The album that nearly killed Brian Wilson

[@ChromeDestiny]

Great video. It's worth noting too that during '67 - '71 bits of Smile were salvaged for various Beach Boys albums.

[@SRDhain]

SMILE and PET SOUNDS contain some of the most emotionally moving music I've ever heard. There's an AI infused version of smile.on KZbin which is one of the best versions ive ever heard. It's sad that Brian spent so many years not being able to decipher his own work due to his mental health issues , but I'm glad he became well enough to give us more than one official version of something that could be deemed SMILE.

[@pedrorocha9722]

A slow start? In the very first writing sessions with VD Parks, they wrote Surfs up, Wonderful, Heroes and Villains and Cabinessence. Almost half of SMiLE... And a hell of a great sand box!

[@PhuckHue2]

Then the drugs took over

[@infectioussneeze9099]

as van dykes himself has stated and denied, drugs helped him work longer hours and its not true of what people like you keep mentioning.@@PhuckHue2

[@jamestulk5111]

I saw BW in Melbourbe Australia with the Smile show. People turned up in fire helmets. It was totaly stunning.

[@ChipsAplentyBand]

Not only was SMiLE wonderful when Brian finished it with Darian Sahanaja's Protools assistance--and I got to hear Brian & Band perform it live in 2004 (Ann Arbor) and 2005 (Chicago) in person--but I was SHOCKED later in 2011 when I first heard THE SMILE SESSIONS release of The Beach Boys' version of the same material because in relation to the 2004 BW Band recording the Beach Boys version itself was NEARLY COMPLETE. Unless Brian had much further to go with writing more BB version material for the original album and then never covered that extra creative distance ahead of the 2004 version but merely 'reconstructed' it to where the BB had left off, the original version was itself REALLY ALMOST DONE when it got shelved. The 2004 BW Band version is very satisfying and of a perfectly suitable length, ending with GOOD VIBRATIONS (including VDP's unaltered lyics) as the conclusion of the song cycle. To me, the special tragedy of SMiLE is that it originally got SO close to completion; but its vindication in 2004--and especially the praise Brian and VDP received for it at that time--including from Paul McCartney and George Martin, who both WELL UNDERSTOOD its historical context and its artistic achievement--though long in coming, was both sweet and much-deserved. Whereas The Beatles transitioned successfully through the self-reinvention of their public image as Sgt. Pepper's Band, the parallel commercial-pop to Picasso-esque art-pop self-reinvention that The Beach Boys MIGHT have made as well never happened, for the various reasons that biographers cover in their studies of BB history of the time. However, the self-reinvention path also led (in some part, however small) to the end of The Beatles after a decade, whereas The Beach Boys in one form or another have continued down to the present. I find this a strangely interesting, mirror-image reversal of things for the two groups, both of which underwent interpersonal turmoil along the way. For The Beatles this turmoil proved fatal to the group identity; for The Beach Boys it proved fracturing.

[@DummyYEEEAAHHHHH]

Brian was misdiagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia but later correctly diagnosed with schizo-effective disorder....God bless Brian Wilson...a champion advocate for mental health and one of thr greatest composers in the history of music. He transcended rock n roll and is a living legend.

[@therocknrollgamer9572]

I really wish Smile wouldl've actually had been released in 1967. Also, I admire both The Beatles and The Beach Boys so much, and I can gurantee that their rivalry was a friendly rivalry. Long Live The Beach Boys

[@Sam97812]

0:48 Revolver was 1966 not 1967

[@xavierrose8208]

Brian was a GENIUS

[@Withcare11]

Is

[@cherriberri7161]

And madman!

[@gramophoneguydylan6854]

Is

[@DummyYEEEAAHHHHH]

​@@cherriberri7161no a misdiagnosed man suffering from debilitating mental illness...all geniuses pay a price in one way or another for their gifts....

[@deanbairos6476]

Yeah!

[@smautomat]

Smile, as an album concept, was so far ahead of its time that it was necessary to wait for the proper technology to actually be invented in order to complete it.

[@allenjones3130]

"Orange Crate Art" is a great(if also underappreciated) album!

[@fad23]

One of my favorite novels is Glimpses, by Lewis Shiner. It's about a man who can travel in time to collect music that was never properly released. Smile was a huge chunk of that story. That was how I got turned onto Pet Sounds.

[@TweeterAndTheMunkyMan]

That's sounds awesome. Thanks for the heads up. I'd never heard of that before 👍

[@ianwatkins6202]

Nice little video 😊Enjoyed watching!

[@ustheserfs]

it's a challenge to put the finishing touches on a teen symphony to god when you're as far removed from teendom as wilson was when it was completed. we'll never know what the final product could've been or how our ears might have fallen under its spell, its one of those grand mysteries that will remain. i think it would have eclipsed the prevailing genius of peppers.

[@davedunhill8521]

Good video - thanks for sharing. I am convinced that had this album been released, it would have been the greatest of all time. When the Smile sessions was released it blew my mind - amazing stuff by a true genius. I absolutely love The Beatles but Smile is better in my opinion. One last comment around the argument with Van Dyke Parks. This occurred mainly from persistent challenges of the band over lyrics. Mike Love was the main instigator of this and Brian had become so unstable that he could not defend Van Dyke leaving him very hurt and disappointed. Van Dyke therefore left the project. With so many things going wrong and people not backing him, Brian simply shelved the project and bottled up all the feelings and emotions over many years.

[@zippymufo9765]

Bullshit

[@crackasmilezenpyre7901]

Sergeant pepper blew his mind and drove him crazy trying to compete with it

[@davidhartley94]

Sgt Pepper is great as well haha

[@randalclarke5487]

Twas the speed, acid and lack of support from Capitol...very simply, like Syd Barrett, there were too many cosmic trips inside the mind and ego and they just said "fuck it..."

[@missmygamergirl445]

Sad his immense fear of failure insured that he did when he had already done enough to have succeeded wildly if he released it..

[@IndyDefense]

Ive always wondered what Brian's reaction to Abbey Road was, because side 2 of that album is essentially what he was trying to do with Smile.

[@josephharnett5075]

Well I not sure if you knew but Smile was before That

[@nimck-y2z]

Has anyone ever considered Brian talking out of one side of his mouth is a result of his hearing loss? I just realised he speaks in the direction of his ear that can hear... I wonder if he developed this habit so he could hear himself better when he spoke. Literally just thought about this for some reason haha

[@Mozart1220]

That's exactly it. I had a boss once that did the same thing.

[@99somerville]

That is not uncommon for partially deaf people.

[@DistantLights]

Yeh that's the reason why

[@donmehl556]

No. It was the drugs his psychoanalyst prescribed.

[@Moonews]

I'm deaf in one ear and my mouth is normal, though I did have two good ears until my late teens.

[@JFABALL2022]

We heard songs from Smile on 20/20 1969

[@vincevirtua]

Also the song Surf's Up on Surf's Up 1971.

[@jeff-6943]

@@vincevirtua also if you listen closely, on the song “Little Bird” Dennis uses the “Child is Father” Backing track on the end coda.

[@vincevirtua]

@@jeff-6943 sure, though talking strictly of Smile tunes. Little Bird could have probably fit but wasn’t a Smile tune.

[@jeff-6943]

@@vincevirtua oh yes definitely but I’m just saying, the snare a trumpet riff are quite similar if not the same

[@Meneervdberg]

Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, 20/20, Sunflower and Surf's up contain songs and ideas from Smile

[@jeffwalker6815]

Wasn't this that section near the end of Walk Hard?

[@DredgenX]

Pet sounds is a masterpiece! Listened to lots of music and this is still one of the best.

[@mikeymutual5489]

(1) The rivalry between the Beatles and the Beach Boys started in 1964. (2) Revolver was released in 1966 (not 1967). (3) Revolver was not an influence to create the "Smile" album. Instead, it was an attempt to "reclaim" American music from British bands.

[@deepbreather]

Wrong. At least one influence: For no 1, 1, 1derful.

[@mikeymutual5489]

@@deepbreather Make some sense, please.

[@deepbreather]

@@mikeymutual5489 I did. Unmutual.

[@NateTheGnat]

Smiley Smile is my favorite album.

[@slimshadow49]

The Elements: Fire is probably one of the earliest examples of Grove Metal if you remove all the sirens and other bullshit.

[@purevycara]

Amazing video!

[@davidhartley94]

Thanks!

[@michaellazzeri2069]

Young man : Ok, 1st : in the summer of '63, BW also did not tour. Instead, Al Jardine returned to the group, took his place onstage, as BRian stayed home & composed what became the " Surfer Girl " album , re;leased in September of '63, the 3rd album the group produced that year ! -------------2nd : When he stopped for good in late '64, as the group toured with at 1st Glen Campbell, & then, Bruce Johnston, writing the music that would become " The Beach Boys Today " & then, " Summer Days & Nights " , both, in '65. It wasn't until the fall of '65, as the group went to Japan on tour, that BW & Tony Asher began work on what became, " Pet Sounds " . ---------OK ??????? PLEASE, get your history straight. -----------------------MJL, 76 y/o, & a fan since the Fall of 1962.

[@sustavofring5696]

revolver was released in 1966 not '67

[@impalaman9707]

Having listened to Smile sessions all the way through, I don't think of it as Dennis famously said--"so good it makes Pet Sounds stink"---but rather, a companion piece, or a sequel to Pet Sounds. At least that's the way I interpret Smile. Its a continuation of the story from Pet Sounds

[@michaellazzeri2069]

The music was all Brian Wilson------------and, Van Dyke Parks . The rest of the group had nothing to do with the creation of " Smile ". ------------------------MJL, 76 y/o

[@greenmanalishi6963]

Do you edit videos using adobe premiere?

[@NOWtheband]

You must be talking about Stars And Stripes Volume One....

[@robertsterner408]

Smile was supposed to have good vibrations as head song

[@sanyo8440]

SMiLE had the potential to be a better listen than most Beatles albums. Just off the lyrics alone, they really appealed to the "life" ethos without sounding too pretentious, cryptic or downright bizarre like in many Beatles songs. Imo the final release and some fan edits/rearrangements rival the White Album. Better than Sgt. Peppers for sure.

[@OskarSvan]

Background music 4:50?

[@Gildedowlmedia338]

Brian’s performance of Surf’s Up on the 1967 tv special “Leonard Bernstein’s Pop: The Rock Revolution”

[@zoso73]

Nice video. Thank you.

[@davidhartley94]

No problem!

[@NoUploadJustComment]

The Beatles rivalry thing was a bit overdone. Paul said his favorite song ever is God Only Knows.

[@kookadams85]

Pet Sounds is THE greatest l.p ever, of any decade! Smiley smile & Wild Honey are great too as was Summer Days, Today,All summer long & later w/ Sunflower, surfs up, Holland, & lastly Love you .

[@sjdrifter72]

SMiLE would've been a flop in the States the same way Pet Sounds was, but it would have been a success in the UK and Europe. And no, it would not have eclipsed neither Revolver or Sgt. Pepper in the general public's eyes, only with Beach Boys and Brian Wilson fans.

[@matthewrider5906]

He isn't schizophrenic... He has schizo-affective disorder w/auditory hallucinations aka 'hearing voices,' if you will... Quite similar, but also incredibly, incredibly different.

[@fleetcomm1]

I was 12 when “Pet Sounds” came out. Music was larger than life and everyone would talk about the great records that were out. We’d bring them to school to lend to friends. It seemed as if every month some new variation (Genre) of rock and roll would arrive. The British invasion was slowly winding down around 1966 & 1967 while folk and psychedelia from L.A. or S.F and NYC started taking over the airwaves. But going back to “Pet Sounds“ no one and I mean NO OWN cared. As far as we were concerned it was just another Beach Boys record. YAWN My personal belief is that through the decades people saw the downfall of Brian Wilson. Then the story of Paul McCartney speaking about being in awe with “Pet Sounds” gradually we starting looking back and thought WOW it’s a great record. But the fierce competition the Beatles faced back in the 60’s was from The Dave Clark Five and The Rolling Stones. As far as American bands were concerned it was The Monkees and Paul Revere & the Raiders. The Beach Boys charted well but they were pop music not rock. By the time I was 18 I owned 125 albums & 200 singles and not one was a Beach Boys record. Most cities had a few AM stations and by the end of the 60’s FM stations were coming into being for rock music. FM back then was all about Deep Cuts from artists. I’m not trying to disrespect The Beach Boys and their music I’m saying from a 60’s teenagers point of view they weren’t cool. They were on track with The Four Seasons.

[@gittahfiend]

Why do people always say the album that nearly killed him? It was the DRUGS.

[@buddysteele7624]

“Kind of the leader of The Beach Boys” Brian didn’t have schizophrenia, he was doing wayyy too many drugs. this guy barely did his research and it shows over and over in this video but regardless I’m just happy there’s more Beach Boys content.

[@morganghetti]

"Wilson is diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and mild bipolar disorder." He was mentally ill.

[@saturdaysfather]

brian was literally diagnosed

[@admiralkrankandhismightyba158]

The previously unreleased smile recordings, as we have them, are a country mile better than sergeant peppers. But thats not too hard, cause peppers isnt very good overall, being half duds. Anyway, the travesty of it all was a little more work with thw mastertapes you'd have a complete masterpiece of an album.

[@davedunhill8521]

Good argument that 😂

[@saturatedneowax]

7:38 lol, I do that to songs too

[@Colin-Fenix]

The Beach Boys were never near as great as The Beatles.

[@timducote5713]

True. The Beach Boys were great but appealed to a certain strata of listeners. The Beatles were far more accessible.

[@Logan912]

The Beatles were never held back like The Beach Boys were, and I'd say SMiLE is better than anything The Beatles made (or at least Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE anyway) although I do still think Rubber Soul and Sgt. Pepper are better than Pet Sounds.

[@mumbles215]

I love the Beatles. More than The Beach Boys, but outside of a few PM numbers, the music lacks depth. The BB music on the other hand had a spiritualness to it, and one can connect Ona deep emotional level. I can’t say that about the Beatles mucus really. Def some of PM songs tho. His acoustic mid period songs, his abbey road medley touch deep. John’s songs haven’t touched deep since a hard days night with “this boy” John’s music was about John, and as fascinating as they can be, one can’t really connect with them. Not even his fabulously “a day in the life” (newspaper clippings really)

[@arricammarques1955]

Musical mental breakdown set to music?

[@Mozart1220]

Musical genius far beyond the hack (Mike Love) who criticized it. Is Sgt Pepper a "musical mental breakdown"?

[@ChipsAplentyBand]

I don't really think so (but intriguing question!). More like flight-of-fancy, dream-like music breaking the formulaic bounds of commercial pop and VDP writing lyrics in a partially-fractured idiom similar to Picasso, only using words.

[@tf2fanboy]

Why is there an AI-generated thumbnail? The rest of the video is fine, but this really bothers me. It's not like there aren't any real photos of this time period.

[@cherriberri7161]

Love Pet Sounds but it’s not greater that Rubber Soul! No way!

[@dummyexploits8109]

you clearly know nothing about the beach boys.

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

1:27 haha

[@DanTheMan27]

I never knew Brian had a falling out with Van Dyke Parks. I thought he just quit working with the band and wrote for other people, I guess Love and Mercy left out a few things

[@darko149]

No vandyke had a falling out with Mike Love not Brian.

[@DanTheMan27]

@@darko149 That makes more sense. Van Dyke’s lyrics are the kind that someone like Mike Love would have hated, even in the movie he objected to the lyrics “To ride in the rough and sunny down snuff” which while they make no sense, at least they rhyme and it’s very arty, something that Brian appeared to be very keen on producing for SMiLE. Mike just didn’t seem to appreciate art that didn’t have a formula

[@davidnissim589]

No, it was Mike who forced Van Dyke out of the picture. Brian and Van Dyke worked together on other projects in the years to come, and eventually finished SMiLE together too

[@michaelslavin1601]

@@darko149you’re right about Mike Love but he was victimised Brian’s by Brian’s buffoonery (his words to Dorian Lyndsey in 2013)

[@99somerville]

Van Dyke left because of the problems with Mike and others and had a job opportunity someplace else. I think he saw the handwriting on the wall and didn't want to continue the battle.

[@darko149]

Ok you have a few things wrong but all in all you made a great video.

[@allanfarran364]

No where near as good as the beatles

[@a.hardin620]

Maybe the group was not as good. But Brian Wilson certainly equaled and probably surpassed Paul and John in song writing abilities and musical arrangement. He got too far gone into personal problems to make the most of his gifts.

[@Mozart1220]

It should have killed the Beach Boys. Brian should have gone solo.

[@AshRecordReview]

He pretty much did after he stopped touring. The Beach Boys became the beach boy: Brian Wilson. The rest were just glorified session musicians

[@mumbles215]

He’d have never left Carl and Dennis.

[@bazbuncher6948]

Don,t forget the drugs a s well.

[@mumbles215]

Never forget the drugs. Beat time without them.