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
The Girls on the Beach
The Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The girls on the beach
On the beach you'll find them there
In the sun and salty air
The girls on the beach
Are all within reach
If you know what to do
How we love to lie around
Girls with tans of golden brown
The girls on the beach
Are all within reach
And one waits there for you
(Girls on the beach)
The sun in her hair
The warmth of the air
On a summer day
As the sun dips out of sight
Couples on the beach at night
The girls on the beach
Are all within reach
And with the boys tonight
(Girls on the beach)
Girls on the beach, girls on the beach
Girls on the beach, girls on the beach
The Beach Boys’s “Girls on the Beach” is an upbeat, catchy tune about the fun-filled adventure of meeting girls on a sunny day at the beach. The opening lines “Ah ah ah ah oo ooo ooo oo ahh” beautifully captures the excitement, enthusiasm and awe that the singer experiences when he arrives at the beach and finds himself surrounded by beautiful girls.
The song highlights the carefree lifestyle of youth in the 60s, where the beach was the place to be. The girls are described as “all within reach if you know what to do.” This suggests that the singer and his friends know how to woo and win the girls’ hearts. They fantasize about lying around with girls with tans of golden brown and the wonderful experience of being with these girls on the beach.
As the sun sets, the beach becomes a romantic haven for young couples, which leaves the singer and his friends hoping to hook up with one of the girls. The singer describes the girls as having sun in their hair and the warmth of the air on a summer day augurs well for the experience. It’s evident that the singer and his friends are hyped up for the adventure of meeting and spending time with girls on the beach, but they also depict the desire for romance.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah ah ah ah oo ooo ooo oo ahh
Intentional non-lyrical sounds to set the mood of the song.
The girls on the beach
Describing the main subject of the song.
On the beach you'll find them there
The specific location where the girls can be found.
In the sun and salty air
The environmental conditions in which the girls can be found.
Are all within reach
The accessibility of the girls.
If you know what to do
Indicating a level of effort required to interact with the girls.
How we love to lie around
Expressing a general enjoyment of spending time at the beach.
Girls with tans of golden brown
A description of the physical appearance of the girls.
And one waits there for you
Suggesting romantic or personal opportunities at the beach.
(Girls on the beach)
Repeating the main lyrical theme of the song.
The sun in her hair
Describing the beauty of a specific girl on the beach.
The warmth of the air
Additional sensory details that contribute to the atmosphere of the beach.
On a summer day
Further context indicating the season in which the events of the song take place.
As the sun dips out of sight
Conveying the passing of time and change in environment during the day.
Couples on the beach at night
Adding an additional romantic element to the events of the song.
And with the boys tonight
Encouraging male listeners to take part in the activities described in the song.
(Girls on the beach)
Another repetition of the main lyrical theme.
Girls on the beach, girls on the beach
Repeating the title of the song with slight variation.
Girls on the beach, girls on the beach
Final repetition of the title, closing out the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL LOVE, BRIAN WILSON
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