The Smiley Smile Message Board

Discuss, review and rate Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), released June 1965.

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Except for the horrid Spector cover, great. 4.

Very, very good. 4.

A wonderful album. The band at their pure pop finest. There's just no avoiding this album, it's an albatross up there with All Summer Long, Today!, Pet Sounds, Sunflower, and Love You.

Nothing like a doctored quote to clear things up...

Don't knock the Flower!

Hey at least my statement was good enough to be doctored. :)

In my opinion the best pre-"Pet Sounds" album. Yes, it doesn´t have the cohesive mood of Today´s side two, but there are some genuis tracks on it. "California Girls", "Help Me Rhonda", "Let Him Run Wild" or "Summer Means New Love" are pop-music at it´s best. Other bands would be happy if they would have a best-of-album like this.

"Let Him Run Wild"s vocal isn't too flash (combine that, and the alternate version on the disc together and you'd have a great one)... Some great tunes, some dire.

If "Today" was Brians blueprint for "Pet Sounds", then "Summer Days" was the prototype of "20/20" in its hodgepodge nature.

4 stars.

 My orginal review of it on the old SS:
This is a real underrated album. Starting off with the girl from new york city is a gem. Amusement Parks USA I liked so much I put it always in my alt. PS (my six song intro.) Al kicks a$$ on Then I kissed her. I was really stunned to see him do it live all these years later. Salt Lake City is even better in stereo. What a great backing track that one! Help Me Rhonda. You have to be deaf to not like this song no matter if it's Today version, Summer day version, endless harmony alt. version it works. Perfect single. Ok now we get to the big Kahuna of the BB catalog: California Girls. I do really mean it when I say that it IS one the best introduction's of a song in pop music EVER. That is usually the first track in all my PS alt. Let him run wild. It's a shame that Brian can't see how good this version is. The backing track is awesome and the vocals are just chilling. He sings it the way he does in Don't Talk. Especially 2nd verse. Also on alt. PS. You're so good to me is such a cool song. I dig the lalala's in it. The sessions for this song are boring but what came of it is anything but! Summer means new love is one of my real favorite of the instrumentals (next to Trombone Dixie and Let's go away for a while). I never realized how good it was till I heard it in stereo. I'm bugged at my old man is very disturbing. I know it's suppose to be funny but I felt that way about it. And your dreams come true. Whoa. That baby in stereo is mind blowing. I play that thing usually every night before I go to sleep. It was Brian's first song at the first concert I went to see him at. My jaw was on the floor when they sang it. Overall, great album and what a great sign of what was to come in terms of Brian's genius.

So in other words, 5 all the way

That's Al.

  :-[ my bad.

 :o

 ;D

I gave it a 5 as well.  Awesome album.

10 stars.

I like Rhonda in the Key it's played in on this album. But I think I prefer the drunken Ronda on Today.

Out of all the pre-Pet Sounds albums, this one gets the most spins.  Great from start to finish, though I probably wouldn't miss "I'm Bugged at My Old Man".  5 Stars.  Love it!

This has always been a favorite for me and easily in my top 5 BB albums. Though it masquerades as a typical "summer, good time" album, it's got quite a bit of melancholy also. For instance, consider the hurt feeling and disappointments in "Girl Don't Tell Me" and "Let Him Run Wild" (my all-time favorite BB song). I also love the way "And Your Dreams Come True" closes the album with that wistful mood. The "one more summer" line never fails to move me, when I think about the history of the Beach Boys and Brian, longing for that perfect summer that never came. I consider this an end of an era for them. The next year, Pet Sounds came along and everything changed. Though the music was undeniably great, a lot of the sweetness, humor and fun was gone forever.

 

By and large, I prefer this over 'Today!'  Great songs, great vibe.

5

5

Close, very close, to perfection.

I clicked 4, and now I've changed my mind. There is no option to let me change my vote to the big 5.

This is an album with a few incredible songs. CalGir, LetHRWild, YourSGTMe, SummMKLove and GirlDTMe. The rest of it is so so. Except for 'Bugged..' which I hate.

Were it not for 'Amusement Parks USA' it would earn a 5.

I'd like to hear a backing track for Amusement Parks USA, without the vocals I reckon it would be like the sound of insanity.

This album was another solid effort but it was a notch down from Today! The Girl From New York City is an alright song but nothing special. Amusement Parks USA has a unique and great backing track but the overall feel of the song (with the vocals) just isn't a pleasant experience for me. Then I Kissed Her is nice enough but seems kind of pointless. Salt Lake City is a pretty good track and is the best song on the album out of the opening 4 tracks. Girl Don't Tell Me is a really nice song. I love the backing track and it is of course one of Carl's first lead vocals and he does a nice enough job, yet he is still nowhere near the lead vocalist he would become. Help Me Rhonda and California Girls are both great songs. Let him Run Wild is a splendid song despite what Brian himself thinks about his vocal. I really love the backing track especially, it really is beautiful. You're So Good To Me is another fine track with the unique backing vocals in the chorus. Summer Means New Love is a fine instrumental and although it isn't as good as "Lets Go Away For Awhile" it still is a real nice pretty tune. I know im in the minority here, but I quite like I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man... I mean it's just Brian having a bit of light-hearted fun. I mean as long as you don't take it seriously then I think it is funny. Of course its not a great song or anything but good for a laugh. The album closer And Your Dream Comes True is a fantastic end to what is all round a pretty fine album. The thing I like about this album is that most of the backing tracks are so different to each other which makes it really interesting to listen to.


It is possible from the Unsurpassed Masters Series... except it still has the dialogue in the middle of the song.. It is a pretty creepy backing track but I really like it. Probably better than the actual song.

The Girl From New York City-Excellent uptempo rocker, always makes me want to dance and sing along

Amusement Parks USA-horrid lyrics, the concept of the song is really corny, but the backing track is great, Hal Blaine makes for a creepy carnival barker, as bad as the lyrics are, I do like the intensity that Mike sings with, especially when he sings "you'll crash and burn..."

Then I Kissed Her-never heard the original Spector version, like this one though. The drums sound intense on the stereo mix, but the guitars are kind of weak. Al turns in a great lead vocal, as always.

Salt Lake City-I like the backing track. The song is really catchy, no matter how lame the subject matter is (the BB's advertising Mormonism????). If they weren't commissioned to do this by a tourism board or agency in Salt Lake City than I don't know why the hell they even recorded this song.

Help Me, Rhonda-Good song, though I like the version from Today! better, no matter what everyone else says.

California Girls-Brian's first LSD song. The stereo version kicks major ass. The bridge between the old surf/beach songs and the newer, progressive Beach Boys music. Pure bliss-this song is not long enough.

Girl Don't Tell Me-It might just be a "Ticket to Ride" ripoff, but its one of those Beatle ripoffs that sound better than the real thing, kind of like Oasis.

Let Him Run Wild-I don't care if Brian thinks he sounds like a girl here, I love his vocals on this song. Just as I've said for a couple other songs here, the stereo version is the one you want to hear. This is kind of like the sad counterpart to California Girls. I abso-fodaing-lutely love it.

You're So Good To Me-another great BB tune. I find myself singing this in the shower a lot. Has a surf sound to it but is not about surfing. Mike Love does the bass voice thing that he would provide a lot more of on Pet Sounds and SMiLE.

Summer Means New Love-first non-surf BB instrumental. Could easily fit on Pet Sounds right along with Let's Go Away For A While.

I'm Bugged At My Old Man-kind of a funny novelty song. I would dismiss it as a dumb little comedy track, but knowing what Murray put Brian and his brothers through, I can imagine that this song sprang from real emotion.

And Your Dream Comes True-nice harmonies, just as good as Their Hearts Were Full of Spring, but way too short-could've been developed into a full song.

The Little Girl I Once Knew-Awesomeness!

Sandy should have been on this album, imagine what it would've sounded like if were finished in 1965 before Brian's voice went south.

I love the album and I'll give it 5/5, though I do think that Today and Pet Sounds were both better. I suppose this is the album(and Amusement Parks USA was the song) that made Brian want to try out other lyricists. Still even the two mediocre(IMO) songs--APUSA and Salt Lake City are very well produced. I wish it all could be in fresh stereo, but it's good the way it is.

I really hate Amusements Parks USA. I think its probably the worst Beach Boys song because its the only song in their catalog that gives me a headache and makes me feel dizzy and like I'm going to throw up when I listen. I'm not joking. It's not just a bad song, its an assault on your senses, a very unpleasant listening experience.

I love "Amusement Parks U.S.A.". From beginning to end, it might be one of the most manic, rockin', and wildest two minutes in Beach Boys' history. Love the lyrics - "the roll-ie coasters are flyin'", "take her on the twirl-away and spin her around", "watchin' girls in the air can really get you bad", "you'll crash and burn in the bumper cars", "but you'll do it with a girl standin' right by your side"..... Mike's shining hour. This is pure hedonism! Love the organ, especially when it all comes together with that "Palisades Park" ending. The only thing that's a little annoying is Brian's crazy laugh; he coulda left that out.

Let's take your car and mess around at the park all day!!!

I love Hal Blaine as the creepy carnival barker.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I hate the Amusement Parks USA song. I think the backing track is cool and all. The lyrics are not so bad. My problem is it is the song on the album that seems most nostalgic. Already at that stage, in my opinion, Mike was trying to milk the All Summer Long formula, and while the song is cool enough, there's the beginning of what I consider atter-period Beach Boys cynicism in it.

I really have to disagree with you there. Trying to milk the All Summer Long formula? ??? You have to remember this was less than a year after the release of All Summer Long. So I wouldn't exactly call that nostalgic. I mean that's like saying "Surfin' USA" is just being nostalgic cause they are just milking the Surfin' Safari formula.

Haha. But they WERE trying to milk the Surfin' Safari formula with Surfin' USA. Somehow, despite the fact that it was milking that Surfin' thing AND ripping off Chuck Berry--it worked and rocked to the uttermost. Amusement Parks USA doesn't for me. Despite it's obvious invention. I don't know if Mike Love is actually to blame for doing what he does so well, yet I think it's Mike that is the weak point of that song, (though the melody seems a bit indistinct to me, as well, maybe that's not Mike's fault)specifically what I consider his contribution. And I do think it's because he was going for that Little Honda/All Summer Long formula a little too much.
It's maybe sacrilege, but I think he was in California Girls, as well. Somehow that works for me though.

That may be true, but my point was that it isn't really "nostalgic". And I still wouldn't exactly call it "milking the All Summer Long formula". I mean musically speaking it is pretty different and the lyrics are just "Mike-type" lyrics. Just my opinion on the matter anyway

I see what you're saying. You're right, my choice of words is probably inaccurate.

Yeah, Mike was really milkin' that All Summer Long formula. The kids couldn't identify with "Dance, Dance, Dance" or "Help Me Rhonda" or any of that other beatnik acid burnout crap, so it was time for an Amusement Parks USA or two to bring the band back to that commercial peak. If it wasn't for him, Brian would've let the whole album turn into 12 tracks of Let Him Run Wild and You're So Good to Me and all that other anti-society hippy dippy collection of ego nonsense sounds.

OK, OK, I already said that I was wrong.

At any rate, though, there is something not quite fresh about that track, even though I listened to it last night and I actually thought it kicked ass. In fact, I would say that the first three tracks of that record are the worst ones...though the rest are brilliant. It's the lyrics that bug me. I still like them though.

This is all, of course In my humble opinion, upon which, of course, you are more than free to heap scorn.

My original comment stands.  This is the album that made Brian Wilson seek out new lyricists. I dont think that Mike wrote much of the lyrics to Let Him Run Wild or You're So Good to Me--those sound about 80 percent Brian to me, not that it matters or that any of us know exactly who imputted what. Whatevah, I still give the album five/five.

Sarcasm aside, I completely agree with you about Amusement Parks USA. I wouldn't call it "milking the ASL formula", but it is very, um, formulaic. Typical completely non-unique pre-Pet Sounds Beach Boys track.

I wouldn't necessarily call the track 'feel good' or even 'formulaic'.

In my opinion, the music has a very strange, almost trippy quality to it - tumbling all over the place.  The pace is just slow enough to make you feel almost uneasy.  Of course, the lyrics are standard fare, but the back track itself sounds like a little experiment.

Perhaps it's only me that feels this way!

4 out of 5 only because its' driven by a ton of singles (not that that's a bad thing) and a few duds

Let Him Run Wild
California Girls
Help Me, Rhonda
Salt Lake City
Then I Kissed Her
The Girl from NYC
And Your Dream Comes True
You're So Good to Me
Summer Means New Love
Girl Don't Tell Me
Amusement Parks U.S.A.
I'm Bugged at my Old Man

A tad uneven at times, but I think I like the gems of this album better than the gems of Today.  4 stars.

Track picks:  California Girls (+++), Help Me Rhonda (+++), You're So Good To Me (+++), Let Him Run Wild (++), Summer Means New Love (++), And Your Dreams Come True (++), I'm Bugged At My Old Man (+).  Whew!

5.  One of my all-time favorite Beach Boys albums.

One of their Top 4-5 albums ... How good  might it have been if Brian had given it the intense focus that he gave to Pet Sounds and SMiLE ... at the time it seemed like Summer Days was a requirement he had to get out of the way; another "summer" album. A fabulous collection of tunes.

replace And Then I Kissed Her with Sherry and this album is a 5. As is I give it a 4.5; oh, it should've also opened with California Girls.

As great as some of these songs were, it amazes me that they were also using lyrics like "One more summer, and your dream comes true," and about how Salt Lake City's "got the grooviest kids" who "talk so cool."  This was the year of My Generation, Satisfaction, Help, Turn Turn Turn, etc.--sad that the Beach Boys were still stuck.

In any case, I get the sense that including Salt Lake City and And Your Dream Comes True on Stack of Trax was a realization of how ridiculously bad their lyrics were.

In 1965 those lyrics weren't as lame as they may seem today. To a twelve year old each those songs was just as good as the other; they were all cool. Also, these were album tracks, the comparison with those other hugely succsessful songs is unfair.

Maybe the lyrics weren't AS lame then as now, but c'mon - look at the album tracks on the LPs by the Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Byrds, Who and others.  None of those groups put out anything even remotely resembling the cornball of SLC or AYDCT.  Things were changing fast, and the Beach Boys were very slow to catch on.

"And Your Dream Comes True" ain't on my copy of Stack-O-Tracks... probably because it's acapella. Maybe it's that minute of silence after the album ends but before I turn off the stereo...

Why do fans even want the Beach Boys to be cool in a way the Beatles or the Rolling Stones were? Personally, I love all the cheese and supposed lameness and couldn't care less about the group not being cool.

Yeah, I'm not sure if it's on the CD, but on the LP, it's a hidden track, and comes on right after the last listed track, Let Him Run Wild.

Brian's backing tracks more than make up for the lameness of Mike's lyrics, anyway!

3 1/2 out of 5.

A kind of uneasy mix between the fun in the stuff material and Brian's more avant garde songs. The fun songs, especially California Girls, certainly are enjoyable though and the more thoughtful numbers like Let Him Run Wild and Summer Means New Love also hit the spot. It just doesn't make for entirely cohesive listening experience.

I gave it a 5. The downsides are small. The middle section of Amusements Parks is disappointing especially with the great backing track present. I can put the silly lyrics aside, but the spoken parts hurt that section. I'm Bugged isn't horrible, but is kind of placed oddly in between a great instrumental and a great a capella piece. Other than that, I love it.

4 points.

I think it's problem is, it's between Today and Pet Sounds, two outstanding albums of the Boys and if I compare with these, I only have to give 4 point, otherwise it would be unfair. Still it's a very, very good album with many classics

Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) is an interesting album in that you've find the Beach Boys at pretty much their vocal and production peak.  It's sandwiched in between two pretty two brilliant studio albums (Today and Pet Sounds).  It has a couple of radio-friendly hits and underrated gems.  I don't think it reaches potential based on the historical context.  It's quite good and is not marred by any horrible tracks, but it's not really excellent song after song.  In some ways there are some steps backwards (Amusement Parks U.S.A., I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man) while others are steps forwards (Let Him Run Wild, Summer Means New Love).  Still quite enjoyable and with plenty to love, however.

The Girl From New York City - 4/5
Amusement Parks U.S.A. - 3.5/5
Then I Kissed Her - 4/5
Salt Lake City - 4/5
Girl Don't Tell Me - 4.5/5
Help Me, Rhonda - 4.5/5
California Girls - 5/5
Let Him Run Wild - 5/5
You're So Good To Me - 4.5/5
Summer Means New Love - 5/5
I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man - 3.5/5
And Your Dreams Come True - 4/5

That works out to a 4/5 which is about right in my mind.

5!!! Such a clear and crisp sound quality to this record. How about the Bruce falsetto on "The Girl from New York City" or the pureness in Brian's voice on "Let Him Run Wild" clearly one of his best vocal periods. This is the quintessential pop album by the group for me. I just wish the FULL band would of toured around this time period..man what great bootlegs those would be..

SMiLE & PET SOUNDS aside it's my favourite BBs album most of these days. It has a brilliant sound and exudes pure energy and acceptance of life.

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Well it's not as coherent and consistent as Today! or, obviously, Pet Sounds - but it IS a great album! Girl from New York City is intended to kick the album open with a flourish and it does just that - the chorus is insanely catchy! Try listening to it without tapping your foot, people. Amusement Parks USA - mixed feelings on here, but personally I'm a fan. The whoozy backing track is terrific - it's meant to make you feel as if you're on a waltzer and it does! The lyrics are fun and Mike sings 'em well, and, agreed, Hal Blaine delivers a borderline sinister voiceover. Then I Kissed Her - not their greatest cover but I damn good 'un, and a more polished production than the original. Salt Lake City - a better production than song (see Hawthorne cd). Girl Dont Tell Me - to me this is almost Brian saying, 'hey Beatles I can do what you're doing too, just as well, if not better, now lets see YOU do THIS (cue Help Me Rhonda/California Girls/Pet Sounds etc)' Help Me Rhonda - pop perfection. California Girls - ditto. Let Him Run Wild - I'm afraid i agree with brian here, his vocal IS too shrill, and his production isn't 100% (the chorus sounds subdued second time around). it sounds a lot better on the The Warmth Of The Sun cd. You're So Good... - the Beach Boys do the Who - what's not to love? Bugged At My Old Man - amusing for a listen or two, but - as noted in the sleeve notes - a bit too close to home... And Your Dreams Come True - love it! Harmony heaven!

A very good album indeed, if only just short of being a true classic - 4/5

Listening to the recent vinyl reissue from a year or two back and it's just so good. Every track on this album is vintage Beach Boys at their best. It easily ranks in my top ten Beach Boys albums and is a CLASSIC LP.

I'm not sure how I would rate it scorewise, but this album varies wildly for me. The first four songs are OK, nothing special...but nothing bad. The five song run from "Girl Don't Tell Me" through "You're So Good To Me" is OUTSTANDING, among the best of their work. Not a fan of the last three tracks at all.

Imagine if Brian was given eight months to complete Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!!) like he had with Today!. Sure, it wouldn't have come out in Summer, but the thought of having tracks like 'Sloop John B', 'Trombone Dixie', 'Sherry, She Needs Me' and 'The Little Girl I Once Knew' replace less than stellar tracks like 'Amusement Parks', 'Bugged', 'Then I Kissed Her' and 'Salt Lake City' is so tantalising. It'd without a doubt be heralded as a "fun in the sun" masterpiece and it would have made the transition from Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!!) to Pet Sounds a lot more organic, which would have likely led the latter to be better promoted/received.

You know what the best part of this little fantasy is? 'Barbara Ann' wouldn't be the bane of The Beach Boys' existence  :h5

A: California Girls opens side 2 - it has a better effect on vinyl, like (sorry to bring in the Beatles) Eight Days A Week, with its fade in, does.

B: Is the Vinyl Re-Issue really duophonic?

Full of great songs. California Girls, Help Me, Rhonda, Girl Don't Tell Me, Then I Kissed Her... Al's vocals are spot-on! Carl does a great job too. Actually everyone sounded great! Worth repeated listens when relaxing or hanging out with friends/family.

Aww yeah. My namesake. I like Pet Sounds, Today! and Sunflower more, but still, this is one of the very best Beach Boys albums. Not every track is great, but hell, you kind of expect that from the boys.

Best songs:
'Let Him Run Wild' is my #2 favorite Beach Boys song. It's spine-tingling beautiful. The arrangement is just outta sight. I don't know all that much about the technical side of music, but man, that...chord progression I think it is at the end of the chorus back into the verse (the way up and then meandering down horn lines before "guess you know I waited for you girl")is perfection, just amazing. The backing track on Stack O' Tracks is astounding. Soak it up.

'California Girls' survives over-exposure for me primarily because of the intro, which feels like a prologue/overture and the bitchin' BGVs.

'Help Me Rhonda' just rocks. Whaddya want?

'And Your Dream Comes True' is another fine example of the effortless talent Brian and the boys had for unspeakably brilliant harmonies. Like a lullaby to my birth season.

'Girl Don't Tell Me'...yeah, surfy, dopey 'Ticket To Ride' for beach bums, but I LOVE it. One of the very few BBs tracks of the era that actually features the members of the band playing instruments.

'Amusement Parks USA', though by no means a great song, I still kinda like for some reason. Maybe it's because I love old, classic amusement parks and loathe crowded, expensive and lifeless theme parks. The lyrics now stand, more than 45 years on, as fond tributes to some defunct parks such as Pacific Ocean Park, Euclid Beach and the great Palisades Park.

'The Girl From New York City' is bad-assss. I love Brian's falsetto wailin'.

'Salt Lake City' is really only notable to me for that amazing backing track. Lovely, vibrant stuff.

'You're So Good To Me' has a great beat and Brian's vocals are tough and groovy. Love it.

Don't much like 'I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man' and their cover of 'Then I Kissed Her' is eh okay.

Overall, fantastic record, full of the warmth of the sun n' fun n' awf'ly purty Brian Wilson production and melodies. The two-fer CD that contains this album and Today! is, along with Pet Sounds and the new SMiLE sessions box, the best thing the BBs camp ever released.

'That's Not Me' doesn't feature everyone like 'Girl don't Tell Me' does (minus obviously Mike, who can't really play a thing). And I had said "of the era" meaning Brian's 1965-66 pinnacle.

Yeah, but they also all play on Girl From New York City(augmented by other musicians) and You're So good for Me, I think. And also most of the tracks on Today. There may be some studio musicians playing along with them, but that was because of studio limitations back then; to get the sound Brian wanted they had to use the other musicians.

Wow, didn't know that (or I forgot) they played on 'The Girl From New York City'. Huh.

The BBs at the peak of their power with great production and pop songs.

Now that I've heard it in stereo, I am more impressed by it and would nudge it up to a weak 4 instead of a strong 3

aren't a weak 4 and a strong 3 in the same scale?

That's Bruce on falsetto!!!!

Posted a commentary on Summer Days (And Summer Nights!) as the quintessential BB album ...

http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-quintessential-beach-boys-album.html

And personally I don't care for this (or actually any pre-Pet Sounds album THAT MUCH), but: four stars! One each for Girl Don't Tell Me, Help Me Rhonda, California Girls and And Your Dream Comes True. In Brian's words: sound bliss!

No  Surfer Girl ... Today ... Summer Days, no Pet Sounds and beyond.

Phil

P.S. Podcast with Phillip Bardowell (formerly of the Beach Boys touring band) @ http://archive.org/details/ConferenceCallFeb12013WphilipBardowell

Prefer this to Today. There are a lot of silly tracks, but it just adds to the charm for me.

Are there really a lot of silly tracks? Besides the obviously comic I'm Bugged At My Old Man, and Amusement Parks USA (at least for the part when Brian laughs), i don't consider any of the rest of it particuarly silly...

Well, less serious than Today.

I love the whole vibe and feel to the Summer Days (And Summer Nights!) album, for me it represents The Beach Boys doing what they do best, and singing well crafted songs with great harmonies. Highlights of the album for me are "The Girl From New York City", "Amusement Parks USA", "California Girls" and "You're So Good To Me".

:) Mark

Awesome album! Features one of my all time favorite songs (Let Him Run Wild). I love the energetic opening track The Girl From New York City (my favorite example of Brian's soaring falsetto). You're So Good To Me, Girl Don't Tell Me, California Girls, Help Me Rhonda all on the same album, all classics. I could live without Amusement Parks USA although I have nothing against it. It's sorta like a 1965 version of County Fair. I'm Bugged At My Old Man is funny but it spoils the mood after hearing CG, LHRW, YSGTM and Summer Means New Love (I prefer the 1976 version of Bugged with the hacking and coughing and laughther from Carl and Dennis). Love the a cappella And Your Dream Comes True, truly beautiful.

The 2012 stereo remaster of this album is incredible. They really knocked it out of the park with this.

I've ALWAYS hated 'I'm Bugged At My Old Man' - but I've realized it's actually a brilliant piece of filler: you have a lousy/awful instrumentalized/vocalized song just before one of their most beautiful a cappella songs they ever recorded. In that respect I find it hilarious/brilliant. Like Bull Sessions, it has become part of the album for me; I never skip this song when listening to the entirety of this album now.

How could an album with terrible songs like "Amusement Parks USA" earn 5 stars? I agree with an earlier post that that song is not only a bad song, but "an assault on the senses."

Of course, some of the Boys' most famous tunes are also on this record.

It's probably my favourite song on the album. The louder its played the better as far as I'm concerned... Love that carnival-style sound! Can't wait for the MIC alternate version.

I played it to my friend and he demanded that I turn it off. It's just ridiculously grating...

Well, at least it's better than County Fair.

Stella the snake dancer lives forever in our hearts.

IMHO not as good as some people say it is. Still a great album, no doubt, but not as good as Today, PS and Smile (Obviously), and the post-Smile albums.
"Let Him Run Wild" is my favourite track off this album, "California Girls" is great, but flogged to death. "Help Me Rhonda" is much better than the Today version, but once again, flogged to death. The rest of the tracks are great as well, even the joke song "I'm Bugged at my Old Man". Not a single bad song from this album!
3.5 out of 5.

I have a soft spot for Girl Don't Tell Me. For me that's the best song of this album. Other standouts are Then I Kissed Her, California Girls (it's still overrated), Let Him Run Wild and You're So Good To Me. Oh and I'm bugged at my ol' man, I love that, it's funny as hell. Girl from New York City, Amusement Parks USA, Salt Lake City, they all sound the same for me. I have to rate this 3/5, it's too mediocre as a whole. It has a lot great songs, but it's a big step back from Today!. But well after this album they really did a long run of amazing albums, so they did know how to do better than this. Maybe this one was too rushed or something. Or maybe I'll just 'get it' sometime later and start praising it as the best thing ever.

The Girl From New York City - 3/5
Amusement Parks U.S.A. - 2.5/5
Then I Kissed Her - 3.5/5
Salt Lake City - 3/5
Girl Don't Tell Me - 5/5
Help Me, Rhonda - 3.5/5
California Girls - 4/5
Let Him Run Wild - 4/5
You're So Good To Me - 4.5/5
Summer Means New Love - 3/5
I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man - 4/5
And Your Dreams Come True - 2.5/5

Oh yeah and the insert page in the vinyl release is so funny! All the members' pics are taken the same day in the beach or the boat, can't remember exactly, but then there's Al in the middle in some B&W photo, it's really funny looking. Gives the kinda expression that he's dead or something like that. 

Curious ratings, dude. Only 3.5 for motherf*ckin' "Rhonda"? :o And while I've always liked "Bugged", I'd never give it 4/5 - more than you'd award "Salt Lake" or "Then I Kissed Her"? :P Diggin' your enthusiasm for "Girl Don't Tell Me" and "You're So Good To Me", though.

Just sayin' - curious ratings. ;)

Yeah, I understand that :) I like Rhonda's Today! version more, and I like the live versions, but I'm not very keen on this one. And Bugged... well yeah true, of course Then I Kissed Her is better song "artistically" and so on, I just think Bugged is a very funny song... It's in other league completely, they souldn't be compared against each other.

While I love Today!, I greatly dislike Summer Days. Perhaps because it both followed Today! and contained a few hit singles many seem to appraise it with masterpiece status though it is so almost unlistenably flawed. There is just way too much fluff here, at the beginning and the end, and the only songs of any quality are packed in the middle. The album also suffers from its complete lack of cohesion which unfortunately gives the sense that the album was thrown together rather than deliberately planned. While I doubt Today! was conceived as an album the way Pet Sounds was, the songs on that album are undeniably unified in their production and lyrical themes.

I love California Girls, Let Him Run Wild, and Girl Don't Tell Me as much as anyone, but I'd rather hear them on a compilation.

2/5

4/5 A  step back from Today but still a fine record.. The pic on the front should have 6 BB + would have been a better cover..

This is how you make a Beach Boys album that is both creative and commercial.

New York City is a great rocker.
Amusement Parks is just plain fun (I like it, deal with it).
Then I Kissed Her is nice (I never understood why people hate it).
Salt Lake City: The backing track is awesome but the lyrics just sound like an advertisment. The only song I really don't like.
Girl Don't Tell Me: Great song. Imagine if the Beatles did a cover of this song on Help.  Nice vocal by Carl.
Help Me Rhonda: Their second #1. What else can I say. Al had some good luck.
California Girls: Why this didn't go to #1. I don't know.
Let Him Run Wild: Beautiful. Lost Classic.
You're So Good To Me: Great Song. Love the backing vocals. Stereo mix is awesome.
Summer Means New Love: Nice little instrumental.
I'm Bugged at my Ol Man: Cool fun song.
And Your Dream Comes True: Now smiley smile and wild honey, this is how you do an Acapella ending to an album.

Great, fun enjoyable album. Cover is awesome. 5/5

I'm probably in a class all by myself but California Girls when I first heard it stuck out like a soar thumb because I noticed the harmonies sounded different  :-\ (later I found out it was Bruce).  I like it better now than I did before but not by much.  I agree that a lot of the songs are silly but they're not as ridiculous as some of their late 70s-90s stuff. I'll give it a 4/5

I agree. Carl and especially Dennis look virtually unrecognizable IMO.

Also I heard that the reason why Al isn't on the front cover was because he was sick and couldn't make it to the photo-shoot. Couldn't they just postpone it a week or so for Al to appear?!

Plus, for some reason they didn't let Bruce on the cover, even though he was one of the BB's by then and was actually at the photo-shoot!

So many mistakes...

It's a shame with Bruce, but I guess it's understandable. As I said, they should have postponed the photo-shoot for Al

Al could have been ROCKIN those sunnies.

See! (http://i.imgur.com/570ptTZ.png)

 :lol

Funny but Anachronistic. 

A massive step back from Today. No where near as great as Pet Sounds. Though the highs on this are just as good as the highs on those albums. Still, it's obvious Brian knew better how to make a great album by this point, which makes this kind of disappointing. Like others, I wonder if this album was rushed?

The first couple of tracks are alright, but really not my cup of tea. I prefer the original version of Then He Kissed Me, chalk me up as another who hates Amusement Parks, but aside from that the first five tracks are good but dont leave too much of an impression or work particularly well together. Where it really takes off is when Help Me Ronda starts up. But this is just a remake of their own song from the very previous album...so it just feels like a cheap retread. Should have just left the new version as a standalone single.

Side two starts off fantastically. California Girls, for me, is where Brian completely mastered his craft and made a perfect, timeless work of art. Coincidentally or not, its also his first acid-inspired tune. To me, the inclusion of this track amid all the fun-in-the-sun fare only highlights how much Brian was above the surfing stuff even this early on, and how much more talented he was than Mike Love by this point. I agree with Peter Ames Carlin's assessment; the lyrics hold this song back. It's still amazing even with them, but I almost wish this track had been held over for Pet Sounds so Tony Asher could have taken a swing at it. I think he could have better written the angsty longing feeling that the instrumental invokes. The backing track itself though, is so good it wouldnt sound out of place on Pet Sounds or even SMiLE in my opinion.

The next two tracks are also great. That instrumental is a wonderful insight into what would come in PS.

...And then I'm Bugged at My Old Man comes in and completely ruins the flow. All the brilliance of those past four/five tracks is immediately sabotaged by this bit of filler. Some of you saying that it's a novelty song forgives it are just making excuses, I have to say. The fact that it IS pure, unadulterated filler only makes it more of an insult, as far as im concerned. Brian had just made Today. He knew how cohesive and strong an album could and should be. This wasnt 1963 anymore; by this stage, he was better than that.

The last track is really nice and really gives that "end of an era" vibe. For better or worse, Brian was outgrowing the formula and it showed heavily on this LP. Luckily he would go on to make Pet Sounds, which combined the lush backing tracks of this album with the cohesiveness of Today. Unfortunately... well, we all know the story.

I give it a 4/5, which is maybe a bit too generous. There's some amazing tracks as good as anything any band ever did. The weaker tracks are still good, just subpar and unfitting with the better stuff. Overall there is little cohesive flow and the filler track is shoddy and an insult. But in early 1965 the album still wasnt thought of as art in its own right yet. That wouldnt come until late '65 and all through '66. So I give them some leeway with that.

After reading your reviews, I am getting the feeling that you do not appreciate Brian's stabs at humor in his music. Songs like Drive-In and I'm Bugged At My Old Man are clearly Brian's attempt at musical humor; one light and fun and the latter dark and edgy, but tongue planted firmly in cheek none the less. Having grown up in the era of drive-in movies and also having a verbally abusive father, I like and understand what Brian does with these songs. Both are very telling about where Brian was at at the time.

Sometimes I do appreciate them, and sometimes not. Aside from Guitarfool, I'm the only person I know that seriously loves the Psychedelic Sounds recording. Not just the highlights like Vegetable Fight, but all of them.

And yet, songs like Old Man do nothing for me. I guess it depends on the album.

by this point?

Haha, touche.

I gave this record a four, but it's a high four.  Close to a five. 

I took off a couple points because I'm not a huge fan of The Girl from New York City or Salt Lake City.

Amusement Parks USA is a fun hybrid of Surfin USA and County Fair.  But not essential. 

Then, you have California Girls, with Brian's great intro.  Despite what Brian Wilson says, I think the vocals on Let Him Run Wild are excellent.  As are You're So Good to Me. 

Then, there's the definitive version of Help Me Rhonda.  One of two great Al vocals with the cover of Then I Kissed Her.  It's a pity he was sick the day of the cover shoot.

Girl Don't Tell Me is an underrated song. 

Summer Means New Love and And Your Dreams Come True are great closers.  But, then they sandwich the bizarre and amusing / disturbing Bugged At My Old Man. 

The Girl From New York City - 4/5
Amusement Parks U.S.A. - 2/5
Then I Kissed Her - 5/5
Salt Lake City - 3/5
Girl Don't Tell Me - 3/5
Help Me, Rhonda - 5/5
California Girls - 5/5
Let Him Run Wild - 5/5
You're So Good To Me - 1/5
Summer Means New Love - 3/5
I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man - 2/5
And Your Dreams Come True - 4/5

A rather rushed follow up to Today! A shame because what is good is fantastic, but there's also some tossed off lesser songs. A minor classic due to California Girls and Help Me, Rhonda alone.
3.5/5

Really, the only complaint I have about this album is it feels so short.  I always want And Your Dream Comes True to go on for another minute or so. Fortunately, on the two-fer cd, Little Girl I Once Knew comes next - and that is one of the best tracks ever!

I'm glad they put LGIOK on the CD 2fer that I have.  It really fits. 

The trio of All Summer Long, Today and Summer Days doesn't get much better when talking pre-Pet Sounds Beach Boys music.

Couldn't agree more. 

Those three plus the cream of the first five records before it are an embarrassment of riches; so much so that when I made a compilation for my girlfriend I simply had to include all of those three records.

What about KTSA and SIP? :'(

You mean Keepin' the Summer On Life Support and Summer in Pro-Tools?

Yes, a loyalty test for your GF! >:D

Other than some of the hits, I don't put my wife through post Holland Beach Boys. 

Good man! The 1980s and 1990s stuff is tough going even when listening alone.

Nah, that was Love You. If she didn't kill me then and there I knew the relationship was going to last. I'm not dead yet!  :lol

The late 70s albums, too.  Although I think MIU and LA are far better than their reputation.

I shouldn't say all post-Holland BB.  My wife and I are both very fond of TWGMTR. 

My wife wasn't even wild about the highlights from Love You. 

My girl loved it. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought "well, she'll probably stick around a bit..." Like I said, I'm not dead yet. :lol

The real survivor.

The real O.G. of surf music.

I'm just happy by wife loves the majority of the stuff from 1962-73, and TWGMTR.  Thought, she doesn't quite love the Surf's Up and Holland albums as much as I do. 

She's a big fan of Summer Days and Summer Nights though.

There, back on track.

 ;D

KTSA has it's moments. Other than Summer of Love, most of Summer In Paradise is OK, but the production is what kills that album for me. Everytime that Hot Fun In The Summertime starts, that fake drum intro scares the crap out of me. ;)

Being a millennial, I'll be lucky if my future wife even likes the Beach Boys.  :lol

Ouch.  I thought I had it rough being at the tail end of Gen X (born in '80). 

Yeah, I was born in '95.  It's all rap, hip hop, and bro country with everyone I know aside from a couple of my friends who like the Boys. 

Sorry to hear.  Being born in '80, I was alive to the tail end of the era for great rock music.  Luckily, there's a few of them still producing and touring today.

I can't say I have many friends who're really into The Beach Boys.  I've played Sounds of Summer at cookouts, and nobody's been really offended. 

My wife was a novice on The Beach Boys when we went, until I played her Pet Sounds for the first time.