“Spirit Of America” was a biographical song about Craig Breedlove who was trying to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. His car was called The Spirit Of America. This song would later be the title song of a multi-platinum-selling Beach Boys greatest hits album.
“No Go Showboat,” while simple on lyrics, has interesting chord changes plus a Brian Wilson and Mike Love duet. The song is about a car that cannot go fast, which is the antithesis of the Beach Boy automobile philosophy.
Brian Wilson always mentions the Four Freshmen as one of his musical inspirations. Here he takes their song, “There Hearts Were Full Of Spring,” and substitutes his lyrics, creating “A Young Man Is Gone,” a tribute to James Dean who died in a car crash. Again, the use of a capella accents just how pure the early voices of the group were and how well they fit together.
“Cherry Cherry Coupe” has always been my favorite song on Little Deuce Coupe. There were no dramatic highs; just a smooth vocal by Mike Love with subtle backing vocals. It flows along and is relaxing in its own way. “Custom Machine” ends the album as it began, with a song about a dream car.
Little Deuce Coupe was a quickly thrown together affair, and it shows in some ways. There is very little musical and technical advancement from Surfer Girl. Having said that, Brian Wilson proved that even when hurried, he could still produce an album superior to most of what was being released in 1963. Time was passing, and Brian Wilson was still learning.
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