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
Rock and Roll Music
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
Unless they try to play it too darned fast
And change the beauty of the melody
Until it sound just like a symphony
That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
I took my loved one over 'cross the tracks
So she could hear my man a-wailin' sax
I must admit they have a rockin' band
Man they was blowing like a hurricane
That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
Way down south they gave a jubilee
I tell you folks they had a jamboree
And drinking beer from a wooden cup
The folks a-dancin' got all shook up
They started playing that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old way you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
Say if you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
It's gotta be some of that
Rock and roll music was a genre of music that revolutionized the world in the 1950s and beyond. The Beach Boys' song Rock and Roll Music is an example of the band's mastery of the genre. The lyrics to the song celebrate the power of rock and roll music, explaining that it has a backbeat that is impossible to lose; it can be played any old time, and any old way. The song suggests that rock and roll is the best music to dance to, and it wouldn't be appropriate to try doing so to other genres.
The second verse of the song sees the singer critique other music genres, particularly modern jazz. The singer admits that he has nothing against jazz unless it's played too fast or in a way that tampers with the beauty of the melody. The singer then asserts that the reason he loves rock and roll is because of its simplicity, and anyone can enjoy it regardless of their musical background or preferences. The final verse of the song narrates an experience the singer had where he took his love interest to hear a band that was "blowing like a hurricane," and how the music made everyone dance so much that they "got all shook up."
Line by Line Meaning
Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music
I want to listen to rock and roll music.
Any old way you choose it
I'll listen to rock and roll music in whatever format you want to play it.
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
The rhythm of rock and roll music makes it impossible to not move to.
Any old time you use it
Rock and roll music is perfect for any occasion.
It's gotta be rock and roll music
Nothing can compare to the greatness of rock and roll music.
If you wanna dance with me
If you want to have a good time and dance, we need to listen to rock and roll music.
I have no kicks against modern jazz
I don't have anything against modern jazz music.
Unless they try to play it too darned fast
Except when they play it so fast that it loses its beauty.
And change the beauty of the melody
When modern jazz is played too fast, it loses the original beauty of the melody.
Until it sound just like a symphony
When modern jazz is played too fast, it starts to sound like a symphony instead of jazz.
I took my loved one over 'cross the tracks
I took my significant other to listen to some music in a different part of town.
So she could hear my man a-wailin' sax
I wanted my loved one to hear the amazing saxophone player I know.
I must admit they have a rockin' band
I have to say that the band was really talented and played really well.
Man they was blowing like a hurricane
The band was playing so energetically and loudly that it sounded like a hurricane.
Way down south they gave a jubilee
In the South, they had a big celebration and party.
I tell you folks they had a jamboree
The celebration was a lively and fun jamboree for everyone.
And drinking beer from a wooden cup
People were having a good time drinking beer out of wooden cups.
The folks a-dancin' got all shook up
The people dancing were having so much fun that they were getting all shook up with excitement.
They started playing that rock and roll music
The music changed to rock and roll, and everyone started dancing even more.
Say if you wanna dance with me
If you want to have fun dancing with me, we need to listen to some rock and roll music.
It's gotta be some of that rock and roll music
We can only have a true dance party with some great rock and roll music.
Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: Chuck Berry
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