Gettin Hungry

[Generation42]

I'd be more than willing to give it a try, TM, if only I had the requisite pieces.  Personally, I've never taken issue with Smiley Smile, but I always try to keep an open mind, and, if nothing else, you've served to peak my interest.

[TMinthePM]

I am certainly not putting it down. What I'm saying is that there are more pieces to than appear on the original album, and that when you add them it truly rises to another level. I've heard it!

[TMinthePM]

Oh, and by the way, I don't if it was released in mono and stereo versions. I'm sure that someone here will tell me in a flash. But I do recall that mono lps cost $2.76 in the mid-sixties, and stereo versions of the same lp $3.76. That was on Long Island, new York. Needless to say we just shoplifted most of the time.

[Mike's Beard]

Now to open a can or worms...

What are the opinions on the Celebration version?

I actually prefer it to the original.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I bought Smiley Smile upon it's release in September 1967. Weird as it may seem I can clearly remember sitting in the car, admiring its cover art on the way home. It may not have been a failure as asserted in a post above, but I can assure you that it was not a hit. At least not in my crowd. Whereas a year earlier the records of the Beach Boys had been a feature at every party (think side two of Today, and even Pet Sounds had featured at a Christmas '66 gathering) I don't believe Smiley Smile ever saw the top of a turn-table beyond my basement. Pepper, Pepper, Sgt. Pepper absolutely dominated - and the Doors (Light My Fire), and the (Young) Rascals (Groovin' and Collections), and Cream (Disraeli Gears).

Ha, more proof, (not that it's needed), that us Gen Xers, who embraced Smiley and Wild Honey, had far more eclectic taste than the Boomers!

[Amazing Larry]

An essential track from an essential Beach Boys album. In mono thank you very much! None of this "oh, I finally get Smiley Smile now it's in stereo" crap.

The stereo mix of Gettin' Hungry sucks ass. They completely botch the edits on that one.

[TMinthePM]

"Proof"?

Proof of what exactly?

Grow up.

And, the remasters sound fine.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Now to open a can or worms...

What are the opinions on the Celebration version?

I always liked the celebration version; it was one of the few highlights of the album. I like the arrangement, the guitar, and Mike's vocal. The song really gets going and moves. When I listen to it I envision it with Beach Boys' harmonies.

I have mixed feelings about the Smiley Smile "Gettin' Hungry". Of course it's good; it comes from Brian at/near his peak powers. Everything he composed during that era was brilliant. But, I always thought or felt that "Gettin' Hungry" signified the beginning of the end, or the beginning of the band using seriously bad judgment.

Up to that point, Brian was the master of the single. Did he/they really believe "Gettin' Hungry" had a chance at being a hit? On AM radio? And what possible benefit could come out of releasing it as Brian Wilson & Mike Love? I don't know....There's that weird "Smiley Smile" singing, with Brian yelling and Mike sounding kinda strange. I guess the music is OK; the melody is fine. "Gettin' Hungry sounds better on Smiley Smile than as a single. It was the beginning of the decline, though. Something wasn't quite right. To me anyway.

[Micha]

Obviously, the original sequence does not attempt an elements suite, but when you cross-fade the water chant into Little Pad the effect is like seeing the island paradise rising from the sea on the horizon. The laughing breakdown then becomes superfluous. Try it, you might like it.

Except that the water chant was IIRC recorded during  the WH sessions, so it couldn't be on SS ever.

I have my own sequence to SS which I prefer, and as this is subjective, it differs from yours of course.

And I like to listen to SS at Christmas time. The calm minimalist mood of the album fits my  Christmas time.

[TMinthePM]

I recall handling the Getting Hungry single in the local record shop. It had the same label as Heroes - that Brother records label - and came in a picture sleeve. I don't recall the flip side (I know that I can reference that quickly enough, but what the heck, I've got an army of Beach Boys scholars reading this).

Didn't buy the single, probably because I already had the LP, but maybe because it just wasn't a very good single. Works fine now for me with the intro lopped off as a track. Reminds me of a barren Western landscape in a spaghetti western. I can see Clint Eastwood squinting into the Mojave heat.  

[TMinthePM]

Micha - How does your sequence go?

[TMinthePM]

Didn't think much of Heroes and Villains either, when it came out. Start and stop, start and stop. It just didn't seem to go anywhere and what the heck was it supposed to be about?

To this day it's just OKish as far as I'm concerned.

Now, Cabinessence - that's another matter entirely! Should have been the follow-up to Good Vibrations. Should have been the closing track of Smiley Smile.

[filledeplage]

I bought Smiley Smile upon it's release in September 1967. Weird as it may seem I can clearly remember sitting in the car, admiring its cover art on the way home. It may not have been a failure as asserted in a post above, but I can assure you that it was not a hit. At least not in my crowd. Whereas a year earlier the records of the Beach Boys had been a feature at every party (think side two of Today, and even Pet Sounds had featured at a Christmas '66 gathering) I don't believe Smiley Smile ever saw the top of a turn-table beyond my basement. Pepper, Pepper, Sgt. Pepper absolutely dominated - and the Doors (Light My Fire), and the (Young) Rascals (Groovin' and Collections), and Cream (Disraeli Gears).

Ha, more proof, (not that it's needed), that us Gen Xers, who embraced Smiley and Wild Honey, had far more eclectic taste than the Boomers!

Eclectic taste?  Interesting concept.  Funny that GenXers would have heard the music from their Boomer parents, who were blessed with among the best in music of the latter half of the 20th century.  Much of it was socially driven, and GenXers tend to be less socially-centric than the Boomers, and the music, oddly, I think was lots of "borrowed" amalgams of rock blended, into rap, such as "Every breath you take," with Puff Daddy/Sting and Police, and the explosion of country rock, when country became cool, and they ditched the Wrangler jeans and straw hats.  I think that this void and "reach back," is the yearning for more quality and depth, while the other great talent has been emerging.  And the BB's, Stones, Beatles are in that mix.  Not all young people I know are Pet Sounds junkies.  But, if the BB door opens with Kokomo, I think it is a beautiful thing.  

Who would think that all these country rock bands would be huge in the Norheast region of the US?  But they are, huge!  And they seem to be extracting the best of both styles.  With rap and hip hop, it is almost analogous to all the great Motown/soul music alongside 60's rock.  And reflects GenXers tastes with its own identity stamp.  Not greater or lesser, just different.   JMHO  

[TMinthePM]

Well, of course everything was coming at us on am radio - rock n roll, soul, country, pop, you name it.

WABC in New York played it all. Cousin Brucie, Cousin Brucie, COUSIN BRUCIE!!!

And weekly! I guess Monday nights, was the weekly Top 40 Countdown. So the new music wasn't aimed at niche markets, and the good stuff might be in any genre and get exposure. I don't know if that is true today. If it is I am not aware of it, which is a shame as I am sure that great stuff has been produced ever since but has perhaps not as accessible.

[filledeplage]

Well, of course everything was coming at us on am radio - rock n roll, soul, country, pop, you name it.

WABC in New York played it all. Cousin Brucie, Cousin Brucie, COUSIN BRUCIE!!!

And weekly! I guess Monday nights, was the weekly Top 40 Countdown. So the new music wasn't aimed at niche markets, and the good stuff might be in any genre and get exposure. I don't know if that is true today. If it is I am not aware of it, which is a shame as I am sure that great stuff has been produced ever since but has perhaps not as accessible.

Cousin Brucie, indeed! WABC had a great night-time signal!  

[TMinthePM]

Yeah. I was trapped in Georgia in the fuckin' army in '71-72 and can remember picking up WABC on hot summer nights. 'Twas like a message from home. Then we'd smoke a little weed and listen to Smiley Smile coming down from our latest trip. That's a fact. I can still see my buddies grinning from ear to ear and a pronouncing the immortal exclamation - 'THAT'S THE BEACH BOYS?"

[Iron Horse-Apples]

"Proof"?

Proof of what exactly?

Grow up.

And, the remasters sound fine.

I was obviously lightheartedy ribbing you. Can't see how you could have taken it otherwise. Sadly, I resign myself to the fact that I must qualify every remark with a laughing yellow blob. 

There was some truth to my remark though. Smiley Smile was largely overlooked at the time, and perhaps it took a different generation to appreciate it. It was, as someone else has said, ahead of it's time. 

[filledeplage]

Yeah. I was trapped in Georgia in the fuckin' army in '71-72 and can remember picking up WABC on hot summer nights. 'Twas like a message from home. Then we'd smoke a little weed and listen to Smiley Smile coming down from our latest trip. That's a fact. I can still see my buddies grinning from ear to ear and a pronouncing the immortal exclamation - 'THAT'S THE BEACH BOYS?"

Great story! It was a "message from home" no matter where you were.  I remember mostly listening to him during the mid to late 60's, where the DJ's played what they liked, as well, the "prescribed" playlists.  The signal must have been carried to the entire East Coast. NY/NJ are great BB fans! 

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Eclectic taste?  Interesting concept.  Funny that GenXers would have heard the music from their Boomer parents
 

Not me, My parent HATED the Beach Boys. They have sh*t taste in music. Bloody Beatles and their Srgt Crap Craps Crappy Crap Crap Band

To reitterate though. My comment was meant to be a   

And just to be clear, the Beatles comment was also a 

I personally don't like dumbing down though with use of emoticons and Beatle music.

Hey, just kidding. 

[filledeplage]

Eclectic taste?  Interesting concept.  Funny that GenXers would have heard the music from their Boomer parents
 

Not me, My parent HATED the Beach Boys. They have sh*t taste in music. Bloody Beatles and their Srgt Crap Craps Crappy Crap Crap Band

To reitterate though. My comment was meant to be a   

And just to be clear, the Beatles comment was also a 

I personally don't like dumbing down though with use of emoticons and Beatle music.

Hey, just kidding. 

Darlin' - your parents were in the majority! 

[Iron Horse-Apples]

And what? The majority is right? The majority of people now can't sit for five minutes at a bus stop without prodding away at their moron machines, so no thanks.

[filledeplage]

And what? The majority is right? The majority of people now can't sit for five minutes at a bus stop without prodding away at their moron machines, so no thanks.

You are indeed passionate about this music! As were many others, but BB's were bigger, often away from home.

The Beatles had a powerful message, too, and were pretty significant, as well, and had some really cool stuff.  I loved O-bla-di, O-bla-da, life goes on! And, Sgt. Pepper, Rubber Soul, When I'm 64 ( I'm not!) - and loving one band's music best, doesn't mean you can't like another's.  Being well-rounded is desirable. JMHO

As TM said, we had an enormous amount of great music! And great DJ's (Bruce Morrow!) were open minded enough to present it! 

[TMinthePM]

My apologies, Mr. Newcombe.

So much is lost in print that might signal to the ear the message more clear. Hmmm...there's a line.

[TMinthePM]

The Beatles were demi-gods then, no question. Sometimes, over the years, I've thought, well maybe the Beatles were greater, but maybe the music of the Beach Boys was better. But then, what in this case could better even mean? Unless there is some revisionist take making the rounds the Beatles remain the leaders of my generation.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Cool, 'cos no offense was meant. Anyway, I'm eager to get back to the SS lovefest.