Backdated, archival post
[
link to original on tumblr]
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A pretty minor thing I noticed when I listened to
SMiLE about a week ago is that (aside from some vibes, which - as a percussion instrument - sort of blend in with the hammering) the only instrument present among the cacophony of power tools in "Workshop" is a cello. I'm wondering if this might be something of a joke because playing a cello is sometimes described as "sawing." With that description, the cello would fit in with the other power tools present on the track.
Some of the books I've read (I think they were Domenic Priore's
SMILE: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece and Keith Badman's
The Beach Boys) mention that around the time of
SMiLE, Brian Wilson was also interested in comedy records. So the sawing cello in the workshop might be a musical indication of that.
