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

Salt Lake City
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Down in Utah
The guys and I dig a city called Salt Lake
It's got the grooviest kids
That's why we never get tired of Salt Lake
And the way the kids talk so cool
Is an out of sight thing
And the number one radio station
Makes the town really swing yeah

Salt Lake City we'll be coming soon

There's a park near the city, yeah
All the kids dig the Lagoon now
It's full of all kinds of girls
And rides and we'll be flyin' there soon now
And girl for girl
They've got the cutest of the Western states
They got the sun in the summer
And winter time the skiing is great yeah
Salt Lake City we'll be coming soon

Salt Lake City we'll be coming soon
We'll be coming soon

We'll be coming soon
We'll be coming soon

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys' song "Salt Lake City" is a jovial tribute to the youthful energy and cultural vibrancy they found in the titular Utah city. The song's narrator sings of the city's "grooviest kids" and their smooth, laid-back way of speaking, which he finds captivating. He also mentions the city's top radio station that keeps the town moving with its tunes. The song's chorus emphasizes the group's eagerness to visit the city, highlighting a nearby park called Lagoon that boasts thrilling rides and charming girls from across the western states, making the singer all the more eager to visit. The song's overall effect is one of youthful exuberance, and it serves as a joyful artifact of a bygone era.

Line by Line Meaning

Down in Utah
We are currently located in Utah

The guys and I dig a city called Salt Lake
We really enjoy the city of Salt Lake and all it has to offer

It's got the grooviest kids
The young people in this city are very cool and trendy

That's why we never get tired of Salt Lake
We enjoy spending time in Salt Lake so much that we never get bored

And the way the kids talk so cool
The way that the young people in Salt Lake speak is very impressive to us

Is an out of sight thing
It is a really amazing thing

And the number one radio station
There is a very popular radio station in Salt Lake

Makes the town really swing yeah
It adds to the liveliness and excitement of the city

There's a park near the city, yeah
There is a park located in close proximity to the city

All the kids dig the Lagoon now
Many young people enjoy spending time at the Lagoon amusement park

It's full of all kinds of girls
The park is filled with young women of all different types

And rides and we'll be flyin' there soon now
We will be traveling to the amusement park very soon

And girl for girl
There are plenty of attractive women at the park

They've got the cutest of the Western states
In comparison to the other states in the western region of the country, the young women in Salt Lake are the most attractive

They got the sun in the summer
During the summer months, Salt Lake is warm and sunny

And winter time the skiing is great yeah
During the winter months, we can also enjoy skiing in Salt Lake

Salt Lake City we'll be coming soon
We will be visiting Salt Lake in the near future

We'll be coming soon
We will be visiting Salt Lake in the near future

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL LOVE, BRIAN WILSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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