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
Little Deuce Coup
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I'm not braggin' babe, so don't put me down
But I've got the fastest set of wheels in town
When somethin' comes up to me, he don't even try
'Cause if I had a set of wings, man, I know she could fly
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
Just a little deuce coupe with a flat head mill
But she'll walk a Thunderbird like she's standin' still
She's ported and relieved and she's stroked and bored
She'll do a hundred and forty in the top end floored
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
She's got a competition clutch with the four on the floor
And she purrs like a kitten 'til the lake pipes roar
And if that ain't enough to make you flip your lid
There's one more thing, I got the pink slip, daddy
And comin' off the line when the light turns green
Well she blows 'em outta the water like you never seen
I get pushed out of shape and it's hard to steer
When I get rubber in all four gears
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
The Beach Boys’ song “Little Deuce Coupe” celebrates the classic American hot rod car and the joys of cruising in it. The singer of the song boasts about his beloved “little deuce coupe” and all its impressive features, including a “fastest set of wheels in town,” “competition clutch with the four on the floor,” and a “pink slip” to confirm ownership. The car is portrayed as a symbol of freedom, power, and speed, capable of leaving other cars in the dust and satisfying the driver's love of adventure and risk-taking.
Beyond celebrating the car itself, “Little Deuce Coupe” also captures the spirit of youthful rebellion and autonomy, which was pervasive among young Americans in the 1960s. The car represents a kind of escape from the mundane or oppressive demands of daily life, allowing the driver to hit the open road and experience the pleasures of speed, independence, and the open air.
Overall, “Little Deuce Coupe” is a song about the joys of youth, freedom, and self-expression. It celebrates the virtues of American car culture and the pleasures of a life lived on the road, with all its attendant risks and rewards.
Line by Line Meaning
Little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
The singer is addressing someone and telling them that they do not understand the value of his car
Well I'm not braggin' babe, so don't put me down
Although the singer is proud of his car, he does not want to appear arrogant
But I've got the fastest set of wheels in town
The singer is confident that his car is the fastest in the area
When somethin' comes up to me, he don't even try
Other drivers are hesitant to race the artist's car because they are aware of its speed
'Cause if I had a set of wings, man, I know she could fly
The artist believes that his car is so powerful that it could fly if it had wings
Just a little deuce coupe with a flat head mill
The singer is describing the type of car he owns, which is a small two-door car with a certain type of engine
But she'll walk a Thunderbird like she's standin' still
Despite being small, the singer's car can beat larger and more powerful cars with ease
She's ported and relieved and she's stroked and bored
The artist has made modifications to his car in order to increase its speed and power
She'll do a hundred and forty in the top end floored
The artist's car can reach a speed of 140 mph when he presses the accelerator all the way down
She's got a competition clutch with the four on the floor
The artist's car has a type of clutch that is typically used in racing, and it has a manual transmission with four gears
And she purrs like a kitten 'til the lake pipes roar
Despite having a powerful engine, the car runs smoothly and quietly until the exhaust pipes create a loud roar
And if that ain't enough to make you flip your lid
The artist is suggesting that the features he has already mentioned should be impressive enough to the listener
There's one more thing, I got the pink slip, daddy
The singer is the legal owner of the car, as he possesses the pink slip (or title)
And comin' off the line when the light turns green
When a stoplight changes from red to green, the singer's car accelerates quickly
Well she blows 'em outta the water like you never seen
The singer's car outperforms other cars so dramatically that it appears to be blowing them away
I get pushed out of shape and it's hard to steer
The artist's car's acceleration is so powerful that it can cause him to lose control of the steering
When I get rubber in all four gears
The power of the engine is so great that the wheels spin and create smoke when the car shifts gears
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
The singer is reminding the listener that they still don't understand just how incredible his car is
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
Repetition of the chorus to reiterate the point that the singer's car is impressive
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
Repetition of the chorus to continue emphasizing the value of the artist's car
She's my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got
Repetition of the chorus to drive home the point that the artist's car is truly exceptional
Contributed by Levi T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bonnies.d.1121
Wunnerful, joyful, tongue-twisting lyrics:
Little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
Little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
Well I'm not braggin' babe so don't put me down
But I've got the fastest set of wheels in town
When something comes up to me he don't even try
'Cause if I had a set of wings man I know she could fly
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
(My little deuce coupe)
(You don't know what I got)
Just a little deuce coupe with a flathead mill
But she'll walk a Thunderbird like she's standin' still
She's ported and relieved and she's stroked and bored.
She'll do a hundred and forty with the top end floored
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
(My little deuce coupe)
(You don't know what I got)
She's got a competition clutch with the four on the floor
And she purrs like a kitten till the lake pipes roar
And if that ain't enough to make you flip your lid
There's one more thing, I got the pink slip daddy
And comin' off the line when the light turns green
Well she blows 'em outta the water like you never seen
I get pushed out of shape and it's hard to steer
When I get rubber in all four gears
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
(My little deuce coupe)
(You don't know what I got)
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
(My little deuce coupe)
(You don't know what I got)
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
@TheMoose126
It’s been YEARS since I heard this one, still brings a smile to my face to this day
@barryphillips7327
Timeless music! This song will still sound GOOD in another 50 years!!!!
@paulealing1
another 100
@mr.nobody68
You spelled 250 wrong
@clivemichie2638
@Mr. Nobody hhahhahaaha
@matthewjahnke6956
@@mr.nobody68 So? The song is priceless!
@65stang98
@Mr. Nobody i think you mean 300
@vanyathesniper
At a time when under 2 minutes was part of the system and this song was among those that just gets it all done in that small amount of time. For all of us car guys and gals, it still rocks.
@patmorabito766
spot on
@Isakbruford
An undeniable classic, and one of the Beach Boys' best songs from this early era!