"Girl Don't Tell Me"

[Ed Roach]

Just found myself singing this song in the shower, and  I immediately felt first hearing this song. To a large extent, it blew me away because of instantly noticing this new incredible voice singing lead!  (Also, I must admit that until this track, I was completely uncertain how I felt about this new album...  Coming so quickly on the heels of "Today" - specifically side 2 - I was more prepared for Pet Sounds that what I was hearing so far).
In spite of the album leading off with a song about a girl from New York - the very city where I was listening - it almost felt like a throwback after side two of Today.  And, while Dennis' voice was a bit of a shock with "In the Back Of My Mind", there was something instantly warm, comfortable & soothing about Carl's voice...  And the song was so damn relatable to my broken teenage heart, which is what I was expecting from Brian by this point!  Don't get me wrong, it went on to be one of my favorite albums after I got to know it.
I guess I wrote this because I realized I don't miss being young nearly as much as I miss experiencing those formative years with Brian & the Boys.  I was damn lucky to be the age I was when he/they were creating this music, and it kind of makes me sad that 'kids today' can never have this kind of soundtrack experience to help with growing up - and that's without even mentioning The Beatles happening at the same time!  Also, I realized I'd probably miss Dennis & Carl almost as much as I do even if I hadn't gotten to know them as I did... 

[c-man]

Great post, Ed.  Thanks.

[Shady]

Fantastic post, thank you 

[A Million Units In Jan!]

I always felt that 'Girl Don't Tell Me' is sort of a Brian compliment towards the Beatles, because it sounds alot like 'Ticket To Ride' to my ears. Great song, GDTM is.

[Sam_BFC]

And the song was so damn relatable to my broken teenage heart...I was damn lucky to be the age I was when he/they were creating this music, and it kind of makes me sad that 'kids today' can never have this kind of soundtrack experience to help with growing up

But we can bruv!

Haha seriously I think many of us younger members are hear precisely because these songs continue in expressing these universal experiences and feelings that pertain to experiences of growing up, regardless of generation.  What I mean is, the songs were there to be rediscovered by us and will continue to be so.  Thankfully.

'I could try to be big in the eyes of the world, but what matters to me is what I could be to just one girl'.  Nuff said.

There are also one or two present day artists that do a fine job in relating to 'broken teenage hearts' quite eloquently.  For me anyway .

Cool post though I always love to read of your experiences with the boys and really enjoyed putting a face to your name in the BBC Dennis documentary.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Unfortunately, I am too young to have had that experience. But I do believe that this was the first album I ever heard and bought (outside of greatest hits). I bought it because California Girls blew me away and I figured there would be more songs on the album like it. I think I was right.

Although, I do have similar experiences with modern bands such as Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens and Beach House.

[MBE]

Endless Summer was the first Beach Boys LP I bought back in 1988. My mom told me not to get that they just did dumb surf songs. I brought it home and when she heard "Girl Don't Tell Me" she really started changing her mind about them. Now she is someone who really enjoys their music.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I was someone who  in the mid 90s became a fan of their music through Smiley Smile up to Holland (and in that basic order I bought them, except I bought 20/20 before Friends, and BW 88 and IJWMFTT were the first BW related purchases I made EVER), and for the longest time I didn't like their pre-Pet Sounds stuff that much.  That said, when I heard Girl Don't Tell Me for the first time...I *loved* it. I'm only now coming around on the Beatles (still feel they're overrated in comparison to the BB), but back then it was like "F*ck Yeah! Brian beat the Beatles at their own game!". Hey, I was almost out of my teens.

[Foster's Freeze]

Great post Ed and GDTM is a gem of a tune.  Popular yes but still sometimes overlooked.

Your perspective and thoughts are priceless - what a great example of what the Beach Boys music can do to you.  It can really hit you deep and take you back to "that place" in your life.

Thanks again for posting Ed.

[TdHabib]

GDTM is a great song. One of the cool things is that, for whatever reason, Brian is almost always doing a great job of singing it on stage these days.

[Ed Roach]

Gosh, this is interesting, and thanks for all of your great comments!  (By the way, here's the song from YouTube, if you're not familar with it    for some reason: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ztc_lAb5Ws&feature=related )  I put that version up 'cause I see a lot of people have things to say about this song there, but it's worth searching further - although there isn't anyone that sounds anywhere near like Carl does, here or anywhere else!  But there are lot's of people that seem to cover this song - one that's driving me crazy trying to find right now is some group Gumball, that covered it: "Girl Don't Tell Me/ Strawberry Fields Forever" is a 1992 set of singles by alternative rock band Gumball. This single is Get Hip Recordings Catalog # GH-146.  Anyone ever hear this one?

[Mahalo]

And the song was so damn relatable to my broken teenage heart...I was damn lucky to be the age I was when he/they were creating this music, and it kind of makes me sad that 'kids today' can never have this kind of soundtrack experience to help with growing up

But we can bruv!

Haha seriously I think many of us younger members are hear precisely because these songs continue in expressing these universal experiences and feelings that pertain to experiences of growing up, regardless of generation.  What I mean is, the songs were there to be rediscovered by us and will continue to be so.  Thankfully.

Hell yeah. Great post Ed, I too consider myself lucky to be so connected with this music, as much as it may seem odd to my peers who just don't get it. While I wasn't there physically at the time, there is no doubt that we (all of us younger memmbers) were there in spirit during those incredible times. Many years and bands will pass, but the Beach Boys will always be the hippest, freshest, and most spirituallly original rock band to grace us with their music. There will be others, but it will never be the same... Cheers!
Stay young at heart, Eddie!!

[Jay]

To be honest, I've never heard this song in complete form. I'm not that overly familiar with their early songs. I mean,  I grew up on the "hits" and surf songs.  I know of songs like Warmth Of The Sun, and Please Let Me Wonder, but I don't know many of their "album songs" from this period. I'm much more familiar with their work from Pet Sounds and beyond. On listening to Girl Don't Tell Me, my initial impression is that the rhythm and general melody is remarkably similar to Heroes and Villians. Has anybody else noticed this?

Thanks for this post Mr. Roach.  I didn't grow up with the group and hear the songs when they were "new", but hearing "new songs" like these is always exciting. I kind of understand what you mean about relating to the music too. I am at a point in my life right now where Pet Sounds speaks to me in a very profound way.

[Rocker]

Gosh, this is interesting, and thanks for all of your great comments!  (By the way, here's the song from YouTube, if you're not familar with it    for some reason: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ztc_lAb5Ws&feature=related )  I put that version up 'cause I see a lot of people have things to say about this song there, but it's worth searching further - although there isn't anyone that sounds anywhere near like Carl does, here or anywhere else!  But there are lot's of people that seem to cover this song - one that's driving me crazy trying to find right now is some group Gumball, that covered it: "Girl Don't Tell Me/ Strawberry Fields Forever" is a 1992 set of singles by alternative rock band Gumball. This single is Get Hip Recordings Catalog # GH-146.  Anyone ever hear this one?

I googled it and the best I could find is the artwork:
http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=1488744

There's also the possibility to download it via torrent but for obvious reasons I can't write the link to that down. But you'll find it when you google it.

BTW the Castaways did a very nice version in '66:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8RbAYT6dIw&feature=related

[JaredLekites]

This song has been the sole cover in my concert repertoire for a few years now. A joy to play and sing.

[runnersdialzero]

On listening to Girl Don't Tell Me, my initial impression is that the rhythm and general melody is remarkably similar to Heroes and Villians. Has anybody else noticed this?

Nah. Rhythm, only a little, and I hear basically no resemblance between the melodies.

[LetHimRun]

On listening to Girl Don't Tell Me, my initial impression is that the rhythm and general melody is remarkably similar to Heroes and Villians. Has anybody else noticed this?

It's basically its own melody but parts are based off of Ticket to Ride. The main parts of the instrumental track (mostly guitar licks and certain key drumming sections) are based off it Ticket also. I read somewhere that Brian said he wanted to try his hand at a track similar to how the Beatles were writing at the time and he wrote Girl Don't Tell Me.

It's pretty easy to tell: "Girl don't tell me you'll ri-i-ight" and "She's got a ticket to ri-i-ide" are the same multiple times through each song.

[SG7]

I like the Vivian Girls cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNaIJzDel1o

[Ed Roach]

I like the Vivian Girls cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNaIJzDel1o

Hmmm...  Interesting; here they are playing it live, (even though YouTube sez it's Surf's Up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGL4oEIk9Ds&feature=related

[bgas]

I like the Vivian Girls cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNaIJzDel1o

Hmmm...  Interesting; here they are playing it live, (even though YouTube sez it's Surf's Up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGL4oEIk9Ds&feature=related

How the heck did you tell what it was they were playing?
Sounded like nails on a chalkboard to me.

[SG7]

I like the Vivian Girls cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNaIJzDel1o

Hmmm...  Interesting; here they are playing it live, (even though YouTube sez it's Surf's Up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGL4oEIk9Ds&feature=related

How the heck did you tell what it was they were playing?
Sounded like nails on a chalkboard to me.

I think the best covers are ones where it's not a complete knock off of the original.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I like the Vivian Girls cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNaIJzDel1o

Hmmm...  Interesting; here they are playing it live, (even though YouTube sez it's Surf's Up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGL4oEIk9Ds&feature=related

Reminds me of a Shonen Knife BB cover I once heard that literally had me running from the room with my hands over my ears.

[The Shift]

I like the Vivian Girls cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNaIJzDel1o

Hmmm...  Interesting; here they are playing it live, (even though YouTube sez it's Surf's Up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGL4oEIk9Ds&feature=related

How the heck did you tell what it was they were playing?
Sounded like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Agreed. Some covers provide interesting listening. Some are crap. This is the latter. They could have been playing anything and singing Girl Don't Tell Me over the top. Pointless.





Maybe I'm getting old?

[SG7]

  you guys haven't heard this have you? http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/12/365-days-361--.html

[Alex]

you guys haven't heard this have you? http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/12/365-days-361--.html

Hell, yes...Toru and Kojima!!