Flex's Takes: The Beach Boys

[Flex]

http://pub9.bravenet.com/forum/static/s ... ecent&cp=0

The Mike Love Fan Club message board is much more active than I imagined it would be. And until I found it 5 minutes ago I probably would've considered it a figment of the imagination.

He seems like such a great guy... everyone hates just because he wears a Beach Boys baseball cap all the time and and looks like a rapist and because he's always a dick to Brian and Al... I don't get it????????? Why does everyone want his anus to be sealed shut??

Goddamnit, Hoy.

I almost sorta want to get one of those douchey Mike Love "Love" hats and wear it all ironically and shit, but I'm afraid it would only encourage the asshole.

[Flex]

Hey jerks, I have entry #14 up and it's about the "I Get Around" single but also about why baby boomers suck:

We’re getting to the point in the Beach Boys catalog where I’m not really sure what the heck I’m going to write. I mean, does anyone need to be convinced at what a great song I Get Around is? It just continues the explosion of creating vibrant, innovative music and showcases Brian’s continued rapid ascent to being one of the greatest of rock’s craftsmen. This is a song I’ve heard about 90 kajillion times and I still feel a little excited when the song starts off. I guess I’ll mention that, given that there seems to be a certain lyrical frustration underlying the song (gettin’ bugged driving up and down the same old strip), it’s pretty funny that this expression of restlessness with the status quo has been totally drowned in the need for some older fans to turn this song into an almost totemic avatar of bygone glory days and a small piece of golden moldie throwback-ism with which to forget about the social and musical trends of the last 40 years. Seems a bit counter to the narrative of the song itself, is my point. But anyways, what a fabulous song. Despite its ubiquitousness, I sincerely believe this is one of the tracks that, if you can get someone who doesn’t see what the big deal is about the Beach Boys to really sit down and listen to the song on its own terms, they’re gonna walk away pretty impressed.

The B-side, Don’t Worry Baby, is fabulous too. I already discussed it in a previous entry, but it kinda blows you away listening to these two songs in isolation. A pretty powerhouse combo, and the best Beach Boys single yet. Anyhow, here are both sides of this smokin’ hot single:

Full entry and such:

[Flex]

I'm on a roll. Entry #15 is in, and it cover the All Summer Long LP. The album actually turned out to be more narratively interesting than I was expecting when I start writing this up:

The last of the cars/surf/girls albums (for a while, anyways) leads off with the excellent I Get Around. As I discussed in my entry for the song’s single, I think “I Get Around” represents a pretty good distillation of the tension the band was dealing with at this time, with a need to grow musically and lyrically but not quite yet plunging into a new direction. In any case, “I Get Around” continues the trend of the Beach Boys leading off albums with exceptional singles that help propel the entire listening experience.

Following the lead off cut, we come to the album titled All Summer Long. It’s appropriate that this album is titled after this song, because maybe even more than “I Get Around” I think this song represents where the Beach Boys were at at this point in their career. The song itself is quite well crafted, with the use of non-rock standard instrumentation and a great beat. The lyrics themselves feel like a summary of the band’s entire career up to this point, snapshots of the world the Beach Boys had created in their music. But there’s also an undercurrent of finality in the lyrics. The song is about having fun and living the dream all summer long, but the listener knows there is no endless summer, and everyone - even the Beach Boys - can’t live there forever.

Hushabye, a Mystics cover, follows. Featuring a beautiful vocal by Brian (with a strong assist from Mike) this song fits comfortably with the rest of the material here. I think the Beach Boys have a reputation of not doing great covers (maybe a reputation built mostly on their first live album) but songs like this are so well done they feel like Beach Boys originals. Little Honda follows, which is a pretty famous song off this album. I like it, it’s catchy and very much in keeping with early Beach Boys numbers. But having followed three incredible songs which seem to capture the Beach Boys struggling with their identity, this feels like a pretty comfortably throwback.

We’ll Run Away follows, with Brian on lead, and seems to return to the tension of the rest of the album. Here we have Brian discussing more “grown up” topics of marriage and long term commitment, but framed in decidedly juvenile terms. Brian’s tension of trying to grapple with adult relationships is a rich well for material we’ll see him mine for the rest of his career, and this is a fine early example of that topic. No accident it was co-written with Gary Usher, who worked with Brian on a lot of his best material at this time. The A-side of the album closes with Carl’s Big Chance, an instrumental that, well, gives Carl a chance to shine. A nice way to close out the A-side.

The flip opens with Wendy, another fan favorite from the album. This album fits firmly in with underlying theme that summer’s coming to an end. Wendy features one of the most melancholy and ominous lyrics about a love interest from Brian yet (and, if you believe the results of the lawsuit he filed, Mike Love as well). A beautiful song.

Do You Remember? may count as the first nostalgia song from the Beach Boys camp. It’s worth remembering that this sort of looking back was built into the band’s DNA even at this point. The song works here, given the rest of the thematic undertow of the album. But, to be honest, knowing what a backwards looking unit the band would eventually mutate into, it’s hard not to feel a slight twinge of bummed-outedness that a song like this appears so early on in the group’s catalog.

Girls on the Beach follows, which is a beautiful song with, uh, maybe not so politically correct lyrics. The choice to put lyrics like this to a slower, down number (wonderfully sung by Brian and Dennis) is again telling. A lyrics like “Girls on the Beach” could have easily turned into a hoppin’ (and more forgettable) number, but here the sense of impending finality is all over this song. Well played, Beach Boys.

Drive-In is… fine. A catchy little number, but like with “Little Honda” it feels like the band is looking back with this number instead of assessing the present or looking towards the future. It works better in its reworked form as a Christmas number, anyways. Our Favorite Recording Sessions is another thing which isn’t a song. It baffles me why this stuff ends up on albums like this. I guess it was a thing back in the day? I dunno.

Don’t Back Down closes the album, and I freakin’ love it. It’s pure Beach Boys all over. The song itself is a call to hang tough in the water and surf the tough waves. But the Beach Boys, in classic Beach Boys mythos fashion, aren’t really singing about surfing at all. I think the common interpretation is that this song is about the band “not backing down” to the coming of the Beatles, which works. But, given the vibe of the rest of the album, I like to think that it’s also about the Beach Boys not backing down from their own future. They’d built a whole world with their music, of utopian beaches and larger than life characters. Brave surfers, cool car racers, beautiful women and endless sunsets. The Beach Boys - and Brian specifically - have explored every inch of that world and helped us live in it with every single and every LP. The one corner they had yet to explore was the exit. “Don’t Back Down” is a challenge to themselves to let the world they created rest for a while - to let summer end - and start working on whole new landscapes. The girls could come along, though.

Several cuts from this album were or will be used for singles and EPs, but there are still some really great LP-only songs to choose from. Still, hard to ignore the title track:

Full post and music:

Addendum: I forgot to mention it in my write-up (I'll go back and rectify that), but the album cover is one of the best they ever did and it's uber stylish and iconic. No real analysis there, I just love it.

[Flex]

Entry #16 in my listening series is live! Like with All Summer Long, I ended up realizing there was a lot more going on with this release (the "When I Grow Up (to be a man)" single) than I had thought there would be going in:

This single, released hot on the heels of All Summer Long, seems to be the logical sequel to that album, thematically. The A-side, When I Grow Up (to be a man), finds Brian explicitly looking to the future. His own and, presumably, the band’s. Filled with question about what kind of man he will be, the song masks some unsettling lyrics (“won’t last forever/it’s kind of sad”) behind an upbeat tune and more of those signature gorgeous harmonies. But, like with All Summer Long before it, the lyrics have a sense of inevitability to them. Brian, et al. are looking ahead and know that change is happening. But what the future holds is unclear. It’s an odd thing, watching a person or a band “mature” right before our eyes.

Continuing on the new thematic territory, we have the flip side of the single, She Knows Me Too Well. If the a-side features an unsettling lyric or two, the b-side has that feel all over the place. The song finds Brian lamenting how poorly he treats his significant other, his own failings as a partner, and questioning how his girlfriend can stand it. The end of the chorus contains the only real solace of the song, “That she can tell/I really love her.” But, at least to this listener, this bit sounds as much like wishful thinking as it does an accurate read on how the subject probably really feels.

Musically, it's worth noting that "She Knows Me Too Well" a) sounds a lot like the Spector-ish "Don't Worry Baby" and b) has some great guitar work from Carl.

After a catalog mostly filled with upbeat summertime songs and gorgeous ballads - especially when considering what material was selected for single release - this is almost a shock to listen to. There’s as much melancholy, insecurity, self-reflection and concern for the future on this release as their is on everything they’d done before combined. I don’t think either of these songs made regular appearances live, and they seem to sometimes get a bit lost in the shuffle, but they strike me as deeply personal statements (particularly the b-side) and important pieces of the Beach Boys puzzle.

Anyhow, here are both sides of wax for your listening pleasure:

Full post and music:

[Flex]

I can't be stopped, I can't even be contained. Entry #17, covering the "Four by the Beach Boys" EP:

The Beach Boys (or, more accurately, Capitol) had been releasing EPs of Beach Boys material overseas essentially since the band started releasing enough product to put out different configurations of songs. But this is the first (and basically only) “official” Beach Boys EP release. The material is all from All Summer Long and essentially acts as the singles for “Wendy” and “Little Honda” which both charted. Since all this material was already covered in a previous entry, I don’t have too much to say about each song. But, well, I do have a few things.

Little Honda leads off side one and it sounds a lot better here than on the LP it comes from. As I already mentioned in my entry for that release, “Little Honda” feels a little thematically jarring placed alongside songs like “All Summer Long” and “I Get Around” but here it gets to essentially set the tone of the EP and be judged on its own standards. And it is a really great little song. The whole song feels propulsive, like the Beach Boys are never letting their foot off the gas. It’s appropriate that a car song feel fast.

Wendy is the second song on the first side and it’s still a classic. Glad the Beach Boys decided to showcase it on this EP. It’s easily my favorite of the four songs featured here.

Don’t Back Down and Hushabye make up the second side. Just as “Little Honda” benefits from standing on its own, I think “Don’t Back Down” loses some of its strength outside of its parent album. Lost is a lot of the thematic current that made it such a powerful album closer, and it becomes a more standard Beach Boys surf song. Fun, but not as powerful. “Hushabye” remains a pleasure to listen to.

So, yeah, that’s it. The songs are certainly deserving of attention, but it feels a bit of a step backwards after the releases of All Summer Long and the “When I Grow Up (to be a man)” single. Also, weirdly, my copy of the EP (from the singles box I link to at the end of this post) features a different track order from what I understand is the original. No idea.

Since this is the Beach Boys’ only EP, let’s hear the whole thing, eh?

Full post and music:

[Flex]

Despite my primary focus being on BLACK FLAG WEEK, I still managed to turn out my 18th Listening to the Beach Boys post, covering their Concert LP:

Ahh, the first Beach Boys live album. Also, their first number one album. Also, probably the first release which really divides Beach Boys fandom. As a relative newcomer onto the Beach Boys Fan scene, I’ve been able to discover two basic schools of thought about this release: 1) That it’s the first example of an artistic step backward for the Beach Boys, and the first time when the Beach Boys would be rewarded for playing it safe while having the more adventurous stuff they’re doing at the same time be ignored, or 2) hey, it’s a fun album. Both positions are obviously correct.

I’ll be honest, I’m not going to do a song-by-song breakdown. The originals presented are all played with spirit, if occasionally not with a lot of acumen, and the covers range from the obvious (Let’s Go Trippin’, Graduation Day) to the really oddball (Long Tall Texan, Monster Mash). Some people don’t really care about the Beach Boys playing covers, but I think they’re all a lot of fun. And, as it’s worth remembering, they’re a good example of how the Beach Boys were still making records in a different time for the music industry. Even a couple years later it would be standard to have live albums featuring nothing but originals, but even at this point a live album was typically heavy on covers of hits of the day. It was just a different time with different expectations of what a band’s product would look like. It is what it is.

But, yeah, I can see why some fans find the release kind of irritating. At a time when the band has been starting to really explode creatively and put out fantastic new material and stake out a new direction, the band’s most popular LP is a live album that features mostly older songs and a bunch of covers. Even at this point, the message to the band was pretty clear: play it safe and be rewarded. So, yeah, I get the frustration. Oh, and even at this point Mike Love comes off as a giant ham.

But. And this is a big but. This album is really fun. For whatever the album’s success meant for the Beach Boys and what their fanbase was interested in hearing from them, putting this album on is like the music equivalent of kettle corn (“It’s a fun-time snack!”). It might not be the artistic statement we just got from the band in the form of All Summer Long (or the kind of blow-your-mind singles like “Surfer Girl” or “I Get Around”), but this is an album you were supposed to throw on the record player and have you and your chums dance the night away. And it works on that level. It’s just unfortunate that, increasingly, the Beach Boys will be rewarded for sticking to that level and not trying to be more ambitious.

There are some nice album highlights, including a beautiful rendition of In My Room and a spirited album closing sequence of I Get Around leading to a surprisingly rocking Johnny B. Goode (does the band ever play louder and faster than on that track?). But I want to make sure to highlight their cover of The Four Freshmen’s “Graduation Day.” Bringing it back to their roots, yo.

Full post and music:

[Flex]

Cranking 'em out. Here's entry #19, on the "Dance, Dance, Dance" single:

Second single from the New Look Beach Boys (such as they were). Another single that isn’t about surfing or cars, but manages to tap into the “fun” portion of the brain better than any other single that preceded it. Folks, I love Dance, Dance, Dance. Absolutely one of my favorite Beach Boys tracks, and a pretty good chance that it’s my favorite of the non-ballad Beach Boys singles. Mike Love turns in one of his best ever vocals and the music is driving and rocking out. Incredibly infectious. It actually makes you wanna get up and dance, which is usually a good sign for a song about dancing. The signature Beach Boys vocal harmonies are used to great affect here, and complement the forward momentum of the song well. I dunno. If I were more, er, musicianly maybe I’d have more technical analysis to give on why the song rules so hard, but I’m not musicianly so I’ll just strongly advise listening to the song post haste.

The b-side is the glorious Warmth of the Sun. Since it appeared previously on Shut Down, Volume 2 I already discussed it in my review of that album.

I’ll leave it there. A quick entry, but the music speaks for itself. And speaking of the music, here it is:

Full post and music:

[Flex]

My 20th entry in the series, on The Beach Boys' Christmas Album:

That’s right. It’s July 3rd and I’m listening to Christmas music. But, you gotta do what you gotta do. Now, holiday music can be pretty hit-or-miss fare, even some standout tracks are often hampered by throwaway covers of old chestnuts that no one in their right mind needs to hear again. I won’t lie and say that the Beach Boys do the definitive cover of every single song they cover, but they’re mostly pretty good and one or two may be close to definitive. The original songs are all really good too. I’ll go through each of those.

Little Saint Nick, the lead off track, was also released as a holiday single about a year prior. I discuss the song in my entry for that release, but it remains a strong track and the obvious candidate to lead off the album. The Man with All the Toys follows, which makes sense since it’s the track they’ll use for the single to support this album. I’ll discuss the track more in my entry for that single.

Santa’s Beard and Merry Christmas, Baby follow, both Mike Love sung songs both good if somewhat inconsequential. I just listened to them and while I enjoy the songs, nothing stands out about them too much. Christmas Day is another Beach Boys original, and is unique mostly for featuring a really nice Al Jardine vocal. His first lead vocal for the group, I believe. Frosty the Snowman, not a Beach Boys original, closes out the A-side of the album and this one I do think comes pretty close to being the definitive version of the song. Just a happy, lively rendition that fits the spirit of the song perfectly.

While the A-side of the album featured (mostly) originals done in the Beach Boys rock style of the time, the flip side of the album features some great orchestral arrangements on the songs (arranged by Dick Reynolds, not Brian) and is generally more circumspect than the rockin’ A-side. All the songs are classics of the holiday season, and respectfully performed by the group. It’s well done stuff, although it gets a tad dorky even for me. The album closes with a beautiful a cappella Auld Lang Syne which, somewhat unfortunately, is Phil Spector-ed up with a spoken word message laid into the song. There are plenty of Beach Boys holiday compilations with the spoken word bits removed, tho.

So, yeah. It’s a Christmas album. The Beach Boys were riding a creative wave when they made this, so it’s all well executed and the songs are all pretty good (and a couple of the originals are even great). It’s one of my favorite holiday albums, and has aged more gracefully than most other Christmas albums put out by rock and pop bands over the years. Anyways, let’s hear their excellent take on Frosty:

Full post and music:

[Flex]

(Short) entry in the listening series, #21, on "The Man with All the Toys" single:

The second Beach Boys Christmas single (and last Beach Boys release of 1964)! Released hot on the heels of the album proper, it didn’t chart or anything and - I think - is generally swept aside in favor of “Little Saint Nick” when folks get to discussing Beach Boys seasonal music. But, I think it’s pretty great.

The A-side, The Man with All the Toys, is an inventive little rock number, with cool breakdowns and nice shouting vocals and harmonies. I think it’s a more ambitious track than “Little Saint Nick” and while it’s not as instantly memorable it’s one of the more gratifying of the Beach Boys’ holiday cuts.

The B-side is the Boys’ take on the Elvis classic, Blue Christmas. While it isn’t as good as the Presley original (what is?), the song does feature an excellent Brian vocal - the song really fits perfectly in with his ballad style - and orchestral backing that sounds like it could come from a Frank Sinatra album. And when you’re talking about a Christmas song, that’s really a compliment. Outside of the Elvis original, this is one of a select few versions of “Blue Christmas” that I think are actually enjoyable. A tough song to get right, but the Beach Boys do it.

The B-side also feels like it fits comfortably in with the direction the band has been heading since the “I Get Around” single. While the A-side is a fun bit of holiday pop-rock, the B-side fits more comfortably with a band looking to branch out thematically.

So, that’s it, really. Not a lot to delve into here. The Beach Boys were good at making holiday music, and remain good at it to this day (see Brian’s recent solo Christmas album for proof). It would be a shame for people who usually forego seasonal music to miss out on these little treats in the Beach Boys catalog. Anyways, as per usual, here are both sides of the single:

Full post and music:

[Flex]

(Short) entry in the listening series, #21, on "The Man with All the Toys" single:

The second Beach Boys Christmas single (and last Beach Boys release of 1964)! Released hot on the heels of the album proper, it didn’t chart or anything and - I think - is generally swept aside in favor of “Little Saint Nick” when folks get to discussing Beach Boys seasonal music. But, I think it’s pretty great.

The A-side, The Man with All the Toys, is an inventive little rock number, with cool breakdowns and nice shouting vocals and harmonies. I think it’s a more ambitious track than “Little Saint Nick” and while it’s not as instantly memorable it’s one of the more gratifying of the Beach Boys’ holiday cuts.

The B-side is the Boys’ take on the Elvis classic, Blue Christmas. While it isn’t as good as the Presley original (what is?), the song does feature an excellent Brian vocal - the song really fits perfectly in with his ballad style - and orchestral backing that sounds like it could come from a Frank Sinatra album. And when you’re talking about a Christmas song, that’s really a compliment. Outside of the Elvis original, this is one of a select few versions of “Blue Christmas” that I think are actually enjoyable. A tough song to get right, but the Beach Boys do it.

The B-side also feels like it fits comfortably in with the direction the band has been heading since the “I Get Around” single. While the A-side is a fun bit of holiday pop-rock, the B-side fits more comfortably with a band looking to branch out thematically.

So, that’s it, really. Not a lot to delve into here. The Beach Boys were good at making holiday music, and remain good at it to this day (see Brian’s recent solo Christmas album for proof). It would be a shame for people who usually forego seasonal music to miss out on these little treats in the Beach Boys catalog. Anyways, as per usual, here are both sides of the single:

Full post and music:

[Flex]

Another post, on the "Do You Wanna Dance" single:

Awwwww snap. I’ve been a pretty vocal advocate of Dennis Wilson’s lead vocals on the all-too-rare occasion they show up on an album, and it’s nice to see him given a signature single to take the lead on. The A-side, Do You Wanna Dance, is a cover of a 1958 Bobby Freeman song and it’s knocked out of the park by the Beach Boys. While the Christmas album features some orchestral dubbing, and session musicians have been used in spots on previous Beach Boys albums, this is the first single of the new Beach Boys format - with session musicians all over the song and the Beach Boys themselves mostly relegated to vocals (although Brian is credited for piano and Carl is credited with guitars on this song). Anyways, it sounds magnificent.

If there was any question what Dennis’ vocals bring to the table, it’s laid out here. While his voice fits in well with the signature Wilson harmonies, Dennis provides a bit more grit and rasp with his vocals, giving a rather sweet song a bit of an edge it otherwise wouldn’t have. The music itself is spacious, with some rollicking guitar work and saxophones and drums which feel like they’re rolling out in all directions. The Beach Boys are able to make this song definitively theirs.

The B-side, Please Let Me Wonder, also charted. Supposedly, the first song Brian wrote under the influence of marijuana, the song notably features Glen Campbell on guitar (and Billy Lee Riley on harmonica!) and Brian taking lead vocals. The song is continues to chart territories Brian has begun exploring, exploring uncertainty in both his relationships and his future. There’s a forlorn quality to the song which makes it a gem of this era and another hint and what’s to come from Brian in a few short albums.

I keep raving about the single the Beach Boys are releasing during this period, and the truth is they pretty much just keep getting better and better. Going through these singles is still exciting and invigorating even decades after their release. The mark of great music, if you ask me. And here are both sides of the wax:

Full post and music:

[Flex]

MOAR MOAR MOAR. A new entry, covering their acclaimed Today! album:

Ah, widely considered one of the Boys’ finest efforts, and rightly so. This album is jam packed with classic singles and deep album cuts. The whole effort starts off with the tremendous Do You Wanna Dance? As I discussed in my entry for the song’s single, the Dennis vocal is superb and gives a little edge to the song. I think that translates as a great opener for the album, giving some extra oomph to the start of the album which is a little different than the usual Mike or Brian lead-off track.

The second song, Good to My Baby, follows the more standard Mike/Brian formula, but is lyrically pretty interesting. The upbeat chorus is somewhat deceptive, and the song deals with the question of whether the narrator of the song is good to his girlfriend. He insists he is, but as the listener I actually remain skeptical. Especially when placed in the context of other songs on the album where Brian(/Mike) are professing insecurities about their relationships, whether they’re being good partners, and the direction their romances and lives are taking, this song feels like a front being put up.

Following that we have Don’t Hurt My Little Sister, which explores the same theme as other songs of this period, the boyfriend who doesn’t treat his love well and questioning whether he deserves her. This time, the perspective is of a brother looking out for his sister (as the song title rather obviously suggests). This song and the previous one could actually be basically taken together, with the narrator of “Don’t Hurt My Little Sister” being the accuser in “Good to My Baby” and the narrator of the latter song essentially mounting his defense to the charges presented in “Little Sister.” Don’t know if it was meant to work out that way, but it works narratively.

When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) follows, which was a single from ‘64. I discussed in my entry for that single how it marked an evolution in the thematic direction of Brian and the band, and I think it’s telling that it fits so comfortably on this album (when it would have stuck out like a sore thumb on most of their previous LPs). The LP version of Help Me, Rhonda follows. I’ll dig into the song itself more in my upcoming entry for the single, but the album version is (famously) pretty different and maybe showcases Brian trying to be more ambitious in the studio (with weird fade outs in the song and stuff), and in this case not being as successful. Al Jardine lays down a pretty good vocal tho (his first lead on a non-Christmas song, I believe) and all the elements would get better when it gets tinkered with for single release. The fabulous Dance, Dance, Dance closes out the A-side of the album. Another A-side single, another entry where I already discussed the song.

The B-side opens with Please Let Wonder, the flip side of the “Do You Wanna Dance?” single. And it sets the tone of the rest of the album. This second half of the album is often considered a dry run for Pet Sounds, and it’s not hard to see why. The songs are all emotionally resonant, musically complex, and form a semi-narrative of a young relationship.

I’m So Young is the second song on the album’s B-side - an old 50’s doo wop number - and it fits in perfectly with Please “Let Me Wonder” and the relationship songs on the A-side. Expressing frustration with being unable to marry his girlfriend because he’s “too young”, even though the singer (Brian) is sure it’s true love. Again, on its own, the song is a classic lament. Taken in context with the rest of the album, the idea that the narrator may actually be pretty unreliable to judge his own relationship becomes a much more driving issue for the song.

Kiss Me, Baby - which will grace the B-side of the next single the Beach Boys release - sounds like the guy from the other songs finally resigning himself to the fact that he’s been a poor boyfriend and promising that he won’t “make you worry like before” and asking to reconcile and move forward. While the other songs on the album felt like we were being asked to question whether the singer in the song was being honest and self-aware with his own analysis of whether he’s a good boyfriend or not, and whether he’s really in a viable long term relationship, this song feels totally (and even brutally) honest. But it’s also surprisingly hopeful, with a chorus that suggests being able to work it out and move on. It’s the opposite of some of the other songs on this album - which sound hopeful but really suggest dysfunction - and provides some amount of emotional catharsis for those reading into these lyrics as much as possible.

Until you get to the next song, that is. She Knows Me Too Well - the b-side from “When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)” - shatters the story arc we’ve been on so far. I think it’s meaningful that we get this song after “Kiss Me, Baby” instead of before. If it had come before “Kiss Me, Baby” then that song would have essentially worked as a resolution to the issues of “She Knows Me Too Well.” Instead, the album reads like “She Knows Me Too Well” is a sort of disclaimer to the optimism of “Kiss Me, Baby.” Even though the narrator of these songs is hoping to move on and treat his gal better, the reality is that he’s still going to screw it up and his significant other knows that.

The final song of the album, In the Back of My Mind, pretty much deals with this tension. Featuring another splendid vocal from Dennis, here we essentially have the recognition from the narrator that these problems which fester are going to manifest themselves in the future and end his relationship, but that things are good now and its best to try and keep these worries in the back of his mind. That actually seems like the world of the Beach Boys in a nutshell: on the surface things are good, and we should appreciate the fun and happiness that’s here, but under the surface there’s a constant tug of melancholy and heartache. That division is what makes the Beach Boys so fascinating and more than just a Sun & Surf band.

The final track on the album is another non-song called Bull Session with Big Daddy. Whatever.

So, there you have it. One of the best Beach Boys albums - and one of a handful which are both critically acclaimed and managed to sell well at the time - and one of the most interesting narratives Brian and the band have committed to vinyl to this point. Minor weak point of the LP version of “Help Me, Rhonda” aside, this is a thoroughly excellent album. The A-side often gets shortchanged in favor of the (admittedly top notch) B-side, but I think the whole album fits together as basically one narrative and the starkly personal songs on the second half of the album are made better by the initial forays on the A-side (and the excellent upbeat numbers at the front of the album just make the melancholy tracks on side two cut even deeper). I really enjoy all the stuff the Beach Boys had done up to now, but it’s this kind of material that made me realize the Beach Boys could be a lot more than just the Endless Summer compilation.

Every track on this album is worthy of a spotlight, but I won’t be accused of missing the opportunity to showcase a Dennis vocal. Here’s the final actual song from the album:

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[Wolter]

Oh man. Today! is soooo goooood.

[Flex]

Oh man. Today! is soooo goooood.

Indeed it is. Indeed it is.

Quick follow up post today, on the "Help Me, Rhonda" single. Famous singles mostly speak for themselves, so the entry is short:

Another killer single from the ‘65 Beach Boys. Released hot on the heels of the album it supports, Today!, but with a version of the A-side which sounds noticeably different even to these primitive ears. I think it’s because this single version of Help Me, Rhonda doesn’t, uh, have weird fade outs towards the end of the song. Chalk the difference up to the song being actually re-recorded, not just remixed or edited.

The song itself is another Beach Boys classic. Al Jardine easily proves his virtues as a lead vocalist, and while this song is a bit more carefree and optimistic than, say, the B-side of Today!, it still has that biting edge lyrically that seems a signature of this period of the Beach Boys. This is one of those songs which you’ve probably heard about a million times, but there’s enough greatness here to justify trying to give it a fresh listen.

The B-side, Kiss Me, Baby, appeared in the same form on the Today! album, which I discussed on my post for that album. Anyways, it’s a great song and stand well on its own, although as evidenced in my post on the album it’s from, I was pretty high on the narrative arc of the album that it was a part of.

Anyhow, another great single from the Beach Boys. Great enough that it gave the Beach Boys another #1 hit. It’s almost like Brian is taking his craft to a whole new level, eh? As always, here’s the complete single:

Full post and music:

[Flex]

I'm trying to at least get through the '65 releases before I see the Beach Boys in concert tomorrow night. So, on that note, here's entry #25 covering the Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) LP:

Ah, the sort-of forgotten album. After the triumph of Today!, Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) sounds a bit like a throwback to the “Sun & Fun” of earlier releases. Of course, the album doesn’t really feature any explicitly beach/surf songs like previous releases. And the song themselves are definitely constructed in the Beach Boys style of the time, across-the-board featuring more complex arrangements and vocals. I think a lot of the impression of the album really comes from the first two tracks. So let’s dive in.

The lead-off track, The Girl from New York City, is - I think - the first time a Beach Boys LP has led off with a song that wouldn’t end up featured as the A-side of a single (not counting their Concert LP). I think that has a lot to do with the reception the album gets. “The Girl from New York City” is a fun song, and well in keeping with the subject matter the Beach Boys were tackling at the time, but it’s not a classic of the catalog. The same is true of the following song, Amusement Parks U.S.A. A fun little number, although a bit airy even for the Beach Boys at their most Teen-Age. Still, both songs are built around fine Brian Wilson arrangements and fit in comfortably with other upbeat songs from the era. Charming numbers, both of them.

Then I Kissed Her is the third song, a cover of the Phil Spector classic, and features another Al Jardine vocal. If I my information is correct, the song is a little unusual for the period in that the Beach Boys mostly play the song themselves, with relatively minimal accompaniment from session musicians. It also features a production from Brian who is trying to ape/pay tribute to Spector. It all works to fabulous results and the song ends up (in my opinion) a classic of the mid-60s Beach Boys catalog and would wind up as a charting single in the UK in 1967.

Salt Lake City follows, a tribute to the city that was home to one of their most enthusiastic fanbases of the time. I’m not sure what to say about this. It’s a fun little relic of the period, and probably another reason people tend to overlook this album. Girl Don’t Tell Me us next, and features a Carl Wilson vocal and structure that was written by Brian (supposedly) for the Beatles. It was never submitted to them and the Beach Boys ended up with another gem in their catalog. The tone and contents of the lyrics are some of the most jaded we’ve seen in a Beach Boys song yet.

The single version of Help Me, Rhonda finishes out the A-side of the LP. Which means it has featured on the last three Beach Boys releases in one form or another.

The B-side of the album opens with the immense California Girls. Brian has said a number of times this is his favorite Beach Boys song, and it’s definitely a gem. Featuring one of Brian’s most complex arrangements to date (supposedly conceived after his first LSD trip) and one of my personal favorite Mike Love vocals. The song is also famous, these days, for having lyrics that, uh, seem a little dated now. It’s all in good fun, though. Again, it feels like I should have pages and pages to write about a song like this, but what is there to say that hasn’t been said a million times already? It’s one of the high-water marks of the Beach Boys catalog. I do wonder if this album would be remembered even better if this song led off the album. Probably.

Let Him Run Wild is next, which will be features as the B-side to the “California Girls” single that the Beach Boys put out shortly after this LP. There’s been speculation about who this song is about, but regardless of the subject the song itself is pretty lyrically interesting. Whereas other songs about relationships in the last handful of LPs and singles seemed to focus on an insecurity and melancholym this song seems almost… zen. There’s something very matter of fact about it all. The song sounds a bit different for a Beach Boys song too, a different take on the pop ballad from the band. A great cut that seems to get forgotten about sometimes.

You’re So Good to Me is sort of a nice contrast to the song it follows. The narrator is confidently positive about the relationship he’s in. A great Brian vocal on this number that’s a bit of a sleeper. Sounds gorgeous, tho. It’s followed by Summer Means New Love, a Brian composed instrumental. A nice song with a lot of momentum, it also features an orchestral arrangement in the song which showcases Brian and the group’s commitment to increasingly interesting arrangements. This instrumental could have fit comfortably on Today! or Pet Sounds, I think.

I’m Bugged at My Ol’ Man is a song that a lot of people (rightly) read a lot into. If anyone reading this doesn’t know the scoop with the Wilson brothers’ relationship with their father, Google around and find out. Needless to say, this unassuming little song carries a lot of (barely) subtext. Everyone focuses on that stuff. I’ll say two things about this song: first, it almost sounds like an outtake. Compared to the lush and vibrant songs filling the rest of the album, this has a bare bones and knocked off feel. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it makes the song stand out even more. Second, the song is actually pretty funny. The Beach Boys are known as a “fun” band, but they don’t have a lot of straight-up joke lyrics. This song borders on novelty (although the sheer talent of Brian and the gang keep it from becoming), and it’s one of the goofiest feeling things they’ve recorded since “County Fair” way back in ‘62. Knowing the history of the Beach Boys and the Wilsons adds a lot of meaning to the song, but I think it works effectively even on its own. It’s a minor number, but there aren’t many other songs in the catalog like it.

The album closes with the beautiful a cappella number And Your Dreams Come True. The lyrics and the unadorned feel of the song gives the listener the sense that another phase of the Beach Boys is coming to a close. Maybe it’s easy to read that into the song since we all know the direction the band was headed in next and the things they’d accomplish (and, later, fail to accomplish) but there’s something sweet and a little sad listening to this song now. Love it.

So, that’s the album. Is it as great as the Today! album? Maybe not, but it’s pretty great. There’s an almost “WTF?” feel going from songs like “Salt Lake City” to “California Girls” to “Let Him Run Wild” to “I’m Bugged at My Ol’ Man” that gives the album a unique flavor. Also, I love the use of two exclamation marks in the title. It’s really exciting!!

I don’t know if I’ve picked an instrumental from any of the albums yet, and this is as good a Beach Boys instrumental as you’ll find:

Full post and music:

Shorter me: There are some goofy tracks on here, but I don't really see the album as much of (if at all) a step back from Today! It fits comfortably in with the other stuff the Beach Boys were releasing at the time.