Most brilliant Brian song?

[TheLazenby]

What stands out to you as the most brilliant piece of music Brian ever wrote?

For me, it's probably "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", especially the BWPS version.  I mean, he set out to make a musical representation of a fire, and damned if he didn't!

[Sheriff John Stone]

Cabinessence

[Mahalo]

Mona....maybe Surf's Up

[MBE]

Hard to pick one but Break Away

[Jonas]

God Only Knows

only song I can leave on repeat for more than an hour...

[PMcC]

I gotta go with "Cabinessence"...sheer brilliance.

[the captain]

Impossible for me to choose without going through my possible moods, how to define brilliance, etc. But since NOBODY (myself included) wants to read me BS my way throug that, I'll just give a few, with different reasons for each:

Cabinessence and Surf's Up for their success as progressive, nearly impossible to categorize nature as pop songs (and amazing performances in the former)
God Only Knows, Wind Chimes and Wonderful for their sheer beauty
Help Me, Rhonda and I Get Around for being phenomenal, nearly perfect pop-rock singles
Sloop John B - that arrangement!

On any given day, I'd probably say one of those. Or maybe something else. I'm no man of conviction.

[Mahalo]

Impossible for me to choose without going through my possible moods, how to define brilliance, etc. But since NOBODY (myself included) wants to read me BS my way throug that, I'll just give a few, with different reasons for each:

Cabinessence and Surf's Up for their success as progressive, nearly impossible to categorize nature as pop songs (and amazing performances in the former)
God Only Knows, Wind Chimes and Wonderful for their sheer beauty
Help Me, Rhonda and I Get Around for being phenomenal, nearly perfect pop-rock singles
Sloop John B - that arrangement!

On any given day, I'd probably say one of those. Or maybe something else. I'm no man of conviction.

I feel the same way. Brilliant is a weird adjective. All of the above songs generally fit the bill, but I would add Good Vibrations and, uhhhhh, maybe Solar System...(!!)

[pixletwin]

I think my most brilliant Brian song would have to be a toss up between either Surf's Up or A Day In The Life Of A Tree. I just wish there was a version out there with Brian singing it all the way through instead of Jack Reiley (tho' I think his vocals are appropriate for the song).

[Bicyclerider]

Most brilliant covers a lot of ground - most brilliant arrangement (Wouldn't It Be Nice followed by God Only Knows)?  Most brilliant melody (Don't Worry Baby, Good Vibrations)?  Most innovative song structure (Good Vibrations, Cabinessence)? Most brilliant vocal arrangement (This Whole World)?  You can go on and on . . . most brilliant rocker . . . Darlin', Dance Dance Dance . . . 

[MBE]

Most brilliant covers a lot of ground - most brilliant arrangement (Wouldn't It Be Nice followed by God Only Knows)?  Most brilliant melody (Don't Worry Baby, Good Vibrations)?  Most innovative song structure (Good Vibrations, Cabinessence)? Most brilliant vocal arrangement (This Whole World)?  You can go on and on . . . most brilliant rocker . . . Darlin', Dance Dance Dance . . . 

Bicyclerider you have to pick Do You Dig Worms. Your name comes from there

[Ron]

"Good Vibrations" for the studio trickery, I'd say that's the most brilliant song he ever did, and also will be his most notable contribution to the history of music.  When people look back many years from now they'll point at that song as genius. 

[Shady]

I'd say GV...But then you have Surf's up, Cabinessence, Don't worry baby. Really are to many to pick.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Listen to the track for "Cabin Essence", and know the answer.

[melissalynn]

Cabinessence, hands down.

[Jonas]

Listen to the track for "Cabin Essence", and know the answer.

The answer that you would give us if asked for your opinion on this question? Oh ok, cool.

[No. Fourteen]

Listening to that Cabinessence backing track the other day reminded me.......that thing is spine-tinglingly brilliant!  Haunting, in a way.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Give me 'Mt Vernon and Fairway'

[Mahalo]

.....no votes for Ding Dang?

[PMcC]

It's true that after all is said and done, almost all will look back and point to Good Vibrations as verification of the man's genius. Unorthodox editing techniques, great production, nice groove, in exactly the right place at the right minute, and sold millions.
    But in my view, GV was just a warm up for the majesty that was to become Cabinessence. Beautiful lilting melody, strange chords, exotic arrangement...then BOOM..the entire universe seems to resonate with this "Iron Horse" theme..swirling layered harmonies, cellos under attack, then like low tide, it moves out again, and becomes calm, only to revisit this sound and fury a 2nd time, waves of vocals counteracting. Every section speaking to the other, every instrument within every section so vital, no matter how insignificant, to the point where, if even one was removed, it would destroy the balance of the whole 'feel'. Add in the "Grand Coulee Dam" section, and the 'over and over' coda, and I sit in amazement that so much ground can be covered in only 3 and a half minutes. Smart lyrics, unforgettable arrangement, beautiful vocals. It is as close to perfection as a producer can get in a studio setting. The entire song will always make the hair stand up on the back of my neck for the rest of my life. It is, in short, a pop masterpiece.
   It is the brightest of the 3 true gems on Smile, and while Good Vibrations will always represent the very best of what the 60's can offer, Cabinessence feels absolutely   timeless.
     

[Mahalo]

It's true that after all is said and done, almost all will look back and point to Good Vibrations as verification of the man's genius. Unorthodox editing techniques, great production, nice groove, in exactly the right place at the right minute, and sold millions.
    But in my view, GV was just a warm up for the majesty that was to become Cabinessence. Beautiful lilting melody, strange chords, exotic arrangement...then BOOM..the entire universe seems to resonate with this "Iron Horse" theme..swirling layered harmonies, cellos under attack, then like low tide, it moves out again, and becomes calm, only to revisit this sound and fury a 2nd time, waves of vocals counteracting. Every section speaking to the other, every instrument within every section so vital, no matter how insignificant, to the point where, if even one was removed, it would destroy the balance of the whole 'feel'. Add in the "Grand Coulee Dam" section, and the 'over and over' coda, and I sit in amazement that so much ground can be covered in only 3 and a half minutes. Smart lyrics, unforgettable arrangement, beautiful vocals. It is as close to perfection as a producer can get in a studio setting. The entire song will always make the hair stand up on the back of my neck for the rest of my life. It is, in short, a pop masterpiece.
   It is the brightest of the 3 true gems on Smile, and while Good Vibrations will always represent the very best of what the 60's can offer, Cabinessence feels absolutely   timeless.
     

What are the three true gems?

[Aegir]

My guess, from what people have been saying in this thread, Good Vibrations, Cabin Essence, and Surf's Up.

[Mahalo]

Wonderful, Wind Chimes, Heroes also belong there I would think. All of BWPS!!

[PMcC]

..Cabinessence, Good Vibrations, and Surf's Up are the rare stones. The rest of Smile is the beautiful diamond  setting, to use a jewel analogy...in my humble opinion

[the captain]

I think that--considering their 60s incarnations--Prayer, H&V, GV, Cabinessence, Wonderful (the Smile version, not Smiley Smile), Wind Chimes (ditto) and Surf's Up (despite it being a Brian demo) are all absolute, true gems. Each one is sublime.