Our Prayer
From The Smile Shop
Our Prayer (also known as "Prayer"), combined with Gee, is the first track on Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE.
Contents |
Sessions
October 4, 1966
| Song title: Prayer | |
| Studio: | Gold Star Recorders |
| Time of session: | unknown |
| Engineer: | unknown |
| Master Number: | unknown |
| Length Of Song: | unknown |
| Musicians/vocalists: | The Beach Boys |
Essentially, this is the only "track" on the album that we know, with any degree of certainty, where Brian intended to place it. Listening to the tape from the session (which appears on side B of this tape), it's obvious Brian intended this song to be the opening track on the album. Additionally, it appears that he didn't consider it an actual "track" on the album, thus explaining why it wasn't included on the list of album tracks he delivered to Capitol in December. Brian once referred to SMILE as a "teenage symphony to God." Beach Boy historian Peter Reum from the FRIENDS/20/20 CD liner notes: "Brian intended for 'Our Prayer' to be the opening track, a spiritual invocation, for SMILE." -- David Prokopy, The Prokopy Notes
The session tape reveals that Brian meant for Prayer to open the Smile album, "a little, you know, intro to the album." When someone suggests it could be a "track," Brian says no – implying it would be an unlisted track, and indeed Carl did not include it on the December list. There is a Brian edit on the Dec 18, 1966 comp tape excising the next to last vocal section that was not replicated on the GV box set release of the track. -- Lou Shenk, A SMiLE Primer
November 17, 1968
| Song title: Our Prayer | |
| Studio: | Capitol Studio |
| Time of session: | unknown |
| Engineer: | unknown |
| Master Number: | unknown |
| Length Of Song: | unknown |
| Musicians/vocalists: | The Beach Boys |
The original track for this song was pulled from the Capitol Records vaults on 17 November 1968, when three of the Beach Boys (Carl and Dennis, and probably Bruce Johnston, but not Brian) overdubbed additional vocals in preparation for its release (as "Our Prayer") on 20/20. -- David Prokopy, The Prokopy Notes
Numerous interviews with engineer Steve Desper indicate that vocal parts were added to the track known as Prayer on November 17, 1968. The issued version is in stereo and slightly longer than all the SMILE versions. However, the basic structure and most of the vocals are from October 4, 1966. -- Dwight Cavanagh, The SMiLE File
Available Session Recordings
Archaeology
| Disc # Track # | Song Title | Time | Session # | Comments |
| 01/01 | Take 1 | 2:38 | Prayer Vocal Session.
* Two attempts. * Ends on "Deeper Breath, here we go.." * Same session as on Dumb Angel boot. |
Dumb Angel Rarities Volume One
| Disc # Track # | Song Title | Time | Session # | Comments |
| 16 | Take 1 | 5:02 | Prayer Vocal Session. More complete than Archaeology but not as clear. Brian says "Gonna get to Wind Chimes." Al says "this could be considered a track," Brian says "no, this is a little intro." |
Vigotone SMiLE
| Disc # Track # | Song Title | Time | Session # | Comments |
| 01/06 | Prayer | 1:10 | Speed is off. Has more vocals than Good Vibrations Box Set version. Ends in laughter. Sounds overdubbed but not as polished as the Box set version. | |
| 01/14 | Prayer | 5:05 | Prayer Vocal Session. As Dumb Angel Rarities Volume One. | |
| 02/12 | Prayer | 1:03 | Prayer. As Good Vibrations Box set. |
Good Vibrations Box Set
| Disc # Track # | Song Title | Time | Session # | Comments |
| 02/18 | Our Prayer | 1:07 | Prayer. |
Official Release
