The Beach Boys was formed around 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was originally centered around the 3 Wilson brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl. Their father Murray did a lot of the promotion of their earliest career, believing in obvious musicals talents. Especially Brian Wilson soon turned out the be an extraordinary gifted and inventive songwriter. They had their first hits in 1962 with "Surfin´" and "Surfin Safari" and throughout 1963, 1964 and 1965 the hits kept coming. In 1965 Brian Wilson stopped touring with the group, partly because of constant pressure of having to come up with new original material and partly to get time to develop new Beach Boys music in the studio. This led to classic albums like "Pet Sounds" and "Smile". The latter was never finished, but most of the recordings appered on later Beach Boys albums. The Beach Boys continued touring as a five-piece with brothers Dennis and Carl ( drums and bass ) with guitarists Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and Mike Love. The Beach Boys trademark was their exquisite vocal harmonies.
I 1970 Brian Wilson left the band as musical leader, and their time as a singles charts band ended. Brian Wilson returned to the group in 1976 and they have released several album in the 1980´s and 1990´s and they still tour from time to time. Both Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and Mike Love.
Dennis Wilson died in 1983 and Carl Wilson in 1998.
Band Members:
Brian Wilson: Born 1942, vocals, guitar and keyboards. Brian was the musical genious of the group, who wrote most of their material. He was also a great inventive producer. Furthermore it was usually Brian who sang the higest parts in Beach Boys harmonies
Dennis Wilson: Born 1944, drums and vocals. Dennis was also a great singer, but he only sang the lead on relatively few Beach Boys recordings. For later Capitol album Dennis also wrote a couple of fine songs
Carl Wilson: Born 1946, bass and vocals . Carl was probably the greatest lead singer on the band. His vocals had a great deal of soul in them. Note his lead on "Good Vibrations" and "Darling"
Mike Love: Born 1941, vocals. Love was one of the original members and he was given the lead vocals on most of their earliest hit-singles.
Al Jardine: Born 1942, Guitar and vocals. Jardine was another original, but he way away fro the group in 1962 because he had to go to the army. Jardine sang occasional lead; for instance "Help Me, Rhonda"
David Marks: Born 194-, guitar and vocals . Replaced Jardine for a short period in the early 1960´s
Bruce Johnston: Born 1944, guitar and vocals. Johnston joined in 1965 to take Brian´s place on the tours. He was a regular member until 1971
Tracks: 1. Surfin' U. S. A. / 2. Farmer's Daughter / 3. Misirlou / 4. Stoked / 5. Lonely Sea / 6. Shut Down / 7. Noble Surfer / 8. Honky Tonk / 9. Lana / 10. Surf Jam / 11. Let's Go Trippin' / 12. Finders Keepers / 13. Cindy Oh Cindy / 14. Baker Man, The / 15. Land Ahoy
Rating : 6
4. Surfer Girl - Capitol 1963
Tracks: 1. Surfer Girl / 2. Catch A Wave / 3. Surfer Moon, The / 4. South Bay Surfer / 5. Rocking Surfer, The / 6. Little Deuce Coupe / 7. In My Room / 8. Hawaii / 9. Surfers Rule / 10. Our Car Club / 11. Your Summer Dream / 12. Boogie Woodie
Rating : 8
5. Little Deuce Coupe - Capitol 1963
Tracks: 1. Little Deuce Coupe / 2. Ballad Of Ole' Betsy / 3. Be True To Your School / 4. Car Crazy Cutie / 5. Cherry, Cherry Coupe / 6. 409 / 7. Shut Down / 8. Spirit Of America / 9. Our Car Club / 10. No-Go Showboat / 11. A Young Man Is Gone / 12. Custom Machine
Rating : 7
6. Shut Down Vol II - Capitol 1964
Tracks: 1. Fun Fun Fun / 2. Don't Worry Baby / 3. In the Parking Lot / 4. "Cassius" Love Vs. "Sonny" Wilson / 5. Warmth Of The Sun, The / 6. This Car Of Mine / 7. Why Do Fools Fall In Love / 8. Pom Pom Play Girl / 9. Keep An Eye On Summer / 10. Shut Down Part 2 / 11. Louie Louie / 12. Denny's Drums / 13. Fun, Fun, Fun - (mono, bonus track, single version) / 14. In My Room - (bonus track, German version) / 15. I Do - (bonus track)
Rating : 7
7. All Summer Long - Capitol 1964
Tracks: 1. I Get Around / 2. All Summer Long / 3. Hushabye / 4. Little Honda / 5. We'll Run Away / 6. Carl's Big Chance / 7. Wendy / 8. You Remember? / 9. Girls On The Beach / 10. Drive-In / 11. Our Favorite Recording Se / 12. Don't Back Down / 13. True To Your School / 14. All Dressed Up For School / 15. Little Honda (Alternate Take) / 16. Don't Back Down (Alternate Take)
Rating : 7
8. Christmas Album - Capitol 1964
Tracks: 1. Little Saint Nick / 2. Man With All the Toys/ 3. Santa's Beard / 4. Merry Christmas, Baby / 5. Christmas Day / 6. Frosty the Snowman / 7. We Three Kings of Orient Are / 8. Blue Christmas / 9. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town / 10. White Christmas / 11. I'll Be Home for Christmas / 12. Auld Lang Syne / 13. Little Saint Nick [Single Version] / 14. Lord's Prayer / 15. Little Saint Nick [Alternate Take] / 16. Auld Lang Syne [Alternate Take]
Rating : 4
9. Beach Boys Today - Capitol 1965
Tracks: 1. Do You Wanna Dance / 2. Good To My Baby / 3. Don't Hurt My Little Sister / 4. When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) / 5. Help Me, Rhonda - (LP version) / 6. Dance, Dance, Dance / 7. Please Let Me Wonder / 8. I'm So Young / 9. Kiss Me Baby / 10. She Knows Me Too Well / 11. In The Back Of My Mind / 12. Bull Session With "Big Daddy"
Rating : 8
10. Summer Days, Summer Nights - Capitol 1965
Tracks: 1. The Girl From New York City / 2. Amusement Parks U.S.A / 3. Then I Kissed Her / 4. Salt Lake City / 5. Girl Don't Tell Me / 6. Help Me, Rhonda - (single version) / 7. California Girls / 8. Let Him Run Wild / 9. You're So Good To Me / 10. Summer Means New Love / 11. I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man / 12. And Your Dreams Come True / 13. Little Girl I Once Knew, The - (stereo track, single version) / 14. Dance, Dance, Dance - (stereo, bonus alternate take) / 15. I'm So Young - (bonus track, alternate take) / 16. Let Him Run Wild - (stereo, bonus track, alternate take) / 17. Graduation Day - (bonus track, studio version)
Rating : 8
11. Beach Boys Party - Capitol 1965
Tracks: 1. Hully Gully / 2. I Should Have Known Better / 3. Tell Me Why / 4. Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow / 5. Mountain of Love / 6. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away / 7. Devoted to You / 8. Alley-Oop / 9. There's No Other (Like My Baby) / 10. Medley: I Get Around/Little Deuce Coupe / 11. Times They Are A-Changin' / 12. Barbara Ann
Rating : 5
12. Stack-O-Tracks - Capitol 1968 (63-68)
Tracks: 1. Darlin' [Instrumental] / 2. Salt Lake City [Instrumental] / 3. Sloop John B. [Instrumental] / 4. In My Room [Instrumental] / 5. Catch a Wave [Instrumental] / 6. Wild Honey [Instrumental] / 7. Little Saint Nick [Instrumental] / 8. Do It Again [Instrumental] / 9. Wouldn't It Be Nice [Instrumental] / 10. God Only Knows [Instrumental] / 11. Surfer Girl [Instrumental] / 13. Little Honda [Instrumental] / 14. Here Today [Instrumental] / 15. You're So Good to Me [Instrumental] / 16. Let Him Run Wild [Instrumental] / 17. Help Me, Rhonda [*][Instrumental] / 18. California Girls [*][Instrumental] / 19 . Our Car Club [*][Instrumental]. [*] = Bonus-track
Rating : 4
13. Pet Sounds - Capitol 1966
Tracks: 1. Wouldn't It Be Nice / 2. You Still Believe In Me / 3. That's Not Me / 4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) / 5. I'm Waiting For The Day / 6. Let's Go Away For Awhile / 7. Sloop John B / 8. God Only Knows / 9. I Know There's An Answer / 10. Here Today / 11. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times / 12. Pet Sounds / 13. Caroline No / 14. Hang On To Your Ego - (bonus track)
Rating : 7
My Suggestion For a 80 minutes (app.) Best Of Compilation:
1. Surfin' Safari ( Wilson/Love ) Surfin' Safari
2. Surfin' ( Wilson/Love ) Surfin' Safari
3. Cuckoo'Clock ( Wilson/Usher ) Surfin´ Safari
4. Surfin' USA ( Berry ) Surfin´ USA
5. Don't Worry Baby ( Wilson/Christian ) Shut Down Voll II
6. Girl Don´t Tell Me ( Wilson ) Summer Days, Summer Nights
7. In My Room ( Wilson/Usher ) Surfer Girl
8. God Only Knows ( Wilson/Asher ) Pet Sounds
9. Surfer Girl ( Wilson ) Surfer Girl
10. Then I Kissed Her( Spector/Greenwich/Barry) Summer Days, Summer Nights
11. Shut Down ( Wilson/Christian ) Little Deuce Coupe
12. I Get Around ( Wilson/Love ) Little Deuce Coupe
13. Keep an Eye On Summer( Wilson/Norman ) Shut Down Vol II
14. Sloop John B.( Trad. arr. Wilson ) Pet Sounds
15. Fun, Fun, Fun ( Wilson/Love ) Shut Down Vol II
16. Little Honda ( Wilson/Love ) All Summer Long
17. Don't Back Down ( Wilson/Love ) All Summer Long
18. Catch a Wave ( Wilson/Love ) Surfer Girl
19. Little Deuce Coupe ( Wilson/Christian ) Little Deuce Coupe
20. Hawaii( Wilson/Love ) Surfer Girl
21. Help Me Rhonda( Wilson/Love ) Summer Days, Summer Nights
22. Wouldn't It Be Nice ( Wilson/Asher ) Pet Sounds
23. Good To My Baby ( Wilson/Love ) Beach Boys Today
24. Wendy ( Wilson/Love ) All Summer Long
25. Dance Dance Dance ( Wilson/Wilson/Love ) Beach Boys Today
26. Christmas Day ( Wilson ) Christmas Album
27. California Girls ( Wilson/Love ) Summer Days, Summer Nights
28. Let Him Run Wild ( Wilson/Love ) Summer Days, Summer Nights
29. Salt Lake City ( Wilson/Love ) Summer Days, Summer Nights
30. When I Grow Up To Be a Man ( Wilson/Love ) Beach Boys Today
31. You're So Good To Me ( Wilson/Love ) Summer Days, Summer Nights
32. Ballad of ól Betsy ( Wilson/Christian ) Little Deuce Coupe
33. Little Saint Nick ( Wilson ) Christmas Album
34. Farmer's Daughter ( Wilson ) Surfin' USA
35. Girl From New York City ( Wilson/Love ) All Summer Long
36. I Just Wasn´t Made For These Times ( Wilson ) Pet Sounds
Tracks: 1. Our Prayer / 2. Gee / 3. Heroes and Vilains 2 / 4. Do You Dig Worms / 5. I'm in Great Shape / 6. Barnyard / 7. The Old Master Painter / 8. Cabin Essence / 9. Wonderful / 10. Look / 11. Child is the Father to the Man Bicycle Rider / 12. Surf´s Up / 13. I Wanna Be Around / 14. Vegetables / 15. Holidays / 16. Wind Chimes / 17. Fire / 18. Love to Say Dada / 19. Good Vibrations / 20. You´re Welcome + other outtakes etc.
Rating : 8
2. Smiley Smile - Capitol 1967
Tracks: 1. Heroes And Villians / 2. Vegetables / 3. Fall Breaks And Back To Winter / 4. She's Goin' Bald / 5. Little Pad / 6. Good Vibrations / 7. With Me Tonight / 8. Wind Chimes / 9. Gettin' Hungry / 10. Wonderful / 11. Whistle In / 12. You're Welcome / 13. Heroes And Villians(Version Alternative) / 14. Good Vibrations(1ere Version) / 15. Do You Like Worms / 16. Our Prayer / 17. I Love To Say Da Da
Rating : 6
3. Wild Honey - Capitol 1967
Tracks: 1. Wild Honey / 2. Aren't You Glad / 3. I Was Made To Love Her / 4. Country Air / 5. Thing Or Two / 6. Darlin' / 7. I'd Love Just Once To See You / 8. Here Comes The Night / 9. Let He Wind Blow / 10. How She Boogalooed It / 11. Mama Says / 12. Their Hearts Were Full Of spring
Rating : 7
Tracks: 1. Meant for You / 2. Friends / 3. Wake the World / 4. Be Here in the Morning / 5. When a Man Needs a Woman / 6. Passing By / 7. Anna Lee, The Healer / 8. Little Bird / 9. Be Still / 10. Busy Doin' Nothin' / 11. Diamond Head / 12. Transcendental Meditation
Rating : 6
Tracks: 1. Do It Again / 2. I Can Hear Music / 3. Bluebirds over the Mountain / 4. Be With Me / 5. All I Want to Do / 6. Nearest Faraway Place / 7. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) / 8. I Went to Sleep / 9. Time to Get Alone / 10. Never Learn Not to Love / 11. Our Prayer / 12. Cabinessence / 13. Break Away [*] / 14. Celebrate the News [*] / 15. We're Together Again [Mono Version][*] / 16. Walk on By [Mono Version][*] / 17. Old Folks at Home/Ol' Man River [*] . [*] = Bonus-track
Rating : 6
Tracks: 1. Slip on Through / 2. This Whole World / 3. Add Some Music to Your Day / 4. Got to Know the Woman / 5. Deirdre / 6. It's About Time / 7. Tears in the Morning / 8. All I Wanna Do / 9. Forever / 10. Our Sweet Love / 11. At My Window / 12. Cool, Cool Water
Rating : 5
Tracks: 1. Don't Go Near the Water / 2. Long Promised Road / 3. Take a Load off Your Feet / 4. Disney Girls 1957" / 5. Student Demonstration Time / 6. Feel Flows / 7. Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) / 8. Day in the Life of a Tree / 9. 'Til I Die / 10. Surf's Up
Rating : 5
Tracks: 1. You Need a Mess to Help / 2. To Stand Alone / 3. Here She Comes / 4. He Comes Down / 5. Marcella / 6. Hold On Dear Brother / 7. Make it Good / 8. All This is That / 9. Cuddle Up
Rating : 4
Tracks: 1. Sail On Sailor / 2. Steamboat / 3. California Saga / 4. The Beaks of Eagles / 5. California / 6. The Trader / 7. Leaving This Town / 8. Only With You / 9. Funky Pretty / 10. Mt Vernon and Fairway Theme / 11. I´m The Pied Piper / 12. Better Get Back in Bed / 13. Magic Transister Radio / 14. Mt Vernon and Fairway / 15. I´m The Pied Piper / 16. Radio King Dom
Rating : 7
Tracks: 1. Rock and Roll Music / 2. It´s Oak / 3. Had to Phone Ya / 4. Chapel of Love / 5. Everyone´s in Love With You / 6. Talk to Me / 7. Tm Song/ 8. Palisades Park / 9. Susie Cincinnatil / 10. A Casual Look / 11. Blueberry Hill / 12. Back Home / 13. In The Still of the Night / 14. Just Once in My Life
Rating : 5
Tracks: 1. Roller Skating Child / 2. I´ll Be He´s Nice / 3. Airplane / 4. Love is a Woman / 5. Johnny Carson / 6. Let Us Go On This Way / 7. I Wanna Pick You Up / 8. Let´s Put Our Hearts Together / 9. Solar System / 10. The Night Was So Young / 11. Ding Dang / 12. Mona / 13. Honkin´ Down the Highway / 14. Good Tim
Rating : 7
12. M.I.U. Album - Brother 1978
Tracks: 1. She´s Got Rhythm / 2. Come Go With Me / 3. Hey Little Tomboy / 4. Kona Coast / 5. Peggy Sue / 6. Woncha Come Out Tonight / 7. Sweet Sunday Kinda Love / 8. Bellies of Paris / 9. Pitter Patter / 10. My Diane / 11. Match Point Of Your Love / 12. Wings of Change
Rating :
13. Light Album - Caribou 1979
Tracks: 1. Come Home / 2. Baby Blue / 3. Love Surrounds Me / 4. Good Timin´ / 5. Goin´ / 6. Shortening Bread / 7. Lynda Lady / 8. Sumahama / 9. Full Sail / 10. Here Comes the Night
Rating :
Tracks: 1. Think About The Days / 2. That's Why God Made The Radio / 3. Isn't It Time / 4. Spring Vacation / 5. The Private Life Of Bill And Sue / 6. Shelter / 7. Daybreak Over The Ocean / 8. Beaches In Mind / 9. Strange World / 10. From There To Back Again / 11. Pacific Coast Highway / 12. Summer's Gone
Rating : 7
My Suggestion For a 80 minutes (app.) Best Of Compilation:
1. Good Vibrations ( B. Wilson/Love ) Smile / Smiley Smile
2. Heroes and Villains ( B. Wilson/Parks ) Smiley Smile
3. I Can Hear Music ( Barry/Greenwich/Spector ) 20/20
4. Do It Again ( B. Wilson / Love ) 20/20
5. Break Away ( B. Wilson / Dunbar ) 20/20 - bonus
6. Wonderful ( B. Wilson / Parks ) Smile
7. Darling ( B. Wilson / Love ) Wild Honey
8. Friends ( Wilson/Wilson/Wilson/Jardine ) Friends
9. Wake the World ( B. Wilson / Jardine ) Friends
10. Heroes and Villains / In the Cantina ( B. Wilson / Parks ) Smile
11. Surfs Up ( B. Wilson / Parks ) Smile / Surf's Up
12. I'd Love Just Once To See You ( B. Wilson/Love ) Wild Honey
13. Meant For You ( B. Wilson / Love ) Friends
14. Little Bird ( D. Wilson / Kalinich ) Friends
15. Time to Get Alone ( B. Wilson ) 20/20
16. We're Together Again ( B. Wilson / R. Wilson ) 20/20 - bonus
17. Forever ( D. Wilson / Jakobsen ) Sunflower
18. Prayer ( B. Wilson ) Smile / 20/20
19. Wind Chimes ( B. Wilson ) Smile
20. You're Welcome ( B. Wilson ) Smile / Wild Honey - bonus
21. Cotton Fields ( Ledbetter ) 20/20
22. Wild Honey ( B. Wilson / Love ) Wild Honey
23. When a Man Needs a Woman ( Beach Boys / Parks ) Friends
24. Walk On By ( Bacharach / David ) 20/20 - bonus
25. Slip On Through ( D. Wilson ) Sunflower
26. This Whole World ( B. Wilson ) Sunflower
27. Add Some Music ( B. Wilson / Knott / Love ) Sunflower
28. Don't Go Near The Water ( Jardine / Love ) Surf's Up
29. All I Wanna Do ( B. Wilson / Love ) Sunflower
30. California Saga - Big Sur ( Love ) Holland
31. It's OK ( B. Wilson / Love ) 15 Big Ones
32. Steamboat ( D. Wilson/Rieley ) Holland
33. Sail on Sailor ( Rieley/Kennedy/ B. Wilson/Parks ) Holland
34. Beak of Eagles ( Jardine/Jeffers ) Holland
35. Marcella ( B. Wilson / Rieley ) Carl and the Passions
36. Everyone's in Love With You ( Love ) 15 Big Ones
37. Back Home ( B. Wilson ) 15 Big Ones
38. Good Time ( B. Wilson/Jardine ) Love You
39. Private Life of Bill and Sue ( B. Wilson / Thomas ) That's Why God MTR
40. I'll Bet He's Nice ( B. Wilson ) Love You
41. That's Why God Made the Radio ( B. Wilson/Peterik/Millas/Thomas ) That's Why God MTR
42. Beaches in Mind ( B. Wilson/Love/Thomas ) That's Why God MTR
43. Shelter ( B. Wilson/Love/Thomas ) That's Why God MTR
Essential Albums!
Original albums as listed and rated on “Rate Your Music” - October 15 - 2012
1 The Smile Sessions - 1967/2011
3 Pet Sounds - 1966
47 Today - 1965
74 Sunflower - 1970
117 Smiley Smile - 1967
117 Surf´s Up - 1971
118 Summer Days - 1965
122 All Summer Long - 1964
149 Friends - 1968
152 Surfer Girl - 1963
206 Stack o Tracks - 1968
208 Wild Honey - 1967
216 Surfin USA - 1963
251 Little Deuce Coupe - 1963
274 Shut Down Vol 2 - 1964
291 Christmas Album - 1964
312 Surfin'Safari - 1962
322 In Concert - 1964
337 Party - 1965
363 20/20 - 1969
371 Love You - 1977
417 In Concert - 1973
436 Holland - 1973
678 Live London - 1970
804 That's Why God Made the Radio - 2012 Check and Rate Here!
