Music / Smiley Smile

Guaranteed to give you good vibrations.

Smiley Smile is the twelfth studio album by The Beach Boys, released in 1967. It was recorded and released after the collapse of SMiLE. The band tried a minimalist approach for the majority of this album, contrasting significantly from the grand productions of the "Good Vibrations" and "Heroes and Villains" singles (which were both belatedly given an LP release on this album).

Upon release, the album did very well in places like the UK but was a commercial flop in the US. Receiving generally mixed reviews, it has since been Vindicated by History, becoming a cult and critical favourite, and is now credited as an early example of Lo-Fi music.

A forum dedicated to The Beach Boys was named after this album.

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Tracklist:

Side One

1. "Heroes and Villains" (3:37)
2. "Vegetables" (2:07)
3. "Fall Breaks and Back to Winter (W. Woodpecker Symphony)" (2:15)
4. "She's Goin' Bald" (2:15)
5. "Little Pad" (2:30)

Side Two

1. "Good Vibrations" (3:36)
2. "With Me Tonight" (2:17)
3. "Wind Chimes" (2:36)
4. "Gettin' Hungry" (2:27)
5. "Wonderful" (2:21)
6. "Whistle In" (1:04)

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Bonus Tracks (2001 Reissue):

1. "Heroes and Villains (Alternate Take)" (3:00)
2. "Good Vibrations (Various Session)" (6:57)
3. "Good Vibrations (Early Take)" (3:03)
4. "You're Welcome" (1:11)
5. "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring" (2:33)
6. "Can't Wait Too Long" (5:34)

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Principal Members:

• Al Jardine - lead vocals, water bottle, sound effects
• Bruce Johnston - vocals, sound effects
• Mike Love - lead vocals, sound effects
• Brian Wilson - lead vocals, piano, organ, sound effects
• Carl Wilson - lead vocals, guitar, bass, sound effects
• Dennis Wilson - vocals, sound effects

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Wind Tropes:

• Alliterative Title: "Smiley Smile"
• Darker and Edgier: At least musically, especially "Fall Breaks and Back to Winter (W. Woodpecker Symphony)".
• Den of Iniquity: "Heroes and Villains"
  But she's still dancing in the night
  Unafraid of what a dude'll do in a town full of heroes and villains
• Fake-Out Fade-Out: "Heroes and Villains", which had so many false endings that one British DJ called it "the disc-jockeys' nightmare".
• Genre Mashup: "Heroes and Villains", a nearly indescribable mix of faux-opera, symphonic arrangements, Gershwin, Spector, Americana folk, comedy songs, doo-wop, scatting and many others contextualized in an old-timey cowboys and indians setting.
• Instrumentals: "Fall Breaks and Back to Winter (W. Woodpecker Symphony)", which was a reworking of the Smile track "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow".
• Jump Scare: "Wind Chimes" and its unexpected and loud melodica will surely catch you off-guard on a first listen.
• Lyrical Dissonance: "Heroes and Villains" is a catchy and tuneful song — about gang warfare, particularly the protagonist's wife's accidental death in same.
• One-Word Title: "Vegetables", "Wonderful".
• Pep-Talk Song: "Good Vibrations".
  Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a-happenin' with her
• The Power of Love: "Good Vibrations"
  Close my eyes
  She's somehow closer now
  Softly smile, I know she must be kind
  When I look in her eyes
  She goes with me in a blossom world
• Single Stanza Song: "Whistle In". Supposedly based on an idea that occurred to Brian that kept on repeating in his head:
  Remember the day, day / remember the night, night / all day long / Whistle in
• Theremin: "Good Vibrations" very famously uses an Electro-Theremin.

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