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 Wanderer
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here he is
The hard-working drummer
Denny Wilson to sing a song

Well I'm the type of guy
Who'll never settle down
Wherever pretty girls are
Well you know that I'm around

I kiss 'em and I love 'em
'Cause to me they're all the same
Yeah I'll hug 'em and I squeeze 'em
Baby they don't even know my name

They call me the wanderer
Yeah the wanderer
I roam around
Around around around around

Yeah, there's Paula on my left arm
And there's Mary on my right arm
And Janey is the girl well that I'll be with tonight
And when she asks me which one I love the best
Yeah I'll tear of my shirt
And there's Rosey on my chest

'Cause I'm the wanderer
Yeah the wanderer
I roam around
Around around around around

Well I roam from town to town
I go through life without a care
I'm as happy as a clown
With my two fists of iron
And going all the time

I'm the type of guy who likes to roam around
I'm never in one place I roam from town to town
And when I find myself a-fallin' for that girl
Yeah I'll hop right into that car of mine
I'll drive around the world

They call me the wanderer
Yeah the wanderer
I roam around
Around around around around

They call me the wanderer
Yeah the wanderer
I roam around
Around around around around

The wanderer
Yeah the wanderer
I roam around
Around around around around

Thank you
You're the greatest audience in the world

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys’s song “The Wanderer” is a classic rock and roll tune that was released in 1964. The song is about a man who roams around aimlessly from town to town, enjoying the company of different women in each new place he visits. The song begins with the announcement of the hard-working drummer, Denny Wilson, introducing the vocalist. The lyrics are sung by someone who apparently lives a carefree life and never settles down. He sings about the different women he’s been with, stating that they’re all the same to him. He doesn’t care about their names or getting to know them better. He’s only interested in having a good time and moving on. He is the wanderer, going from town to town, never staying in one place for too long. He’s happy with his life and has no worries or responsibilities.

The song is a reflection of the carefree, reckless lifestyle that was often romanticized in the early days of rock and roll. The wanderer is an archetype that was popular in early rock and roll, representing a life unfettered by the rules and conventions of society. The upbeat, catchy melody and the lyrics capture the essence of the wanderer, making the song a classic of the genre. The Beach Boys took the song and added their own twist to it, creating a unique version that’s still enjoyed by audiences today.

Line by Line Meaning

Here he is
Introducing the arrival of the hard-working drummer Denny Wilson to sing a song

Well I'm the type of guy Who'll never settle down Wherever pretty girls are Well you know that I'm around
I'm a traveling lothario, always on the go looking for pretty women

I kiss 'em and I love 'em 'Cause to me they're all the same Yeah I'll hug 'em and I squeeze 'em Baby they don't even know my name
I show affection to all the women I meet, but they're not really important to me because I don't stick around long enough for them to remember my name

They call me the wanderer Yeah the wanderer I roam around Around around around around
I've earned the nickname 'The Wanderer' because I travel often and never stay in one place for too long

Well I roam from town to town I go through life without a care I'm as happy as a clown With my two fists of iron And going all the time
I travel aimlessly and carefree, feeling content with my fists as protection

And when I find myself a-fallin' for that girl Yeah I'll hop right into that car of mine I'll drive around the world
When I fall for a girl, I'll leave town with my car and travel all over the world with her

They call me the wanderer Yeah the wanderer I roam around Around around around around
People call me the wanderer because I travel so much

The wanderer Yeah the wanderer I roam around Around around around around
Again, I'm the wanderer and I roam around constantly

Thank you You're the greatest audience in the world
The singer thanks the audience for listening to his tale of wandering and womanizing

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ernie Maresca

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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