Here's something interesting - what Beatles fans think of the Beach Boys!
http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/index.php?topic=8423.0

Happy B-day Carl!!

What's with all the Pet Sounds hate? (referring to the song) Definitely one of Brian's greatest arrangements. And groovy as f***!

As you might know, Brian wrote that thinking they would try to get it as a James Bond song (its original title was "Run James Run"). And it *sounds* like the background instruments for a James Bond song! Sometimes I wonder if the James Bond folks should approach Brian and ask him to write some words and a melody for it, and use it in the next James Bond movie!

[I Get Around]

I agree with your approach, guitarfool. However, considering that harpsichord use became fairly common among some rock bands over the subsequent several years, I think it's worth mentioning in the Wiki for those two songs that they were, if not the "first," then "one of the first." Or maybe, "possibly the first."

Here's my first stab at a passage in Wiki for each of the two songs. Y'all let me know what you think.

I Get Around
"I Get Around was possibly the first song by a Rock and Roll band to feature use of a harpsichord. Although not discernible to the casual listener, the keyboard was played by Brian Wilson on the song as a rhythm instrument. The harpsichord can be more easily heard when listening to the instruments-only track of the song."

When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)
"When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) was possibly the first song by a Rock and Roll band to feature a harpsichord as a lead instrument. Although the band had used the instrument several months earlier in I Get Around as a rhythm instrument, When I Grow Up was the band's first song which used a harpsichord as a focal instrument."

Or something like that.

Thing is, it's fairly interesting that you are looking at recording dates rather than release dates. I guess "who got there first" is considered to be important. But, I think, perhaps, another question is why lots of pop bands (Beach Boys, Yardbirds, Zombies, Simon & Garfunkel) started using harpsichord seemingly independent of each other around the same time.

What I wonder is, how independent were these efforts in actuality? If WIGU was the first song to have a (noticeable) harpsichord, I can't help but wonder if the Yardbirds, for example, heard the song and thought, "Hey, that's a nifty idea," and then did it themselves. Once one person comes up with the idea, others will eventually copy them.

^
I was thinking about that issue, but I presumed that if a song both got recorded *and* released, the recording date would be a little more important, for the following reason: What we *really* would want to know is, who first *thought* of putting a harpsichord into their rock-n-roll song (and then actually did it)? The point in a question like this is one of originality and creativity; if you're the first to do such-and-such in a song, that's a sign of creativity, of trying to expand the scope of a genre of art. Since it's probably impossible to find out who first "thought" of using a harpsichord in a rock song, then the closest surrogate would be (IMO) the recording date. It's not going to be perfect, but it's better than nothing.

Of course if someone thought of doing it, but never actually did it, or never released the song, that indicates a lack of follow-through and, perhaps, doubt about the merits of the idea. In which case, that doesn't "count" IMO. If you think of doing something no one has ever done before, but you don't actually *do it* then - who cares?

[this]

^
According to this, Walking in the Rain was released in November 1964. Can't find out when it was recorded, but given that it was released so late in the year, my guess would be it was recorded after both I Get Around and When I Grow Up.

I can't discern a harpsichord it in, but as noted above, that doesn't mean anything.

EDIT: According to this it was recorded in the summer of 1964. So this could be a close one, if indeed it does contain a harpsichord.

EDIT #2: On this version here I think I can barely hear a harpsichord. Very hard to tell, though.

BTW, until today I don't think I had heard this song in probably 30-40 years!

[I Get Around]

I just noticed the Wiki for I Get Around doesn't mention a harpsichord either. Maybe we could mention it in there?

But since it's so buried in this song, it makes me wonder if there were earlier rock songs with a harpsichord, but you just can't notice it. This could be a very difficult thing to track down.

Perhaps guitarfool's advice about mentioning it in the Wiki, but being vague about the claim, would be the best thing to do. And do it for both songs. But as far as I can tell, WIGU is the first song by a rock band to "prominently" feature a harpsichord.

[it does appear to be in there]

^
Really? I never noticed it in that song before.

And now that you mention it, it does appear to be in there, though it's completely buried.

Well then ... maybe I Get Around was the first rock song with a harpichord!

^
I more or less agree with you, but I still think most people would categorize the BB as a "rock" group even though a lot of their stuff is likely to be classified as "pop." Given the near-impossibility of putting certain songs in one category or another, I would think it's safer just to go with the category the group is usually classified under.

Elvis, for example, recorded a lot of pop standards, but everyone knows he was a "rock and roll" singer.

[The Addams Family]

One other thing I decided to check out (not that it's a rock song either, but anyway) ... the TV series The Addams Family features a harpsichord both in the theme song *and* Lurch liked to play the instrument. So I was wondering if maybe Brian was watching TV one day and got the idea from there ... *but* ... the first episode of The Addams Family did not air until September 18, 1964 - more than a month after the BB recorded the instruments to WIGU.

Hmm, I wouldn't classify Rosemary Clooney or Lawrence Welk as rock, obviously. Was interested in *just* a rock song (or at least a rock group, addressing guitarfool's observation above). If we can't think of any other prior rock song/group with a harpsichord, I'm thinking we should change the WIGU Wiki to mention that it was the first. I think that would be worth mentioning!

One other piece I discovered last night with a harpsichord was this one by Artie Shaw. Anyone know if Brian was an Artie Shaw fan?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOb8i0BD_ho

Now that I re-read the Wiki article, it looks like Brian beat J&D by six days, not just one, since the instrumental track was recorded on the 5th:

The song was recorded over two sessions in 1964 at Western Recorders. The instrumental track was most likely recorded on August 5 with the vocals being overdubbed five days later on August 10. The instrumental track was arranged by Brian Wilson.

^
Either that's so obscure it doesn't show up on google, or you *did* make it up off the top of your head!

[For Your Love]

They also beat the Yardbirds For Your Love by 4 months.

[this]

^
Thanks. According to this, the song, "The Anaheim, Azusa, & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review And Timing Association," featured a harpsichord. But listening to it here, it's a bit hard to hear (busy arrangement). The link says the harpsichord was added to the song on August 11, 1964. According to the Wiki article on WIGU, that was recorded on August 5th and 10th, 1964. So unless there's an earlier Jan & Dean song with a harpsichord, Brian beat them by one day!

(not that I'm suggesting WIGU(TBAM) is a "Baroque Rock" song, but if you're looking for a harpsichord in rock music, that's the first place one would look)

Y'know what? Now that I listen to it again, I almost think it *could* be classified as a Baroque Rock song - maybe not quite, but almost there. The opening isn't all that different from parts of "Walk Away Renee," for example, which easily is classified as a Baroque Rock song. If the BB song was a bit slower, it just might fit.

I was listening to "Today" several days ago when I began wondering about the harpsichord in "When I Grow Up (to Be a Man)."

The other early rock song I could think of off the top of my head that used a harpsichord was Simon and Garfunkel's "Leaves That Are Green." However, when I just looked at the recording dates for the two songs on Wiki, "When I Grow Up" was recorded and released a full year before "Leaves That Are Green." A search for the topic on google wasn't very helpful, as most people discussing the topic didn't even seem to be aware that those two songs used a harpsichord.

She's Not There by The Zombies is often credited as the first "Baroque Rock" song and was recorded a month before WIGU(TBAM), but it doesn't have a harpsichord (not that I'm suggesting WIGU(TBAM) is a "Baroque Rock" song, but if you're looking for a harpsichord in rock music, that's the first place one would look).

Anyone know of any - perhaps obscure - rock songs from the early 60's or even the 50's that used a harpsichord?

As other noted, almost impossible to rank. But...

1. Wouldn't It Be Nice
2. God Only Knows
3. You Still Believe In Me
4. Sloop John B
5. Caroline, No
6. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
7. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
8. I'm Waiting For The Day
9. Here Today
10. Let's Go Away For Awhile
11. I Know There's An Answer
12. That's Not Me
13. Pet Sounds

S'hope not. Even Macca would likely vote for TSS

What he said.

Anyway here's my list. Only the last 2 songs on the list I'm not too excited over. Great album overall.

1. "I'm Bugged At My Old Man." Absolute masterpiece. Work of genius. How could anyone not like it?
2. "Let Him Run Wild." Hits so many of the right buttons musically.
3. "California Girls." Not liking this song is like saying you don't like sunny days.
4. "The Girl From NYC." Great straightforward rock 'n roll song. Catchy opener.
5. "And Your Dreams Come True." Breathtaking harmonies. Perfect closer. Time to go to sleep.
6. "Amusement Parks USA." A bit corny, but a really fun song.
7. "Girl Don't Tell Me." Ripoff of the Beatles Ticket To Ride, but it does a great job of adding variety. Helps give the album a real "60's" feel.
8. "Help Me Rhonda." Putting this at #8 doesn't mean I don't like the song. It's just that there's too much competition on this album.
9. "Salt Lake City." Putting this at #9 doesn't mean I don't like the song. It's just that there's too much competition on this album.
10. "Summer Means New Love." Not usually into instrumentals, but I always listen to this one.
11. "Then I Kissed Her." OK song, but not great.
12. "You're So Good To Me." Perhaps it was intentional, but the words of this song don't really seem to match the melody and arrangement. Is this a guy who's a jerk (and he knows it) wondering why his girlfriend is so good to him even though he doesn't deserve it, and is also singing like a jerk? Anyway it's a bit annoying.

Anyone who didn't vote for "I'm bugged at my old man" as their top song on this album, needs to get their head examined.

Busy Doing Nothin' has the most melodic, instrumental and structural similarity to Bacharach.

Yeah that one is really obvious.

For me, pretty much any critically-acclaimed rap is going to be unlistenable.

"Let Him Run Wild" was a Burt Bacharach-inspired song, but from the Bacharach songs I know about, I can only vaguely see how LHRW was inspired by him. Was there any particular Bacharach song(s) which LHRW were patterned after? Maybe Wives and Lovers, sort-of?