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

Little Girl
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey) (my Miss America)

Little girl, just in your teens (you're my Miss America)
Little girl, you're in my dreams (you're my Miss America)
You're so sweet, you're so fine

Dear won't you be mine?
Everybody knows it

(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey)

Blue eyes, blond hair
Lips like a movie star

Little girl with heart of gold (you're my Miss America)
Little girl with lips untold (you're my Miss America)
You're so sweet, you're so fine
Hey, won't you be mine
Everybody knows it

(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey)

Blue eyes, blond hair
Lips like a movie star

Little girl with heart of gold (you're my Miss America)
Little girl with lips untold (you're my Miss America)
You're so sweet, you're so fine
Hey, won't you be mine
Everybody knows it

(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey) (my Miss America)

(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey)

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys' "Little Girl" is a sweet ode to a teenage girl, whom the singer addresses as "my Miss America." The song's lyrics celebrate the girl's beauty, as the singer describes her blue eyes, blond hair, and lips "like a movie star." He also praises her heart of gold and "lips untold," suggesting that she may be shy or reserved. Throughout the song, the singer expresses his desire for the girl to be his, asking "won't you be mine?" repeatedly.

Although the song's lyrics may come across as somewhat superficial or objectifying, it's important to keep in mind the context of the time in which the song was written and released. "Little Girl" was recorded in 1972, at the height of the Beach Boys' success. The band's music was known for its emphasis on beach culture, surf, and romance, with lyrics that often idealized women as objects of desire. In this sense, "Little Girl" could be seen as a continuation of this trend. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that the song's lyrics remain innocent and playful, without any explicit sexual content or objectification.

Overall, "Little Girl" is a catchy and enjoyable song that captures the spirit and sound of the Beach Boys' music. Its upbeat rhythms, catchy melody, and sweet lyrics make it a quintessential example of the band's style, and a testament to its lasting popularity and influence.

Line by Line Meaning

(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
Expressing excitement and admiration for his Miss America

(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey) (my Miss America)
Continuing to express excitement and admiration for his Miss America

(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
Maintaining excitement and admiration for his Miss America

(Sha da da da da da ooh hey hey) (my Miss America)
Continuing to maintain excitement and admiration for his Miss America

Little girl, just in your teens (you're my Miss America)
Addressing a young girl as his Miss America, despite her age and immaturity

Little girl, you're in my dreams (you're my Miss America)
Expressing the intensity of his obsession with this young girl, even in his unconscious thoughts

You're so sweet, you're so fine
Describing the girl with cliche and superficial compliments

Dear won't you be mine?
Asking the girl to be his despite their age difference and the inappropriateness of the situation

Everybody knows it
Acknowledging that his obsession with this young girl is a known fact among those around him

Blue eyes, blond hair
Further describing the physical appearance of the girl in a superficial way

Lips like a movie star
Continuing to describe the physical features of the girl in a objectifying way

Little girl with heart of gold (you're my Miss America)
Continuing to address the girl as his Miss America and placing emphasis on her perceived goodness

Little girl with lips untold (you're my Miss America)
Continuing to reduce the girl to her physical appearance and adding a sense of mystery or intrigue to her personality

Hey, won't you be mine
Continuing to ask the girl to be his despite the inappropriate circumstances and lack of consent

Everybody knows it
Repeating that his obsession with this young girl is well-known among those around him

(Sha da da da da da ooh yeah yeah) (my Miss America)
Ending the song with the same expression of excitement and admiration for his Miss America as at the beginning

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HERB ALPERT, VINCENT CATALANO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS