown]

If it can be played solo on a harpsichord, I don't see why Brian couldn't have done a nice version on a piano as well.

I like the performance of it on the IJWMFTT soundtrack or album or whatever it is. I haven't heard it in a while but I think it's mainly guitars and piano. I prefer it to BWPS's version. Well, from memory. My memory of both.

Yeah I think you're right, guitars and piano.  I'm not a huge fan of that version, just because the background singers don't fit at all, and Brian's voice, though decent, is nowhere near as good as it was on the original in '66.  Nothing tops the '66 harpsichord version for me.

[sofonanm]

If it can be played solo on a harpsichord, I don't see why Brian couldn't have done a nice version on a piano as well.

I like the performance of it on the IJWMFTT soundtrack or album or whatever it is. I haven't heard it in a while but I think it's mainly guitars and piano. I prefer it to BWPS's version. Well, from memory. My memory of both.

Yeah I think you're right, guitars and piano.  I'm not a huge fan of that version, just because the background singers don't fit at all, and Brian's voice, though decent, is nowhere near as good as it was on the original in '66.  Nothing tops the '66 harpsichord version for me.

I just took a listen to it. I can't really tell whether it's guitars or not. If it is they have a very harpsichord-like sound on the low end. I actually like the singers. There are also some kind of vibes or chimes or something. And organ, I think.