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
Barnyard
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The chickens drew their numbers
Out in the barnyard
The cook is chopping lumber
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Next time I'll take my shoes off
Hit the dirt, do two and a half
Next time I'll leave my hat on
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
The lyrics to The Beach Boys's song "Barnyard" depict a playful and carefree atmosphere in a rural farm. The first verse discusses the chickens drawing their numbers, likely alluding to a feeding time or some other farm activity where the chickens are corralled for counting or some other purpose. Meanwhile, the second line states the cook is "chopping lumber," which could refer to the cook preparing firewood for the winter or perhaps even chopping up scraps for the chickens' feed.
The following lines appear to be from the perspective of someone actively enjoying themselves in the barnyard. "Jump in the pigpen" certainly portrays a fun (albeit messy) experience, with the next line offering a bit of regret about not taking off their shoes beforehand. The last two lines follow a similar pattern, with the singer expressing excitement about "hitting the dirt" and performing a feat of athleticism ("doing two and a half"), but then admitting their own minor mistake of forgetting to remove their hat. Finally, the song concludes with a few more rounds of the catchy "oooh oooh ooohs," emphasizing the light and carefree nature of the song's playful narrative.
Line by Line Meaning
Out in the barnyard
In the rural farm environment
The chickens drew their numbers
The chickens select their position in the pecking order
Out in the barnyard
In the open space outside of the barn
The cook is chopping lumber
The farmworker is using an axe to cut logs for fuel
Jump in the pigpen
Enter the enclosed area for raising pigs
Next time I'll leave my shoes on
I regret not wearing proper footwear where the pigs defecate
Hit the dirt
Fall to the ground
Do two and a half
Execute a mid-air somersault and a half-tumble
Next time I'll leave my hat off
I regret losing my hat in the chaotic pigpen
Oooh oooh oooh ooh
Vocal sound effect
Oooh oooh oooh oooh
Vocal sound effect
Oooh oooh oooh oooh
Vocal sound effect
Oooh oooh oooh oooh
Vocal sound effect
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Kokomo
This song is an absolute classic and I love the way that it lists all the major destinations in the Caribbean.
Philip Kassabian
on Surfin' U.S.A.
A great song by The Beach Boys hit all the major surfing destinations.
Philip Kassabian
on Catch a Wave
This song really gets you in the mood for surfing.
Philip Kassabian
on Surfer Girl
What a splendid song by The Beach Boys. They really were a great band.
Philip Kassabian
on Wouldn't It Be Nice
One of the greatest Beach Boys songs.
Les lumb
on Surf's Up
Love Good Vibrations ,God Only Knows however this is my fav Beach Boys song
Les lumb
on San Miguel
It captures the mood of the place, very atmospheric
Les lumb
on Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) [Single Version]
Great version by the Beach Boys it flows
Les lumb
on Break Away
Soothing
Leslie Lumb
on Break Away
Love the opening verses beautiful words