A Day in the Life of a Tree
Encyclopedia
"A Day in the Life of a Tree" is a song written by Brian Wilson
and Jack Rieley
for the American
rock
band
The Beach Boys
. It was released on their 1971 album Surf's Up. The lead vocals were performed by co-writer Rieley, who was also the Beach Boys' manager at the time.
In a 2010 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Andrew VanWyngarden
, member of MGMT
stated "It came out of a period when they were doing a lot of drugs. I got to meet Al Jardine, and he told me that no one would sing it because it was too depressing, so the manager guy, Jack Rieley, sang it."
The song was covered in 1996 by Matthew Sweet
for an album benefiting the Honor The Earth
campaign.
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
and Jack Rieley
Jack Rieley
Jack Rieley is an American record producer. He was the manager of the pop music group the Beach Boys during the early 1970s, and is credited with guiding them back to acclaim. He would also sometimes a co-songwriter with the rest of the band, usually penning lyrics.He also worked with Kool and the...
for the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
. It was released on their 1971 album Surf's Up. The lead vocals were performed by co-writer Rieley, who was also the Beach Boys' manager at the time.
In a 2010 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Andrew VanWyngarden
Andrew VanWyngarden
Andrew VanWyngarden is the lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT, praised for "an uncanny knack for producing pop music that sounds as if it were filtered through a kaleidoscope"...
, member of MGMT
MGMT
MGMT is an American alternative rock band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio...
stated "It came out of a period when they were doing a lot of drugs. I got to meet Al Jardine, and he told me that no one would sing it because it was too depressing, so the manager guy, Jack Rieley, sang it."
The song was covered in 1996 by Matthew Sweet
Matthew Sweet
Sidney Matthew Sweet is an American alternative rock/power pop musician. He was part of the burgeoning Athens, Georgia music scene in the early and mid-1980s before gaining commercial success during the early 1990s...
for an album benefiting the Honor The Earth
Honor The Earth
Honor The Earth is a non-profit organization founded to raise awareness and financial support for Indigenous environmental justice. The organization was founded by Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers after meeting Winona LaDuke in 1991 in collaboration with Indigenous Environmental Network,...
campaign.
Performers
- Jack RieleyJack RieleyJack Rieley is an American record producer. He was the manager of the pop music group the Beach Boys during the early 1970s, and is credited with guiding them back to acclaim. He would also sometimes a co-songwriter with the rest of the band, usually penning lyrics.He also worked with Kool and the...
: lead vocals - Van Dyke ParksVan Dyke ParksVan Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....
: vocals towards the end of the song - Al JardineAl JardineAlan Charles "Al" Jardine is a founding member of top-selling American music group The Beach Boys, a guitarist and occasional lead vocalist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life:...
: vocals at the fade out