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
That's Why God Made the Radio
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the dashboard of my car
Cruisin' at seven
Push button heaven
Capturing memories from afar
In my car
That's why God made the radio
He waved His hand, gave us rock 'n roll
The soundtrack of falling in love
That's why God made the radio
Feel the music in the air
Find a song to take us there
It's paradise when I lift up my antenna
Receiving your signal like a prayer
Like a prayer
That's why God made the radio
So tune right in, everywhere you go
He waved His hand, gave us rock 'n roll
The soundtrack of falling in love
That's why God made the radio
Making this night a celebration
Spreading the love and sunshine
To a whole new generation
Whole new generation
That's why God made
That's why God made
That's why God made the radio
That's why God made (the radio)
That's why God made
That's why God made the radio (for fallin' in love)
That's why God made (the radio)
That's why God made
That's why God made the radio
That's why God made (the radio)
That's why God made (God made)
That's why God made the radio (for fallin' in love)
The Beach Boys' song "That's Why God Made the Radio" is a tribute to the power of radio in spreading music and love. The singer reminisces about driving in his car, tuning in to the latest stars and capturing memories from afar. He feels like he's in "push button heaven," thanks to the magic of radio. As he travels, he feels the music in the air and finds a song to take him to paradise. The signal is like a prayer, connecting him to the world around him.
The chorus expresses the song's main message: that radio was a gift from God, providing a soundtrack for life's most important moments. The singer believes that God waved His hand and gave us rock 'n roll, and that radio is the way that we fall in love. The final verse imagines a whole new generation experiencing the same joy that he has, spreading love and sunshine and making this night a celebration.
The song celebrates the emotional power of music, and the joy of discovering new artists and songs through the radio. It also reflects on the importance of music in connecting people across generations. As the singer says, "that's why God made the radio" - to bring people together through the universal language of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Tuning in the latest star
Listening to the newest and most popular musical artist on the radio
From the dashboard of my car
Using the radio to find music while driving in my car
Cruisin' at seven
Driving leisurely at seven o'clock
Push button heaven
Easy and convenient access to music through radio buttons
Capturing memories from afar
Creating memories and associating them with the music being played on the radio
In my car
While driving in my car
That's why God made the radio
The radio was created by God for a specific purpose
So tune right in, everywhere you go
Listen to the radio wherever you are
He waved His hand, gave us rock 'n roll
God provided us with the music genre of rock and roll through the creation of the radio
The soundtrack of falling in love
The music played on the radio is often associated with love and falling in love
Feel the music in the air
The music played on the radio can be felt and experienced through the airwaves
Find a song to take us there
Using music to mentally transport us to a different place or time
It's paradise when I lift up my antenna
The feeling of paradise when I am able to find great music through the radio
Receiving your signal like a prayer
Gratefully receiving a great music signal as if it were a prayer answered
Making this night a celebration
Using music on the radio to make the night a festive and celebratory event
Spreading the love and sunshine
Sharing the warmth and happiness of the music with others
To a whole new generation
Introducing a new generation to the joys of music on the radio
That's why God made
The purpose and reason for the creation of the radio by God
That's why God made (the radio)
The radio was created by God for a specific purpose
That's why God made the radio (for fallin' in love)
The radio was created by God for the purpose of providing music that is often associated with falling in love
That's why God made (the radio)
The radio was created by God for a specific purpose
That's why God made
The purpose and reason for the creation of the radio by God
That's why God made (the radio)
The radio was created by God for a specific purpose
That's why God made the radio (for fallin' in love)
The radio was created by God for the purpose of providing music that is often associated with falling in love
That's why God made (the radio)
The radio was created by God for a specific purpose
That's why God made (God made)
Acknowledging and emphasizing that the radio was created by God
That's why God made the radio (for fallin' in love)
The radio was created by God for the purpose of providing music that is often associated with falling in love
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JOSEPH THOMAS, BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, LARRY MILLAS, JIM PETERIK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@meajur
weylin6 Because...
1- It's intelligible.
2- No one's nude.
3- More than three chords.
4- More than one key.
5- More than one tempo.
6- A band from three (or four) generations ago.
7- Grey/white haired, wrinkled singers. (Or in the case of Mike... No hair.)
8- No controversy about the video.
9- No obvious autotuning.
10- No cats.
@skee19
I pulled over in my car when I first heard this. I actually started crying when I was listening for the Boys to come out with something this beautiful so late in the game was amazing!
@lightningblue648
I had the same response. I was in my Wrangler with the top down and as soon as I heard it I knew it was them. I pulled over to enjoy the moment.
@nataliarobinson9514
Amazing. Thank you for sharing
@katherinem.4414
When did they??
@maccafan10
Me too, exactly. So beautiful, it took me back 50 years. So fresh and new, yet old style.
@williamschlosser3465
@@katherinem.4414 they haven’t .....but others might say that Mike Love passed away the first time he thought that Brian wasn’t the genius ....not me ....others ...lol
@karlalethlean6214
One of their prettiest songs. They still have it.
@richo8767
Great chord progression. Classic Brian Wilson
@mitroffjr
Their harmonies are such a strong Beach Boys signature.
@joeldarpinian2223
These dudes are hella old. I looked up the them cause I've always loved their most well known singles. Then I realized that they still make music. Damn this song is absolute bliss. Its so dreamy, smooth and youthful.