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
Surf's Up 1967
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hand in hand some drummed along, oh
To a handsome man and baton
A blind class aristocracy
Back through the opera glass you see
The pit and the pendulum drawn
Columnated ruins domino
Are you sleeping?
Hung velvet overtaken me
Dim chandelier awaken me
To a song dissolved in the dawn
The music hall a costly bow
The music all is lost for now
To a muted trumpeter swan
Columnated ruins domino
Canvass the town and brush the backdrop
Are you sleeping, Brother John?
Dove nested towers the hour was
Strike the street quicksilver moon
Carriage across the fog
Two-step to lamp lights cellar tune
The laughs come hard in Auld Lang Syne
The glass was raised, the fired rose
The fullness of the wine, the dim last toasting
While at port adieu or die
A choke of grief heart hardened I
Beyond belief a broken man too tough to cry
The lyrics of "Surf's Up" by The Beach Boys are rich in literary references and metaphors that evoke a sense of sadness, disillusionment, and existential questioning. They describe a society that is blind, deaf, and dumb, ruled by a blind aristocracy that is more concerned with appearances and status than with meaningful action. The first verse introduces the image of a diamond necklace played as a pawn, symbolizing the way material possessions and art are used to manipulate people into following false ideals. The blind class aristocracy, represented by the handsome man and baton, leads the way, but those who see through the facade are left with ruins and chaos as the columnated ruins domino, leaving only the pit and the pendulum.
Line by Line Meaning
A diamond necklace played the pawn
A wealthy person used their money and power to manipulate others to get what they want
Hand in hand some drummed along, oh
A group of people blindly followed this rich person, without asking questions or thinking for themselves
To a handsome man and baton
This rich person was charming and authoritative, wielding their power like a conductor's baton
A blind class aristocracy
This group of people blindly followed the rich person because they were part of the upper class
Back through the opera glass you see
Looking through the lens of the opera, which often tells stories of love, power, and tragedy, you can see this group of people playing out their drama
The pit and the pendulum drawn
Like a character in a horror story, this group of people is trapped in a dangerous situation where they have no control over their fate
Columnated ruins domino
The once-strong pillars of this society are falling apart one by one, like a row of dominoes
Canvass the town and brush the backdrop
Despite the chaos happening around them, people are still going about their daily lives as if nothing is wrong
Are you sleeping?
The singer is asking the listener if they are aware of what's really going on
Hung velvet overtaken me
The singer's senses are overwhelmed by the opulence and extravagance of this society
Dim chandelier awaken me
Despite the decadence of this society, the singer is becoming more aware of the darkness and emptiness that lies underneath
To a song dissolved in the dawn
As the night fades into morning, the beauty and meaning of the music fades away as well
The music hall a costly bow
The extravagant music hall was like a bow that held together the fragile, superficial society
The music all is lost for now
Now that the society has fallen apart, the beauty and meaning of the music are lost as well
To a muted trumpeter swan
Even the swan, a symbol of beauty and elegance, has been silenced in this world
Dove nested towers the hour was
In contrast to the crumbling ruins earlier in the song, this line presents an image of peace and safety
Strike the street quicksilver moon
The moonlight, like quicksilver, is fleeting and illusory, and the people are always on the move
Carriage across the fog
The journey through this society is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty
Two-step to lamp lights cellar tune
Despite the darkness and uncertainty, people are still dancing to the music of the underground clubs
The laughs come hard in Auld Lang Syne
People are laughing and celebrating, but it's all tinged with sadness and nostalgia for a time that has passed
The glass was raised, the fired rose
People are toasting and celebrating, but the underlying tensions and conflicts are still there
The fullness of the wine, the dim last toasting
As the night wears on and the wine flows freely, people's memories and hopes grow dimmer and more distant
While at port adieu or die
As people embark on a journey, they must say goodbye to their old lives and identities, or risk losing everything
A choke of grief heart hardened I
The singer is overwhelmed by the sadness and tragedy of this world, and has become hardened and numb to it
Beyond belief a broken man too tough to cry
The singer has seen so much pain and tragedy that they have become unable to express their emotions, even when they are hurting inside
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, VAN DYKE PARKS
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