GOOD VIBRATIONS A Celebration of Beach Boy Tunes
GOOD VIBRATIONS A Celebration of Beach Boy Tunes
This book is dedicated to the perpetual whistlers, the foot-tappers, and the solo dancers of the world.
Introduction The Beach Boys are an American
the group’s musical direction. The
rock band, formed in 1961 in
primarily Wilson-composed Pet
Hawthorne, California. The group
Sounds album and Good Vibrations
was initially composed of brothers
single (both released in 1966)
Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson,
featured a complex, intricate and
their cousin Mike Love, and friend
multi-layered sound that was a far
Al Jardine. Managed by the
cry from the simple surf rock of The
Wilsons’ father Murry, The Beach
Beach Boys’ early years. However,
Boys signed to Capitol Records
Wilson would soon lose control
in 1962. The band’s early music
of the band because of mental-
gained popularity across the
health and substance-abuse issues.
United States for its close vocal
Although they released a number
harmonies and lyrics reflecting a
of popular albums in ensuing
Southern California youth culture
years, the group never managed to
of surfing, cars, and romance. By
reclaim its mid-’60s peak when The
the mid 1960s, Brian Wilson’s
Beach Boys briefly challenged The
growing creative ambition and
Beatles both in terms of commercial
songwriting ability would dominate
and critical appeal.
songwriter
brian wilson on bass, piano and lead vo cals
carl wilson on lead guitar and vo cals
songwriter
mike love with lead vo cals
dennis wilson ON DRUMS and VO CALS
al jardine on rhythm guitar and vo cals
In 1961, Brian suggested to his friend Al that they team up with his cousin and brother, Carl. It was at these sessions, held in Brian's bedroom, that "The Beach Boys sound" began to form. Brian says: "Everyone contributed something. Carl kept us hip to the latest tunes, Al taught us his repertoire of folk songs, and Dennis, though he didn't [then] play anything, added a combustible spark just by his presence."
Originally, the band called themselves The Pendletones, named for the then popular pendleton woolen shirt. In their earliest performances, the band wore the shirts, which were favored by surfers in the South Bay. Although surfing motifs were very prominent in their early songs, Dennis was the only band member who actually surfed. In 1961, they officially changed their name to The Beach Boys.
The Beach Boys were first signed to Capitol Records in 1962. Their song output continued along the same commercial line, focusing on California youth lifestyle. The group celebrated the Golden States' obsession with hot-rod racing and the pursuit of happiness by carefree teens.
1963 U.S.A • L
it t
le
School • Su r r u
' fin
De uce Cou p
e•
Be
Tr u e t o
Yo
surfin u.s.a Brian Wilson wrote Surfin’ U.S.A, which was inspired by Chuck Berry’s hit, Sweet Little Sixteen. Because the songs were so similar in melody, lyrics, and rhythm, Chuck Berry won the rights to it and still owns it today. The single reached #3 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
if every body had an ocean across the usa then ev erybody 'd be surf i n ' like cal i f o rn-i-a You'd se e 'em w earin' their ba ggies Huarac hi sand als, to A bushy o bushy blonde h airdo Surfin' U .S .A .
❝All I need is a big surfboard and a piano. —Dennis Wilson
❞
Lit t l e Deuce co up e A deuce coupe was just one of a variety of Model B versions Ford introduced in 1932, replacing the popular Model A. The car became a favorite of the drag racing and hot rod crowd in the 50s & 60s. The car gracing the album appeared on the cover of the July 1961 edition of Hot Rod magazine.
abe raggin' b b t o n W e l l I 'm me down t u p 't n so do astest f e h t t go B u t I 'v e in town s l e e h w set of comes up g n i h t e m When so en try v e 't n o d wings f to me he o t e s I had a Cause if could fly e h s w o coupe man I kn e c u e d e l litt t I got S h e 's m y a h w w o n k Y o u d o n 't
When some l oud braggar t t r ie s t o p u t me down And says h is s c h o o l is great I t e l l h im r ig h t a w a y Now whats the matte r buddy A in 't y o u h e ard of my school It 's n u m b e r o n e in t h e s tate So be true to your sch ool J u s t l ik e y o u would t o y o u r g ir l or guy Be true to your school And let you r colors fly
be true to your school This song features the University of Wisconsin's fight song On Wisconsin. However, it's most likely a tribute to Hawthorne High School, whose school fight song uses the same melody. The Wilson brothers, along with Al Jardine, attended Hawthorne High School.
D o n' t W e• o
u ,F
, Dance, Da
rr
e nc
nc
n, F u n • D a
1964
aby • F un y B
f school, o s r u o h A f t e r s ix the day r o f h g u o n I' v e h a d e d ia l a n d io d a r e h I h it t l the way l a p u it tune nce, dance a d , e c n a I gotta d eally hot r 's t a e b now the ce, dance n a d , e c n Da he spot t n o e r e r ig h t t h dance , e c n a d , e Danc ly hot l a e r 's t ea now the b
Dance, Dance, Dance This song was means of celebrating the popular dance fads which had erupted during the late 50s and early 60s. During that time, rock & roll was synonymous with dancing. Many albums actually included step by step instructions so you could follow along while playing your record. The dance craze gradually came to an end upon The Bealtes invasion later in ‘64.
27
❝ Songs are the most honest form of human expression there is. there is nothing that lies about a song.
❞
—Brian Wilson
uilding b n e e b 's Well it f me o e d i s n long up i w o h w 't kno n o d I , h why w For o o n k I don't king n i h t p e g But I ke nd to go wron bou s ' g n i h t Some eyes y m n i looks e h ize s l a t e u r B e kes m And ma says e h s d An by" a b y r r o "Don't w
don't worry baby Brian Wilson cited the song as his attempt to cap ture the essence of his all-time favorite record, Be My Baby by the Ronettes, who would later end up covering the song. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame includes Don't Worry Baby on it's list of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.
fun, fun, fun This song was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love. It was insired by a girl named Shirley England, the daughter of a radio station owner in Salt Lake City, Utah. She borrowed her father's Ford Thunderbird to go study at the library. Instead of driving to the library, she ended up at the drive-in. When her father found out, he took the car away. The next day, when The Beach Boys were visiting the radio station, Shirley was complaining about it to the staff. The Beach Boys overheard her conversation and was inspired to write this song.
y's car d d a d r e the e got h h h g s u o l r l h e t W cruised e h s d nd now a An t s r ge hambur orgot f e h s Seems ibrary l e h t ut an now m all abo d l o old her t e h lasting b s o i d Like a h the r s t i w d n just a A g n i s i u now Goes cr n a c e h s s fast a fun, , n u f , n have fu akes l l ' e h s And ddy t a d r e h 'Til away d r i B T the
1965
ia
Gir ls
Help Me ,
d a • Cali fo rn
R
n ho
help me, rhonda This was the first Beach Boys' single where the guitarist Al Jardine sang lead. Originally, there was two versions of the song: one version arranged with ukuleles and one with guitars. In the end, they chose the guitar version which we all know and love today.
W e l l s in c e she put me down I' v e b e e n o u t d o in ' in m y h e a I c o m e in d late at n ig ht A n d in t h e m o r n in ' I just la y in b e d Well, Rho nda you l o o k s o f in And I kno e w it w o u l d n 't take muc h t im e For you t o h e l p me, Rho Help me g nda et her ou t of my heart Help me, Rhonda help, help me, Rhond a
❝ The beach boys are not a superstar group. The music is the superstar. ❞ —Dennis Wilson
t h e s u n s h in e s a h t s a o c The West tanned o s t e g l l a A n d t h e g ir l s b ik in i I d ig a f r e n c h and o n H a w a ii is l lm tree Dolls by a pa in t h e s a n d ound I been all ar ig w o r l d t h is g r e a t b k in d s o f g ir l s l l a n e e s I And w a it t o 't n d l u o c I Yeah, but he states g e t b a c k in t Back to the the world in s l ir g t s e cut could be l l a y e h t h I w is ls C a l if o r n ia g ir
c alifornia girls Brian Wilson once said, "People are part of my music. A lot of my songs are the result of emotional experiences, sadness, pain, joy, and exultation in nature and sunshine and so on...like California Girls, which was a hymn to youth."
't It Be N ic
no
V
ra ib
o d Onl y •G K
tio ns • W
dn ul
e
o
1965
G ws • ood
43
❝ No one is musically educated until they have heard The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds.
❞
—Paul McCartney
be nice t i 't n d Woul e older r e w e w if 't h a v e n d l u o w Then we so long to wait e nice b t i 't n d And woul together to live world f o d n i k In the belong where we 's g o n n a t i w o n k You etter b h c u m that odnight o make it g y a s can When we together y a t s and
wouldn't it be nice This song is the opening track on the 1966 album Pet Sounds and one of the most widely recognized songs by The Beach Boys. Brian Wilson described the song as, "What children everywhere go through... It expresses the frustrations of youth, what you can't have, what you really want and what you have to wait for."
god only knows The song broke new ground in many ways. It was one of the first commercial songs to use the word 'God' in its title. The song was also far more technically sophisticated than anything The Beach Boys, or any group, had ever attempted before, particularly the complicated melodic structure and vocal harmonies. Brian Wilson also used many unorthodox instruments, including the harpsichord and French horn. The song is ranked 25th on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
lo v e y ou I m a y no t a lw a y s Bu t lo ng a s t he r e y ou a r e s t a r s a bo v e do ub t it Y ou ne v er ne ed t o ur e a bo ut it I'l l m a ke y ou s o s t Go d on ly kn ow s w ha I'd be w it ho ut y ou le a v e m e If y ou s ho ul d ev er T ho ug h li fe w ou ld e me s t il l go on , be li ev no t hi ng t o m e w ho s d ul co ld or T he w li v in g do m e ld ou w od go t ha w o S t Go d on ly kn ow s w ha I'd be w it ho ut y ou
❝ Every once in a while, an individual is born into the world whose whole being is music. I think Brian is one of those rare people.
❞
—Carl Wilson
I, I l o v e t h e c o lorful clothes she we ars And the way t h e s u n l ig h t plays upon her h a ir I hear the sou nd of a gentle word O n t h e w in d t h a t l if t s h e r perfume throu g h t h e a ir I' m p ic k in ' u p g o o d v ib r a t io n s S h e 's g iv in g m e e x c it a t io n s I' m p ic k in ' u p g o o d v ib r a t io n s Oom bop bop, go o d v ib r a t io n s
G ood Vibrations Brian Wilson recalls his mother saying that some poeple just gave off "Bad Vibrations" and that's why dogs barked at those people. Based upon this anecdote from his youth, Wilson attempted to write a song that instead, gave off "Good Vibrations." At the time, this was the most expensive pop song ever recorded, requiring 90 hours of studio time and 70 hours of tape. It included the distinctive high-pitched sliding sound created by an electro-theremin instrument and even included the cello. This unusual mix of instruments in a pop song gave it the nickname "pocket symphony." It is number six on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
This book was designed by Mallory Smith while a student at the University of Louisville. Text was taken and edited from wikipedia.com, allmusic.com and billboard.com. Photos were collected from a variety of sources including Flickr and Google.
madeby mallory.com
GOOD VIBRATIONS
For the lover of all things good and wholesome comes Good Vibrations: A Celebration of Beach Boy Tunes. Featuring some of the most-beloved songs of all time, this anthology of tunes celebrates the carefree nature of The Beach Boys rise to fame throughout the 1960s. Get a glimpse into the inner-workings of acclaimed songwriter Brian Wilsons’ mind and learn some fascinating facts about the legendary songs that we all know and love today.