Wind Chimes. SMiLE or Smiley?

[Bruce Louden]

The music to the coda seems to come from "Holidays" which is why the BWPS transition from "On A Holiday" to "Wind Chimes" works so well. Could this have been a similar situation to "Look" where a theme from an abandoned track was salvaged as a vocal riff for another song ("Good Vibrations" being the track that borrowed from "Look")? In that case, it could have been something recycled early on as part of SMiLE or later as part of SMILEY SMILE. I don't know.

The beautiful vocals at the end of the SS WC are definitely the same chord progression as the coda to Holiday, as Roger notes.

To me SS remains vastly under-rated by most.
On some board, years ago, I suggested that the SMiLE sessions - as we already have them - are far more finished on the music/instrumental side.
Whereas SS has essentially completed vocals, with pariticpation by the whole group, but minimized music/instrumentation.

"SMiLE" would then represent a combination of the two approaches: SS-type vcls, SMiLE music backing tracks.

[rab2591]

I really wonder if Brian thought he was making a hit/revolutionary record while recording smiley smile.

In regards to Wind Chimes, i'd take both the SS and SMiLE version over either.

Both have a life of their own. Love the coda in the SS version, but I love blasting the coda in the SMiLE version on my stereo system. I used to really dislike the SMiLE version for that coda, but the more I played it the more I loved it.

[Mr. Cohen]

Smiley Smile cements Brian as the very first lo-fi hipster. If he had been an unknown and had recorded Smiley Smile in the early to mid-2000s, he'd have been the next Jeff Magnum. This is what Charles Manson would've recorded if he understood anything about arranging, and knew a few more chords. "With Me Tonight" is like the perfect hippie hymnal. Imagine a dim, candlelit room, incense and marijuana wafting in the air, hippies sitting Indian style on a Persian rug as they chant... the song's presence almost seems to grow from their conviction to the melody and the simple, homey message carried on it. That's why the helium effect on "She's Goin' Bald" works. It's as if they've finally meditated themselves to a higher plain. Brian can now be anything he wants. Just listen to him turn the Beach Boys into a gentle breeze on "Wind Chimes"! Magic!

That's the whole vibe of Smiley Smile, folks. A bunch hippies smoke pot one evening and cut a record. If you can't appreciate that, then maybe you need to stop being uptight and smoke a doob or two, chased with a fine domestic brew. Brian Wilson loves you, and wants you to have a good time with him.

Oh yeah, and you know that bridge on "Wonderful"? "You just gotta cool it, all you gotta do is cool it, man... cool it." That's meta-satire on the Facebook phenomenon.  

Sorry if I blew all your minds.

[Mr. Cohen]

Really though, you're making a mistake if you're comparing Smile to Smiley Smile. They have completely differing merits, and both are great on their own. There's nothing like Smiley Smile's "Wind Chimes" on Smile, and there's nothing like "Cabin Essence" on Smiley Smile. Of course, you can draw comparison from afar, but they really are different brands of beauty.

[Micha]

Interesting observation.  I bet you'll see that whichever one people heard first is the one they prefer.  I heard the GV box version of Wind Chimes first, so the Smiley Smile version was a bit weird to me (still is, but it's cool in it's own Smiley Smile way).  Same thing with Wonderful and Vegetables - I heard them on them box first, and those are the versions I prefer.

I heard SS first and love SS Wind Chimes (it's really a totally different song with just the same lyrics and a similar melody) and the dumb-dumb-dumb bass version of Vegetables. When I heard the box set I was rather disappointed with those versions of these two songs. Especially after having been blown away by the SMiLE version of Wonderful, which is way better than the SS version - it only lacks a middle eight. That is, not counting the rock me Henry version. Had that been on the box set, Ram4's theory would have been right for me.

The BWPS version of Wind Chimes though is an improvement over the box set version.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Wow, some great responses, and I am mightily heartened to see that everyone feels the same way about Smiley as I do. Chat soon , I is at a rather exciting part of 24. It's Bauer time!

[willy]

Never been too keen on the SMiLE 'Wind Chimes' 'chorus' if that's what it is. It is far too heavy for such a delicate song. The Smiley Smile version is soooo malevolently perfect. But it is great to have both!

Smiley Smile is rather a 'spooky' album. Perhaps more of a Californian companion to Their Satanic Majesties' Request.

[Mooger Fooger]

I like Smiley Smile for what it is (or isnt) but IMHO both Wonderful and Wind Chimes are unsurpassed in their Smile renditions. The SS versions are like an artist saying, "Look how cool my portrait is in comparison to the Mona Lisa", whereas the Smile versions are the artist saying, "I painted the Mona Lisa."

[Shady]

Wow, some great responses, and I am mightily heartened to see that everyone feels the same way about Smiley as I do. Chat soon , I is at a rather exciting part of 24. It's Bauer time!

Haha, I'm watching 24 right now too

On topic, I look at both Wonderful's as two separate entities, almost like a Part 1 and 2

[Mike's Beard]

Anyone else awaiting with baited breath Bill's Zen interpretation of this song being rammed down their throat next time he logs on?

[bgas]

Wow, some great responses, and I am mightily heartened to see that everyone feels the same way about Smiley as I do. Chat soon , I is at a rather exciting part of 24. It's Bauer time!

Haha, I'm watching 24 right now too

On topic, I look at both Wonderful's as two separate entities, almost like a Part 1 and 2

Oh man, it's been so long, I completely forgot about 24. When did it start again?

[rab2591]

Anyone else awaiting with baited breath Bill's Zen interpretation of this song being rammed down their throat next time he logs on?

I wouldn't mind hearing his interpretation if there is one. Just my opinion.

[drbeachboy]

Anyone else awaiting with baited breath Bill's Zen interpretation of this song being rammed down their throat next time he logs on?

Bring it on, Bill.

[Shady]

Wow, some great responses, and I am mightily heartened to see that everyone feels the same way about Smiley as I do. Chat soon , I is at a rather exciting part of 24. It's Bauer time!

Haha, I'm watching 24 right now too

On topic, I look at both Wonderful's as two separate entities, almost like a Part 1 and 2

Oh man, it's been so long, I completely forgot about 24. When did it start again?

I think it's done, I'm just re-watching my old boxets now I'm on summer break with lots of time to kill lol

[hypehat]

Anyone else awaiting with baited breath Bill's Zen interpretation of this song being rammed down their throat next time he logs on?

Bring it on, Bill.

Don't you worry, Bill.

Essentially, so long as the guy is cool with posting here he's ok with me - his Smile opinions are as welcome as mine.

[homeontherange]

I like Smiley Smile but I definitely prefer the Smile version of Wind Chimes.
But I have to recommend the early version on SOT 18, where you actually hear Brian's piano playing. Those are some awesome chord changes, completely different from the Smile version, can't believe they left that out on SS. It feels almost like Brian had lost his confidence completely when he decided to simplify the songs like that. Or just didn't care.

[runnersdialzero]

Imagine a dim, candlelit room, incense and marijuana wafting in the air, hippies sitting Indian style on a Persian rug as they chant

No thanks.

P.S. plz don't ruin songs for me in the future. kthx.

[monicker]

Imagine a dim, candlelit room, incense and marijuana wafting in the air, hippies sitting Indian style on a Persian rug as they chant

No thanks.

P.S. plz don't ruin songs for me in the future. kthx.

Haaa, my thoughts exactly.

[Mr. Cohen]

No thanks.

P.S. plz don't ruin songs for me in the future. kthx.

That's basically how the song was made, though.

[stack-o-tracks]

The fact that DEADLY MARIJUANA was smoked during the production of the song ruined it for you?

Ah well, more for us. 

[bgas]

Anyone else awaiting with baited breath Bill's Zen interpretation of this song being rammed down their throat next time he logs on?

Bring it on, Bill.

Don't you worry, Bill.

Essentially, so long as the guy is cool with posting here he's ok with me - his Smile opinions are as welcome as mine.

I think you meant Wonderbill

[bgas]

Imagine a dim, candlelit room, incense and marijuana wafting in the air, hippies sitting Indian style on a Persian rug as they chant

No thanks.

P.S. plz don't ruin songs for me in the future. kthx.

Haaa, my thoughts exactly.

Really?    That ruins it for you?  seems odd that it would. 
Decrription reminded me of the Skeletons and "Waiting For My Gin To Hit Me"

[runnersdialzero]

The fact that DEADLY MARIJUANA was smoked during the production of the song ruined it for you?

No, doofus >: (

[Micha]

It feels almost like Brian had lost his confidence completely when he decided to simplify the songs like that. Or just didn't care.

That's interesting that you feel that way. For me it is the other way round. In the first part of the verses in the SMiLE version it is just two chords changed back and forth, while there are some more modulations and vocal arrangements on the Smiley version. Less instruments, but compositionwise more elaborated.

[nosticker]

As someone else said, SMILEY was the album that got me into the more creative side of BW/BB's.
Never cared for Wind Chimes or Wonderful on Smiley.  When I heard the SMILE versions of those tracks, not only did I get that feeling that "these" were the best versions, I also went back and re-evaluated SMILEY.

This is what I concluded: I will always enjoy the album, but I feel like WC, Wonderful, and With Me Tonight were like a "wake" for the album that was left behind.  The minimalism of the LP still puzzles me.  Maybe Brian felt like he painted himself into a corner with Smile?  Who knows?

And yet, to me, there is something about the SS version of Vegetables that has it all over the Smile one.

Go figure.............

Dan