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

The Night Was So Young
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The night was so young and everything still
The moon shining bright on my window sill
I think of her lips, it chills me inside
And then I think why does she have to hide

Is somebody gonna tell me why she has to hi-I-ide
She's passin' it by, she won't even try
To make this love go where it should

The sky's turnin' gray, there's clouds overhead
I'm still not asleep, I'm in my bed
I think of her eyes and it makes me sigh
I think of her voice and it makes me cry

Is somebody gonna tell me why she has to lie-I-ie
She'd be so right to hold me tonight
Love was made for her and I

It's three o'clock I go to my sink
I pour some milk and I start to think
Is she asleep or is she awake
And does she think of the love we could make

Wake up, call me baby call me tell me what's on your mi-I-ind
I've got a car and you're not too far
Please let me come over to you

The night was so young and everything still
The moon shining bright on my window sill

I think of her lips, it chills me inside
And then I think why should she hide

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys' song "The Night Was So Young" is a romantic ballad about a man in love with a woman who won't reciprocate his feelings. The song begins with the singer looking out his window, reflecting on the night and thinking about the woman he loves. The moon shining bright on his window sill only reminds him of her lips and the thought of her hiding her feelings chills him inside. He wonders why she won't give love a chance and why she prefers to pass it by, going against what love is supposed to do.

As the night progresses, the skies turn gray, and clouds form overhead. The singer is still awake, unable to sleep, and continues to think of the woman he loves. He thinks of her eyes, her voice, and wonders why she has to lie about her feelings for him. He pleads for someone to tell him why she has to hide and why she won't admit her love for him, insisting that they were made for each other.

As the night drags on, it becomes evident that the singer cannot bear to be away from the woman he loves any longer. He makes a desperate attempt to reach out to her, hoping that she might pick up the phone and call him. He offers to go to her if she wants him to and suggests that they could make a beautiful connection if only she were willing to try.

Overall, "The Night Was So Young" is a poignant song about unrequited love and yearning for someone who seems to be hiding from their true feelings. It is a familiar theme that many people can relate to, and the poignant lyrics, coupled with the Beach Boys' harmonies, make the song a classic that continues to touch people today.

Line by Line Meaning

The night was so young and everything still
The night was still young and everything seemed peaceful and quiet.

The moon shining bright on my window sill
The moon was shining brightly and casting its light on the singer's window sill.

I think of her lips, it chills me inside
The thought of her lips sends a chill down the singer's spine and makes them feel deeply affected.

And then I think why does she have to hide
The artist wonders why the person they are thinking about is hiding their true feelings or intentions.

Is somebody gonna tell me why she has to hi-I-ide
The artist is appealing to someone for an explanation as to why the person they are thinking about is hiding.

She's passin' it by, she won't even try
Despite the opportunity to pursue something, she is passing it by without even making an attempt.

To make this love go where it should
To help this love progress naturally and ideally.

The sky's turnin' gray, there's clouds overhead
The weather is turning from clear to cloudy and possibly ominous.

I'm still not asleep, I'm in my bed
Even at this late hour, the artist is unable to fall asleep and is still lying in bed.

I think of her eyes and it makes me sigh
The artist is wistfully thinking about the person's eyes and it's causing them to sigh.

I think of her voice and it makes me cry
Remembering the person's voice is so powerful that the singer is brought to tears.

Is somebody gonna tell me why she has to lie-I-ie
The artist is again questioning why the person they are thinking about is not being truthful about something.

She'd be so right to hold me tonight
The singer believes that being held by the person they are thinking about would feel so good and be so right.

Love was made for her and I
The singer believes that they and the person they are thinking about were meant to be together and experience love together.

It's three o'clock I go to my sink
It's now 3 in the morning and the singer goes to the sink.

I pour some milk and I start to think
The artist pours themselves some milk and begins to think about the person they are interested in.

Is she asleep or is she awake
The artist wonders if the person they are thinking about is currently asleep or awake.

And does she think of the love we could make
The singer is curious if the person they are thinking about is also considering the possibility of being in a romantic relationship.

Wake up, call me baby call me tell me what's on your mi-I-ind
The singer is requesting that the person they are thinking about wakes up and calls them to share what's on their mind.

I've got a car and you're not too far
The artist is letting the person they are interested in know that they have transportation and are nearby.

Please let me come over to you
The artist is requesting that the person they are interested in allows them to come to them.

And then I think why should she hide
The artist is still contemplating why the person they are thinking about is hiding and concealing things from them.

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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