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16 Apr, 2011

Don’t Fight the Sea

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Jardine releases the song Don’t Fight the Sea on his album A Postcard from California, which includes songs from many of the surviving Beach Boys. The song is written by Terry Jacks and meant to promote environmental awareness.

Electronic keyboards began to develop a little keyboard called a DX-7 and that was a fascinating little thing. We just thought that was an absolute miracle of technology. In fact, on my latest album, we use a DX-7 on my song Don’t Fight the Sea. I like this particular setting called a “wood block.”

Al Jardine - Don't Fight The Sea ft. The Beach Boys

23 May, 2005

Monument dedication

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Beach Boys MonumentA stone monument featuring a carving of the band’s Surfer Girl album cover is dedicated at the boyhood home of Brian, Dennis, an Carl Wilson in Hawthorne, CA. The dedication draws 800 people, including Brian Wilson and Alan Jardine. Brian Wilson states:

This was a big thrill. I was thinking about all my memories — my mom and dad and my brothers, my childhood, my high school experiences, my piano, my organ and my hi-fi.

3 Aug, 2001

Cannot use name

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A US District Court rules that Alan Jardine cannot legally tour with his band under the name Beach Boys Family and Friends, as he did in 1999. He may use the name Family and Friends Beach Band. Founding member Mike Love currently tours with a group named The Beach Boys. Attorney Mike Flynn, who represents the Beach Boys’ corporate entity:

We are happy with the result. This terminates his entire case.

5 Jul, 2001

Sues band

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Jardine sues Mike Love, Brian Wilson, the Carl Wilson Trust and Brother Records Inc. for $4 million for excluding him from recent concerts.

The entire premise of the Beach Boys has been to promote love, harmony and music. But right now the ‘Beach Boys’ are taking the financial rather than the creative route, and Mike is making an end run to grab all of the income. This is a moral issue.

Brother records:

This is frivolous harassment, where Alan is trying to get money that he does not deserve.

18 Jul, 1988

Kokomo

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Reaches no. 1 in the US, Japan, and Australia. Is nominated for a Grammy in 1988 for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television. Written by John Phillips, Scott McKenzie, Mike Love, and Terry Melcher. Mike Love states:

 “Kokomo” is our No. 1, biggest sing-along song in our show—and it is popular with multiple generations. It wasn’t so much about surfing,

The Beach Boys - Kokomo (1988)

21 Jun, 1980

You are so beautiful

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Written by Dennis Wilson, Bruce Fisher and Billy Preston. Dennis Wilson performs the song during Beach Boys shows from 1975 until 1983. It is released by the Beach Boys on the album Good Timin’: Live at Knebworth England 1980 in 2002. Mike Love states:

Dennis had his issues with alcohol and drugs at the time and he’d put his hand through a plate glass window and cut his hand so it was hard for him to hold drum sticks. Ricky took over and did a great job. That’s when Dennis would go out to the front of the stage and sing You Are So Beautiful and we’d back him up.

29 Jan, 1973

Sail on Sailor

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During it’s 1973 release, Sail on Sailor reaches #79 on the Billboard charts. It reaches #49 on the charts when it is re-released in 1975. The song is written by Brian Wilson, Ray Kennedy, Tandyn Almer, Jack Rieley, and Van Dyke Parks. Jardine states:

Blondie as a singer on Sail On, Sailor I mean, holy Toledo! (laughs) He sang that so well plus he did a lot of the high parts on that record. He was singing a good deal of the tenor parts, a lot of the full voice high parts long with us.

 

15 Aug, 1972

California Saga: California

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The Beach Boys release California Saga: California on their 1973 album Holland. Written by Al Jardine the song Peaks at no. 84 in Billboard and no. 37 in the UK. In discussing Ricky Fataar’s contribution to this song and the band, Al Jardine says:

Ricky is a fabulous percussionist, drummer, tarp set player. He’s also a multi-instrumentalist. He played flute and steel guitar on the trilogy, California Saga so he did all those effects. He added a little musical dimension to the band.

The Beach Boys - California Saga: California Live

1 May, 1972

Good Time

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The Beach Boys record Good Time in 1970, with the horns and strings overdubbed later. They release it on their 1977 album Love You. The song is written by Brian Wilson and Al Jardine. Jardine:

I like that one a lot. It wasn’t originally meant to go on Love You; it was meant for an earlier album. Brian and I were just goofing around in his living room and came up with the song.

The Beach Boys - Good time

29 Nov, 1971

Surf’s Up

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Surf’s Up is partially recorded by the Beach Boys from 1966-1967, but is shelved until 1971, when it is released as the title track for the album Surf’s Up. Written by Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson. In discussing technology used by the band, Al Jardine states:

The mini-moog became our instrument of choice right around 1970. That was our bass sound for a while during the Sunflower and Surf’s Up era.

Brian Wilson - Surfs Up Live.mpg

30 Aug, 1971

Feel Flows

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Written by Carl Wilson and Jack Reiley, Carl Wilson records lead vocals using reverse echo. In reflecting about Brian Wilson’s retreat from the band, Mike Love says:

What that retreat allowed for was the maturity of the other guys in the band, Alan Jardine with California Saga,  Take Good Care of Your Feet, Carl with Long Promised Road and Feel Flows, Dennis with Forever, Bruce with Disney Girls.

8 Jul, 1968

Do It Again

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Peaks in the charts at no. 20 in the USA. Peaks at no. 1 in the UK Singles Chart, making it the band’s second number one hit in the United Kingdom. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love.

In explaining his inspiration for the song, Mike Love states:

Another time I went to the beach with my high school friends and came back and talked to Brian, “We gotta do a song about going back to the beach”, which ironically is the title of the newest gem from the vaults on this box set, and that song turned out to be Do It Again.

23 Oct, 1967

Wild Honey

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Wild Honey peaks at no. 31 on the Billboard charts and No. 22 in Cash Box and no. 29 in the UK. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love the song is performed live in the early 1970’s with Blondie Chaplin on lead vocals. Love:

The live version of Wild Honey on the box with Blondie singing lead vocals is mystical. He was an amazing guitarist and singer and Ricky was an amazing drummer. I think the songs took on different forms live in that time period because Carl’s appreciation for guitar, he really resonated with Blondie.

The Beach Boys - Wild Honey (Live - 1972)

10 Oct, 1966

Good Vibrations

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Good Vibrations, written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, reaches no. 1 in the US, making it The Beach Boys’ third number one hit. Also reaches no. 1 in the UK, making it their first British number one. The song earns a Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Group performance in 1966. The song ranks no. 6 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Brian Wilson says:

When I wrote Good Vibrations, I said, “There’s no way I could have written that song!” Then I thought, maybe God wrote it through me.

11 Jul, 1966

God Only Knows

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God Only Knows, written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, reaches no. 39 in the Billboard Charts and peaks at no. 2 in the UK. The song ranks no. 25 in Rolling Stone’s ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time.’ Mike Love states:

Carl was an amazing singer; “God Only Knows” was just phenomenal. I marveled at that every night when he sang it.

16 May, 1966

Pet Sounds

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Pet Sounds, an instrumental track composed by Brian Wilson, is released. It is included as the twelfth track of the 1966 album, Pet Sounds. Reflecting on the song, Mike Love:

When you listen to that [the sessions box set], you can see the masterful vocal arrangements that Brian did and the great accomplishment of all of us together.

PET SOUNDS ~ THE BEACH BOYS

20 Dec, 1965

Barbara Ann

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Reaches #2 in the US Billboard Hot 100, #3 in the UK, and #1 in Germany, Switzerland, and Norway. The song is written by Fred Fassert. Reflecting on the song, Mike Love states:

…when we start singing ‘Barbara Ann’… the audience sings along, and that’s a great feeling.

the beach boys barbara ann live

6 Apr, 1965

California Girls

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California Girls reaches no. 3 in the Billboard Top 100. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love.  Mike Love states:

Some people misunderstood the meaning of the song that we were saying California girls were the best. What we were really saying if you listen or read the lyrics, we were appreciating the fact that even though we went all around the world we’d like to bring them all back to California with us.

The Beach Boys- California Girls (1965)

8 Mar, 1965

Help Me, Rhonda

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The song, witten by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, peaks at no. 1 in the US, and Peaks at no. 27 in the UK, making it the band’s second number one hit. Al Jardine says:

Brian had it in his head of it going one way and I had it going another way. It was my first big lead vocal—I had a lead before that—but primarily I’m an “ooh” and “ah” guy. I can nail anything that way but when it comes to rhythms I’m just not as sharp as maybe someone else. What made it problematic for me is Help Me Rhonda had a rhythmic movement that I found very difficult and I finally got it. Brian’s dad. Murry was trying to help me but that was like the blind leading the blind. It got very confusing.

Beach Boys - Help Me Rhonda (The Andy Williams Show 1965)