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

Amusement Parks U.S.A.
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let's take your car and to amusement parks USA
At Palisades in Salisbury park the roller coasters are flyin
At Euclid Beach on the flying turns I'll bet you can't keep her smilin'
Buy your girl a cotton candy while you're down on the ground
Then take her on the Twirl-A-Way and spin her around
Let's take your car and mess around at the park all day

The parachutes at Riverview Park will shake us up all day

And Disneyland and p.o.p. is worth a trip to L.A.
Watchin' girls in the air can really get you bad
And I'll bet the laughin' lady makes you laugh like mad
Let's pick up our friends and do amusement parks USA

Hurry, hurry, hurry folks step right up to the beach boy circus.
The best little show in town.
Hurry, hurry, hurry, it's only a dime folks, one thin dime, just one tenth of a dollar.
Come on in and see Stella the snake dancer (is it real?)
She walks, she talks, she wiggles on her belly like a snake.
(she looks like a fake to me) (let's go see her) (it costs too much)
Hurry, hurry, hurry folks, come on and see Stella.
She shimmies, she shakes

You'll crash and burn in the bumper cars at Jersey's Steel Pier
You'll crack 'em up when you stand in front of all the crazy mirrors
At first you'll be a chicken at the jackhammer ride

But you'll do it with a girl sittin' right by your side
Let's take your car and mess around at the park all day

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys' "Amusement Parks U.S.A." is a song about the joy of visiting amusement parks in the United States. The upbeat tune invites listeners to take a road trip to some of the country's most exciting theme parks and ride the thrilling attractions. The first verse mentions Palisades and Salisbury park, where roller coasters are the main attraction, and Euclid Beach, where one can experience the Flying Turns ride. The chorus encourages listeners to spend the day "messing around" in the park with friends or loved ones.

The second verse lists some of the other popular parks across the country, including Riverview Park, Disneyland, and Pacific Ocean Park (P.O.P.) near Los Angeles. The park attractions mentioned are the Parachutes ride, the Laughing Lady, and the girls in the air. The bridge section of the song features a carnival barker-style call to come and see Stella the snake dancer for only a dime, and it also highlights some of the attractions found at the Jersey Steel Pier.

The song celebrates the carefree spirit of youth and the fun that can be had at amusement parks. It captures the excitement of a road trip with friends, where anything is possible, and the world is full of adventure.

Line by Line Meaning

Let's take your car and to amusement parks USA
Let's go on a road trip to various amusement parks across the United States.

At Palisades in Salisbury park the roller coasters are flyin
At Palisades in Salisbury park, the roller coasters go very fast and high up in the sky.

At Euclid Beach on the flying turns I'll bet you can't keep her smilin'
At Euclid Beach on the flying turns ride, it is so fast and twisty that your girlfriend will have trouble keeping a smile on her face.

Buy your girl a cotton candy while you're down on the ground
While you are walking around the park, you should buy your girlfriend some cotton candy as a sweet treat to enjoy.

Then take her on the Twirl-A-Way and spin her around
After eating cotton candy, take your girlfriend on the Twirl-A-Way ride and spin her around until she is dizzy.

The parachutes at Riverview Park will shake us up all day
The parachutes ride at Riverview Park will shake you and your friends up all day long.

And Disneyland and p.o.p. is worth a trip to L.A.
Going to Disneyland and Pacific Ocean Park (p.o.p.) in Los Angeles is definitely worth the trip.

Watchin' girls in the air can really get you bad
Watching girls on rides in the air can make you feel a little sick or dizzy.

And I'll bet the laughin' lady makes you laugh like mad
There is a woman at the park who laughs a lot and her laughter will make you laugh really hard too.

Let's pick up our friends and do amusement parks USA
Let's invite our friends along for the road trip to various amusement parks across the United States.

Hurry, hurry, hurry folks step right up to the beach boy circus.
Come see the Beach Boys perform their best show in town.

The best little show in town.
The Beach Boys put on one of the best shows you will ever see in town.

Hurry, hurry, hurry, it's only a dime folks, one thin dime, just one tenth of a dollar.
The show is very affordable and only costs one dime, which is a very small amount of money.

Come on in and see Stella the snake dancer (is it real?)
Come inside and watch Stella the snake dancer perform (some people may wonder if it's fake).

She walks, she talks, she wiggles on her belly like a snake.
Stella the snake dancer moves like a snake, talking and moving on her belly.

Hurry, hurry, hurry folks, come on and see Stella.
Don't miss the chance to see Stella perform!

She shimmies, she shakes
Stella dances and moves her body in a very seductive and exciting way.

You'll crash and burn in the bumper cars at Jersey's Steel Pier
You will have a lot of fun crashing into people in the bumper cars at Jersey's Steel Pier.

You'll crack 'em up when you stand in front of all the crazy mirrors
When you stand in front of the crazy mirrors, people will laugh at how funny and distorted you look.

At first you'll be a chicken at the jackhammer ride
At first, you might be afraid to go on the jackhammer ride because it goes up and down really fast.

But you'll do it with a girl sittin' right by your side
But with your girlfriend sitting right beside you, you'll feel more comfortable and confident to go on the ride.

Let's take your car and mess around at the park all day
Let's spend the whole day at the amusement park, going on rides and having fun in your car.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL LOVE, BRIAN WILSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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