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[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

Hi everybody. I propose to do something similar to the Beatles song of the week but with classic 60's songs by other artists. I'd like to start with the Beach Boys song "I Get Around", written by Brian Wilson and, allegedly, Mike Love. It was released as a single in May 1964, being the first #1 hit by the band in US (certified as a gold record). Moreover, it was their first Top 10 hit in UK, reaching #7. The song is an early rocker with a complex vocal arrangement, specifically in the a capella intro. Part of the instrumentation was carried out by outsiders. This hit single certainly positioned the group as serious Beatles competitors during the Beatlemania days.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnPL5OXSBNE" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnPL5OXSBNE</a>

[Hello Goodbye]

Having experienced the 60s as a teenager in the United States, I became aware of The Beach Boys nearly two years before the release of I Get Around.  Surfin' Safari and 409 were the first songs by The Beach Boys I remember hearing on the radio in 1962.  The Beach Boys subsequently reached the Top 10 with Surfin' U.S.A, Surfer Girl, Be True To Your School, and Fun, Fun, Fun.  Little Deuce Coupe just missed the Top Ten.  In My Room was one of their first "mature" songs.  It didn't make the Top 10, but certainly caught our attention.  Here was this Surf Sound group departing from the usual fare and releasing this very serious song.  And all of this occurred before we ever heard I Get Around.

I would put Surfin' U.S.A., their first Top 10 hit and released a year earlier, as the song that popularized the group and the California Sound...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyJGPJQNY24" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyJGPJQNY24</a>

[Fab4Fan]

I love 'em! They're such great musical portraits of what life was like for many teens in America (and probably elsewhere) during the simpler days of the early '60s.

On September 10th, 2016, I had the pleasure of singing both of these songs live in concert with Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, and band. Well, I was in the audience singing along as they sang them on stage... 

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

Having experienced the 60s as a teenager in the United States, I became aware of The Beach Boys nearly two years before the release of I Get Around.  Surfin' Safari and 409 were the first songs by The Beach Boys I remember hearing on the radio in 1962.  The Beach Boys subsequently reached the Top 10 with Surfin' U.S.A, Surfer Girl, Be True To Your School, and Fun, Fun, Fun.  Little Deuce Coupe just missed the Top Ten.  In My Room was one of their first "mature" songs.  It didn't make the Top 10, but certainly caught our attention.  Here was this Surf Sound group departing from the usual fare and releasing this very serious song.  And all of this occurred before we ever heard I Get Around.

I would put Surfin' U.S.A., their first Top 10 hit and released a year earlier, as the song that popularized the group and the California Sound...

Thanks for your comments, Barry. I'm aware that the Beach Boys had several hits before "I Get Around"; and they were already popular before the Beatles were known in US. My point was that the Beatles dominated the American charts during the first half of 1964, and "I Get Around" may have been one of the few songs by a rock & roll band that could pair the Beatles success during that time.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

I love 'em! They're such great musical portraits of what life was like for many teens in America (and probably elsewhere) during the simpler days of the early '60s.

On September 10th, 2016, I had the pleasure of singing both of these songs live in concert with Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, and band. Well, I was in the audience singing along as they sang them on stage... 

That's great Fab4Fan!

[Hello Goodbye]

This hit single certainly positioned the group as serious Beatles competitors during the Beatlemania days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnPL5OXSBNE#

Thanks for your comments, Barry. I'm aware that the Beach Boys had several hits before "I Get Around"; and they were already popular before the Beatles were known in US. My point was that the Beatles dominated the American charts during the first half of 1964; and "I Get Around" may have been one of the few songs by a rock & roll band that could pair the Beatles success during that time.

Here in the United States, we considered the British Invasion groups the first serious competitors of The Beach Boys in 1964.  The California Sound was widely popular for at least three years before The Beatles hit the American Scene.

Personally, I think The Beach Boys' achievements can stand on their own without any comparison to The Beatles.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

Here in the United States, we considered the British Invasion groups the first serious competitors of The Beach Boys in 1964.  The California Sound was widely popular for at least three years before The Beatles hit the American Scene.

Personally, I think The Beach Boys' achievements can stand on their own without any comparison to The Beatles.

Ok, but when the Beatles invaded America, at least during the first months, the balance went to the other side, so much that the Fab Four got the whole Top 5 at one point. At that new situation the Beach Boys were overshadowed and they had to try harder (as Brian Wilson admitted). And one result was "I Get Around", giving them their first #1 hit.

[Moogmodule]

This is a fun song no doubt. I have to admit not being a huge beach boys fan. I didn't like their overall sound that much. No doubt Brian Wilson's genius though. And how good these guys were with their complicated vocal arrangements.

I like the low guitar fills after the verse lines in particular here. And when the vocal chorus come in the effect is terrific.

[nimrod]

They didn't really turn me on until they made the record called Good Vibrations I thought that was excellent and 10 times better than anything else they have done, a real inventive classic.

The Beach Boys sounded very American I remember with songs like I Get Around and I remember feeling a bit p*ssed off as a young lad in rainy cold Manchester hearing songs where people were singing about having fun on Sunny Beaches with bikini clad girls 

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

This is a fun song no doubt. I have to admit not being a huge beach boys fan. I didn't like their overall sound that much. No doubt Brian Wilson's genius though. And how good these guys were with their complicated vocal arrangements.

I like the low guitar fills after the verse lines in particular here. And when the vocal chorus come in the effect is terrific.

I acknowledge the Beach Boys as one of the greatest rock bands ever, even though only Pet Sounds and their 60's hits caught my attention.

With regard to "I Get Around", it is true that the group had already released other important songs before that single, as Barry said. But I think it's one of those songs the Beach Boys are instantly linked to by the casual listener.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

They didn't really turn me on until they made the record called Good Vibrations I thought that was excellent and 10 times better than anything else they have done, a real inventive classic.

"Good Vibrations" deserves its own thread too. My idea is to talk about different classic songs by different bands along different threads, from 1964 until 1969. That's why I started with this early hit.

[Moogmodule]

With regard to "I Get Around", it is true that the group had already released other important songs before that single, as Barry said. But I think it's one of those songs the Beach Boys are instantly linked to by the casual listener.

Definitely. It sums up that early surf sound really well.

[nimrod]

This is a fun song no doubt. I have to admit not being a huge beach boys fan. I didn't like their overall sound that much. No doubt Brian Wilson's genius though. And how good these guys were with their complicated vocal arrangements.

I like the low guitar fills after the verse lines in particular here. And when the vocal chorus come in the effect is terrific.

Brian Wilson has made a career out of being a genius

[Hello Goodbye]

I always liked I Get Around since the day I bought the 45 RPM single.  It was very upbeat.  But I liked what was on the B side even more...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0YGC68qP4&amp;list=RDlW0YGC68qP4" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0YGC68qP4&amp;list=RDlW0YGC68qP4</a>

It took me a while to figure out if it was a car song or a love song.  Very intricate lyrics on that one!  The California Sound took another direction here.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

I always liked I Get Around since the day I bought the 45 RPM single.  It was very upbeat.  But I liked what was on the B side even more...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0YGC68qP4&list=RDlW0YGC68qP4#


It took me a while to figure out if it was a car song or a love song.  Very intricate lyrics on that one!  The California Sound took another direction here.

Certainly of the best ballads that Brian has created.

John seemed to imitate a brief part of the melody in his song "Starting Over", doesn't he?

[Moogmodule]

It took me a while to figure out if it was a car song or a love song.  Very intricate lyrics on that one!  The California Sound took another direction here.

I recall an interpretation that the car stuff was a metaphor for the song's narrator reassuring the young lady before her "first time".