In the swinging sixties southern California USA was the surfing capital of the world. Powering that enviable reputation was surf music..dubbed the "California Sound". There were bands such as Jan & Dean, The Sentinels and The Surfaris, but non were more popular than The Beach Boys. Brothers Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love and a family friend Al Jardine seemed to hit a nerve with the youth of the day with their catchy pop, doo wop/surfing sound. The Beach Boys gained national prominence in 1963 with a string of top-ten singles reflecting a southern Californian culture of surfing, cars and romance. Kids all over the US turned on their transistor radios to listen to such classics as Surfin' Safari, Surfer Girl, Surfin' USA, Barbara Ann and Good Vibrations.
I saw them once live in concert, but it was after one of them drowned. A Beach Boy drowning just never sounded quite right. Anyway, LOVED them. Probably my favorite song is:
Yes that was the drowning of Dennis Wilson.. the youngest brother and what some called the "black sheep" of the family.
Mine too. It is such a departure from their usual sound. Its soulful harmony and lyrics still moves me.
The first song I ever remember of the Beach boys was Barbara Ann ! I was about 9 years old, and at primary school, and Barbara Ann was a chart hit, so we'd play our playground games and sing the words of the song . !!
The father of the Beach Boys used to abuse them with a strong hand at home. In one case, forcing one of the boys to defecate on a newspaper in the living room in front of the family as punishment for something. Brain was a skilled composer, with knowledge of Melody, Harmony, and Lyrical phrasing. Hal
Yep learned of the father's mental abuse from a bio pic of the Beach Boys. He and Brian had a love/hate relationship most of their lives. The rest of the band knew Brian was the brains behind the Beach Boys with those assets you listed yet Murray the father reckoned he knew more. This created so much tension.
I'm a 'huge' fan, I have tears now just thinking of them they mean so much to me Did you ever see Dennis singing 'you are so beautiful' live on stage ? I was a mess of tears Everyone in this world that has heard 'in my room' must associate with it - we've all been in that room
My favorite Beach Boys song has always been God Only Knows, because I like the two simultaneous melodies (counterpoint?) at the end. THIS VERSION, by Tom Jones and Paloma Faith is cool, even though poor Tom flubs his lines. Maybe it's the huge production. And those two look so cute together.
I still have the original 45 of God Only Knows that I got as a teen... that's a really good version with Tom and Paloma...
There was also the rise and inexplicable fall of Brian Wilson. He went from teeny-bopper hero to a oversized, drugged up recluse who left the Beach Boys and even shunned his own family for days at a time. The boys tried in vain to release him from the vice-like influence of a self-styled guru that lowered him to the state where he almost took his own life. There was little doubt this was the lowest ebb of the famous band..and was not surprising that shortly after due to the loss of their talisman..Brian Wilson.. that the Beach Boys split after only a fleeting 4 years of fame.
They came back a few years ago, I saw them singing live on a show with their latest release 'That's why God made the radio' They were 'so good' - took my breath away Don't condemn Brian - he was a depressed wreck and was taken full advantage of, if anyone deserves forgiveness - he does
Read my post..not condemning Brian. They have been performing on and off over the past three decades. Their big hit Kokomo was released in 1988/89 from memory.