I know, I know, it's hard to pick your top 10 favorite Beach Boys tunes. But, that's the fun of it. Trust me, I could have picked my 50 favorites and still had a hard time.
Just try your best and explain... even if it's just one sentence!
Pick for yourself. In other words, don't just pick Good Vibrations just because you respect the fact that it was madly produced... pick songs that make you smile, stop, and listen.
In no order:
LET THE WIND BLOW - Terrifying. Depressing. Beautiful. Even though I said "In no order," this song may be my favorite BB song of all time. Brian Wilson's heart sings with an angry/happy play on words. What a musician Brian Wilson is. I can't believe he still exists (thank God for that); He's such an enigma.
ALL I WANNA DO - Not to be confused with 20/20's "All I Want To Do." This is Mike Love at his vocal best. Mike must have been wanting to make a psychedelic love song that sounded like a lot like The Beatles. It's a great, dreamy tune. And while we're at it, let's throw in "Meant For You" for the hell of it (besides, it's only a few seconds long). ALL I WANNA DO is easily the best album on Sunflower (relax... I like "This Whole World," too... but I listen to AIWD more).
WILD HONEY - I know, I know, BUT it's fun and has that strange "Ironside" theme song horn/string thing going. Poppy and soulful as it is, it doesn't sound like any other BB song! Also shows Carl's true vocal talent, as well.
THE WARMTH OF THE SUN - No explanation is needed. The Beatles never wrote ANYTHING as beautiful as this (and I'm just as big as a Beatles fan as I am a BB nut!).
YOU'RE SO GOOD TO ME - Another song that justifies their competition with the Beatles. It's happy. It's a love song. Harmonies are colorful and catchy. Almost sounds like Brian is singing like he's crying when he says "And I love it... love it!"
LET US GO ON THIS WAY - I was at a record store in Seattle recently and I came across a sealed copy of the LOVE YOU album. On it was a sticker, written by someone that worked there, and all it said was "the craziest sh*t we've ever heard." And that's exactly what this album is all about. There are some songs that sound so vulgar (in sound, not lyrics... wait, sometimes lyrics, too), yet it's no surprise the man behind Pet Sounds created it! As for LET US GO ON THIS WAY, what a song!!! The heavy synth plus Carl's drunken vocals... classic! I'd love to see Mike Love, on vocals, and Bruce Johnston, on moog, perform this song at a Chucky Cheese or something.
I JUST WASN'T MADE FOR THESE TIMES - I just wasn't made to write anything about this song, other than it's a sad masterpiece. Truly reflects what would happen (and was happening) to Brian Wilson during his darkest moments,
SURF'S UP - Note: The version I'm referring to is the all-Brian Wilson take (boxed set version) , NOT the "Surf's Up" album redux w/Carls' lead. Surf's Up is another song that needs no explanation. That footage of him singing/playing it on his piano is the image of a legendary musician.
SURFER GIRL - A melodic love song with a hint of childish fantasy. Again, the Beatles never did ANYTHING as smooth as this.
CAN'T WAIT TOO LONG - A different, but awesome, song that screws with your head with its constant repetitive lyrics for very long periods of time. Then, just when you think it goes on forever, it changes in melody and tone.
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