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
Lonely Sea
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lonely sea
It never stops
For you or me
It moves along
From day
To day
That's why, my love
You'll never stay
You'll never stay
This pain in my heart
These tears in my eyes
Please tell the truth
You're like the lonely sea (sea)
Sea (sea)
Lonely sea (sea)
(Lonely sea) (lonely sea)
(Lonely sea) (lonely sea)
Lonely sea
(Lonely sea) (lonely sea)
(Lonely sea)
Lonely sea
(Lonely sea) (lonely sea)
(Lonely sea) (lonely sea)
Lonely sea
(Lonely sea) (lonely sea)
The Beach Boys' song Lonely Sea is a deeply emotional ballad that explores the pain of lost love. The lyrics convey a feeling of hopelessness and despair as the singer tries to come to terms with the fact that his lover will never stay. The reference to the lonely sea is poignant, as it provides a powerful metaphor for the singer's own sense of loneliness and isolation. The sea is an ever-present force that never stops moving, just like the singer's feelings for his lover. The repetition of the phrase 'lonely sea' throughout the song reinforces the idea of a vast and endless emptiness, further heightening the sense of loss and despair.
The lyrics also highlight the physical and emotional pain that the singer is experiencing. He speaks of the 'pain in my heart' and the 'tears in my eyes', emphasizing just how deeply his love has affected him. Despite this, however, he pleads with his lover to be truthful, acknowledging that he is like the lonely sea in his emotional turmoil. This is a powerful line, as it shows that the singer is aware of his own emotional struggles and the toll they are taking on him.
Line by Line Meaning
The lonely sea
The vast, open body of water devoid of any living creatures or attention.
The lonely sea
The ocean is vast and untouched, with no one around for miles.
It never stops
The ocean is constantly moving, with no regard for the people who pass through it.
For you or me
It does not matter who we are, the ocean will continue its movement regardless.
It moves along
The ocean is always in motion, and its current is stronger than any individual can resist.
From day to day
This constant movement of the ocean never ceases, and it continues day after day.
That's why my love
The unrelenting nature of the ocean is why I cannot keep my one true love by my side.
That's why my love
The impermanence of the ocean's movement is why I am unable to keep my partner with me forever.
You'll never stay
Just like the ocean's waves, my love will never stay with me forever.
You'll never stay
Like the ocean, my lover is always in motion, and they cannot be tied down.
This pain in my heart
The sadness and longing that I feel in my chest because I cannot keep my lover with me.
These tears in my eyes
The sadness that I feel is so great, that it brings me to tears.
Please tell the truth
I implore you to be honest with me about your feelings, just as the ocean is honest about its movement.
You're like the lonely sea (sea)
You, my love, are like the ocean - vast, empty, and in constant motion.
Sea (sea)
The feeling of loneliness and desperation I experience when I think about the vast, empty ocean is impossible to ignore.
The lonely sea (sea)
The ocean - vast, empty, and in constant motion - remains a perfect metaphor for the emptiness I feel over losing my lover.
(Lonely sea lonely sea)
The endless repetition of the phrase 'lonely sea' demonstrates how the weight of my loneliness drags me down.
(Lonely sea lonely sea)
The chorus repeats to really emphasize the loneliness that the writer of the song is feeling.
Lonely sea
The final repetition of the chorus emphasizes the loneliness and emptiness that the ocean symbolizes for the writer of the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brian Douglas Wilson, Gary L. Usher
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