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
Good Vibrations: Western
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair
I hear the sound of a gentle word
On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
She's giving me the excitations (oom bop bop)
I'm pickin' up good vibrations (good vibrations, oom bop bop)
I'm pickin' up good vibrations (oom bop bop)
She's giving me the excitations (excitations, oom bop bop)
I'm pickin' up good vibrations (oom bop bop)
She's giving me the excitations (excitations)
Close my eyes, she's somehow closer now
Softly smile, I know she must be kind
When I look in her eyes
She goes with me to a blossom world
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
She's giving me excitations (oom bop bop)
I'm pickin' up good vibrations (good vibrations, oom bop bop)
She's giving me excitations (excitations, oom bop bop)
Good, good, good, good vibrations (oom bop bop)
She's giving me excitations (excitations, oom bop bop)
Good, good, good, good vibrations (oom bop bop)
She's giving me excitations (excitations)
Ah, ah, my my, what elation
I don't know where but she sends me there
Oh, my my, what a sensation
Oh, my my, what elation
Oh, my my, what
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a-happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a-happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a-happenin'
(Ahh)
Good, good, good, good vibrations (oom bop bop)
She's giving me the excitations (excitations, oom bop bop)
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
Na na na na na, na na na
Na na na na na, na na na (bop bop-bop-bop-bop, bop)
Do do do do do, do do do (bop bop-bop-bop-bop, bop)
Do do do do do, do do do (bop bop-bop-bop-bop, bop)
The song Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys is a classic hit from 1966 that epitomizes the band's trademark sound- sunny, harmonious, and intelligent pop music. The lyrics revolve around the singer's fascination with a girl and the waves of intense feelings she elicits within him. The opening verse begins with the singer's admiration for the girl's colorful clothes and the way the sunlight plays upon her hair. He goes on to describe the "sound of a gentle word" that he hears on the wind that lifts her perfume through the air.
The song is all about good feelings and is a perfect representation of the counterculture movement of the time. The bridge of the song, "Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations a-happenin' with her," emphasizes the importance of positive vibes and the desire to maintain those good feelings within a relationship. The singer's observations of the girl's beauty and the intense emotions he feels when he is close to her are all aspects of the good vibrations they share.
Overall, Good Vibrations is a cheerful, feel-good song with an infectious melody and memorable lyrics, making it one of the most enduring hits of the 1960s.
Line by Line Meaning
I, I love the colorful clothes she wears
I am attracted to the vibrancy of the clothing she wears
And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair
I find her hair radiant as the sunlight gently reflects off it
I hear the sound of a gentle word
I hear her voice soothing and calming
On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air
I smell her perfume carried gently by the wind surrounding me
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
I am feeling positive emotions
She's giving me excitations
She is arousing me
Close my eyes
I am shutting off my visual senses
She's somehow closer now
Her presence feels immediate and intimate
Softly smile, I know she must be kind
Her gentle smile communicates her benevolence to me
When I look in her eyes
As I gaze into her eyes
She goes with me to a blossom world
I feel like I'm transported to a world of blooming flowers when I'm with her
I don't know where but she sends me there
I don't know where I'm going, but her presence is leading me there
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
I need to maintain these positive emotions
A happenin' with her
As I continue to be with her
Na, na, na, na, na
An exclamation expressing excitement and happiness
Do, do, do, do, do
A vocalized beat conveying the rhythm of the music
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brian Douglas Wilson, Mike E. Love
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