Length 3:28 Producer(s) Brian Wilson | Label Capitol | |
Released October 31, 2011 (2011-10-31) Recorded October 18, 1966 (1966-10-18)–January 5, 1967 (1967-01-05); United Western Recorders and CBS Columbia Square, Los Angeles Writer(s) Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks | ||
"Do You Like Worms?" (sometimes erroneously referred to as "Do You Dig Worms?") is a song written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks in 1966 for the aborted album Smile. The original, unfinished recording of "Do You Like Worms?" was first published in 1993 for Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys, a box set which included some unreleased Smile material, and then again in 2011 for The Smile Sessions. In 2004, Wilson performed a live version of Smile with this song under the new title "Roll Plymouth Rock". The live and studio Brian Wilson Presents Smile versions are arranged in a similar manner to the original song. The new versions also contain additional lyrics on the verses that were written for the song in 1966 but not previously recorded.
Contents
Biographer Jon Stebbins stated that the track "epitomizes the unfinished and schizophrenic nature of Smile. Just the fact that a Beach Boys album almost appeared in 1967 with a song called 'Do You Like Worms?' is a mindblower." The song has since been covered by a variety of artists, including The Olivia Tremor Control, Ant-Bee, and Secret Chiefs 3.
Title meaning
When asked in 2004, co-writer Van Dyke Parks could not remember where the title had originated from, speculating, "I have a feeling it was maybe an engineer, or maybe Brian, maybe Mike Love. There aren't any other words in the song that relate to that title." That same year, Wilson rerecorded the song under the new title "Roll Plymouth Rock" with almost all of its original lyrics. When asked about the name change from "Do You Like Worms?", Wilson explained, "Because we wanted something a little more appropriate, you know? Something that sounded more appropriate." In 2013, Al Jardine stated: "I kept yelling at people over at Capitol that there’s not one goddamn lyric about worms on this track. It’s called 'Roll Plymouth Rock'. I defy you to find anything about worms on there. But they wanted to name it 'Do You Like Worms'. Brian added parentheses on his album to make it clear. [sic] I’m sure that there was song that Brian and Van Dyke did do called 'Do You Like Worms' that they didn't even play for us. Anyhow, I think what’s there on the original version of Smile is totally cool, and I do like the unfinished nature of it. (laughs) It brings back a lot of really good memories."
Composition
"Do You Like Worms?" was imagined as a lyrical journey across the United States from coast to coast; relating mostly to Manifest Destiny and westward expansion. According to Parks, "It's about bringing this Euro-sensibility into the taming of the American continent, from Plymouth Rock to Waikiki." It is seen through the eyes of a protagonist named the "Bicycle Rider". Several couplets were written by Parks in 1966, but only few were ever recorded. Some of these were later resurrected for future re-recordings by Wilson:
"Ribbon of concrete" is a negative image variant to the lyric "that ribbon of highway" from the American folk song "This Land Is Your Land". The "Bicycle Rider" lyric has been established as a reference to the traditional standard "See See Rider," and to the "Bicycle Rider Back" playing cards printed by the United States Playing Card Company during the 19th century. The tag's lyric "mahala lu lei" refers to a Hawaiian Thanksgiving prayer. One unrecorded couplet follows:
The song is an extension of the composition "Heroes and Villains", recorded during the Smile sessions. "Do You Like Worms?" is in strophic form, following the pattern ABABCB' in mixes prepared by Brian Wilson during Smile assemblies. The A sections featured a short instrumental section where the melody is carried by the timpani followed by the lyrics "rock, rock, roll, Plymouth Rock roll over" in two-part harmony over the bass guitars. The B section is referred to on tape labels as "Bicycle Rider", and it consists of the repetitive "Heroes and Villains" motif played on harpsichord. At the end of the B' section, the harpsichord breaks down, only to start up again. The C section has Brian singing fake Hawaiian lyrics over backing vocals by the rest of the band and a sparse backing track.
Recording
The instrumental tracks for the A and C sections of the song were recorded on October 18, 1966 (1966-10-18), at United Western Recorders. Brian also recorded some of his vocals at that session. The Beach Boys vocals were recorded at Columbia Studios, on December 21, 1966. The B sections of the song were recorded during sessions for "Heroes and Villains". After a fuzz bass was overdubbed on January 5, 1967 (1967-01-05), "Do You Like Worms?" was abandoned and never worked on again by the Beach Boys.
Personnel
Credits according to Keith Badman.
The Beach Boys
Additional musicians
Brian Wilson version
During early rehearsals for Brian Wilson Presents Smile, Wilson was able to recall the track's original melody, but not the lyrics. Confronted with this dilemma, he telephoned Parks for help. Parks soon showed up at Wilson's doorstep, and the two extended their collaborations on several other tracks' arrangements and lyrics.
Personnel
Additional musicians