The Beach Boys is an iconic American rock band, frequently cited as one of … Read Full Bio ↴The Beach Boys is 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

How She Boogalooed It
The Beach Boys Lyrics

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Oh we was dancing in a really big city
Got excited by the sound of a party
Now my heart beat while the music was groovin'
And if you wanted to you couldn't keep from movin'
Look around do you believe what you seein'
The walls are movin' the ceiling's a-reelin'
Couples over in the corner romancin'

Oh the boys are with me to do some outta sight dancin'
Gotta girl givin' me some lessons
And now she's gonna be my confession
Aren't you glad we found our way in here
Put another record up on the player

Hey there's a stoned party dancin' with the police
Don't have to worry about disturbing the peace
Met a fine chick that really got to me
Good Lord how she boogalooed to me
Oh my how she boogalooed it to me
Come on sock it sock it to me

S-O-C-K I-T to me

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys’ “How She Boogalooed It” is a feel-good song that tells a story about a group of friends who go to a big city just to dance to some great music. The song starts by describing the excitement that the group feels upon arriving at the party. The music is so good that their hearts couldn’t help but beat to its groove. As the party picks up, the group notices that the walls and the ceiling seem to be moving too, adding to the surreal experience.

The song then highlights two specific moments where the singer meets a beautiful girl who teaches him some new dance moves, and then he gets blown away by another girl's amazing boogalooing. The song’s catchy refrain, “S-O-C-K I-T to me,” encourages the audience to get up and dance along with the group.

Overall, the lyrics are about the universal joy of dancing and being surrounded by good friends, music, and positive vibes. The song’s upbeat tempo and funky groove reflect the spirit of the 1960s and early 1970s, when people sought to embrace life and reject negativity.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh we was dancing in a really big city
We were dancing in a big city and having a great time.

Got excited by the sound of a party
We were thrilled by the sound of a party.

Now my heart beat while the music was groovin'
My heart was beating in time with the groovy music.

And if you wanted to you couldn't keep from movin'
If you were there, you couldn't resist moving to the music.

Look around do you believe what you seein'
Take a look around, can you believe what you're seeing?

The walls are movin' the ceiling's a-reelin'
The walls are moving and the ceiling is shaking from the party vibes.

Couples over in the corner romancin'
There are couples in the corner getting romantic.

Oh the boys are with me to do some outta sight dancin'
My buddies are with me, and we're going to do some amazing dancing.

Gotta girl givin' me some lessons
I've got a girl who is teaching me some new dance moves.

And now she's gonna be my confession
I'm going to confess that I'm falling for this girl.

Aren't you glad we found our way in here
Aren't you happy we came to this party?

Put another record up on the player
Let's play another song and keep the party going!

Hey there's a stoned party dancin' with the police
There's a group of people who are high and dancing with the police officers.

Don't have to worry about disturbing the peace
We don't have to worry about getting in trouble for being too loud or disruptive.

Met a fine chick that really got to me
I met a beautiful woman who caught my attention.

Good Lord how she boogalooed to me
Wow, she's an amazing dancer!

Oh my how she boogalooed it to me
My goodness, she's a fantastic dancer!

Come on sock it sock it to me
Come on, give me your best dance moves!

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL LOVE, BRUCE JOHNSTON, CARL WILSON, ALAN JARDINE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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