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
Shut Down
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Buddy gonna shut you down
It happened on the strip where the road is wide
(Ooh, rev it up now)
Two cool shorts standin' side by side
(Ooh, rev it up now)
Yeah, my fuel-injected Stingray and a four-thirteen
Revvin' up our engines, and it sounds real mean
(Ooh, rev it up now)
Tach it up, tach it up
Buddy gonna shut you down
Declinin' numbers at an even rate
(Ooh, movin' out now)
At the count of one we both accelerate
(Ooh, movin' out now)
My Stingray is light the slicks are startin' to spin
(Ooh, movin' out now)
But the four-thirteen's really diggin' in
(Ooh, movin' out now)
Gotta be cool now
Power shift here we go
Superstock Dodge is windin' out in low
But my fuel injected Stingray's really startin' to go
To get the traction I'm ridin' the clutch
My pressure plate's burnin' that machine's too much
Pedal's to the floor, hear his dual quads drink
(Ooh, pump it up now)
And now the four-thirteen's lead is startin' to shrink
(Ooh, pump it up now)
He's hot with ram induction but it's understood
(Ooh, rev it up now)
I got a fuel injected engine sittin' under my hood
(Ooh, pump it up now)
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
The Beach Boys' song "Shut Down" is a classic 1960s rock tune about a drag race between two cars. The song paints an image of two cars revving up their engines and racing down the strip while the drivers show off their car's speed and power.
The song starts with the line "Tach it up, tach it up, buddy gonna shut you down," which sets the tone for the song's competitive, confrontational lyrics. The word "tach" refers to the tachometer on a car's dashboard, which measures the engine speed in revolutions per minute (RPM). The singer in the song is warned that his opponent has the power to "shut him down" if he can't keep up.
The second verse describes the drag race itself, as the two cars line up side-by-side and take off at the sound of the count. The singer's car, a fuel-injected Stingray, races against his opponent's four-thirteen as they both try to gain the upper hand. The song's bridge features the singer shifting gears and pushing his car to the limit, but ultimately realizing that he has lost the race.
Overall, "Shut Down" is a fun, energetic rock song that captures the spirit of car culture in the 1960s. Its catchy melody and driving beat make it a perennial favorite among rock fans of all ages.
Line by Line Meaning
Tach it up, tach it up
Buddy gonna shut you down
We're gunning our engines and getting ready to race, but you're not gonna win.
It happened on the strip where the road is wide
(Ooh, rev it up now)
Two cool shorts standin' side by side
(Ooh, rev it up now)
Yeah, my fuel-injected Stingray and a four-thirteen
(Ooh, rev it up now)
Revvin' up our engines, and it sounds real mean
(Ooh, rev it up now)
We're at a drag race, revving our engines and getting ready to go. I'm driving a Stingray with a powerful engine, and my opponent has a four-thirteen.
Declinin' numbers at an even rate
(Ooh, movin' out now)
At the count of one we both accelerate
(Ooh, movin' out now)
My Stingray is light the slicks are startin' to spin
(Ooh, movin' out now)
But the four-thirteen's really diggin' in
(Ooh, movin' out now)
Gotta be cool now
Power shift here we go
As the race starts, both cars begin to move forward at the same pace. My Stingray starts to spin its wheels on the slick surface, but the four-thirteen is still gaining traction. I need to keep calm and execute a perfect power shift to win.
Superstock Dodge is windin' out in low
But my fuel injected Stingray's really startin' to go
To get the traction I'm ridin' the clutch
My pressure plate's burnin' that machine's too much
My opponent's Superstock Dodge is struggling in low gear, while my Stingray is starting to pull ahead. To gain traction, I'm riding the clutch, and the pressure is causing it to burn out.
Pedal's to the floor, hear his dual quads drink
(Ooh, pump it up now)
And now the four-thirteen's lead is startin' to shrink
(Ooh, pump it up now)
He's hot with ram induction but it's understood
(Ooh, rev it up now)
I got a fuel injected engine sittin' under my hood
(Ooh, pump it up now)
I push the pedal to the floor, and I hear the Superstock Dodge's engine revving hard. However, my Stingray is starting to catch up, and the lead of the four-thirteen is shrinking. My opponent has a powerful engine, but I have a fuel-injected one that's even better.
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
Shut it off, shut it off
Buddy, now I shut you down
As I cross the finish line, I shut down my engine and taunt my opponent, telling him that I've won and shut him down. I repeat this several times to make sure he gets the message.
Lyrics Š Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Roger Val Christian, Brian Douglas Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@afton1955
Loved these guys when I was a girl. I'm 66 yrs old now and still enjoy listening to the Beach Boys.
@lizrob8813
I saw the Beach Boys street trying for concert back in the days
@hmackie6823
they were rad
@hmackie6823
short for radiation because we lived in fear...I din't I was too young to care
@drewmccoy9097
Amen
@afton1955
@@bobzani , in some regards, yes.
@reyknudson7091
EARLY BEACH BOYS! I STILL LOVE IT! THANKS FOR SHARING. R.K.3/7/2023.đđ
@balanb312
I would have loved to have that race against the Beach Boys' Corvette back in 1966. My 413 had factory Ram Induction with dual quads and a heavy duty Torqueflite tranny. Not the prettiest car - 1962 Dodge Polara 500, but probably the fastest car on Cape Cod at the time. No Positraction - no problem I had a high school freshman sitting in the passenger seat for a counterweight. Could'nt afford exhaust headers so I made my own cutouts or"dumps". It was called the Mopar Missle. Yeah MOPAR!
@SH00T_TH3PUMP
YES! đ¤Š
@zaria.rejean
I sometimes wish people still made music about cars and beaches. Listening to The Beach Boys' early songs feels so peaceful and like you're in a simpler, happier time. It paints a beautiful picture of what it means to be young.