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

Don'y Worry Baby
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well it's been building up inside of me
For oh I don't know how long
I don't know why
But I keep thinking
Something's bound to go wrong

But she looks in my eyes
And makes me realize

And she says "don't worry, baby"
Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby
Everything will turn out alright

Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby

I guess I should've kept my mouth shut
When I started to brag about my car
But I can't back down now because
I pushed the other guys too far

She makes me come alive
And makes me wanna drive
When she says "don't worry, baby"
Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby
Everything will turn out alright

Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby

She told me "Baby, when you race today
Just take along my love with you
And if you knew how much I loved you
Baby, nothing could go wrong with you"

Oh what she does to me
When she makes love to me
And she says "don't worry, baby"
Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby
Everything will turn out alright

Don't worry, baby

Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby” is a song about anxiety and love all wrapped up in one. The singer expresses his feelings of anxiety and self-doubt, wondering when things will inevitably go wrong. However, his partner reassures him, telling him to not worry because everything will turn out alright. It’s a beautiful love song that speaks to the power of having someone who has your back.

The song’s opening line “Well it's been building up inside of me for oh I don't know how long” sets the tone for the rest of the song. This feeling of anxiety and uncertainty is something that had been building up in the singer for some time now, and he can’t seem to shake it off. The idea of worrying about something going wrong is a feeling that many people can relate to, so the song’s message of reassurance is one that resonates deeply.

The line “She told me ‘Baby, when you race today, just take along my love with you’” is particularly poignant as it portrays the power of love to soothe and provide courage. The fact that his partner's love is able to give him the strength he needs to carry on without fretting over the future speaks volumes about the kind of love they have.

Overall, “Don’t Worry Baby” is more than just a simple love song. It’s a song that speaks to the human condition and the power of love in calming our nerves, and it’s no surprise that it has become one of The Beach Boys’ most enduring hits.

Line by Line Meaning

Well it's been building up inside of me
I've been feeling anxious for a while now

For oh I don't know how long
I can't really tell how long I've been feeling this way

I don't know why
I'm not sure why I'm feeling this anxious

But I keep thinking
I can't shake off this feeling

Something's bound to go wrong
Something bad is going to happen, I just know it

But she looks in my eyes
When my partner looks at me

And makes me realize
She helps me understand

And she says "don't worry, baby"
She reassures me that everything will be fine

Don't worry, baby
I shouldn't worry

Everything will turn out alright
Things will be okay

I guess I should've kept my mouth shut
I probably shouldn't have talked so much

When I started to brag about my car
When I was boasting about my car

But I can't back down now because
I can't change my tone now

I pushed the other guys too far
I went too far with the other guys

She makes me come alive
My partner brings me to life

And makes me wanna drive
She makes me want to keep going forward

When she says "don't worry, baby"
When she reassures me

She told me "Baby, when you race today
My partner told me before the race

Just take along my love with you
To take her love with me

And if you knew how much I loved you
If I knew how much she loved me

Baby, nothing could go wrong with you"
I would feel invincible

Oh what she does to me
How my partner makes me feel

When she makes love to me
When we're intimate

And she says "don't worry, baby"
And when she reassures me

Don't worry, baby
I shouldn't worry

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brian Wilson, Henry Medress, Jay Siegel, Mitchell Margo, Philip Margo, Roger Christian

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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