Best Beach Boys song to plan at my wedding next year?

[Mikie]

At my wedding back in '81 the live band learned "Lady". My then-wife loved that song. They also played "Forever", "Surfin' U.S.A", and "Fun, Fun, Fun". and I got to sing backgrounds to the latter two songs holding a beer in one hand and EVERYBODY was on the dance floor! Then the song "Freebird" started playing, just about everybody stayed on the dance floor at the beginning, but as soon as it revved up and the lead guitars and drums started wailing, the older people hurried back to their seats. THAT was funny.

[CJS]

For my youngest daughter's wedding we used the Dennis version of Forever for the father/daughter dance because that's the
tune she wanted.  Also used The Like In I Love You for our family dance.. that turned out nice.  No one had ever
heard that one before.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Thanks for all the suggestions - keep 'em coming!!

'God Only Knows' she poo-pooed because of the opening line.

However, 'Where I Belong' - yes! That just may be the one. And I did meet her on an island funnily enough, albeit an intensely boring one where we've been stuck ever since. (Jersey, Channel Islands - near France)

[Dr. Tim]

Next to Sir Paul I am probably the biggest fan of "God Only Knows", but, gorgeous as it is,  it's not a good wedding song for the second verse as well. Some just hear it as "I can't go on without you"  but the verse assumes that's what's going to happen so life is not worth living!  My wife picked up on that right away when we were choosing our "first song" for our wedding. 

[Myk Luhv]

I am just shocked no one has said "All I Wanna Do"... or "All I Want To Do" for that matter!

[slickman9696]

Haha The Heartical Don. I would love to hear Ding Dang done at a wedding, and then just get the crowd reactions.

[Nicko1234]

I agree with those suggesting Only With You.

[Billf]

Try I Want to Pick You Up, if only for the expressions on the faces of your new in-laws.

[lostbeachboy]

All I Wanna Do
All This Is That
And Your Dream Come True
Fallin' In Love
Friends
Hushabye
Just Once In My Life
Kiss Me, Baby
Love Surrounds Me
Match Point of Our Love
Our Sweet Love
Soulful Old Man Sunshine
Summer Means New Love
The Warmth of The Sun
Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again

[LeeDempsey]

Thinking more about "I Do"... I think would be fairly easy to create a "wedding-friendly" edit.  The instrumental tracking session is on Sea of Tunes, isn't it?  You could use the vocal-less track for the verses, then cut to the BB version for the choruses.  I may have to play with that in my spare time...

Lee

[doinnothin]

My first dance with my wife at our wedding was to "All I Wanna Do".

[Menace Wilson]

"Devoted To You" -- the version without the party noises.  It's on the Hawthorne comp.  You're welcome. 

[Moon Dawg]

  Seriously, "All I Wanna Do" would be very nice.

[alf wiedersehen]

"Meant for You" would be a nice one, if a tad short.

[joshferrell]

I'd love just once to see you in the  nude....

[Disney Boy (1985)]

I'd love just once to see you in the  nude....

THAT would be great! I'd have to give a cheeky wink to my new father-in-law at the last line.

[The Shift]

But then again you could interpret the first verse of the song to mean "I can't promise to love you to eternity, but I can promise to love you as long as you're on this earth ("as long as there are stars above you").

Not your intention I know, Lee, but I read that as the narrator reserving the right to terminate his partner's life if ever he changes his mind! Interesting concept for a song, huh?!?!

[The Heartical Don]

So opinions on 'God Only Knows' vary. Perhaps that was to be expected.

I stick by it, but that may well be due to the way I read ('feel') the intention of the whole of a song; including melody, chorus, the 'soul' of it. And GOK unequivocally (to me) is the expression of true and dedicated love.

But at the same time I can imagine that others have a different experience, and feel that for instance the opening line has too much doubt in it to feel comfortable (for the occasions of a wedding).

To each his own, then.

[phirnis]

Male Ego

I'd Love Just Once to See You

[Alan Smith]

"Meant for You" would be a nice one, if a tad short.

Use the MIC version.

[Watch a Cave]

My wife and I had our first dance to God Only Knows!  It was truly an awesome experience.. beautiful and spiritual.

I think the song depicts a reality..  yeah we may drive each other crazy every now and then, but ultimately the love wins out in the end.

[Mikie]

So opinions on 'God Only Knows' vary. Perhaps that was to be expected.

I stick by it, but that may well be due to the way I read ('feel') the intention of the whole of a song; including melody, chorus, the 'soul' of it. And GOK unequivocally (to me) is the expression of true and dedicated love.

But at the same time I can imagine that others have a different experience, and feel that for instance the opening line has too much doubt in it to feel comfortable (for the occasions of a wedding).

To each his own, then.

But thanks for coming by and playing our game, Don.

[filledeplage]

So opinions on 'God Only Knows' vary. Perhaps that was to be expected.

I stick by it, but that may well be due to the way I read ('feel') the intention of the whole of a song; including melody, chorus, the 'soul' of it. And GOK unequivocally (to me) is the expression of true and dedicated love.

But at the same time I can imagine that others have a different experience, and feel that for instance the opening line has too much doubt in it to feel comfortable (for the occasions of a wedding).

To each his own, then.

But thanks for coming by and playing our game, Don.

When one of my sons was married, earlier this month, I danced the the Mother-Son to God Only Knows, for the "taken as a whole" (legal term-of-art) feeling and message, of "What would I do without you?" And of course, it was magnificent.  It is such an extraordinary song.  And The Voice, metaphorically, "straight from Heaven." This, on a family day when we kept in mind those who were not "physically with us" on that special day, but, with us "in spirit." Who better than Carl for the lead?

And, when the bride asked me what song, to be "intro'd" at the reception, she didn't say, "What song?" But, she asked, "What Beach Boys song?" So it was the first section of California Girls, and that got the "party started!"  

So, I think it is the "global feeling" and the fact those songs are now "standards" in our culture that everyone just knows and connects to, and less, the fine-tune of the analysis of the lyrics.  

[runnersdialzero]

I had to explain the lyrics to "God Only Knows" to my ex ten thousand times. It was not meant to be.

There's absolutely nothing negative or insecure about the lyrics, merely a clever little twist in both verses. It doesn't need to be fixed, that's the song's lyrics entire "thing". You "fix" that, the song is automatically taken down to being about half as good as it is.

[Smilin Ed H]

Is she called Linda?
How about Don't Back Down?
Strange Things Happen?
Or maybe I Get Around?