Vegetables (song)

"Vegetables" (or "Vega-Tables") is a song written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks for the American pop band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1967 album Smiley Smile with Al Jardine and Brian Wilson on lead vocals. The song was originally intended to be released on the famous SMiLE album, planned for 1967, but due to the cancellation of SMiLE, it was released in a much toned-down form on Smiley Smile instead, with one section cut out and later reused as Mama Says on the album Wild Honey. It is one of five tracks on Smiley Smile that were intended for the cancelled SMiLE, the other songs being "Good Vibrations", "Heroes And Villains", "Wind Chimes" and "Wonderful".

In 1993, the previously unreleased original version of Vegetables was released along with a slew of other SMiLE material on the Good Vibrations boxset. In 2004, the song was included on Brian Wilson's new release of SMiLE. This most recent recording was based on the original version, rather than the minimalist arrangement that appears on Smiley Smile.

Recording

Both versions of the song feature the novel use of vegetable chewing as percussion. During the SMiLE sessions, Paul McCartney was recorded chewing celery for the original version. Al Jardine remembers that "the night before a big tour, I was out in the studio recording the vocal [for 'Vegetables'] when, to my surprise, Paul McCartney walked in and joined Brian at the console. And, briefly, the two most influential musical Geminis in the world had a chance to work together. I remember waiting for long periods of time between takes to get to the next section or verse. Brian [seemed to have] lost track of the session. Paul would come on the talkback and say something like 'Good take, Al.'

Details

• Written by: Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks
• Album: Smiley Smile
• Time: 2 min 07 sec
• Produced by: The Beach Boys

Alternately:

• Album: SMiLE
• Time: 2 min 19 sec
• Produced by: Van Dyke Parks

Performers

• Brian Wilson: Lead Vocals
• Al Jardine: Lead Vocals

Covers

The song was covered by Jan and Dean (under the name Laughing Gravy) on a single released in 1968.

It was also covered by Canadian group The Old Soul in 2005, though the lyrics don't entirely match. It also includes a portion of Mama Says, similar to the SMiLE version.

It was covered by musician Drake Bell during his 2006 tour supporting his album "Telegraph".

While not a cover, the song "Receptacle for the Respectable" from the album "Rings Around The World" by Super Furry Animals also features Paul McCartney chewing celery and carrots.

See also

• The Beach Boys
• Smiley Smile
• List of songs by The Beach Boys