History Music / SMiLE

'''''[=SMiLE=]''''' is Music/TheBeachBoys' legendary "[[VaporWare lost album]]." Planned for a 1967 release, it was going to be a ConceptAlbum to follow up on ''Music/PetSounds'', conceptualized as [[FlipFlopOfGod either]] a "teenage symphony to God," a musical journey through Americana, or [[TakeAThirdOption both]]. But due to Music/BrianWilson's slow CreatorBreakdown, which culminated after listening to "Strawberry Fields Forever" by Music/TheBeatles, he abandoned the project. In its place, the deliberately sparsely produced ''Smiley Smile'' was released, containing reimagined songs and ideas from ''[=SMiLE=]''; several following albums would also contain such material. Through the following decades, session material was extensively bootlegged, building the album's legend as the "greatest unreleased album of all time."

It wasn't until the 21st century that the public got not one, but two versions of the legendary lost album. 2004 saw the release of ''Brian Wilson Presents [=SMiLE=]'', an all-new reimagining of the original project by Wilson, his touring band, and original lyricist Van Dyke Parks (who finally supplied the words to songs that had been known for years as instrumentals). In 2011, this was followed by ''The [=SMiLE=] Sessions'', which was derived from the original 1966-67 recordings. Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smile_Sessions describes]] it as "an approximation of what the completed ''[=SMiLE=]'' album might have sounded like based on the template established in 2004 for ''Brian Wilson Presents [=SMiLE=]''", and it's as close to what the 1967 release would have been as we're ever likely to get.

!! Tracklist:

!!Principal Members:

* Al Jardine - backing and lead vocals, sound effects
* Bruce Johnston - vocals
* Mike Love - backing and lead vocals
* Music/BrianWilson - lead vocals, piano, organ, harpsichord
* Carl Wilson - backing and lead vocals, guitar, bass, percussion
* Dennis Wilson - backing and lead vocals, drums, organ

!!Tropes:

* BaroquePop: Definitely Brian's heaviest foray into the baroque, awash with [[Creator/JohannSebastianBach Bach]] influences. Fittingly, one of the prominent instruments is the harpsichord, one of the most emblematic instruments of the baroque period.

** "Child, Child, Child, Father of the Man"
** Repeated references to UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} and Plymouth Rock, at geographically and metaphorically opposite ends of the United States.

** Repeated references to Hawaii and Plymouth Rock, at metaphorically opposite ends of the United States.

* DevelopmentHell / SavedFromDevelopmentHell: One of the most famous instances of the trope. It took 37 years for a complete version of the project to see the light of day and another 7 for the original outtakes to be released.
* GenreRoulette / NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Categorizing the album is a trying task, and make no mistake - it defies explanation. Some songs even switch styles midway, such as the ''a cappella'' opener "Our Prayer" transitioning into a brief rendition of the doo-wop standard "Gee".

** However, the final result ends up sounding little like Bach and more akin to a barrage of americana, neo-classical, pop and musique concrète seen by a kaleidosope doo-wop filter.

** To give further examples of this roulette of influences: Cabinessece sounds like a mini-americana pop symphony, Vega-tables like a comedic DIY Doo-wop "sketch" that takes the idea of musique oncrète literally, The Elements:Fire resembles a repetitive and minimalistic Disney nightmare, the second movement a minimalist baroque song-cycle, etc...

** To give further examples of this roullete of influences: Cabinessece sounds like a mini-americana pop symphony, Vega-tables like a comedic DIY Doo-wop "sketch" that takes the idea of musique oncrète literally, The Elements:Fire resembles a repetitive and minimalistic Disney nightmare, the second movement a minimalist baroque song-cycle, etc...

* GenreRoulette / NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Categorizing the album is a trying task, and make no mistake. Some songs even switch styles midway, such as the ''a cappella'' opener "Our Prayer" transitioning into a brief rendition of the doo-wop standard "Gee".

* GenreRoulette / NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Categorizing the album is a trying task, and make no mistake. Some songs even switch styles midway, such as the a capella opener "Our Prayer" transitioning into a brief rendition of the doo wop standard "Gee".

* RecurringRiff: A harpsichord rendition of the chorus of "Heroes and Villains" appears at several points in the first "movement."

It wasn't until the 21st century that the public got not one, but two versions of the legendary lost album. 2004 saw the release of ''Brian Wilson Presents [=SMiLE=]'', an all-new reimagining of the original project by Wilson, his touring band, and original lyricist Van Dyke Parks (who finally supplied the words to songs that had been known for years as instrumentals). In 2011, this was followed by ''The [=SMiLE=] Sessions'', which was derived from the original 1966-67 recordings. Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smile_Sessions describes]] it as "an approximation of what the completed ''[=SMiLE=]'' album might have sounded like based on the template established in 2004 for ''Brian Wilson Presents [=SMiLE=]'', and it's as close to what the 1967 release would have been as we're ever likely to get.

[[caption-width-right:350:Artwork by Frank Holmes.]]

'''''[=SMiLE=]''''' is Music/TheBeachBoys' legendary "[[VaporWare lost album]]." Planned for a 1967 release, it was going to be a ConceptAlbum to follow up on ''Music/PetSounds'', conceptualized as [[FlipFlopOfGod either]] a "teenage symphony to God," a musical journey through Americana, or [[TakeAThirdOption both]]. But due to Music/BrianWilson's slow CreatorBreakdown, which culminated after listening to "[[Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand A Day in the Life]]" by Music/TheBeatles, he abandoned the project. In its place, the deliberately sparsely produced ''Smiley Smile'' was released, containing reimagined songs and ideas from ''[=SMiLE=]''; several following albums would also contain such material. Through the following decades, session material was extensively bootlegged, building the album's legend as the "greatest unreleased album of all time."

!! Track listing[[note]]From ''The [=SMiLE=] Sessions''[[/note]]:

# "Heroes and Villains" - 4:52

# "I'm in Great Shape" - 0:28

# "Look (Song for Children)" - 2:31
# "Child Is Father of the Man" - 2:10

# "Love to Say Dada" - 2:32

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/smile-the-beach-boys-lp-cover_5037.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''The [=SMiLE=] Sessions'', artwork by Frank Holmes.]]

* ManifestDestiny: One of its most prominent themes - the nuclear narrative thread is a linear, if disruptive, portrayal of Westward Expansion from Plymouth to Hawaii as experienced by a passing bicycle rider.

[[caption-width-right:350:''The [=SMiLE=] Sessions'', released in 2011.]]

'''''[=SMiLE=]''''' is the legendary "lost album" by Music/TheBeachBoys. Planned for a 1967 release, it was going to be a ConceptAlbum to follow up on ''Music/PetSounds''. But due to Music/BrianWilson's slow CreatorBreakdown, which culminated after listening to "[[Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand A Day in the Life]]" by Music/TheBeatles, he abandoned the project, and ''Smiley Smile'' was released instead.

Over the next few years, outtakes from ''[=SMiLE=]'' came out on various Beach Boys [=LPs=], and the project assumed the status of an unfinished masterpiece. It wasn't until the 21st century that the public got not one, but two versions of the legendary lost album. 2004 saw the release of ''Brian Wilson Presents [=SMiLE=]'', an all-new reimagining of the original project by Wilson, his touring band, and original lyricist Van Dyke Parks (who finally supplied the words to songs that had been known for years as instrumentals). In 2011, this was followed by ''The [=SMiLE=] Sessions'', which was derived from the original 1966-67 recordings. Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smile_Sessions describes]] it as "an approximation of what the completed ''[=SMiLE=]'' album might have sounded like based on the template established in 2004 for ''Brian Wilson Presents [=SMiLE=]''", and it's as close to what the 1967 release would have been as we're ever likely to get.

!! Tracklist[[note]]This tracklist comes form ''The [=SMiLE=] Sessions''[[/note]]:

* AgeProgressionSong: The entire second movement details in an abstract fashion the hardships of growth,noting its cyclic nature and ending in Surf's Up as a symbolic manifestation of renewal and catharsis through understanding of the beauty and importance of childhood as constant hope and happiness.
* ArcWords: "Child, Child, Child, Father of the Man"

* ManifestDestiny: One of its most prominent themes - the nuclear narrative thread is a linear, if disruptive, portrayal of Westward Expansion from Plymouth to Hawaii as experienced by a passing Bycicle Rider.

* TheWildWest: "Heroes and Villains" goes from romanticized visions of the Old West to acknowledgement that real life back then was pretty shit.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: If it were released in 1967, it would've been Brian's MagnumOpus.

!! Tracklist:

# "Our Prayer"
# "Gee"
# "Heroes And Villains"
# "Do You Like Worms? (Roll Plymouth Rock)"
# "I'm In Great Shape"
# "Barnyard"
# "My Only Sunshine (The Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine)"
# "Cabin Essence"
# "Wonderful"
# "Look (Song For Children)"
# "Child Is Father Of The Man"
# "Surf's Up"
# "I Wanna Be Around/Workshop"
# "Vega-Tables"
# "Holidays"
# "Wind Chimes"
# "The Elements: Fire (Mrs. O'Leary's Cow)"
# "Love To Say Dada"
# "Good Vibrations"

'''''[=SMiLE=]''''' is the legendary "lost album" by Music/TheBeachBoys. Planned for a 1967 release, it was going to be a ConceptAlbum to follow up on ''Music/PetSounds''. But due to Music/BrianWilson's slow CreatorBreakdown, which culminated after listening to "A Day in the Life" by Music/TheBeatles, he abandoned the project, and ''Smiley Smile'' was released instead.

'''''[=SMiLE=]''''' is the legendary "lost album" by Music/TheBeachBoys. Planned for a 1967 release, it was going to be a ConceptAlbum to follow up on ''Music/PetSounds''. But due to Music/BrianWilson's slow CreatorBreakdown, which culminated after listening to "Strawberry Fields Forever" by Music/TheBeatles, he abandoned the project, and ''Smiley Smile'' was released instead.

''[=SMiLE=]'' is the legendary "lost album" by Music/TheBeachBoys. Planned for a 1967 release, it was going to be a ConceptAlbum to follow up on ''Music/PetSounds''. But due to Music/BrianWilson's slow CreatorBreakdown, which culminated after listening to "Strawberry Fields Forever" by Music/TheBeatles, he abandoned the project, and ''Smiley Smile'' was released instead.

* Brian Wilson - lead vocals, piano, organ, harpsichord

[[caption-width-right:350:''The [[=SMiLE=]] Sessions'', released in 2011.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:''The SMiLE Sessions'', released in 2011.]]

->''[[TheWildWest Heroes and Villains]]\\
[[TraumaCongaLine Just see what you've done...]]"

* AgeProgressionSong: The entire second movement details in an abstract fashion the hardships of growth,noting its cyclic nature and ending in Surf's Up as a symbolic manifestation of renewal and catharsis through understanding the beauty and importance of childhood as constant hope and happiness.

* ManifestDestiny: One of its most prominent themes - the nuclear narrative thread is a linear, if disruptive, portrayal of Westward Expansion from Plymouth to Hawaii as experience by a passing Bycicle Rider.