Photo: By ABC Television [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Their surfer aesthetic was vital to the Beach Boy’s early image, with their debut single, Surfin’, being released in the last quarter of 1961, and Surfin’ Safari, their first debut album, a year later. Surfin’ USA (1963), the band’s second album, saw Brian introduce the ground-breaking double-track vocal effect, which peaked at number two on the Billboard charts. Touring Internationally meant that the US the band left behind was very different to the one they returned to, in which The British Invasion and Beatlemania were in full effect. Luckily, the success of I Get Around showed the band could compete with their British counterparts like The Beatles, The Kinks, and The Rolling Stones. By 1965 Brian Wilson withdrew from live appearances, to focus on songwriting and production, he was replaced by Glen Campbell and then Bruce Johnston. The Beach Boys Today! (1965), the band’s eighth album (in just four years!), marked a step away from the band’s previous surf/youth image, featuring deeper and more mature themes.
In 1966, the band released Pet Sounds, often seen as their magnum opus, an album that is famous for its unconventional instruments (including barking dogs, water jugs, and silverware) and rich blend of influences. The album peaked at number two in the UK, making them the highest-selling band in the final quarter of 1966. The album is often considered a Brian Wilson solo album, with his revolutionary production techniques and psychedelic, countercultural rock style, arguably one of the most influential albums of all time, even influencing The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The release of Good Vibrations in 1966 further highlighted the band’s extraordinary sound. It was during the recording of this track that Brian and Van Dyke Parks began work on the band’s next album, SMiLE, a revolutionary concept album that never saw the light of day. Brian Wilson’s mental state, reliance on drugs, and pressure to be creative meant SMiLE would go on to become a legendary piece of unreleased music.
In 1968, Brian Wilson briefly sought psychological treatment, leaving the rest of the band to write and produce without him. This set a precedent for Sunflower (1970), which had writing contributions from all band members and saw Carl Wilson slowly take over as front-man. Although he returned as a vital force for 15 Big Ones (1976), as time went on, Brian began to appear less and less in public, and the Wilson brothers battled personal struggles throughout the 1970s, with the band even temporarily breaking up at one point. It wasn’t long until Brian could not contribute to the project usefully.
By 1983, things were so bad between Dennis Wilson and Mike Love that the two took out restraining orders against each other. The rest of the band begged Dennis to enter rehab, though he tragically drowned in December of that year. Brian released his self-titled solo debut in 1988, ironically coinciding with the band reaching the top of the US singles chart for the first time in two decades. In 1997, Carl Wilson was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away a year later. His death saw the band go in different directions, with Love and Johnston continuing to perform under the Beach Boys name. The five surviving members reunited to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Pet Sounds in 2006, and in 2011 a reunion tour and album was announced for the following year.
All of the above is a mere taste of the entire Beach Boys story, a slice of rock history that will be discussed and analyzed for years. The band has a rabid fanbase, even today, thanks to their ground-breaking sound, with the songs on this list being just ten out of hundreds of other songs worthy of inclusion.
# 10 – I Get Around
Released in 1964, I Get Around, from All Summer Long, was the band’s first song to reach number one in the US. It didn’t do quite well in the UK, reaching just number seven, although this is nothing to be sniffed at as the band became the first non-British group to enter that chart for some time.
Typical of the band’s early “surf era”, the song’s lyrics lack any particular depth or nuance, simply being a fun ode to life as a Californian teenager, discussing cars, girls and the antics of the band’s friendship group. In contrast to the lyrics, the song’s instrumental is extremely deep, featuring fuzzy guitars, which were an absolute revelation – it wouldn’t be until a few years later that Hendrix and Clapton would adopt the technique. The track’s stop-and-start elements work perfectly with the clap-like drum beat, while Jardine’s deep twanging bass and the song’s joyous a-cappella hook are responsible for its impressive longevity.
“I Get Around” is an excellent example of Brian Wilson’s complex production style – on first listen, the track is irresistibly catchy and immediately pleasant, but take the time to study the music. Many disparate elements work together to create a surprisingly complicated soundscape.
Though the track is a positive force, it was not without its dark backstory. Brian finally decided he’d had enough of his father-manager’s meddling during the song’s recording and fired him. Luckily, despite this awkward familial drama, I Get Around is still one of the most enjoyable Beach Boys songs.
# 9 – I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times
As its title suggests, the first track from the seminal Pet Sounds, “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times,” is far from the carefree Californian pop of the band’s earlier work. Brian Wilson was anxious to push the boundaries of music, but his record label and bandmates did not share his passion and courage. Therefore, it’s not hard to read the song through an autobiographical lens, reflecting Wilson’s belief that he belonged in a different time.
This psychedelic rock track, with its lyrics discussing alienation and depression, contains some suitably unusual musical elements. The song opens with subtle guitar and harpsichord riffs, which are soon joined by an odd drum beat that sounds like a horse galloping – perhaps a sly reference to Wilson’s wish to escape the constraints of the pop band. The beautiful instrumental is pained and yearning, exquisitely complemented by the band’s vocal additions, which paint a haunting and bleak picture when paired with the chorus’ hook. The theremin best illustrates this cold and otherworldly feeling during the song’s bridge – an alien sound most associated with horror films – which is believed to make its rock music debut on the track.
There can be no doubt that Brian Wilson was decades ahead of his time. Still, we should be thankful that he was born in this era, allowing him to create revolutionary tracks such as this, one of many Beach Boys songs making huge leaps for what could be considered popular music.
# 8 – It’s O.K.
15 Big Ones, released in 1976, was the band’s 20th album and was made up mostly of cover versions with a few original tracks thrown in. Having drifted away from the band and not received a solo production credit since Pet Sounds ten years before, the album saw Brian return to production duties at the band’s behest.
Surprisingly, the rest of the band persuaded Brian not to produce something avant-garde or unusual, and It’s O.K. sounds about as close to the band’s original sound as would ever be possible after all the band had been through. The track is a feel-good affair, referencing sun, fun, and summer. The instrumental features a delightful clap-beat to go with the upbeat lyrics, with what sounds like a country-inspired fiddle fizzing away in the background. Perhaps the song’s most noticeable feature is its heavy bass elements, which permeate the music, adding a certain harsh edginess to contrast the rest of the track’s peppy atmosphere. This bass edge also appears as a vocal element at the end of each of the chorus’ hooks, sounding somewhat out of place and incongruous, distancing the track slightly from the relentless positivity of early Beach Boys songs.
Though some of the band members have expressed dissatisfaction with 15 Big Ones, It’s O.K. is a fascinating look into the band’s evolved sound, capturing the upbeat element that made the band famous whilst not ignoring the fact that things had become vastly different.
# 7 – Wouldn’t It Be Nice
The opening track of Pet Sounds, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” begins with a jangling and glittering intro, immediately setting a dreamy vibe for a song that focuses on a fantasy. While previously Beach Boys songs have been a celebration of youth, this song bucks the trend and is instead made up of wishes for the protagonist and his love to be older. As well as subverting expectations about the content of the band’s work, the song is very much a cheeky reference to being old enough to get married and sleep together. Back in the mid-60s, pre-marital sex was heavily frowned upon, and the song is full of references to waiting and how much better things would be if the couple were old enough to be together properly. Fans at the time would have picked up on the meaning behind the song, which no doubt contributed to its popularity.
Typical of Brian Wilson, despite sounding simple, the song features an extraordinarily complicated instrumental, said to contain two drum kits, two accordions, three basses, two pianos, and three guitars. While this complexity might not necessarily fully translate to the song’s triumphant sound, it displays Wilson’s obsessive attention to detail and unparalleled composition ear.
Brian Wilson re-used the title for his 1991 autobiography, suggesting he has just as much affection for the brilliant track as the band’s fans.
# 6 – Here Today
Another gem from Pet Sounds, “Here Today,” is an exciting and bombastic track with a beautiful brass-heavy instrumental. Despite the luscious music, the lyrics of the track paint a rather bleak picture, with the band warning those in comfortable relationships that it will not last, even suggesting that the female subject of the song has previously cheated on one of the band members and will do so again.
Although the jaded lyrics don’t immediately seem to fit alongside the upbeat instrumental (the stunning backing vocals are brilliantly unpredictable), the brass, with its pining scratchiness, demonstrates the darker side of love and relationships. The deepest brass note, which sounds intermittently throughout the song, sounds almost like an alarm – warning listeners that the course of love doesn’t always run smoothly. Similarly, the frantic guitar plucking at the beginning of the track’s instrumental bridge could easily represent the nagging feeling in the back of your head that your love is being unfaithful. This break also features explicit references to J.S. Bach, an example of Brian Wilson’s extraordinary musical knowledge.
The original recording of the track is thought to accidentally contain some studio chatter, which was removed for the song’s remaster at the request of Brian Wilson. It must have been hard for a perfectionist like Wilson to know his song contained an error like this, but of course, it did nothing to hinder the robust majesty of the track.
# 5 – Surfin’ USA
As we continue our top 10 Beach Boys songs list, we step into the second half of this beautiful list of songs. Without a doubt the quintessential example of the “California Sound”, this high-energy surf-rock track is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable rock songs of all time, even being listed by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of five hundred songs that shaped rock and roll. Taken from a 1963 album of the same name, this is a joyous and boisterous track that perfectly captures the chilled-out, sunny atmosphere of surf culture.
Using an instrumental written by Chuck Berry (allegedly without his consent), the song features a list of various surfing spots worldwide (though mainly in California) and the band’s summer plans. Of course, even if you have no interest in surfing, the track is impossible to ignore, thanks to the band’s dazzling vocal harmonies. Something truly remarkable about the sweet, varied, and effortlessly pitched harmonies on this and other Beach Boys songs makes them a joy to listen to. You can hardly perceive that the lovely sounds you hear have been created solely by a human voice.
That’s not to discredit the instrumental, which also has lots to offer, most notably the light and harmonic guitar riffs and that impossibly optimistic keyboard of the bridge. Surfin’ USA fully captures 1960s Californian surf culture, yet there’s also something timeless about it: a cheerful summer bop that still sounds fresh today.
# 4 – Wild Honey
Taken from the album of the same name, released in 1967, Wild Honey is an unusual song with some R&B references. As you might have noticed, the song’s title has obvious sexual connotations, making the track slightly riskier than other Beach Boys songs, with the lyrics using several blatant bee and honey-related euphemisms.
Thankfully, the song’s instrumental is far more interesting than its predictable lyrics, with a theremin swirling throughout it, perhaps representing a bee’s erratic flight path. Alongside this are some merry and infectious piano riffs, fantastic bongos, and a delightful, somewhat nervous tambourine. The wild organ of the bridge is something to behold and works as the perfect foil to the excellent and polished vibe of the rest of the song.
Carl Wilson sounds his best on this track, delivering confident and impressive vocals with an audible swagger. Who would have thought a competent and sensual R&B singer lurked behind his rounded all-American features? The band became famous for their group harmonies, so having one member take center stage on tracks like this is a nice change. That’s not to say the harmonies aren’t present, but they’re a background element, their doo-wops chugging away alongside the lead vocals.
Wild Honey was an exciting and very cool addition to the Beach Boys canon, giving Carl a chance to shine on lead vocals.
# 3 – God Only Knows
“God Only Knows” is one of the best-known tracks from the great Pet Sounds album. “God Only Knows” is a sweet and melodious love song, which sees the protagonist contemplate their eternal, undying love for their sweetheart. Despite the song’s oddly barbed opening line – which Brian Wilson himself was unsure about – this is a beautiful song that is impossible not to be moved by.
Fittingly, the song features a lush and divine soundscape full of genuinely lovely flourishes, making it an absolute pleasure to listen to. Of particular note are the gorgeously honeyed strings that pine away in the background and the jolly “clip-clop” percussion and joyful sleigh bells. The group’s vocal harmonies are as stunningly good as ever, swirling and soaring in ways that make you feel almost like floating.
The track is notable for being one of the first pop songs to feature god in the title, which was somewhat controversial and could have annoyed America’s more conservative radio stations. Brian Wilson claims the song’s recording session was a magical and ethereal experience, and this comes across on the final track – it’s surely impossible to feel down when this warm and lovely song is playing.
Paul McCartney once listed God Only Knows as his favorite song, which should give you some idea of how extraordinary and exceptional this extraordinary track is.
# 2 – Surf’s Up
With a title like Surf’s Up, you might imagine this song to be from the band’s early California-inspired era, but in fact, it was released in 1971 with the album of the same name. It could not be further away from the glorious throw-away pop of Surfin’ USA, featuring a complex and nuanced composition and lyrics that will take multiple listens to understand and appreciate fully.
In some ways, you could view the song’s title as the band recognizing the definitive end of their long-abandoned surf-sound, reasserting once again that they are serious and talented musicians. This was allegedly inspired by a British gig where the crowd mocked their iconic striped outfits. The lyrics of the song, written by collaborator Van Dyke Parks, read almost like a poem, referencing classical works and discussing the idea that – though tragically impossible – the only way to escape the depression of adulthood is to return to the naivety of youth.
This is undoubtedly Brian Wilson’s finest instrumental, an ethereal and emotional piece which is simultaneously depressing and uplifting thanks to its impossible beauty. The layers of sound, featuring guitar, piano, trumpets, and glockenspiel, seem almost to drown you in their dreamy bliss, fitting perfectly with the track’s title. When the song fades away at its end, like the tide slipping away, you can’t help but feel some sense of indescribable loss.
This otherworldly track is an eloquent and heartrending masterpiece, easily one of the band’s most beautiful creations.
# 1 – Good Vibrations
While Surf’s Up is a melancholy magnum opus, even its brilliant moodiness can’t quite compare to the sheer pop perfection of “Good Vibrations.” At the time, the jewel in the crown of Smiley Smile was the most expensive single ever produced and is thought to have been inspired by a story about Wilson’s mother suggesting that her dog could pick up on unseen vibes that people were unknowingly giving out.
Interestingly, the song was recorded modularly, with no grand result in mind. This no doubt explains the track’s disparate elements, its deep, dreamy keyboard-heavy verses, which contrast the electro-theremin-infused doo-wop chorus (with the song’s bridge being a combination of both flavors). The cello that underscores parts of the song is an absolutely genius addition, working with the alien-like theremin to create a subtly uncomfortable feeling that is hard to pinpoint appropriately – it’s as if the listener, too, is experiencing the vibrations described in the song. It’s always a brilliant technique to musically give the listener a taste of what the song is telling, but doing it in such a cunning and hard-to-detect way is a clever touch.
The song has appeared on innumerable “greatest songs of all time” lists, and even on first listen, it’s easy to see why. This is extraordinary and unmissable, not just as a Beach Boys song but as an essential and historic piece of music.
Over their substantial career, The Beach Boys have created an enviable discography, transforming themselves from happy-go-lucky boy banders into legitimately paradigm-shifting musicians. The Beach Boys songs on this list offer a peek into the band’s varied and multi-faceted sound. Everyone has their favorite track, but those on this list offer some highlights, acting as excellent entry points into the mystifying and ingenious world of The Beach Boys. Rock and pop music genuinely would not be the same without them.
Top 10 Beach Boys Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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