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

Heroes And Villains: Barnyard
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been in this town so long that back in the city
I've been taken for lost and gone
And unknown for a long, long time

Fell in love years ago
With an innocent girl
From the Spanish and Indian home
Home of the heroes and villains

Once at night the cotillion squared the fight
And she was right in the rain of the bullets that eventually brought her down
But she's still dancing in the night
Unafraid of what a dude'll do in a town full of heroes and villains

Heroes and villains
Just see what you've done

Heroes and villains
Just see what you've done

Stand or fall, I know there
Shall be peace in the valley
And it's all an affair
Of my life with the heroes and villains

My children were raised
You know they suddenly rise
They started slow long ago
Head=to-toe, healthy, weathy and wise

Ive been in this town so long
So long to the city
I'm fit with the stuff
To ride in the rough
And sunny down snuff I'm all right
By the heroes and

Heroes and villains
Just see what you've done

Heroes and villains
Just see what you've done

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Beach Boys' song "Heroes and Villains" seem to be a reflection on life in a particular town, exploring the dichotomy of heroes and villains in this place. The repetition of "I've been in this town so long" implies a sense of belonging and identity with this place, but also suggests a certain weariness and familiarity. The line "taken for lost and gone / and unknown for a long, long time" seems to speak to a feeling of being overlooked or ignored by the rest of the world.

The next stanza introduces a love story, with the singer reminiscing about a girl from a mixed cultural background. The line "home of the heroes and villains" could be a nod to the town itself as a place of contrasts and conflicts. The mention of the cotillion and the rain of bullets implies a violent event, but the girl is described as still dancing in the night, unafraid. This could be seen as a symbol or metaphor for resilience and defiance in the face of adversity.

The final stanza returns to the singer's own life, with a reference to his children growing up and becoming successful. The closing lines "I'm all right / By the heroes and" are cut off, leaving the listener hanging, perhaps implying that the singer's relationship with the heroes and villains of this town is unresolved and ongoing.

Overall, the lyrics seem to be a meditation on the complexities and contradictions of life in a specific place, exploring themes of identity, violence, love, and resilience.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been in this town so long that back in the city
I have been living in this town for so much time that I feel like I am back in the city.

I've been taken for lost and gone
People have mistaken me for someone who is lost and far away for a while now.

And unknown for a long, long time
It seems like I have been unknown for a very long time now.

Fell in love years ago
I fell in love with someone many years ago.

With an innocent girl
She was a girl who had done nothing wrong.

From the Spanish and Indian home
She came from a house with both Spanish and Indian origins.

Home of the heroes and villains
She came from a place where there were both good and bad people.

Once at night the cotillion squared the fight
Once at night, a group of people squared off to fight each other while dancing the cotillion.

And she was right in the rain of the bullets that eventually brought her down
She was caught in the crossfire and was eventually shot down.

But she's still dancing in the night
Even though she is gone, she is still dancing in the night.

Unafraid of what a dude'll do in a town full of heroes and villains
She was not afraid of what someone might do in a town full of both good and bad people.

Heroes and villains
The town is filled with both heroes and villains.

Just see what you've done
Look at the mess you have made.

Stand or fall, I know there
Whether I succeed or fail, I know that there will be peace in the valley.

Shall be peace in the valley
There will be peace in the valley.

And it's all an affair
It is all a matter of my life with the heroes and villains.

Of my life with the heroes and villains
My life is a mixture of the good and the bad people in this town.

My children were raised
My children grew up.

You know they suddenly rise
They have suddenly grown up and become independent.

They started slow long ago
They started their journey slowly a long time ago.

Head=to-toe, healthy, wealthy and wise
They are now healthy, wealthy, and wise from head to toe.

Ive been in this town so long
I have been living in this town for so long.

So long to the city
It feels like it has been a long time since I was in the city.

I'm fit with the stuff
I have what it takes to survive in this town.

To ride in the rough
I can handle the rough parts of living in this town.

And sunny down snuff I'm all right
No matter what happens, I am strong and can handle it.

By the heroes and
Protected and supported by the heroes and villains in this town.

Heroes and villains
The town is full of both good and bad people.

Just see what you've done
Look at the negative impacts that have resulted from living in a town with both heroes and villains.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN WILSON, VAN DYKE PARKS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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