Why The Beach Boys' "Smile" Would have been one of Western Music's Crowning Achievements 

Do You Like Worms is a perfect title when you think about it. What lives under rocks? Worms

I always appreciate a good Beach Boys video essay but I have to point out a few major errors: 1. Murray Wilson did not found the Beach Boys. Yes, he managed the band but the Boys founded themselves. 2. Some of the Beach Boys did play their instruments on Pet Sounds. For example, Carl Wilson plays one of the 12-strings in Wouldn't It Be Nice? and Dennis Wilson plays drums on That's Not Me. 3. When you were talking about Tony Asher, Brian's lyricist on many of the Pet Sounds songs, you showed a picture as if it was a picture of Asher, but it's not. The picture was of Bruce Johnston, who joined the band to replace Brian in live shows after Brian quit touring.

Great video! I ended up learning things I didn't know about Smile which is crazy seeing as I'm almost finished writing a dissertation on it. It's nice hearing other younger people who are this into The Beach Boys because I feel I almost have to explain myself when I tell people that they're my favourite band. Hopefully this will help a few people stumble upon their incredible music :)

Besides the Tony Asher/Johnston gaffe..I would also add that I'm not sure you could classify Murry as the "founder "...manager yes. Otherwise thanks for shining a light on their more artistic years. Holland and Sunflower are fantastic

Great work of ideas, vocals and melody! Absolutely beautiful.

For some reason every time Tony Asher is pronounced, a picture of Bruce Johnston appears.

Incredible job with this video!

Vega-Tables is without a doubt the darkest song on the album, I believe it’s “secretly” about the abusive nature of the Wilson brother’s father Murry. Even the title is a condescending pun, you can almost imagine Murry screaming “it’s Vega-tables Brian, not vegetables!” It could also be viewed as a parody of the child-centric“eat your vegetables” music Murry Wilson wanted and pressured The Beach Boys and his other acts to make. Listen again with this abusive take in mind, I think everyone glosses over this harsher reality but I’m convinced that’s what’s going on with that track. It’s about earning the love of an abuser... disturbing and quite beautiful simultaneously. I think it’s easily up there with Good Vibrations, Surfs Up & Heroes and Villains

Excellent work, Daisy! It was fun to hear your personal thoughts on each song and how they compared to the BWPS versions. Definitely looking forward to seeing where this channel goes! :)

Great vid! Though I can’t get over the mental whiplash of the undertale ost in the background of a beach boys video essay lol

I grew up listening to Smiley Smile relentlessly. It's a great album.

The Elements suite is vegatables (Earth), Wind Chimes (Wind), I love to say dada (Water), and Mrs OLearys Cow (Fire). It was mostly finished.

Damn, great video! Please cover other artists like The Millennium, CAN, Silver Apples etc

I feel like in a weird way, Surf Up's would predict how 1967 would play out. Just as the Summer of Love came the rage of Black America and White Supremacy violently clashed all over the country. The Good Vibrations were lost after that and many American youth got left broken heartened, and that was only the beginning, 67 to 74 was a long bloody time.

*has lava reef zone act 1 music talking about miss olearys cow* UH BASED DEPARTMENT

who ran the iron horse!?

Wonderful is Brian singing

0:00 Is there a video of this clip by itself?

LOVE the memes!

What’s the song that plays at 12:53?

that’s not tony asher that’s bruce 2:43

The only way Smile could've been better is if Brian had written Ding Dang a decade earlier

Pet Sounds is not depressing. Gheesh. Brian started Smile in 1966, many months before Sgt Pepper.

Wait a minute. SMiLE was NOT a reaction to Sgt Pepper. Brian was working on it in 1966 way before Sgt Pepper was recorded.

Even in its unfinished state smile is a masterpiece

Some corrections and clarifications: Tony Asher looks too much like Bruce Johnston; Pet Sounds does not tell the story of Brian's depression and schizophrenia. It tells a story of the emotional journey from adolescence to young adulthood, and is not an intensely depressing album; Smiley Smile wasn't a complete failure, since it featured two hit singles. True, it did poorly in the US, but went Top 10 in the UK. The SMiLE breakdown, however, was very cool.

To clean up some of your points on commentary: 1) Murry did not 'found' The Beach Boys. He and his wife Audree went to Mexico for a weekend and the boys rented instruments and began fooling around with making music. Murry DID take them to meet their first label (Candix) and was their manager until he tried to tell Brian how to record the group. 2) Pet Sounds failed because the label (Capitol) didn't get it as a Beach Boys album. They released the first greatest hits compilation a few weeks after Pet Sounds' release, cutting into PS sales. 3) The Beatles wrote Sgt. Pepper in response to Pet Sounds. Pet Sounds blew their minds when they heard it. 4) Brian got freaked out by a series of fires which occurred in the neighborhood where Smile was being recorded while he was recording "Fire" for "The Elemental Suite" on Smile. He thought the music had karmically caused the fires 5) When you mention Tony Asher, you show a picture of Bruce Johnston. As a life-long Beach Boys fan, I'd like to thank you for making this video. It warms my heart when a younger person appreciates Beach Boys music. Cheers!

Love this video bro, pet sounds is a masterpiece but damn smile is something else

You missed that he says "I wanna put together the pieces when someone breaks your heart" and then Workshop is tool sounds healing someone's heart

Do You Like Worms? - BDW/VDP Waving from the ocean liner Leaving cheering Indians behind them Rock, Rock Roll Plymouth Rock, Roll Over Rock, Rock Roll Plymouth Rock, Roll Over Ribbon of Concrete, just see what you've done-done to the Church of American Indian! Once upon the Sandwich Isles The social structure steamed upon Hawai'i Rock, Rock Roll Plymouth Rock, Roll Over Rock , Rock Roll Plymouth Rock, Roll Over Bicycle Rider, just see what you've done-done to the Church of the American Indian! Muhalolule Muhalolula, Keeni Waka Pula Muhalolule Muhalolula Keeni Waka Pula Rock, Rock Roll Plymouth Rock, Roll Over

The "are you sleeping?" line in Surf's Up is borrowed from the old French song Frere Jacques. If you listen to the very next line Brian sings "brother John" which is the translation of Frere Jacques. I always thought that was such a random, yet beautiful addition to the song.

This dude really like to bash "the white man".

Pet Sounds is intensely depressing album? I would say it had some somber songs but not intensely depressing.

SMiLE by BDW & VDP Our Prayer / Gee Heroes and Villains Do You Like Worms ------------- / Barnyard My Only Sunshine Cabin - Essence Wonderful Song for Children Child is Father of the Man Surf's Up I Wanna Be Around / Workshop Vega - Tables I'm in Great Shape / ---------------- On a Holiday Wind Chimes ---------------------- ------------------------- Cool, Cool Water Love to Say Da Da The Elements: Earth (----------------------------) The Elements: Air (------------------------------) The Elements: Fire (Mrs. O'Leary's Cow) The Elements: Water (----------------------------) -------------------------- --------------------------- -------------------------- Good Vibrations You're Welcome

It's curious, I don't think of Smile as unfinished anymore. I guess the argument is there isn't a finished polished version the Beach Boys completed, but I don't believe a 67 completed Smile would surpass the 04 version. Not in production at least. The only thing we're really missing is Mike, Carl, and early 20s version Brian on lead. If there's one regret about the 04 production, it's that Carl wasn't around to participate in it. I have to imagine he would have in some capacity and that sucks.

2:41 That's Bruce Johnston, not Tony Asher, lmao

Always remember, Beach Boys Today! came BEFORE Rubber Soul

Nearly did a wicked dump in my pants when Mike Wazowski started singing Our Prayer. Truly, the voice of an Angel

3:00 Somber? Intensely depressing? Yeah. Ok.

Wow this video was awesome! Great humor throughout. I came off the Beach Boys subreddit. It looks like this channel isn't specifically Beach Boys album reviews, but if you made a video about Wild Honey I'd definitely watch it. Well done, keep it up brother!

great vid, on this topic. you got fair bit of details wrong, but it doesnt really detract that much from the viewing experience

The more I think about it the more I feel that Barnyard should be moved to just before windchimes. Why? because then the elemental suite is partially realised - Barnyard is earth, Windchimes is air, etc etc.

At 6:22 that’s Bruce not tony lmao

White guilt? Colonialist? What are you smoking? lol

That photo of "Tony Asher" was actually Beach Boy Bruce Johnston.

Yeah man love the video! Very cool, but every time you mention Tony Asher it straight-up displays a pic of Bruce Johnston

God imagine if this came out and 67 the way it was originally supposed to. I don’t think Sgt peppers would’ve stood a chance. The Beatles later catalog would change wildly in attempt to match the album. Unfortunately the original track listing for the 67 version is unknown and is most likely lost after the album caved in on itself.

Also something to mention...Brian made sure to add to the album the four Classical Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Vega-Tables = Earth Holidays and Wind Chimes = Air Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow = Fire In Blue Hawaii = Water

I saw Brian perform Smile in 2004 in Carnegie Hall and the whole thing flowed like a fully realized work. It was an overwhelming experience and I don’t think it’s a stretch to consider it a great Americana symphony.

It's painful to think about what could've been if Brian Wilson had finished the album at the time. And how the record company dropped them like a hot potato, driving their later work into obscurity. But we never would've gotten Smiley Smile. Which ever since finding it, has become a necessity in my life.

The photo of tony asher is Bruce Johnston, lots of things wrong in this video but it’s alright

Not only do you get facts wrong, to simply gloss over pet sounds as a deeply depressing critical success and commercial failure is so disingenuous.

With Smiley Smile having SMiLE's best tracks, and flopping on release, I don't think SMiLE would have been much of a heavy hitter compared to everything else being released at the time. I love The Beach Boys to death but I just don't think SMiLE would've caught on.

As much as I love this album. I really don't think it would have been as groundbreaking and successful as many people imagined it to be. It wouldn't have been more popular than Sgt Pepper, and it wouldn't have outsold it either. A lot of this albums allure comes from the fact that it was never released. Heroes and Villians, arguably the grandest and most complex of all the SMiLE tracks, didn't even make the top 10 of the billboards' top 100 charts when it was released. The rest of the album wouldn't have performed any different in the charts in my eyes. Good vibrations was a huge number hit, but it was released as a single.

I always thought of the meaning of the title 'do you like worms' to mean opening a 'can of worms' by actually discussing the colonization of the indigenous peoples of America. Also, a lot of earthworm species were brought over during the Columbian exchange, which most definitely wasn't the intent of the song, but makes the title work even more.

I don't blame Brian at all for not getting it "finished" until he did BWPS. An enormous task that would've required everyone's full support and co-operation. Maybe if Brian had delegated the production to smaller production teams, it would've made sense. I'm sure that the way Brian originally envisioned the project would've been extraordinary, but with this new way of production he should've taken longer to master the process but due to him not being well, it was at the wrong place at the wrong time. This is why I really am good with Smiley Smile, but am really glad the SMiLE sessions got published.

You better check your dates, pal. When SPLHCB, Smile was very close to completion. More, SPLHCB was one of many nails in the SMiLE coffin.

That’s Bruce Johnston not tony Asher , in that picture. 2:43

It's interesting how you included videogame OST on your video; specifically from Undertale, a videogame inspired by Mother saga. The Mother main composers had said that they were pretty inspired with Brian Wilson' self titled album from 1988 when making the game's music. It was so fucking awesome to know my favorite game saga and one of my favorite artists of all time combines with each other.

Dude. You’re killing me with the Zelda music. I just spent 2023 playing every main Zelda game and I’m taking a break from gaming now, but these tunes are seriously tempting me to go back.

It's such a shame it wasn't finished in 1967. It was SO CLOSE. Definitely the biggest and saddest what if? in all of rock.

Good Vibrations is one of those songs that is 100%, no doubt, the greatest song of all time. Just like Bohemian Rhapsody or Stairway to Heaven, it's one of those songs that can't be beat. To the point that it's completely unfair to say that it's less than any other song. It's peak, and any song you put above it will definitely come down to taste or feeling on that day.

The famous conductor Leonard Bernstein in 1966 said that Smile was the first piece of American pop music that that equaled classical music.. Smile was the first rock opera too bad most people had to wait 40 years to hear it. And Leonard Bernstein had only heard one song from the project Surf's up.

The group was formed in 1961, not 1962. And they were formed by the band members, not by Murry Wilson.

We’ll too bad. Just found this video and was excited to get a new perspective on Smile but the label you put on Mike around the 1:15 mark put me off.

The picture at 2:44 is actually Bruce Johnston and I'm not sure why it comes up when you Google Tony Asher because it's definitely not him lol

I know the smile sessions (which i orefer to BWPS) isnt smile but i like it and there are definitely the makings of a masterpiece there

You keep saying Tony Asher with a picture of Bruce Johnston...😆😆

Only a minute and thirteen seconds into the video and I’ve laughed uncontrollably like five times😭

Brian didnt have schizophrenia - certainly not at the time of Pet Sounds I believe he is schizoaffective which is different

good content, but the music choices for this documentary were atrocious! (song of healing apart)

okay cmon you could've mentioned any song from beach boys loves but ding dang, its a good song

People are much too hard on Mike Love. I read his book and honestly a much better read than Brian's.

“Ding dang” is just a short version of Shortnin Bread. How is that crap?

Excellent video. Found in my current obsession with the Beach Boys. Earned you a Subscribe!

2:36 What movie is this from?

Dude, Hawaii comments EPIC ❤

great tony asher pic

Why doesn’t this have any views?? It’s awesome

Who are you mate ??? You have No idea about the Soul of Music !!!!!

Tremendous production quality for a brand new channel

2:45 that’s a picture of Bruce Johnston not Tony Asher lol

somewhere in the '90's i learned of smile from a beach boys biography. i became intrigued. i then listened to the bits on the beachboy box set. i became even more intrigued. various bootlegs later, i wondered if it would ever be finished. then came 2004. i bought it, of course i did, but i was afraid. will it live up to the hype i was giving it? well, not only was it as good as i had hoped, i listened to it EVERY DAY for at least 2 months. my only regret is brian's '60's voice fits better than his 2004 voice. also-that picture of tony asher is NOT tony asher. i did enjoy the video, though. thanks. (i wish i noticed the video sooner.)

2:40 Not Tony Asher. That's Beach Boy Bruce Johnson.

I think the 3 movement structure is unnecessary, and doesn't map to a 2 sided album very well. The western/Americana/farm aesthetic works well for side one, adding "Vega-Tables" and "Holiday", as well as adding "I'm in Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop" on to "Barnyard". The rest of the songs fit together very well. I use mostly use the SLN mix, so that version of "The Elements" is in my version. And my other issue with the running order from BWPS (and its re-use for The Smile Sessions) is that the album has to end on "Surf's Up".

Ive listened to barnyard hundreds of times...

Vandyke parks is not Bruce Johnston!!!

Please make more music history content I love your editing and I could listen to you talk for hours best wishes for your Channel stay great Daisy

A Beach Boys Fan named Daisy, I can relate.

i think it’s called do you like worms because when you roll a rock, you find worms. i don’t remember where i read that.

This video gets a dislike👎

Video about Pet Sounds??? Pwease... :)

great video, but you are WRONG about workshop and smile is PERFECT, not FLAWED

i loveeee beach boys

The Beatles released "Revolver" in August 1966, just as Brian Wilson was starting studio work on Smile. That is the album he would have been reacting to, not Sgt. Pepper. By the time that came out, in May 1967, Smile had essentially been abandoned.

Nice Mario sunshine music

Probably thee most overrated band in history! 🙄

Hey, that’s pretty good!

GOD BLESS BRIAN WILSON

Your timeline is bad Smile was actually recorded before Sergeant Pepper's Paul McCartney actually plays on the song vegetables and has said Smile inspired Sergeant Pepper not pet sounds. McCartney said he had heard many of the unreleased Smile tracks in late 1966.