What Is The Weird Fascination With The "Smiley Smile" Album?

[DonnyL]

Not a weird fascination for me.  It's their best album, along with Love You.  The songs are well-written and played appropriately, just like any other good album.  I also think those albums, perhaps along with Pet Sounds and Smile, are the closest things they did to music Brian would make just for himself.  It feels less like he's speaking to an audience, which gives Smiley the same intoxicating fervor you find in the Residents, McCartney and McCartney II, The Madcap Laughs, or even Head (speaking to an audience, but eschewing their given audience).

Any Pere Ubu fans probably get it.  It's music for your mind, totally divorced from being in the moment or being fashionable, which is what so much music is concerned with.  It's no coincidence that some of the first albums Dave Thomas had were Smiley Smile, Beefheart, and Zappa.  I think resistance to Smiley is weirder, and comes from the fact that it's not fashionable or classifiable, unlike Pet Sounds.  You have to engage with albums like Smiley Smile.  It's not a soundtrack for your lifestyle, which is what makes it less popular than a lot of other music.  It is Brian's ego music, not yours.  And people hate that.

+1

...

truly an anti-commercial album, and the boldest statement Brian or the Beach Boys ever made.  puzzling, weird, natural, perfect and completely unpredictable (musically and historically).  Smiley Smile is one of the chief reasons that I know the Beach Boys are a genius group.  completely original and authentic.

let's just take it out of context for a moment: if this album were the only thing the Beach Boys ever released, it would be the undisputed champion of cult classic records.  The record must stand on its own.

[Newguy562]

Not a weird fascination for me.  It's their best album, along with Love You.  The songs are well-written and played appropriately, just like any other good album.  I also think those albums, perhaps along with Pet Sounds and Smile, are the closest things they did to music Brian would make just for himself.  It feels less like he's speaking to an audience, which gives Smiley the same intoxicating fervor you find in the Residents, McCartney and McCartney II, The Madcap Laughs, or even Head (speaking to an audience, but eschewing their given audience).

Any Pere Ubu fans probably get it.  It's music for your mind, totally divorced from being in the moment or being fashionable, which is what so much music is concerned with.  It's no coincidence that some of the first albums Dave Thomas had were Smiley Smile, Beefheart, and Zappa.  I think resistance to Smiley is weirder, and comes from the fact that it's not fashionable or classifiable, unlike Pet Sounds.  You have to engage with albums like Smiley Smile.  It's not a soundtrack for your lifestyle, which is what makes it less popular than a lot of other music.  It is Brian's ego music, not yours.  And people hate that.

+1

...

truly an anti-commercial album, and the boldest statement Brian or the Beach Boys ever made.  puzzling, weird, natural, perfect and completely unpredictable (musically and historically).  Smiley Smile is one of the chief reasons that I know the Beach Boys are a genius group.  completely original and authentic.

let's just take it out of context for a moment: if this album were the only thing the Beach Boys ever released, it would be the undisputed champion of cult classic records.  The record must stand on its own.

what is it from this album that made you realize the beach boys were a genius group?

[DonnyL]

Not a weird fascination for me.  It's their best album, along with Love You.  The songs are well-written and played appropriately, just like any other good album.  I also think those albums, perhaps along with Pet Sounds and Smile, are the closest things they did to music Brian would make just for himself.  It feels less like he's speaking to an audience, which gives Smiley the same intoxicating fervor you find in the Residents, McCartney and McCartney II, The Madcap Laughs, or even Head (speaking to an audience, but eschewing their given audience).

Any Pere Ubu fans probably get it.  It's music for your mind, totally divorced from being in the moment or being fashionable, which is what so much music is concerned with.  It's no coincidence that some of the first albums Dave Thomas had were Smiley Smile, Beefheart, and Zappa.  I think resistance to Smiley is weirder, and comes from the fact that it's not fashionable or classifiable, unlike Pet Sounds.  You have to engage with albums like Smiley Smile.  It's not a soundtrack for your lifestyle, which is what makes it less popular than a lot of other music.  It is Brian's ego music, not yours.  And people hate that.

+1

...

truly an anti-commercial album, and the boldest statement Brian or the Beach Boys ever made.  puzzling, weird, natural, perfect and completely unpredictable (musically and historically).  Smiley Smile is one of the chief reasons that I know the Beach Boys are a genius group.  completely original and authentic.

let's just take it out of context for a moment: if this album were the only thing the Beach Boys ever released, it would be the undisputed champion of cult classic records.  The record must stand on its own.

what is it from this album that made you realize the beach boys were a genius group?

the bold originality combined with musical brilliance.

[Newguy562]

Not a weird fascination for me.  It's their best album, along with Love You.  The songs are well-written and played appropriately, just like any other good album.  I also think those albums, perhaps along with Pet Sounds and Smile, are the closest things they did to music Brian would make just for himself.  It feels less like he's speaking to an audience, which gives Smiley the same intoxicating fervor you find in the Residents, McCartney and McCartney II, The Madcap Laughs, or even Head (speaking to an audience, but eschewing their given audience).

Any Pere Ubu fans probably get it.  It's music for your mind, totally divorced from being in the moment or being fashionable, which is what so much music is concerned with.  It's no coincidence that some of the first albums Dave Thomas had were Smiley Smile, Beefheart, and Zappa.  I think resistance to Smiley is weirder, and comes from the fact that it's not fashionable or classifiable, unlike Pet Sounds.  You have to engage with albums like Smiley Smile.  It's not a soundtrack for your lifestyle, which is what makes it less popular than a lot of other music.  It is Brian's ego music, not yours.  And people hate that.

+1

...

truly an anti-commercial album, and the boldest statement Brian or the Beach Boys ever made.  puzzling, weird, natural, perfect and completely unpredictable (musically and historically).  Smiley Smile is one of the chief reasons that I know the Beach Boys are a genius group.  completely original and authentic.

let's just take it out of context for a moment: if this album were the only thing the Beach Boys ever released, it would be the undisputed champion of cult classic records.  The record must stand on its own.

what is it from this album that made you realize the beach boys were a genius group?

the bold originality combined with musical brilliance.

what part of the album was brilliance? there was parts of it that seemed like a musical disaster that i enjoyed

[Justin]

I adore the Smiley Smile version of "Wind Chimes"....even more than the SMiLE version.

There.  I said it.

[Newguy562]

I adore the Smiley Smile version of "Wind Chimes"....even more than the SMiLE version.

There.  I said it.

wow that was brave of u lol..why though?

[Jay]

When I first got Smiley Smile I hated it with a passion. I had been listening to the Smile part of the Good Vibrations box set for years, and was in love with Do You Like Worms and the Heroes and Villains outtakes. When I bought Smiley Smile, all I expected to get the best of the Smile "left overs". I wasn't as big of a fan as I am now, and didn't know much about the background of Smile and Smiley Smile. Over the next year or two I let the cd gather dust. Then for some reason I decided to break it out, and listen to this weird Frankenstein's monster of an album all the way through. I'm glad I did, because I now love it, and rate it as one of their best albums ever released.

Smiley Smile is one of the strangest, creepiest, most beautiful albums ever recorded. The beautifully creepy Fall Breaks And Back To Winter. The wonderfully weird version of Wonderful, with the weird organ(or was it piano?), and the almost whispered vocal. The rather off key female voices.  The majestic "nah nah nah" interludes The strange laughing in Little Pad, and the seemingly random hawaiian section. The weird tape streching and sped up voices in Little Pad. The downright evil, sinister sounding Wind Chimes. My all time favorite part of the album is With Me Tonight. Carl's vocal is one of the most beautiful vocals of his career. The "good!" from the control booth is both hilarious and scary at the same time. The quiet section leading to the "ahhh" group vocal that raises and lowers is magical. Smiley Smile is one of the stranges things I've ever heard. The edits are sloppy as hell, and the music at times randomly changes direction. The group seems at times uninterested, and the whole thing sounds like a parody of what an album should sound like. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

[letsmakeit31]

Good review Jay . I have to say I didn't find the album creepy (which says a lot about where I was during the 90's out of sorts) Wonderful was to my ears still amazing but I found Carls "loud but soft" vocals off putting.
The oddest track for me was Getting Hungry.
I hated it and if I'm honest still do to me that track is more scary than anything else on that album!!! Where's the emotional depth of Pet Sounds gone??. The edits was sloppy as ever (you can hear bad edits on other past BB albums) but it's even more so on SS.
But looking back at Brian's timeline he was very burned out and had enough of it all he put all his heart and soul into both Pet Souns & Smile and it was both a failure move (Or so it seemed) to the general public. 

[gxios]

I've always been a bit disappointed with the Smile version of "Wind Chimes".  I think the bombastic part is too jarring.  I like the stoned approach on Smiley Smile.  There are at least real wind chimes on it.

[mammy blue]

Based on this thread, I bet if we took a poll, the Smiley version of Wind Chimes would give the Smile version a run for its money. I think a lot of people prefer Fall Breaks to Mrs. O'Leary's Cow too. I know I do.

[GuyOnTheBeach]

I adore the Smiley Smile version of "Wind Chimes"....even more than the SMiLE version.

There.  I said it.

I agree!, It's haunting and creepy, I liken it to a musical equivalent to the old "Nosferatu" film, not particularly scary but it has a very eerie vibe to it.

I never really  "got" Smiley Smile until I had it playing once and I started to fall asleep (as a result of being tired, not due to the album!), the way this album sounds in that stage between being awake and being asleep is fantastic, difficult to explain, maybe the part of my brain which was saying "yeah.. this is odd.. put something else on" was already asleep but the part which perceives how music sounds was still active and I heard it with no preconceptions about how I expected it to sound or something, I really don't know, but I recommend putting this album on when you are going to bed to try it out though!

[Smilin Ed H]

I wonder if it would've been regarded so badly if some of the band hadn't been so harsh on it.

[Newguy562]

I Love The Creepy Dark Versions Of "Wind Chimes" & "Wonderful"..It's Like The "Smile" Versions Are A Trip Through Heaven and "Smiley Smile" Version Is a Trip Through Hell. Brian Must've Realized While Making It He Was Gonna Trip Out The Fans and Critics but Seemed Like He Didnt Give a F*** ..Almost like he was Being Passive Agressive Like "Fine You Guys Don't Support Smile Here You Have Smiley Smile." Have Fun . Lol.

[nickdunning]

After a huge indulgence in The Smile Sessions I actually went back to 'Smiley Smile' again last week and listened to it for the first time in about 20 years.

If there ever was a more disappointing (and indeed strange) 26 minute record released as the follow up to a stone classic I don't know what it is.

If you take the 45's off it (Good Vibrations and H&V) there's almost nothing there. 'Little Pad' has beautiful vocals, and the version of 'Wind Chimes' is eerie, but really apart from that it is indeed a stoned bunt instead of a grand slam.

[Heysaboda]

I Like The Creepyness Of The Songs . It Has An On Vibe & Feel To The Whole Album.
Plus It Has An Awesome Cover.. If You Listen To It In The Dark You'll Be Spooked Out Lol

Excellent thread, NewGuy!

I love Smiley Smile, but didn't warm to it till years later.  Smiley Smile is equivalent to Neil Young's Tonight's the Night, something of an F/U to the critics!

[Justin]

I adore the Smiley Smile version of "Wind Chimes"....even more than the SMiLE version.

There.  I said it.

wow that was brave of u lol..why though?

I've never experienced such a song to put me in a freaked out, eerie and spooky mood than what "Wind Chimes" does to me--every time.   The water chant in the middle of "Cool Cool Water" (Love to Say Da Da) does it to me for a second.  But the entire "Wind Chimes" is twisted and dark.  When I heard the SMiLE version on BWPS....I immediately rejected it .  Nothing compared to the Smiley Smile version.

[Newguy562]

I Like The Creepyness Of The Songs . It Has An On Vibe & Feel To The Whole Album.
Plus It Has An Awesome Cover.. If You Listen To It In The Dark You'll Be Spooked Out Lol

Excellent thread, NewGuy!

I love Smiley Smile, but didn't warm to it till years later.  Smiley Smile is equivalent to Neil Young's Tonight's the Night, something of an F/U to the critics!

Thank You ...I've never heard that neil young album but i'm definately going to check it out. i know prince released a big "F*** You Album" to Warner Bros. Lol It's called "come".

[NHC]

I've tried a few times to listen to this one over the past 40-some years and I simply can't do it.  Other than the two obvious songs, for me it's just not listenable, but then again i was never into that whole slice of the music scene.  Unlike a lot of my fellow surf-and-hot rod diehards, I loved Pet Sounds from the first instant of the first note of the first song because the songs were great and wholly accessible, but this one, yikes.

[Newguy562]

I've tried a few times to listen to this one over the past 40-some years and I simply can't do it.  Other than the two obvious songs, for me it's just not listenable, but then again i was never into that whole slice of the music scene.  Unlike a lot of my fellow surf-and-hot rod diehards, I loved Pet Sounds from the first instant of the first note of the first song because the songs were great and wholly accessible, but this one, yikes.

I felt the same way as you when i first heard it i thought it was absolutely horrid. Once i got high relaxed and turned off the lights and listened to the whole album it took me to a strange place, and i love the creepy feel of the whole album.

[hypehat]

also worth noting that the chord sequence on the Smiley Wind Chimes is completely different. And much more beautiful, really. The Smile version does have the funk, though, and I guess atm I'm in the mood for the funk. 

[Newguy562]

I adore the Smiley Smile version of "Wind Chimes"....even more than the SMiLE version.

There.  I said it.

wow that was brave of u lol..why though?

I've never experienced such a song to put me in a freaked out, eerie and spooky mood than what "Wind Chimes" does to me--every time.   The water chant in the middle of "Cool Cool Water" (Love to Say Da Da) does it to me for a second.  But the entire "Wind Chimes" is twisted and dark.  When I heard the SMiLE version on BWPS....I immediately rejected it .  Nothing compared to the Smiley Smile version.

well i love the "bwps" version of it but it has a totally different feel to it. I have 3 versions of "wind chimes" the smile sessions one,the bpws one and the smiley smile one. I like them all but the strangest one is smiley smile its so f***in weird that i find myself listening to that one the most.

[sockittome]

I keep seeing descriptions of Smiley using terms like "beautiful", "brilliant", etc.  I don't hear ANYTHING on Smiley that fits either description (with the exception of GV and H&V, of course), and I have tried for many years to like this album.  I don't understand how anyone can say that the Smiley versions of Wind Chimes or Wonderful are better than the SMiLE versions.  They are not even in the same league!  The SMiLE versions are perfection, while the SMiLEY versions are a product of a burned out band.  Fortunately they snapped out of it by the time they recorded Wild Honey and the next few albums.

I think the cover should have been a close up photo of someone "flipping the bird".  That would at least have warned people what kind of vibe this album has.

[Summertime Blooz]

It was never a favorite of mine but I liked Smiley Smile more before I discovered Smile through the GV box. Now I never listen to Smiley Smile. It sounds  like they aren't  even trying. The lack of reverb is suffocating at times. Some people like that I guess.

[Micha]

I have a great Smiley SMiLE Story,

About 3 Years Ago, My Family won a fully paid vacation in Saratoga Springs, one of the nicest places in my area, which I love to visit in the summer.

It was around this time actually, and we decided to go in the winter since we'd never do that unless it was free!

I wasn't too excited, so the day before we left I one-day ordered The SMiLE DVD.

I watched it on the short drive to Saratoga, where we decided to walk around town, I stumbled upon a record store.

I went in and found some incredible deals, a 2nd pressing White Album for $6, Wild Honey for $3 and SMILEY SMILE for $1!!!

I Grabbed them all and flew to the register, and quickly went to the hotel to assess my find.

It ended out being a first pressing and I was so excited! I wasn't expecting much because I knew the story of the album, but still! (Actually, I was more excited by Wild Honey )

Anyway, we were getting ready to leave the next day, and I was watching the SMiLE DVD, looking at Smiley, and waiting for my parents to pack.

THE SECOND "Mrs. O' Learys Cow" STARTED UP, IT STARTED POURING SNOW, AND WE WERE STUCK IN THE HOTEL!

I looked at the vinyl, "Fall Breaks And Back To Winter" And Laughed, "Maybe Brian Wanted This To Be A Winter Song Instead After All!" Haha!

Though recorded in hot California summer, Smiley Smile has an absolutely winterish feeling to me. I like to listen to it late at night when there's snow outside and especially on Christmas. I always skip GV, that doesn't really belong on there.

When I first listened to the 93 box SMiLE track versions, I was pretty disappointed with the comparatively uninteresting chord sequence and structure of Wind Chimes and the weird rhythm pattern of Vega-Tables. I still prefer the Smiley versions of those two, though I must admit that the TSS version of Wind Chimes is WAY better than the 93 box one. The harpsichord Wonderful is much more appealing to me than its Smiley counterpart, but wouldn't fit the feel of Smiley Smile, so it's good it isn't on there.

[Newguy562]

I have a great Smiley SMiLE Story,

About 3 Years Ago, My Family won a fully paid vacation in Saratoga Springs, one of the nicest places in my area, which I love to visit in the summer.

It was around this time actually, and we decided to go in the winter since we'd never do that unless it was free!

I wasn't too excited, so the day before we left I one-day ordered The SMiLE DVD.

I watched it on the short drive to Saratoga, where we decided to walk around town, I stumbled upon a record store.

I went in and found some incredible deals, a 2nd pressing White Album for $6, Wild Honey for $3 and SMILEY SMILE for $1!!!

I Grabbed them all and flew to the register, and quickly went to the hotel to assess my find.

It ended out being a first pressing and I was so excited! I wasn't expecting much because I knew the story of the album, but still! (Actually, I was more excited by Wild Honey )

Anyway, we were getting ready to leave the next day, and I was watching the SMiLE DVD, looking at Smiley, and waiting for my parents to pack.

THE SECOND "Mrs. O' Learys Cow" STARTED UP, IT STARTED POURING SNOW, AND WE WERE STUCK IN THE HOTEL!

I looked at the vinyl, "Fall Breaks And Back To Winter" And Laughed, "Maybe Brian Wanted This To Be A Winter Song Instead After All!" Haha!

Though recorded in hot California summer, Smiley Smile has an absolutely winterish feeling to me. I like to listen to it late at night when there's snow outside and especially on Christmas. I always skip GV, that doesn't really belong on there.

When I first listened to the 93 box SMiLE track versions, I was pretty disappointed with the comparatively uninteresting chord sequence and structure of Wind Chimes and the weird rhythm pattern of Vega-Tables. I still prefer the Smiley versions of those two, though I must admit that the TSS version of Wind Chimes is WAY better than the 93 box one. The harpsichord Wonderful is much more appealing to me than its Smiley counterpart, but wouldn't fit the feel of Smiley Smile, so it's good it isn't on there.

It DOES HAVE A WINTER VIBE TO IT