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

Custom Machine
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Check my custom machine

Well she's metal flake blue with a corvette mill
(Check my custom machine)
And they say it looks better when she's standin' still
(Check my custom machine)
When I step on the gas she goes wa aa aa
I'll let you look but don't touch my custom machine

Well with naugahyde bucket seats in front and back
(Check my custom machine)
Everything is chrome, man, even my jack
(Check my custom machine)
When I step on the gas she goes wa aa aa
I'll let you look but don't touch my custom machine

A stereophonic speaker set with vibrasonic sound
(Check my custom machine)
Magnesium spokes, it stands an inch off the ground
(Check my custom machine)
When I step on the gas she goes wa aa aa
I'll let you look but don't touch my custom machine

Oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys's song "Custom Machine" portrays a theme of pride and ownership over a man's personalized car. The lyrics describe the details and features of his shiny, custom-built vehicle. He speaks of the car's metal flake blue color and its powerful Corvette engine. Despite some remarks that the car looks better when it's not in motion, the man is enthusiastic about its power when he hits the gas pedal. He is proud of his purchase and protective of it as he warns others not to touch it.

The song highlights the American car culture, where status and individuality can be determined by the make and model of a vehicle. The song's lyrics depict the man's identity being linked to his car, as he describes the car's design, stereo system, unique wheels, and even its jack. The focus on materialistic wealth and status through personal items is prominent in the song, portraying how ownership over a car, particularly a customized one, can symbolize success and accomplishment. The repetition of the lyrics "check my custom machine" acts as a phrase of pride and personal admiration for the car.

Line by Line Meaning

Check my custom machine
Take a good look at my personalized car

Well she's metal flake blue with a corvette mill
My car is painted blue with the engine from a Corvette

And they say it looks better when she's standin' still
People say my car looks the best when it's not moving

When I step on the gas she goes wa aa aa
My car accelerates quickly when I press the gas pedal

I'll let you look but don't touch my custom machine
Feel free to admire my customized car, but please do not touch it

Well with naugahyde bucket seats in front and back
My car has bucket seats made of naugahyde in both the front and back

Everything is chrome, man, even my jack
All the metal parts of my car are plated with shiny chrome, even the car jack

A stereophonic speaker set with vibrasonic sound
My car's sound system is stereophonic and has a powerful, vibrational quality

Magnesium spokes, it stands an inch off the ground
The wheels of my car have spokes made of magnesium and the car's height is only one inch from the ground

Oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo
Vocalization without specific meaning

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL LOVE, BRIAN WILSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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