Heroes and Villains

This article is about the Beach Boys song. For the episode of Only Fools and Horses, see Heroes and Villains (Only Fools and Horses). For the SF novel by Angela Carter, see Heroes and Villains (novel).

"Heroes and Villains" is the title of a song co-written by Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys and Van Dyke Parks. Originally intended as the centerpiece of the fabled but ill-fated SMiLE album (which was not completed until 2004 as SMiLE). A number of versions of the song were recorded by The Beach Boys between 1966-67.

1 Composition
2 Recording
3 Releases
4 Musicians

[edit] Composition

Composed in early 1966, mostly in a large sandbox holding a piano built in Wilson's living room, "Heroes and Villains" was the first collaboration between Wilson and Parks. It is reported that when Wilson first played the melody to him, Parks devised the opening line on the spot. Various musical themes in the song recur in numerous other songs and musical fragments which Wilson recorded for SMiLE.

The lyrics for "Heroes and Villains" exemplify the allusive and playful nature of Parks writing for SMiLE, evidently combining the experiences, feelings and preoccupations of both Wilson and Parks. Along with "Surf's Up" and "Cabinessence" it is lyrically among the most complex and ambiguous of all The Beach Boys recordings. The "heroes and villains" concept has often been suggested as referring to the conflicts between Wilson and the other members of The Beach Boys, but there are clear references to Parks' experiences as well^{[citation needed]}.

"Heroes and Villains" is generally thought to have been the first song written specifically for SMiLE, although "Barnyard" and "I'm in Great Shape" might have been written at about the same time. "Good Vibrations" had been written earlier and was originally intended for Pet Sounds; however, Brian held on to it, and continued to refine the song until its release as a single in late 1966^{[citation needed]}. Wilson may not have intended "Good Vibrations" to be included on SMiLE, but after it became a hit, Wilson wrote a provisional track listing of SMiLE that included the song.

[edit] Recording

Despite its early genesis, the recording of the song was a difficult and protracted process. Wilson halted work on the other SMiLE tracks at the end of 1966 and concentrated on producing a version of "Heroes and Villains" for single release, but despite holding at least twenty recording sessions for the song over a period of several months and assembling several different edits of the track, he was apparently unable to complete the work to his satisfaction until after the May 1967 announcement that SMiLE had been shelved.

The song went through a number of transformations and at least one segment, the so-called "Cantina scene" was removed from the released versions. Carl Wilson often sang during live shows, a variation of "Do You Like Worms?" featured in the song the lyrics, "Bicycle rider, see, see what you've done" to give homage to some of the unreleased songs off SMiLE.

[edit] Releases

A number of different edits of the song exist; one was released as a single in July 1967 (Billboard peak #12, Cashbox Top Ten) and appeared on their September 1967 LP Smiley Smile. The original SMiLE version was eventually released as a bonus track on the Beach Boys Smiley Smile/Wild Honey two-fer in 1990 -- this included the Cantina Scene and some additional lines ("At threescore and five, I'm very much alive, I've still got the jive to survive with the heroes and villains"). A 2001 stereo mix appears on the Hawthorne, CA album. On the Endless Harmony Soundtrack, there is a demo version of the song, which also incorporates two other songs: I'm in Great Shape and Barnyard.

There have been persistent rumors of a far longer two-part edit, reputedly running for six, seven or even ten minutes, and that this edit was intended for single release, split across the two sides of a single. However, it is possible that this rumoured long edit (if it exists) may in fact have been part of a trial assembly of the song and related fragments as part of the planned sequencing of the SMiLE tracks.

Al Jardine believes that Brian underproduced the song for the Smiley Smile album. As he explains "We recorded a pale facsimile of 'Heroes And Villains', replete with discordant transitions...Brian re-invented the song for this record...He purposefully under-produced the song."

The Beach Boys have released four different live versions of the song: on The Beach Boys in Concert; on Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980, as part of a medley with Cotton Fields; on the Endless Harmony Soundtrack, and also on the Beach Boys Concert/Live in London twofer, as a bonus track. It is also on Al Jardine's Live in Las Vegas album. While Brian was absent from the touring section of the group, Jardine sang lead on this song.

At his own tribute, Brian Wilson sang this after he was given a standing ovation, and how he spoke about the performers who sang that night.

The song was re-recorded in 2004 as part of Brian Wilson's new version of SMiLE and included the cantina segment.

[edit] Musicians

Smiley Smile:

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Hal Blaine - drums
Al Jardine - vocals
Carol Kaye - bass
Mike Love - vocals
Brian Wilson - lead vocal
Carl Wilson - vocals
Dennis Wilson - vocals

SMiLE Version:

Brian Wilson - Lead Vocals, and keyboards
Scott Bennett - vocals, keyboards
Nelson Bragg - vocals, percussion, whistle
Jeffery Foskett - vocals, guitar
Probyn Gregory - vocals, guitar
Jim Hines - drums
Bob Lizik - bass
Paul Mertons - baritone saxophone, harmonica
Taylor Mills - vocals, percussion
Darian Sahanaja - vocals, keyboards
Nick Walusko - vocals, guitar
Staffan Findin - bass trombone
Anreas Forsman - violin
Erik Holm - viola
Anna Landberg - cello
Malin-My Nilsson - violin
Bjorn Samuelsson - trombone
Victor Sand - saxophone, flute, clarinet
Markus Sandlund - cello

Smiley Smile Track Listing
Heroes and Villains \| Vegetables \| Fall Breaks and Back to Winter (Woody Woodpecker Symphony) \| She's Goin' Bald \| Little Pad Good Vibrations \| With Me Tonight \| Wind Chimes \| Gettin' Hungry \| Wonderful \| Whistle In