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

Alone On Christmas Day
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The Christmas spirit grows with each new day
And it's so close but seems so far away
And yet it comes only once a year
And 'fore you know it, it's already here
The streets are filled with laughter
And so many hearts are gay

Everybody helps to make the spirit bright

The houses turn on their Christmas lights at night
It's worth the wait the whole year through
Just to make happy someone like you
And I'll never outgrow the thrill of Christmas day

It's worth the wait the whole year through
Just to make happy someone like you
And I'll never outgrow the thrill of Christmas day

It's worth the wait the whole year through
Just to make happy someone like you

Overall Meaning

The Christmas season is a time when the Christmas spirit grows with each new day, and The Beach Boys's song Christmas Day captures that perfectly. The song starts out by talking about how Christmas seems so close but so far away, and yet it comes only once a year. It talks about how, before you know it, it's already here and the streets are filled with laughter and so many hearts are gay.

The song then goes on to talk about how everybody helps to make the Christmas spirit bright. The houses turn on their Christmas lights at night, and it's worth the wait the whole year through just to make someone like you happy. The last lines of the song, "And I'll never outgrow the thrill of Christmas day," show how even as we get older, the excitement of Christmas never fades.

Overall, the song captures the joy and excitement of the Christmas season and how it brings people together to spread happiness and cheer.

Line by Line Meaning

The Christmas spirit grows with each new day
As Christmas approaches, the excitement and joy builds up every single day

And it's so close but seems so far away
Even though Christmas is just around the corner, it feels like it's taking forever to arrive

And yet it comes only once a year
Despite our longing for Christmas to come quickly, it's a holiday that only arrives once a year

And 'fore you know it, it's already here
Time flies by so fast that before you even realize it, Christmas is already upon us

The streets are filled with laughter
As the holiday approaches, happiness fills the air, and the streets become lively with laughter

And so many hearts are gay
People's hearts are filled with joy and happiness during this special time of year

Everybody helps to make the spirit bright
Everyone does their part to make the Christmas season cheerful and bright

The houses turn on their Christmas lights at night
One of the ways people create a festive atmosphere is by decorating their houses with colorful lights

It's worth the wait the whole year through
The anticipation and build-up throughout the year makes Christmas Day all the more special and worthwhile

Just to make happy someone like you
Seeing the joy and happiness on someone's face during the holiday season makes it all worth it

And I'll never outgrow the thrill of Christmas day
No matter how old I get, the excitement and happiness of Christmas Day will never fade for me

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brian Wilson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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