The Beach Boys are an iconic American rock band, frequently cited as one of… Read Full Bio ↴The Beach Boys are an iconic American rock band, frequently cited as one of the most influential and commercially successful groups in the history of popular music due to their intricate vocal harmonies, studio experiments, and novel approaches to pop songwriting. Rooted in doo-wop and rock and roll, their early string of vocal surf hits defined the '60s California Sound. For a period afterward, they notably delved into progressive pop styles. often combining elements from classical and jazz in innovative ways.

Formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961, the original group comprised singer-musician-composer and bandleader Brian Wilson, his brothers Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Wilson neighbor David Marks appeared on their first four albums and was a member from 1962 to 1963 as a temporary replacement for Jardine, who had left the group to pursue a career in dentistry.

On their first few studio albums, the group primarily played surf music, but this changed after 1964 as their songs became more sophisticated and autobiographical. The 1965 album Today! particularly represented this shift in sound. Bruce Johnston joined the group that same year. Session drummer Hal Blaine is quoted: "We all studied in conservatories; we were trained musicians. We thought it was a fluke at first, but then we realized Brian was writing these incredible songs. This was not just a young kid writing about high school and surfing."

Following their most esteemed work, Pet Sounds (1966), the band became symbols of psychedelic counterculture. The highly anticipated follow-up, Smile, was left unfinished, and Brian soon relinquished his creative hold on the group. A trilogy of lo-fi releases followed: Smiley Smile (1967), Wild Honey (1967), and Friends (1968). Brian would not be credited as a primary composer for any Beach Boys album until 1977's Love You, an album on the fringe of synth-pop, new wave, and punk.

In Brian's absence, the Beach Boys still managed to release music that was regarded favorably by fans and critics despite poor sales: Sunflower (1970) and Surf's Up (1971). South African musicians Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar played and sang with the band on the next two albums: Carl & the Passions - So Tough (1972), and Holland (1973).

Many changes in both musical style and personnel have occurred in their sometimes-stormy career: Brian Wilson's mental illness and drug addiction; the deaths of Dennis Wilson in 1983 and Carl Wilson in 1998; and continuing legal battles among surviving members of the group. With the release of 1974's Endless Summer they became a more popular touring act, playing their greatest hits. They have recorded 36 Billboard Top 40 hits (including four number-one singles), have had over 100 million sales, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

Official site: http://www.thebeachboys.com

01. Wouldnt it be nice
The Beach Boys Lyrics

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Wouldn't it be nice if we were older?
Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
And wouldn't it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong?

You know it's gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and stay together

Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up
In the morning when the day is new?
And after having spent the day together
Hold each other close the whole night through

Happy times together we've been spending
I wish that every kiss was never ending
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?

Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray
It might come true
Baby, then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do
Oh, we could be married (oh, we could be married)
And then we'd be happy (and then we'd be happy)
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?

You know it seems the more we talk about it
It only makes it worse to live without it
But let's talk about it
Oh, wouldn't it be nice?

Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby

Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys' hit song "Wouldn't It Be Nice" is a wistful and optimistic look at what life could be if two young lovers were older and able to be together without any obstacles. The song is about two people who dream of living a life free of restrictions and constraints that come with being young. The lyrics express a desire for an idealized world, where they can live together and be happy. The theme of this song is the universal longing for a future that is better than the present.

The song opens with the line "Wouldn't it be nice if we were older?" expressing their yearning for maturity and independence. They seek the freedom that comes with being an adult, where they won’t have to wait for anything or anyone. The lyrics suggest that if they were older, they could live together and enjoy the kind of world where they belong. The desire for togetherness and companionship is the core of their idealistic dream. The lyrics, "You know it's gonna make it that much better, when we can say goodnight and stay together" underscores the importance of shared experiences and mutual support in their lives.

The second verse focuses more on daily life, as the lyrics yearn for the pleasures of spending the day together and waking up next to each other. The imagery used in "after having spent the day together, hold each other close the whole night through" conveys a sense of warmth, comfort, and security that the lovers feel in each other's presence. The song then takes on a more hopeful tone with the lyrics "Maybe if we think, and wish, and hope, and pray, it might come true," underlying the hopefulness that these dreams could be realized. The final stanza ends with a questioning note, "But let's talk about it, wouldn't it be nice?" almost like an invitation to explore this dream world together.

Line by Line Meaning

Wouldn't it be nice if we were older?
Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to wait so long to be together?

Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
It takes too long to be together when we're young.

And wouldn't it be nice to live together
It would be great if we could live together in harmony.

In the kind of world where we belong
A world where we can be happy and feel like we belong.

You know it's gonna make it that much better
Being together at night will make everything better.

When we can say goodnight and stay together
Being together at night will make everything better.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up
It would be amazing to wake up beside each other.

In the morning when the day is new?
To wake up to a fresh new day together would be wonderful.

And after having spent the day together
After spending the day together, it would be amazing to hold each other close all night.

Hold each other close the whole night through
We want to hold each other close all night long.

Happy times together we've been spending
We've been spending happy times together.

I wish that every kiss was never ending
We love every kiss and wish they never had to end.

Wouldn't it be nice?
It would be lovely if everything could always be this perfect and happy.

Maybe if we think, and wish, and hope, and pray, it might come true
Maybe if we keep hoping, wishing, and praying, our dreams will come true.

Baby, then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do
If we were together, nothing would be impossible.

We could be married
We could make it official and start a life together.

And then we'd be happy
We believe that being together and getting married will make us truly happy.

You know it seems the more we talk about it
The more we talk about being together, the more we realize how much we want it.

It only makes it worse to live without it
Being apart just makes us miss each other more.

But let's talk about it
Let's keep discussing our future together and keep hope alive.

Wouldn't it be nice?
It would be so nice to be together and make all our dreams come true.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brian Wilson, Michael Love, Tony Asher

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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