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

T.M. Song
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yes you are
Listen
I'm in the driveway
Hey what are you talking about?
I saw you on the lawn
Hey you
Hey what?
Will you will you get off my front lawn with your car?

Ahh shut up
What are you doin'?
Hey he can't talk to him like that
Yeah what's goin' on?
I'm gonna call the police
Hey listen
What are you talking about?
I saw the whole thing and you're innocent
You keep out of it
Come on guys let's take off
What are you talking about?
Ah why don't you go arrest me from here?

Whew it's time for me to meditate

What time is it?
How long has it been?
Bubbles and ripples floatin' through my mind
I must have drifted away

Since I sat down
Where have I been?
The mantra my mantra must have took me away
It must have took me away

Maharishi gave it to me
And I wonder if it set me free
And it did
And he'll tell you "sometimes it goes real fast and other times it goes
Real slow
Any way you do it it's bound to work I know"

One two three four

Transcendental meditation should be part of your time
It's simple it's easy as making this rhyme

Transcendental meditation really works for me good
More much more than I thought it would

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Beach Boys' "TM Song" describe a situation where chaos ensues in a neighbourhood between a few people. Amidst this confusion, the singer's thoughts start to drift, and he decides to meditate. As he indulges in the practice, he feels himself slipping into a trance where he can see "bubbles and ripples" float through his mind. The singer suggests that this meditative state is the result of the mantra that Maharishi gave him and is proof that Transcendental Meditation can help in achieving peace.

The song's message revolves around the benefits of Transcendental Meditation and how it can help in achieving inner peace. The first stanza sets up the scene of a neighbourhood disagreement, which the singer is not part of, and yet he can see it all. This creates a sense of detachment and the subsequent transition into meditation enhances this feeling. The second stanza explicitly describes the singer's meditative experience, and he attributes it to the mantra provided by Maharishi. The last stanza is a straightforward message advocating Transcendental Meditation - "Transcendental meditation should be part of your time, it's easy as making this rhyme." Overall, the lyrics to "TM Song" emphasise the need for inner peace and tranquillity, and how meditation can help in achieving it.

Line by Line Meaning

Yes you are
Acknowledgment of someone's presence

Listen
Request for attentive listening

I'm in the driveway
Statement of location

Hey what are you talking about?
Question attempting to clarify confusion

I saw you on the lawn
Observation of another's actions

Hey you
Addressing someone for attention

Hey what?
Request for clarification

Will you will you get off my front lawn with your car?
Demand for someone to remove their car from property

Ahh shut up
Expression of frustration

What are you doin'?
Questioning another's behavior

Hey he can't talk to him like that
Disapproving of someone's conduct

Yeah what's goin' on?
Inquiring about the situation

I'm gonna call the police
Threatening to involve law enforcement

Hey listen
Request for attentive listening

What are you talking about?
Questioning another's statement

I saw the whole thing and you're innocent
Witness testimony in defense of someone

You keep out of it
Order to stay uninvolved

Come on guys let's take off
Encouraging group departure

What are you talking about?
Reiterating confusion about a statement

Ah why don't you go arrest me from here?
Sarcastic remark expressing lack of concern for threat of legal action

Whew it's time for me to meditate
Personal reflection indicating need for relaxation

What time is it?
Inquiring about the current time

How long has it been?
Questioning duration of a task

Bubbles and ripples floatin' through my mind
Metaphorical description of thought processes

I must have drifted away
Assuming loss of focus or daydreaming

Since I sat down
Establishing starting point for reflection

Where have I been?
Asking oneself about recent experiences

The mantra my mantra must have took me away
Assuming that focus on a specific mantra or meditation caused mental wandering

It must have took me away
Reiterating thought about the cause of mental wandering

Maharishi gave it to me
Acknowledgment of the source of meditation practice

And I wonder if it set me free
Questioning the impact of meditation on personal freedom

And it did
Confirmation that meditation practice has had a positive impact

And he'll tell you "sometimes it goes real fast and other times it goes Real slow Any way you do it it's bound to work I know"
Quoting wise words from Maharishi about the benefits of transcendental meditation practice

One two three four
Counting off to introduce a new section of the song

Transcendental meditation should be part of your time
Recommendation for others to consider adding meditation to their routine

It's simple it's easy as making this rhyme
Describing meditation practice as accessible and not requiring much effort

Transcendental meditation really works for me good
Personal statement of the efficacy of the meditation practice

More much more than I thought it would
Surprised by the degree to which meditation has improved life

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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