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
California Calling
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could come with us to Californ-I-a
We could take 'em to a place out west
Where the good sun shines everyday
Now there's a touch o' Californ-I-a
In everyone who's ever been this way
And when your telephone begins to ring
California callin'
I'll be there right away
There's some beautiful women
Gonna find me one
To show me how to ride the ultimate wave
Now I've joined the surfin' nation and so
I'll take a permanent vacation and go
To the golden shores of 'Frisco Bay
I'll ride 'em all the way to Malibu
And I'll take ya' boogie boardin' with me
'Cause when we're surfin' it's so great to be free
And when you're on a California beach
You might even find 'em windsurfin' too
California callin'
I'll be there right away
There's some beautiful women
Gonna find me one
To show me how to ride the ultimate wave
In the fifties it was "Hey Daddy O"
Then came the surfers and the Hodads ya' know
We had our woodies and our custom cars
And when we drove around we knew we were bad
My baby listens to my car radio
And when we're cruisin' lets the whole world know
And when our favorite surfin' song comes on
We always let 'em know it's "Totally Rad!"
California callin'
I'll be there right away
There's some beautiful women
Gonna find me one
To show me how to ride the ultimate wave
California callin'
She's still on the line
There's a beautiful woman
Gonna show me how
To ride 'em at the county line
California callin'
I'll be there right away
There's some beautiful women
Gonna find me one
To show me how to ride the ultimate wave
The Beach Boys’ California Calling is a song that is all about the allure of California and the beach culture that is associated with it. The song is an invitation for people to explore the lifestyle and vibe of the Californian coast by describing the beauty of the place and the fun activities that can be enjoyed there. The song is filled with vivid descriptions of the beach culture, featuring surfing, boogie boarding, and windsurfing as the activities of choice for those who want to experience the ultimate Californian lifestyle.
The lyrics suggest that California has a sort of magic to it that makes you want to be a part of it. It speaks to the universal appeal of the state and how it has become a cultural icon for the rest of the world. The song is also about the people who have always been drawn to California, and how they have left a touch of the place in them, wherever they go. The line, “There's a touch o' Californ-I-a in everyone who's ever been this way” speaks to the power of the state's cultural legacy.
Moreover, the song seems to represent the Beach Boys' appreciation of the California lifestyle and their gratitude towards the place that gave them a chance to make their mark as one of America's greatest bands. The song is a celebration of the good times and the freedom that can be enjoyed on the golden shores of California.
Line by Line Meaning
If everybody in the U.S.A
If everyone in the whole country could come with us
Could come with us to Californ-I-a
Visit California with us
We could take 'em to a place out west
Take them to the western part of the state
Where the good sun shines everyday
Where the weather is great every day
Now there's a touch o' Californ-I-a
Everyone who has visited California has it in their heart
In everyone who's ever been this way
Those who have been here before know it too
And when your telephone begins to ring
When your phone rings
And the operator comes on the line
The operator begins to speak
California callin'
The call is from California
I'll be there right away
I'll come right away
There's some beautiful women
There are attractive women
Gonna find me one
I'm going to try to meet one
To show me how to ride the ultimate wave
To teach me how to surf the best wave
Now I've joined the surfin' nation and so
I am now part of the surfing community
I'll take a permanent vacation and go
I'll take a long break and go to California
To the golden shores of 'Frisco Bay
To the beautiful coast of San Francisco
I'll ride 'em all the way to Malibu
I'll surf all the way to Malibu
And I'll take ya' boogie boardin' with me
I'll bring you along to boogie board with me
'Cause when we're surfin' it's so great to be free
Surfing makes us feel liberated
And when you're on a California beach
On a California beach
You might even find 'em windsurfin' too
You might even see people windsurfing
In the fifties it was "Hey Daddy O"
In the fifties the popular phrase was "Hey Daddy O"
Then came the surfers and the Hodads ya' know
Then the surfers and Hodads came about
We had our woodies and our custom cars
We had our wood-paneled cars and tricked-out cars
And when we drove around we knew we were bad
And when we drove around we felt cool
My baby listens to my car radio
My significant other listens to my car radio
And when we're cruisin' lets the whole world know
And when we drive around, we make it evident
And when our favorite surfin' song comes on
When our favorite surfing song plays
We always let 'em know it's "Totally Rad!"
We always tell them it's completely cool
California callin'
California is calling
She's still on the line
She's still on the phone
There's a beautiful woman
There's an attractive woman
Gonna show me how
Going to teach me how
To ride 'em at the county line
To surf at the county boundary
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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