Vinyl Tap: The Beach Boys - Endless Summer
Published July 04, 2006
Indeed, the song, capped off by Brian’s heavenly falsetto, is not only somewhat prescient in foreshadowing Brian's increasing reclusiveness and urge to retreat to a world where “I lock out all my worries and my fears,” but perhaps reflected a little bit of my own head-in-the-clouds refuge-seeking as well — though I stopped short of putting a sandbox in my living room.
Such introspection would ultimately be harnessed to the 33-1/3 degree with 1966’s stunning Pet Sounds. While I love that classic work's eccentrically layered production and thematic maturity, I also cherished, in a more inconsistent way, many of the subsequent late-‘60s and early-‘70s commercially flat-lined albums such as Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, Friends, Sunflower, Surf’s Up and Holland.
The older songs from the early-to-mid-’60s that Endless Summer showcased, however, were always within humming recall and turntable reach, regardless of the Beach Boys’ un-hip status or despite Jimi Hendrix’s contention that “there’ll never be surf music again.” Their three-minute fantasies in word and music, evolving as they did from surfin’ safaris and “this car of mine” to more pensive leitmotifs, were as much a quintessential encapsulation of American youth as Chuck Berry’s savvy pulse-of-America songs (and then some: the tune of “Surfin’ USA,” lifted from Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen,“ ultimately led to a songwriting credit for the rock legend).
These decidedly un-guilty pleasures — hey, the bad guys know us and they leave us alone — remained unashamed delights as, jumping ahead 10 years, I found myself in a dream job of working in a record store, and with the release of Endless Summer, having the unexpected satisfaction of seeing others sharing this pleasure. With accessible songs of such snap and crackling pop infectiousness that didn’t pummel you with schmaltz or pretension, the album was an immediate hit with the rest of the staff, becoming a frequent in-store play item, and with the customers. Rare was the time when we did not sell extra impulse-item copies when the album was playing.
Everyone with ears seemed to respond to the appeal of genial and timeless vocals and music, including a considerable number of sonic-centered youth — whether unabashed open-minded new believers or a new batch of begrudging, furtive fans — among the garden variety nihilistic nay-saying too-cool-for-the-room auricular philistines.
For rediscovering adults there was, of course, the instant nostalgia triggered by songs about “cruising to the hamburger stand now” (Mike Love’s crowning achievement in the group was adding “now” to every other line, now). We would sometimes see these customers again soon enough, bringing back the album and complaining of defects because “Help Me, Rhonda” faded in and out toward the end. Most of these customers accepted the explanation that this was intentional, that the particular version on Endless Summer was the original Today! version, not the single version they were no doubt accustomed to. One man, however, was not content even after I tore into a couple other copies for comparison‘s sake. Finally, we came to a mutual decision that he should go to our competitors down the street and bother them.
Gordon Hauptfleisch, alias Neanderthal Hawthorne, is a Blogcritics Books Editor, free lance writer, and book reviewer for the San Diego Union Tribune. He's also an enigmatic visionary of unfathomable secrets and many a guise, or at least he plays one in his delusions of grandeur. His mandate also includes weird bugs.
In a previous life he was a leprous horse thief. - Vinyl Tap: The Beach Boys - Endless Summer
- Published: July 04, 2006
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Pop, Music: Classic Rock and Oldies, Review
- Part of a feature: Vinyl Tap
- Writer: Gordon Hauptfleisch
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Oh and I almost forgot...the song itself was of course "All Summer Long." That was when I first started to see Brian Wilson whose songs were about far more than girls, cars, and waves. Brilliant.
-Glen
Thanks, Glen, for the comments--I had forgotten about that scene in "American Graffiti." I seem to remember "Wouldn't It Be Nice" used in a few movies, too, although I can't remember any right now.
"GIRL DON'T TELL ME" WAS NEVER RELEASED AS A SINGLE. "THE WARMTH OF THE SUN" WAS RELEASED AS A SINGLE, I.E., THE FLIP-SIDE OF "DANCE, DANCE, DANCE." IN THE MOVIE "AMERICAN GRAFITTI," MS. SOMERS DROVE A WHITE T-BIRD.
MJT: All Music Guide says I'm right:
"'The Warmth of the Sun'" one of the Beach Boys' finest and most moving ballads. It never became a single but has remained dear to the heart of Beach Boys fans over the years."
"'Girl Don't Tell Me'" was released as a single at the end of 1965: it failed to chart but became a fan favorite and later turned up on the popular compilation album Endless Summer."
I'll check into it more. You're right about the car in American Graffiti. And no need to shout: enough with the caps.
MJT: Both of us are half right, half wrong--
"Warmth of the Sun" indeed was the flipside of "Dance, Dance, Dance."
But "Girl Don't Tell Me" however, was indeed the flipside of "Barbara Ann"--Capitol 5561, released Dec. 20,1965.
Well, I'm more of a music fan than a record collector, but I'll never trust AMG again. Thanks for the info, MJT.
When I was 14 I was actually paid for babysitting with a copy of this record. I had been told I could listen to their stereo and asked when the couple came home if they could make me a tape of it.
They gave me the LP instead. I still have it...now if I only had a working turntable.
It's a great collection of all their signature songs. Great review, Gordon.
"Good Vibrations" was not on the original release of "Endless Summer." It was added some time later -- maybe in the CD era. At that time Brother/Reprise, not Capitol, had the rights to the music from "Pet Sounds" and later albums.
Thanks Connie--appreciate the comment. Good babysitting gig--hope you can get a turntable soon.
Jim--thanks for solving a mystery for me. Since I have both the LP and CD, and my LP is currently with a chunk of my album collection in a barn on an old chicken farm in Petaluma, California (long story) I used the CD info. And for the life of me, I couldn't remember "Good Vibrations" being on it, and it didn't make sense. Until now. Thanks again.
I also stand corrected on the car in American Graffiti. I was going strictly by memory and for some reason I saw a VW bug in my minds eye.
Still, that damn closing scene with "All Summer Long" is one of the best ever. It makes watching the credits roll an essential part of viewing the movie.
-Glen
The Beach Boys live in concert was recorded in Sacramento not Santa Monica.FYI
I have three questions about the movies that were made on the lives of the Beach Boys. One movie was "Endless Summer". Who can help me find the name of the other one?
My second question is this, Is it true that studio musicians were used in place of the original Beach Boy's recordings for that movie?
Third question, Was there ever a sound track CD released from the movie "Endless Summer"?
Steve
I have found 'endless harmony' and 'summer dreams' on amazon for around $2 a piece, however 'endless summer' remains an enigma, as far as I'm aware its was made for TV so not sure if it ever got an actual release and am presuming because of budget restraints they will have definately used session musicians, as opposed paying royalties or re-recording tracks but I could be wrong.
I have seen the movie and the music is pretty close to the beach boys but am erring towards the session musicians performing as opposed to the original recording artists (I'm not sure how often carole kaye, hal blaine and glen campbell get out nowadays!)
a side note check out 'grace of my heart' a scorcese production loosely about carole king (if she married brian wilson?!) a bit of an odd twist but a great movie with an awesome soundtrack!
actually scrub that, I found a clip on you tube titled 'endless summer' and its not the Tv movie I have seen, which is a biopic starring actors and the like charting the beach boys rise and fall early 60's onwards! so that makes 4 movies, someones just whispered 'the beach boys an american band' in my ear! so that makes 5!?
help anyone? I need clarification!
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The Beach Boys In Concert was also the very first album I ever owned (I was seven years old), so there is some resonance there with me.
But the first time I recall being hit HARD by a Beach Boys track was some ten years later.
The way the closing sequence in the film American Graffiti plays with Richard Dreyfuss looking out the plane window and seeing Suzanne Somers elusive VW bug symbolized more than the end of an "Endless Summer."
It symbolized a certain rite of passage as well as the loss of innocence. It meant you could never go home again.
That remains for me the single greatest use of music in a films closing sequence I've ever seen.
For whatever it's worth...
-Glen