SMiLE (partially found recordings from unfinished Beach Boys album; 1966-1967)

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SMiLeCover.jpg

The projected cover art for SMiLE, created by Frank Holmes.

Status: Partially Found

SMiLE is an abandoned album by American pop group the Beach Boys, originally intended to follow their 1966 album Pet Sounds. The project was highly ambitious and was to be unlike any other record ever made. The record would've included complex orchestrations, two suites, found sounds, acapella, short comedy skits, and notably, their 1966 hit Good Vibrations.

However, the project became infamous for its collapse. A combination of overhyping, group infighting, the departure of lyricist Van Dyke Parks, and the deteriorating mental state of Brian Wilson, meant that the project would be postponed and officially scrapped upon release of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Though most of SMiLE's recording sessions have been released through the SMiLE sessions box set, much of the recordings still remain unreleased.

Some other missing recordings include:

- An impromptu cover of "On Top of Old Smokey," featuring Paul McCartney.[1]

- An incident where Beach Boys member Mike Love had a heated exchange with songwriter Van Dyke Parks, resulting in Parks leaving the project. This was during the "Cabin Essence" project. The existence of this recording is speculation, as Brian Wilson is known to leave the tape recording between takes.

- The vocals and lyrics for the songs "Look (Song for Children)", "I Wanna Be Around", and "On A Holiday".[2]

- Paul McCartney reportedly recorded himself eating carrots for the song "Vegetables", however no recording of this could be found during the gathering of tapes for the SMiLE sessions box set, nor was McCartney present on any session logs.[3]

- Guest vocalist Jasper Dailey's contributions "Crack the Whip" and "When I Get Mad (I Just Play the Drums)," have never been released, though a mono version of his song "Teeter Totter Love" was released on the deluxe edition of the SMiLE sessions box set.

- The original planned mix for the album's 2nd single "Heroes and Villains", was scrapped for a shorter version when the single was released in 1967. According to Beach Boys member Al Jardine, Brian Wilson intentionally sabotaged the released version out of frustration over the album's collapse.[4]

- A half-inch reel containing the multi-tracks for "Wonderful", "Cabin Essence", and "My Only Sunshine" was accidentally left behind at the Capitol Recordings building in 1968.[5]

- The final multi-track for "Good Vibrations" was accidentally left behind at CBS Columbia Square shortly after the record was made and has never been found.[6]

-In 2013, 8 Smile acetates from Van Dyke Parks’ ex-wife, Durrie Parks, were sold to a collector. The acetates include alternate versions of Cabin Essence, Do You Like Worms?, Wind Chimes, and Heroes and Villains that are not featured on the Smile Sessions box set. [7] Despite the buyer not releasing these to the public, Mark Linnett included a phone recording of an alternate instrumental for I’m In Great Shape at the end of 2018’s Friends boxset. [8]

References

  1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unreleased_songs_recorded_by_the_Beach_Boys
  2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Look_(Song_for_Children)
  3. "#120 – MARK LINETT – BEACH BOYS SMILE SESSIONS PART 2". Icon Fetch. October 14, 2011
  4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_and_Villains
  5. "Beach Boys Producers Alan Boyd, Dennis Wolfe, Mark Linett Discuss 'Made in California' (Q&A)". Rock Cellar Magazine. September 4, 2013. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  6. "Beach Boys Producers Alan Boyd, Dennis Wolfe, Mark Linett Discuss 'Made in California' (Q&A)". Rock Cellar Magazine. September 4, 2013. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  7. https://recordmecca.com/item-archives/beach-boys-8-original-smile-acetates-from-the-collection-of-van-dyke-parks/
  8. https://youtu.be/ffwd8458Lcg?t=180