Well with the 4th of July weekend over, it officially really feels like summer. When I think of the soundtrack of summer, really only one group comes to mind: The Beach Boys.
Today's track comes from the 1983 album "Beach Boys Rarities" which is an out-of-print 'official bootleg' album containing several rare tracks from The Beach Boys 1960's heyday.
Among the highlights on the album are several Beatles covers, as well as an odd German version of 'In My Room'. But my favorite songs on this compilation are some of the original "Smile" tracks.
"Smile" was supposed to be The Beach Boys follow up to "Pet Sounds" and musically was going to be their "Sgt. Pepper's" album. The group was working on this album all throughout 1966, and all who heard the songs said that they were the most musically complex and beautiful songs ANY pop group had ever created.
Unfortunately, in-fighting within the group over the new musical direction and Brian Wilson's fragile emotional state at the time led to the project being scrapped. Many of the songs appeared re-recorded on later Beach Boys albums, but many of the original tracks were never officially released.
'Good Vibrations' was originally conceived as the very last track of the "Smile" album, and today's track is the "Smile" version of that song, and not the popular single version that most people are familiar with.
Click the link for some good vibes.
P.S. Luckily, Brian Wilson as a solo artist would go on to complete the "Smile" concept album in 2004. I saw it live in concert. It was amazing.
Any version of this song is awesome. One of the all time greats.
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