Hearing the Beach Boys for the First Time

[@alu.minium521]

Back when rock and roll was fun. Girls, surfing, and fast cars were their wheelhouse topics. Like every band in the 60s, each had a before that yellow submarine band arrived style and an after them style. The Beach Boys always kept the great harmonies as the complexity of their songs grew. Thanks Diane BOOP oh, in their early years, the Beach Boys were the West coast boy band and the Four Seasons were the harmony boy group of the East coast.

[@DianeJennings]

Oh a hard-core rivalry 😜

[@asquare9316]

@@DianeJennings The real rivalry was between the Beatles and Brian Wilson, who wrote all of (or most of) the Beach Boys tunes.

[@lawrencedavis9246]

Interesting comparison between east and west coasts. This was a time period when music was regional. It was possible for a song to be a top seller and receive airplay in one part of the country, and be nearly ignored in another areas. I suppose that was because radio stations had more autonomy over what was played, not like today where most stations are owned by a handful of corporations that control everything we hear. An expression from that day is _payola,_ a term that applies to many things, including popular music. If someone wanted a song to be a hit then it could be necessary to pay bribes to station managers to play the song. I once heard an interview with Linda Ronstadt, where she noted that, at that time, a person could listen to the radio while driving around the country and discover new musical expressions along the way, which she found to be very inspiring. She felt that record companies were slow to realize the potential in rock music, treating it as a fad that would pass, and they continued to concentrate on jazz and forties pop standards formats. As a result, the time period that began with southern rockabilly tunes and doo wop vocal groups, and seemed to end with the Woodstock music festival, was a renaissance period of diversity in musical expression. When record companies woke up and smelled the money, popular music boiled down into a couple of formats that were safe and made the most money. I think she called it 'homogenized'. I think she is right. I also think that the introduction of the FM radio band also promoted a wide range of material. For quite a while FM radio was a wasteland of static, with only a few stations in larger markets broadcasting there. Stations used their FM broadcasts to try new things, and often played album tracks that were not mainstream, being too long or too controversial. Albums became best sellers, and bands huge successes, without having one hit song on AM radio.

[@thomastimlin1724]

@@DianeJennings Yes the Four Seasons were from New Jersey and I would recommend the Beach Boys would stay out of that neighborhood, lol. If you look up harmony in the dictionary you will find the Beach Boys picture there. They were super experts at it, I've seen them about 8 times in concert.

[@Rosedach]

@@lawrencedavis9246 I think that Dick Clark's American Bandstand had a large part of introducing music nation wide.

[@kevinpolito1529]

The Beach Boys started out playing surf music and car songs with amazing vocal harmonies. Under Brian Wilson's direction, songwriting, and producing, they later became one of the leading-edge vocal bands.

[@dobiebloke9311]

kevinpolito1529 - Not to denigrate them at all, but they did steal a lot from Chuck Berry (who better, than to), and they were fairly upfront about it. As I recall, and I forget which tune it was, but it was such an obvious rip from Berry, that they made some sort of 'royalty' agreement, rather than fight it out it in Court. Win, win (win, 'till her daddy took the T-Bird away). No better cure for when feeling down, in my book. There are others as fine, but non better (for me), probably because I was there, then, as it played out.

[@knightamongknaves]

an iconic The Beach Boys album "Pet Sounds" , and the song "Good Vibrations"

[@kevinpolito1529]

@@shallowgal462 Jan & Dean were friends with The Beach Boys and patterned their sound AFTER the Beach Boys.

[@shallowgal462]

@@kevinpolito1529 Whoa, dude! 😮

[@twenty3enigma]

Of all the Beach Boys, only drummer Dennis Wilson surfed.

[@nickallain]

Their later album "Pet Sounds" is one of the most influential albums in music history - up there with Abbey Road from The Beatles. It has a VERY different tone, but was insanely innovative in terms of the use of things like sampling and sound effects. If I remember correctly, it heavily influenced The Beatles. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows" are the two most popular songs from that album. Additionally, the film Love & Mercy is a biopic about the Beach Boys lead singer (Brian Wilson). It's a really nice film and really accurately shows the struggles that he had with mental health.

[@ellen6638]

Loved the movie so underrated.

[@quitwastinmytime]

Thanks wikipedia

[@simeonteitelbaum3673]

I'd also recommend Love and Mercy

[@mrjuvy49]

Wow, Paul McCArtney said God only Knows is a perfect song, High praise for me.

[@simeonteitelbaum3673]

@@mrjuvy49 It basically is. I haven't heard a song that captures a particular kind of adolescent yearning quite like that

[@PhilliptBates]

This band is iconic. Great harmonies and catchy melodies. They had a lot of great songs and ended up doing some groundbreaking production techniques that got the attention of The Beatles, which says a lot. Brian Wilson was a musical genius and it shows throughout their catalogue of hits.

[@erins6060]

^ what this person said. Exactly. I only have two words to add: PET SOUNDS.

[@rafaelsale6364]

The Beach Boys are one of the greatest bands in rock music history.

[@aquilapetram]

@@erins6060 Damn skippy. And Pet Sounds is one of the first rock albums that's really an *album*, not just a collection of singles with filler inserted. You have to listen to Pet Sounds beginning to end, as one artistic statement. Brian Wilson is a giant, on whose shoulders generations of songwriters and producers stand. "Surfin' USA" was from their very earliest pop-band period in the early 60s, when the Wilson brothers were still being terrorized by their father/manager Murray, a frustrated songwriter with pre-WWII ideas about how pop music was supposed to work. The much deeper period came later (1964-1968), when the BBs (really just Brian Wilson, sometimes on his own in the studio) waged a battle of musical/lyrical one-upsmanship with the Beatles, releasing rival series of albums with increasingly intimate lyrics and increasingly intricate orchestration/studio technique. The Beatles finally emerged with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hears Club Band, while Wilson cracked up completely trying to finish Smile (finally released under Brian's own name in 2004), releasing only "Good Vibrations". The Beach Boys' problem in this competition was that, while the Beatles had two remarkable songwriters (Lennon/McCartney), and one increasingly adept songwriter (Harrison), plus an expert orchestrator/engineer/producer (George Martin), Brian Wilson had to do it all on his own. That, and the Beatles could handle their LSD and Wilson couldn't.

[@Iansco1]

But to be fair. Brian is also the very definition of the phrase "VERY THIN LINE between Genius and Insanity".

[@leroywatermelon4025]

Yeah. I saw that movie too. 😂

[@kathleenmenker3853]

I’m 79 and this is iconic music from “my day”! You can’t help but bounce to it, no matter where you are. I love every song of theirs!

[@henrybucki7813]

welcome home bro

[@heatherg-thatsme]

I love The Beach Boys! They were from my parents’ generations. We listened to them all the time. Hearing them makes me smile, and remember some of the best times of my childhood when all 4 of us would sing along. I was the only one singing off key but the memories are in tune ❤

[@DianeJennings]

Haha once you’re singing, you’re having fun

[@flamingpieherman9822]

In 1983, my good friend in school. Love the Beach boys. I love the Beatles. So we would trade things back and forth all the time. She'd buy me some Beatles nostalgia and I'd buy her a Beach boys. 45..

[@sharkdentures3247]

Same here! We would play the cassette of Endless Summer on practically EVERY road trip or drive to visit distant family on the holidays! And yes, we would often end up singing along. Happy times.

[@Bradley_Stein]

I'm so glad you reacted to my favorite band! Back in 2015, I worked as a lifeguard at a summer camp. When campers weren't around and we were cleaning up the waterfront, the waterfront director would play The Beach Boys on his phone. When I got home from camp, I bought a Beach Boys CD and still keep it in my car. I also got to see them live in 2019. They still got it!

[@lawrencedavis9246]

This video brought good vibrations, thanks! This group was one of a number of California bands popularizing the surfing / beach party theme, at least in the beginning. Brian Wilson wanted to break free of the stereotype. He opted out of a major tour and stayed home to write music. The result was the material that became the album _Pet Sounds._ When the band finished the tour and came home, he presented the new material. One of the other group members was very angry, upset that Brian was trying to change a formula that was proven to work. _Pet Sounds_ was recorded in spite of the objections, and it became an album that many have called a masterpiece _(for that time)._ When Paul McCartney heard the album he was hooked, and a friendly rivalry began between The Beach Boys and the Beatles. In an interview Paul noted his affection for the album: _(quote)_ "The early surf records, I was aware of them as a musical act, and I used to like all that, but I didn’t get deeply interested in it, it was just a real nice sound. We used to admire the singing, the high falsetto really, and the very sort of ‘California’ lyrics." "It was later, it was _Pet Sounds_ that blew me out of the water. First of all, it was Brian’s writing. I love the album so much. I’ve just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life. I figure no one is educated musically ’til they’ve heard that album." _(unquote)_

[@DianeJennings]

Me me me! In the words of Taylor Swift, it’s me. Hi I’m the problem it’s me.

[@boki1693]

Haha, I see what you did there. :)

[@MrSheckstr]

Good vibrations but not good good good vibrations?

[@IMEveryTrueAmericanRU]

I agree the sound reverberation sounds SOO good when I listen to the Beach Boys, In My Room

[@boki1693]

@@IMEveryTrueAmericanRU Wouldn't it be nice if I could here music and dance dance dance on my sloop John B?

[@mattheweudy2396]

Watching Diane react to this cut through all the heaviness in life. Found myself grinning without even realising it. Thanks Diane & Chewstopher.

[@DianeJennings]

🥰

[@MALTESEFALCON1]

For a ditzy blonde

[@martinhopkins6712]

How can you not smile hearing The Beach Boys doing Surfin’ USA? How can you not smile watching Diane and Chewie gettin’ down?

[@DianeJennings]

Aww 🥰

[@scottferguson2092]

Thanks for the reaction video Diane! The Beach Boys were well before my time, something my mom listened to when she was young. A bit of a barber shop sound to them for sure, a very catchy tune. Makes me want to try surfing sometime! 🌊🏄‍♀️🏄🏄‍♂️

[@kevinpolito1529]

Diane, the best Beach Boys recordings are from the Pet Sounds album, including God Only Knows, Wouldn't It Be Nice, and Caroline No. Brian Wilson was at his peak as a writer, arranger, and producer, and he got the best out of the legendary session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. Paul McCartney said that The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's album was inspired by the Pet Sounds album.

[@Jeff_Lichtman]

Surfin' USA is a thinly-disguised copy of Sweet Little Sixteen by Chuck Berry. They intended it as a tribute, but Berry wasn't very happy to have someone else making money off his music. They eventually gave him songwriting credit so he could share in the royalties. The Beach Boys are a fun band. Most of their songs are about girls, cars, and surfing, though they do get serious occasionally. Some of their best songs are Fun, Fun, Fun; I Get Around; Don't Worry Baby; Help Me, Rhonda; California Girls; Barbara Ann (a cover of a record by the vocal group The Regents); Sloop John B; Wouldn't It Be Nice; God Only Knows; and Good Vibrations. The last one, Good Vibrations, is really worth listening to, as it pushed the envelope for popular music at the time. Brian Wilson was the major creative force in the group. The songs he wrote sound light and fun, but have deceptively complex harmonies. The Beach Boys had a friendly rivalry with The Beatles, and each group pushed the other creatively. The Sgt. Pepper album by The Beatles was a response to Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys. The movie Love and Mercy (2014) is about Brian Wilson's problems with mental illness and how he was under the control of an unscrupulous psychiatrist for years. It stars John Cusack, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, and Elizabeth Banks. It's a really good film, with a 90% critical rating and an 85% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I recommend it.

[@pauljackson2473]

Love and Mercy is a great film. I couldn’t believe John Cusack was playing Brian Wilson. Then I looked up you tube videos of Brian in the 80’s and he had lost a lot of weight and actually looked like John Cusack.

[@ApartmentKing66]

Wish I'd known you wrote all that. It would've saved me the trouble.

[@callmejeffbob]

It's great that Chuck Berry eventually got partial writing royalties for this song. Some of the more recent copyright plagiarism suits are pretty ridiculous and thankfully many have failed but in this case the melodies and phrasing of "Surfing USA" and "Sweet Little Sixteen" are virtually identical and I think the verdict was correct. Here's a link to Sweet Little Sixteen: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kH25ZYF9pdSslac Both the Beach Boys video and the Chuck Berry videos are lip-synched (if that wasn't already obvious). Although there are some great live versions of Sweet Little Sixteen by Chuck Berry around, I thought it would be more informative to hear it as it was recorded on the single, but Chuck is still a great performer even when he's faking it,

[@dumpsterdawg]

Mom: "What's all that racket in there!" Me: "I'm just dancing with Diane"🕺💃 Mom: ???

[@DianeJennings]

😂😂😂

[@nuwavedave]

The Beach Boys ranged in age from 13 to 20 when they first started having hits. In just 4 years they progressed from "Surfin' Safari" to "Good Vibrations". Brian Wilson was the Beach Boys' songwriter, music arranger, record producer, bass guitarist - and let's not forget his great singing voice!

[@TerryL421]

Love the Beach Boys! This came out in 1963 when I was 3. I was very lucky my sister (8 yrs older) and my mom introduced me to music early. 😊 I couldn't stop smiling while watching your reaction! So glad you enjoyed it!

[@mrjuvy49]

Came out in 1962 Surfin, Capitol records l did' t believe in them yet for a whole album.

[@davidschecter5247]

Like the Beatles, The Beach Boys were soon writing and performing some of the most complex music in pop history. This is from 1963. Check out 1965 and later, even 1972 - 1973. One of the most influential groups ever, in terms of harmony, songwriting, arranging, and especially record production.

[@lindakessler8768]

I was a 60's kid growing up in L.A. when they were popular. It really was a time of going to the beach, hot cars and fun times listening to records with your friends after school. Beatles, Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Mamma's n Papa's, Cream, Rolling Stones, and lots of Motown. Great times. 👍❤❤

[@greghamann2099]

LA in the 60s and you were there. That is so cool. I was in Wisconsin. Dullsville.

[@lindakessler8768]

@@greghamann2099 I'm sorry Greg. 😕 but I feel your pain. My family went to my grandparents wheat farm in Kansas every summer for 2 weeks to help. Couldn't wait to get back to California...even with all the smog we had back then. 🤢

[@dennisquinn8558]

Me, too. In the 60s here in LA.

[@greghamann2099]

@@dennisquinn8558 Those were the days I bet.

[@nerdyali4154]

Beach culture was still going strong in the late 70's and the 80's here in South Africa too. I suppose it always is on any coast with decent weather, although today's youth seem to be more indoorsy and hooked on crappy autotuned monotony played on horrendously bad devices.

[@lukenaoumovitch4477]

The Beach Boys always bring the good vibes 😎 🏄 🌊 🇺🇸

[@MGower4465]

They were The Beach Boys because every one was a son of a beach. Ray Stevens did a response, Surfin USSR. A Siviet sub runs aground on a Socal beach and the whole crew turns surfer.

[@ramonalfaro3252]

I love their song Sail On Sailor. A much more mature version of The Beach Boys with a killer chorus!

[@meredithlyon3142]

The iconic band of Southern California. I'm always happy listening to them and singing along. Great road trip music!

[@tomhalla426]

My older sister was very much into the Beach Boys when they first came out. Surfers were actually more like the Jeff Spicoli character from Fast Times at Ridgemont High than the stage impression the Beach Boys used.

[@retcutter10]

And didn't care for the bleached-blondies.

[@cazgerald9471]

Beach Boys were beach music, Dick Dale was surf music 8-P

[@dchall8]

Todays people be like: Jeff who?

[@derekgiesbrecht-xp5yc]

@@cazgerald9471 Dick Dale!

[@mfb3042]

They're from Hawthorne, CA next to the beaches from Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach to Redondo Beach. Going north you have Venice and Santa Monica beaches. Next going north is Malibu. All this is in the Los Angeles area. Public beaches with much surfing.

[@LS1007]

Glad you enjoyed The Beach Boys. You would’ve been a cool surfer girl back then, and today you’re a cool you tuber! Thanks for checking out The Beach Boys! ❤☘️🇮🇪🇺🇸

[@DianeJennings]

Thanks so much!!

[@TR4200]

6:33 The Beach Boys where supposed to be the All American Boys from California compared to The Beatles. It was the Swinging Sixties so there was a lot of mischief at their disposal.

[@quellenathanar]

The beach boys have a unique sound and style. I was born a little past their height of fame, although they did some work later. Kokomo was released in 1988. Very smooth Caribbean theme. I find most of their work excellent. As you mentioned, they harmonize incredibly well. An amazing falsetto by Brian Wilson to contrast the lower register doo-wop style harmony is really pleasant to hear.

[@zodiac3981]

While Kokomo is an amazing song, Brian never sang it, at least not in 88 when it topped charts. He had withdrawn from the band by then because of mental health reasons and had not been told about the song. Mike Love had taken control of the band by this point.

[@quellenathanar]

@@zodiac3981 Interesting. I was unaware of that. I still think it was a great song in any case.

[@madibe53]

The Beach Boys were from Southern California and spent a lot of their time at the beaches. So, the Beach Boys! They are fun to listen to, and very much a 1960s band!

[@DonP_is_lostagain]

Great selection!!! I was 8 when this song came out, and was hooked on the Beach Boys. Of course about a year or so later, I was even more hooked on this little band out of Liverpool. You've maybe heard of them? The Beatles? Yeah? Cool. 😁 Fun fact: most of the instrumentals were done by "The Wrecking Crew". A set of studio musicians who did a lot of the instrumentation on all kinds of songs back then.

[@DianeJennings]

Very cool!

[@IMEveryTrueAmericanRU]

I would really recommend that Diane watches the documentary The Wrecking Crew before she gets too excited about the older music and the disbelief that the bands actually recorded their own music in the studio.

[@OverlandOne]

I grew up with the beach boys music in the 1960s, riding waves at the jersey shore.

[@mattsrecordcollection]

Just great feel-good summer music! Their music catalog goes well into the 80s and still do live shows.

[@DoctorYianni]

The Beatles owe these guys a Xmas card every year.

[@davescurry69]

You've picked a really early Beach Boys song there. And if you liked the harmonies on that one, wait until you get into their later stuff. Check out "Good Vibrations", "Don't Worry Baby", "I Get Around", "Wouldn't It Be Nice" just for starters. Lovely reaction.

[@sdbobbyt]

Thanks for appreciating songs from the childhood. Brings a tear to my eyes watching you smile to that song.

[@deantodd8103]

The Beach Boys were a "boy band" in the sense that they were young and had a strong appeal to teenage girls in their heyday. Also they had the vocal harmonies, as you noted. But they are distinct from modern boy bands from the 1980s and beyond by the facts that they wrote their own music, played their own instruments, and their style was definitely more guitar based rock and roll than synthesizer based pop.

[@CaptainSteve777]

Coincidentally, I live at one of the beaches they sing about and where they grew up. I'm there right now. Nostalgic. Love your vids.

[@rbodee]

They have about two dozen hits. Saw them in March 2023 and they still sound great. Check out more of their music. "Good Vibrations", "Little Surfer Girl", "Fun, Fun, Fun", "I Get Around", "God Only Knows", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Don't Worry Baby", "Kokomo", "Help Me Rhonda", "Barbara Ann", "In My Room", "Little Deuce Coupe", "Catch a Wave", "Be True To Your School", "409" and "California Girls".

[@jamessweet5341]

Excellent list. I'd choose Good Vibrations and Wouldn't It be Nice.

[@tomgrosemusic]

And "Dance Dance Dance."

[@nuwavedave]

. . . and "Surfin'", "Surfin' Safari", "Girls On The Beach", "All Summer Long", "Wendy", "I Can Hear Music", "Do It Again", "Add Some Music To Your Day", "Salt Lake City", "Hawaii", "Rock 'n' Roll Music", "Shut Down", "Surfer Girl", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Barbara Ann", "When I Grow Up To Be A Man", "Little Saint Nick" . . . .

[@Snarge22]

I saw the Beach Boys in Bolder Colorado in the spring of 1978. It was an early season gorgeous day and there were people hang gliding off the nearby mountains. The concert was in an open stadium, University of Colorado I think (I was in the USAF at the time), and at 5300 feet outside for the day most everyone got sunburned. Their music genre for that wonderful day was absolutely perfect!

[@Chrisrob90406]

All the beaches and locations in the song are in Southern California. They were a local band that hit is big and there are stories of the early days where they would play at local proms and other gigs. Only one of the band members could surf. They have lots of major hits. They were the biggest band of the USA at one point. Their album "Pet Sounds" so impressed The Beatles that they started rethinking how to produce their own albums. >>> The song Good Vibrations is worth a detailed listening to.

[@aquilapetram]

In the 1995 documentary Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times by musician/producer Don Was (of Was/Not Was) from the period where Wilson came back in from the wilderness after a long period under the thumb of a crackpot therapist, there's a killer scene in the studio where they play the 1968 song "Do It Again", with Wilson singing lead and playing piano, with his daughters Carnie and Wendy (of Wilson Phillips) singing backup. That track is the BOMB, even though Brian's voice was already shot. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGGniIdji7RoprM

[@cazgerald9471]

Most are in SoCal

[@bbb462cid]

It was Dennis

[@DrivingSA-ot8ds]

The Beach Boys first charted in 1961 with "Surfin'" when the Wilson brothers were 19, 16 and 14 years old. They were one of the first self contained American bands who wrote and produced their own music and one of few American bands that remained successful during the British Invasion |(1964-1967)

[@machinesofgod]

I highly recommend their album Pet Sounds. One of the best albums of all time 😎

[@Alexfromontana]

Surfin USA was basically an alteration of a chuck berry song. As far as whether or not they were into surfing? Dennis Wilson was the only member who loved to surf and originally suggested to Brian that the lyrics be about the surf culture. Lastly, they didn’t name themselves the Beach BoyS; Brian had originally named the band The Pendeltones as a play on words since Pendletons were a popular shirt style, and tones of course meant tone. 34 years old and grew up with The Beach Boys thank goodness. They are the best and Brian Wilson is a genius on the levels of Bach and Mozart, especially considering he is deaf in one ear

[@mikeh720]

One of my favorite "summertime" bands, such a flashback to my parents playing this (and many other "yacht rock" LPs) on the record player. Cheers Diane! 💚

[@DianeJennings]

Rock on! Kinda 😂

[@tedwhalen5166]

Diane- great selection! The first music groups that I remember listening to were The Beatles and The Beach Boys (both groups were pretty much broken up by this time). For a couple of years (1980- 1985ish) The Beach Boys use to come to Washington DC and perform a live concert on the Mall on July 4th (typically crowd size was 500,000- 1 million). Brian and Dennis Wilson (he was the drummer) were the two who really got into the drug scene. For a little while Dennis was associated with Charles Manson. Whenever I hear a Beach Boys song it definitely helps cheer me up.

[@kimsparks5811]

Yes! The Manson family moved in with Dennis Wilson a year before they committed the murders😮

[@DianeJennings]

Omg that is so surprising Ted

[@caplondon]

The Beach Boys are an iconic American band. Yes, well known for their fabulous harmony singing. A band you may have heard of, the Beatles, competed with the Beach Boys to see who could write the best song. They are still performing and popular today. 🎉❤

[@ubilo]

Saw the Beach Boys with Brian Wilson a few years back at Interlochen Michigan. Absolutely wonderful.

[@dondwyer1]

The three Wilson brothers grew up in an abusive household where their father would regularly berate and sometimes beat his sons. The oldest son, Brian, also suffered from mental illness that began to express itself when he was in his early twenties. I believe Brian's desire to create beautiful melody and harmony is best understood when set against the turmoil of his childhood and the negative voices in head that often urged him to kill himself. That Brian was able to endure years of struggle and continue to create and perform his music into his eighties is testament to the strength of his creative powers and his indominable will.

[@theblackbear211]

The Beach Boys were definitely Icons, from Southern California, they were the defining band of the Beach-Surfing / Hot Rod genre. They were fun to listen to.

[@ApartmentKing66]

Yes, Brian Wilson's a genius, but this is one Beach Boys song that Wilson DIDN'T write. Chuck Berry got writing credit (and royalty checks) for this song because it's virtually a note-for-note copy of "Sweet Little Sixteen."

[@bryandawkins]

I had a lot of fun hanging out with you, wow this music is 62 years old. it was nice to see you and Chewie having a lot of fun today.

[@treyveston7965]

This video was pure pleasure! Seeing the original music video from the `60's, and a beautiful young Irish lass enjoy it for the first time was a truly magical combination! Loved it!

[@dvdbluraydude3038]

The Beach Boys were wearing the Pendleton shirts 30 years before it became a grunge fashion trend during the 90s. Surfers in SoCal during the 50s and 60s wore the wool Pendletons shirts before they had wetsuits. The water in the Pacific Ocean USA is freezing year-round.

[@DianeJennings]

That’s a cool piece of trivia

[@mikeymutual5489]

The Beach Boys' songs are so timeless, someone can hear one of their songs for the first time and immediately start bopping to it.

[@jerryhosford4557]

This song was released when California, and most of the USA, was going through a "surfing craze". The Beach Boys became super popular for awhile. They were one of my favorites.

[@boki1693]

Brian Wilson though troubled, was considered a musical genius. He was the man behind all the songs. And the Beach Boys had A LOT of hit songs. They were sort of considered the American Beatles. Their father was very abusive and impossible to please. Which people believe led to Brian's mental problems. Denis Wilson, was friendly with Charles Manson. He liked Manson because he would share his cult gf's with him. As pay back, Dennis brought a song or two of Manson's to Brian to make but Brian said they were so bad he wouldn't even consider doing it. If you ever heard of a group called Wilson Philips, they were popular about 20 years ago, two of the women in the group were daughters of Brian Wilson. Philips of the group was daughter of John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas.

[@waynezimmerman1950]

As a kid during 60s/70s the whole Manson connection with the beach boys, even peripherally, both shocked and fascinated me(as it did the entire world). In truth it was Terry Melicher's(record producer who was instrumental in shaping both the folk movement and California sound of the times) rejection of Charlie; music wise, which would lead to the bizarre murders of actress Sharon Tate and several others. The house that she and her husband; famed director Roman Polanski leased was originally lived in by Terry Melicher.

[@ptournas]

They had a lot of great songs and Brian wrote almost all of them. For this one however, they took the music directly from Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen". Chuck sued for royalties, but they quickly settled out of court, sharing the royalties with him. They said they meant it as a tribute to him. I enjoyed your reaction!

[@84moondance]

If you want to try another great Beach Boys song, try listening to "God Only Knows." It's not a religious song, the lyrics are "God only knows what I'd be without you, if you should ever leave me." Basically, singing to the girl he loves.

[@mikeywid4954]

Love your channel! The 60s was imho one of the best decades of music and I'm so glad you're getting into it. Rock on!

[@michaelch1954]

This is surreal! Since I grew up on them it is really something to see someone watch them for the first time!😁You have a long journey ahead....enjoy!

[@patrickmckeegan5345]

Diane's reaction is the same I saw in my female classmates when they would listen and dance to this music!! I was a teen when the Beachboys, et al came on the scene. You do not know how much we loved the music compared to the stuff our parents were listening too. I lived in rainy western Oregon where even in the summer you had to wear a wet suit if you went in the ocean. We could only imagine what it was like to swim in tepid or even warm water. Sun, surf, girls and hot rods. I can honestly say I listen to them many times a week. It instantly takes me back to sock hops in the school gym, or listening to it by public swimming pool only dreaming that we could be so lucky to live where the songs described. As Brian matured his music set the standard for others in terms of complexity and production values. Along with Motown, Phillie, Memphis and Muscle Shoals, Wilson and the Wrecking Crew formed the basic for all the pop, rock, and R&B that followed.

[@kbrewski1]

They were pretty close in age. You're probably thinking Mike Love is a lot older because he had premature balding. They were lip synching the original song, those early TV shows were usually all lip synch. They dressed the same because they came out of the late 50s/early 60s era of male harmony vocal groups, both white and black. The trend back then was to all dress the same. Think of a Barbershop Quartet. They were highly influenced by a vocal group called The Four Freshmen. Yes, they were a rock band too, but they used a lot of studio musicians on their albums. As the 60s progressed, they became part of the "counter culture" just like most 60s young people, and drugs were part of that culture, but by and large they kept their clean "All American" surfer boy image. Mike Love, the balding guy, was the ultimate laid back surfer hippie dude. Drummer Dennis Wilson was an actual surfer and the band heart throb. You need to react to some of their early 70s concert videos to see and hear how they evolved. They were an iconic and very successful American band, influencing tons of bands and musicians (even the Beatles!). I've seen them in various formations about 6>8 times (including Brian Wilson's seperate bands). PS, I love the way you dance Diane!! ❤ Songs you should check out. California Girls Good Vibrations Wouldn't it Be Nice God Only Knows I Get Around Sloop John B Sail on Sailor

[@randytaylor1406]

When I was a teenager, there was a store that played golden oldies. Every once in a while, we'd hear the Beach Boys, and go down the escalator (it wasn't very crowded) with our knees slightly bent, one arm forward, doing a surf stance.

[@glennblackwell9679]

Hi Diane. You might want to check out Jan and Dean. They were a duo of the early 1960s, that also pioneered the so called Surf music sound.

[@SCVIndy]

Living here in Southern California then and now you get a good listing of all the cities they sing about .. they have been hugely popular .. Brian Wilson was a genius composer

[@dan-xxx-8713]

this was and still is the thing even 50 plus years later

[@EchoesDaBear]

Good, fun, 60's rock and roll! That's what The Beach Boys are. Great hooks, harmonies & surfer vibes! Highly suggest Don't Worry Baby, I Get Around, Good Vibrations for your next BB tracks!

[@LivingOnCash]

Try "God Only Knows" which is my favorite Beach Boys song. The harmonies are amazing.

[@LindaC616]

She knows that one from "love, actually " 🙂

[@bloppysloppy4057]

Hi Diane! The Beach Boys catalogue is very deep with tons of great songs and harmony. They released music from 1961-2012. A couple members are still touring and keeping the music alive. Recommended songs are: "Help Me Rhonda" "California Girls" "Fun Fun Fun" "Surfin' Safari" "409" "Little Duece Coupe" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" "Do It Again" "Kokomo" and the more recent "That's Why God Made The Radio". Get goin'!

[@lawrencedavis9246]

I forgot about Kokomo.

[@robertewalt7789]

My wife and I went to a Fiftieth Anniversary concert in White Plains, NY. All us old people!

[@dennisleighton2812]

Way back in the day, whenever a party/dance (very few "clubs" in those days) sort of slowed down and things got a bit quiet, DJs would always put on Surfin' USA and within seconds the dance floor would be crowded! Never failed!

[@JeffOfTheMountains]

The Beach Boys (sort of) are still at it today. Unfortunately Brian Wilson and Al Jardine aren't in the usual lineup, but those two do occasionally perform together. Mike Love is now 82, Brian Wilson is coming up on 81 this month, and the other surviving members are in their 70s.

[@bloppysloppy4057]

Brian Wilson's birthday is Summer Solstice, how appropriate!

[@mischa1981]

It's really incredible how timeless their songs are. My dad (born 1949) grew up with the Beatles as well as the Beach Boys. And of course, since both bands had their greatest success in the 60's there was also a big competition. I read that with "Pet Sounds" Brian Wilson wanted to create the "perfect album". Followed by the Album's huge success the Beatles had to produce a really iconic album as well and so they released Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Wilson didn't want any filler songs on "Pet Sounds" but each song a high quality production, which of course took time. In any way, I can listen to the Beach Boys anytime a year, especially in the winter time when it's so cold, there's nothing better than listening to Surfin' USA to get your mood up. I'm glad you now also discovered them, of course most of their songs are really really old, but transmit the feeling of summer so well.

[@deepcoder1845]

They are still playing to this day. Saw them 2 years ago at the Gran Ole Opry in Nashville.

[@jackmessick2869]

Second from the left is Brian Wilson, the chief songwriter of the group. He is a complete genius when it comes to music and sound. He started so many innovations in music. They played off The Beatles from album to album in the 1960s.

[@paulobrien9572]

Diane The Beach Boys in many ways paralleled The Beatles in a career arc during the 60's. Both began their careers with primarily poppy albeit differing styles but both highly popular. As the decade progressed both bands became much more experimental in their music with drugs being a contributing factor. In fact when the Beach Boys released their album Pet Sounds it had a profound effect on both John and Paul inspring them to produce such albums as Sgt Pepper and Revolver. Throughout the 60's a friendly rivalry and appreciation developed between John, Paul and Brian

[@telwebb6523]

Amazing. I always remember them on my teens. Super group stuff. I remember all my summers with the beach boys. Love it. You have just to love em.

[@katsu-graphics5634]

Got my first speeding ticket listening to the Beach Boys . . Round Round Get Around - I Get Around. . . . .. . great vocals, lots of drive. . . .

[@axiomist4488]

They werent a "boy band". Theyre a group who made songs about surfing (and hot cars) in their early period . When you see them in that performance, theyre in their 20s . Listen to more and also later stuff. They only got better and better .

[@brianedwards9240]

They had great harmonies and Brian Wilson was a pioneer in ambient sounds

[@richardpare3538]

The Beach Boys were a phenomenal band - very innovative for the time - and their harmonies were better than anyone else out there. The Beatles loved their sound, and actually considered them to be their greatest competition. 60 years later, and they still sound great!

[@universeconsciouscitizensc592]

Beach Boys music became increasingly complex and compositionally interesting over the years. I tried learning "God Only Knows" when I was a young man (because it's so beautiful!) and discovered it's FAR more complex than I would have ever imagined (I gave up after awhile). Brilliant writing!

[@trentk268]

They grew up in the Southwest LA area. The Wilsons lived a couple of blocks away from my future wife. Construction of the I-405 freeway led to the Wilson home being demolished in the mid 1960s. Oddly enough, as the Beatles became popular in the USA, the Beach Boys became popular in the UK in 1965-66. The made a song called "Good Vibrations" that was a big hit in both countries.

[@RGC198]

Hi Diane, the Beach Boys are one of my all time favourite groups. One album that I found extra good was L.A (Light Album). there is some really excellent music on that album. The Beach Boys actually started becoming famous in the 1960's, along with the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Some of the Beach Boys best remembered songs include: "Surfer Girl", "Good Vibrations", "Surfin' USA", "I Get Around", "Fun Fun Fun", "God Only Knows" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice". Anyway, take care. Rob in Melbourne Australia.

[@harvey1954]

Originally it was David Marks who left the band after the first 4 albums. Al Jardine had been in the band earlier and returned one Marks left. When Brian stopped playing live in 1964 Glen Campbell took over bass and vocals for their live show. He was eventually replaced by Bruce Johnston ("I Write the Songs the Whole World Sings").

[@DavidBoatright-g5n]

When you started dancing in your chair is when you got what the Beach Boys are all about !

[@paulpine6511]

Adorable reaction, I love when you made the dog dance along. You also did a move from the movie "Pulp Fiction" when you made the V figure across your eyes. Great Work Thank you.

[@dongleason9878]

Diane, can you believe that John Stamos, Full House's "Uncle Jessie", has filled in as drummer for the Beach Boys from time to time.

[@DianeJennings]

😂

[@sallyintucson]

This is my 78 year old father’s favorite band! He was a surfer dude long before that term was around in the “50’s and “60’s. I know all these songs because he’d play them in the car on cassette and 8 Track tapes.

[@jameskirchner]

The Beach Boys' sound was a combination of the sounds of two older groups: One was Dick Dale and the Deltones, which played surf guitar music, and the harmonies came from the style of The Four Freshmen. I'm told that one of the Four Freshmen used to sit in for absent Beach Boys at concerts.

[@Dr-Alexander-The-Great]

Diane, did you hear about the lobster who stole a fishing boat. When he’s caught, he’s gonna be in hot water

[@DianeJennings]

😢

[@straak]

You must find time to listen to their seminal album - PET SOUNDS.

[@mattheweudy2396]

2:45 It’s great seeing them perform I. The early days, fantastic vibe

[@larrythegood9529]

Good Vibrations is the song shows them at their peak. A rabbit hole definitely worth diving into

[@RandallvanOosten-ln5wf]

Surf music was a whole genre in the early 60s of which the Beach Boys were the kings. I lived in California and was in high school when Surf Music took off and swept the world. The craze included the way boys dressed. We wore Madras shirts, light blue or cream colored pants and Keds or Converse athletic shoes. We were the first generation of skateboarders which was called "sidewalk surfing" and we made our own skateboards.

[@regularsizeruss3874]

I had this song memorized when I was a toddler! My Dad and I would sing it and all their songs in the car, even got to see them live. (Huarache sandals was a tough lyric for me to get!)

[@williamhamilton6643]

The Beach Boys defined the West Coast "Surf sound" in the early 60's. All the places they're singing about are surf spots up and down the coast of California and also Hawaii. Listening to their music as a kid in the 1960's is one of the reasons I moved to Southern California in the 1980s. Their music evolved to be more serious as they matured as musicians. But even to this day, if you want to get people on the dance floor at a party, just start playing a few Beach Boys songs!

[@bdwon]

we luv how brave you are to let us know about what you don't know! And there I was for months and years thinking that you knew it all!

[@duanelavely5481]

"The Beach Boys" were a Southern California "garage band". Made up of high school buddies who started a band & practiced in their family's garage in the 60's. Surfing, hot rods, & hot girls! In the video, they were doing the "Twist" originated by Chubby Checkers. I attended a Beach Boys concert around 1995 & it was spectacular. They played all of their hits & everyone sang along. Everybody had a good time!

[@ready4sea301]

I strongly recommend a listen to “Don’t Worry Baby.” Such a smoothe, rich harmony.

[@donpietruk1517]

Per Sounds is considered by many to be one of the 10 best rock and roll albums ever recorded. It was directly influential to the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Bands album and others as well. It was one of the earliest dividing lines for Art Rock and Prog Rock artists who cite its influence to this day. It wasn't well received in the US initially as it was a big departure from the California surf sound but it was an immediate hit in Great Britain and much of Europe. It has since undergone critical revision here in the states. I remember a 15 year old me buying that album at our local record store after hearing only the radio hits and being blown away when listening to it. I couldn't believe that critics like Rolling Stone blew this off.

[@stevecooper2873]

Yes, back before synthesizers were common.... if you wanted special sounds either a musician or a vocalist made them. Lots of time in the recording studio. "Music videos" [before that was a 'thing'] like this were recorded on actual film, and were likely a TV show [or possibly live concert].