Lessons I have learned from SMiLE

From The Smile Shop

Lessons I have learned from SMiLE, by Jonathan Donaldson

Lessons I have learned from SMiLE -

1. Finish Your OWN SMiLE. Leave Brian alone! Great peace comes from finishing the things you start. If you don't follow through and complete your projects, it may hamper you from moving on through your life.

2. Foda With The Formula - Not everybody is an expert. Even your closest advisors don't trust what you are doing? Foda it. Go with your instincts. You are right.

3. Broaden The Scope - two or three themes aren't enough for a 45 minute album? Add in some more-the elements? Humor? Fitness? Americana?-the more the merrier! Guess what?-they're all connected because they all occur in life. Style sometimes dictates that you should narrow your themes. Not always though. Go for it. Wander through the metaphysics section of your local used bookstore like Brian "the kid" Wilson.

4. Take A Risk - So Pet Sounds caught you by surprise? Have the courage to try something different even after that. Don't be afraid to answer the question of how can you top perfection.

5. The Importance Of Confidence - Once you lose your confidence, you may lose your interest in going on a worthwhile adventure.

6. Hold On To Your Friends And Family - Never forget that you need them. Even if things aren't perfect. Watch out for a brother/friend in peril - that's when it really means something. Step outside the immediate pettiness of 'what's in it for you' and be there.

7. Give Credit Where Credit Is Due - Brian gave Van Dyke equal credit on the songs that they wrote together. That was the right thing to do. Be generous. Give the session guitarist the guitar and amplifier. Credit should have been given to Mike in the years prior.

8. Fight For Your Kids, But Let Them Be Who They Are - Be a Murry in a good way, and fight for your kids. But don't be a Murry in a bad way and berate them for who they are.

9. Be Gracious And Know Your Place - So all you get to do is sing "over and over the crow cries uncover the cornfield?" You should be thrilled. You get to sing on SMiLE! So your place in history is to be a member of the Beach Boys and sing on lots of great records. Great! Shut up and sing your part.

10. Understand Who Is Buttering Your Bread - the Beach Boys are playing "Surfing USA" every night so that you can get your recording studio money. Respect them. Brian and the people he is choosing to write with are writing your hits-respect them.

11. Fight Extra Hard Sometimes When Challenged - Somebody doesn't understand your lyrics and wants to challenge you? Fight. Explain them. Even if they don't have a meaning, explain why that's OK. Explain why poetry doesn't have to have a clear and tangible meaning to connect with people. No, maybe it's not worth your time and energy. No, maybe you ARE too old for this nonsense. But sometimes you have to go through with this shit. Understand what you signed on for.

12. Acknowledge Reality - Yes, you are an eccentric millionaire. But these other people are counting on you for their livelihood. So understand that their concern to be commercially successful is viable. Try to convince them that you can be artistic and commercially successful at the same time. Go for the ultimate of 'having the cake and eating it too.'

13. Don't Trust The Man - The record company is never your friend. Everything is business. Just be aware of forces that, by nature, necessarily are working against you.

14. The SMiLE That You Send Out Comes Back To You - 40 years later, a bunch of kids that were inspired by Brian's beautiful music found him and helped him to achieve his greatest goal. To finish SMiLE. So you never know who you are affecting or influencing. Just be good, and it will come back to you!

15. You Are Not A Genius - Don't let your ego be fooled. You are not beyond everybody else. You are just a Burt Bacharach that didn't learn how to write music. It's a gift, but just be humble about it. There are lots of talented people in the world. You don't have a cross to bear. Just be a hard working guy. That's how you'll get things done.

16. It's OK To Let Things Go - Yes, finish your SMiLE if you can, but…Brian abandoned SMiLE in 1967, and that's OK. It really is. The world could have as easily told him that.