Mike Love's best?

[Autotune]

Mike Love is a conceptual genius. An innate improver of other people's ideas. He'll take a good song and make it relatable.

Ideally, at least.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

IMO the lyrics on TLOS could have easily been written by Mike. Especially Southern California. Except the narrative might have been above him. I also think Mike had shown he could write lyrics like on Pet Sounds when he wrote for TODAY. Only the Van Dyke and Reiley lyrics were out of his league. Maybe Kalinich, but he showed on Good Vibrations, Let the Wind Blow and Big Sur that he could be poetic in that way. I also think its unfair to say that the only things people remember about Mike are the surf and car lyrics. Well, you could say that the general public also only knows Brian for his music on surf and car songs. Ok, Pet Sounds as well. But doesn't Good Vibrations count for something? He claims to have written all the lyrics on it. IMO, it is better then anything lyrically on Pet Sounds.

[Cam Mott]

Good Vibrations and Wild Honey LP are full of great Mike lyrics. He may have realised that times were changing. But because of the failures of Wild Honey and Friends, that the best thing for the Beach Boys was to go back to the formula. The success of Do It Again, followed by Endless Summer, were the reasons that he wanted to go back to that style of lyric writing.

Our tastes and opinions may not agree but I think the fact that Mike's lyrics are part of some of the greatest Pop songs so far makes him one of Pops' greatest lyricists so far. Fair?

Myke wrote the lyrics he is best noted for when we were all tweeners. Most of us have either grown up, moved on, or sadly still wallow in layers of his Clearasil world. Listen to BIM or DOTO-the man is clearly stuck in the muck of 62-65 and can't get out. Kind of an insult to the listeners as well.

I can see that opinion. I'm not crazy about the nostalgic refs but I can also see that Mike has been witnessing the multi-generational audiences for decades and he is rightfully proud about it. If he is trying to appeal to a multi-generational audience I don't hold it against him even if I personally am lukewarm to it. I can also see how a bunch of melancholy old man sentiment might not go down with all of a multi-generational audience either.

[KittyKat]

I Get Around, All Summer Long

While I don't doubt Mike wrote some decent lyrics, I think his lyrical work on those songs is debatable.  Weren't his only contributions "Round, round, get around..." and "Remember when you spilled coke all over your blouse"?  Otherwise, I thought those were all Brian.

Mike wrote the lyrical verses of  "I Get Around," Brian only wrote the chorus about being a real cool head and making a lot of bread.  The "round, round get around" part was brought up as a separate issue in the songwriting case because it was an example of Mike writing music as well as words in some instance.  I wonder if Mike gets a little extra for the HoverRound commercials, since his melodic contribution is the part that's used in that ad?  I doubt it, but every time I see that commercial, it makes me think of Mike.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Good Vibrations and Wild Honey LP are full of great Mike lyrics. He may have realised that times were changing. But because of the failures of Wild Honey and Friends, that the best thing for the Beach Boys was to go back to the formula. The success of Do It Again, followed by Endless Summer, were the reasons that he wanted to go back to that style of lyric writing.

Our tastes and opinions may not agree but I think the fact that Mike's lyrics are part of some of the greatest Pop songs so far makes him one of Pops' greatest lyricists so far. Fair?

I disagree with your point. California Girls lyrics are not good at all IMO, but the music is fantastic. But I think that Mike was at least a bit poetic on songs like Warmth of the Sun, Good Vibrations and the WH and Sunflower albums. Babarann is a very popular song, but is neither good musically or lyrically.

[cekuhn]

The Warmth of the Sun, Fun Fun Fun, I Get Around, All Summer Long, California Girls, Good Vibrations, Wild Honey, A Thing or Two, Darlin', Let the Wind Blow, Do It Again, All I Wanna Do, Big Sur, Getcha Back, You're Looking Better, I Don't Wanna Know, Starbaby, Almost Summer, How's About A Little Bit, She's Just Out To Get You...great Michael Love lyrics in all of those.

The Warmth of the Sun was the first BB song that I ever heard, and it is still one of my favorites to this day.

[Cam Mott]

I think we might have to widen our criteria, our personal opinions of being "poetic" or this or that is not going to be the only measure of "greatest" or even "good". Poetic does not always fit the song etc.. I mean California Saga's lyrics are crap to me but California Girls are great. Anyway....what do I know, I not a big poetry fan.  I thought Webb's lyrics for McArthur Park were a joke the first time I heard it. Maybe it was Harris' over the top delivery. It still makes me laugh when I hear it.

[Autotune]

A good poem does not make a good lyric.

[rogerlancelot]

"Isn't It Time?"

"Daybreak Over The Ocean"

etc.

[Cam Mott]

I think "I'm Waiting For The Day" is some of Mike's greatest lyrics. Some the greatest lyrics on one of the greatest Pop albums....come on....this is a tough room.

[hypehat]

disagree with your point. California Girls lyrics are not good at all IMO,

Are you shitting me. The lyrics make it. What else could you put to that track?

[Shady]

How can a Beach Boys fan NOT like the California Girls lyrics..

Unless you write for pitchfork

[EgoHanger1966]

Good Vibrations and Wild Honey LP are full of great Mike lyrics. He may have realised that times were changing. But because of the failures of Wild Honey and Friends, that the best thing for the Beach Boys was to go back to the formula. The success of Do It Again, followed by Endless Summer, were the reasons that he wanted to go back to that style of lyric writing.

Our tastes and opinions may not agree but I think the fact that Mike's lyrics are part of some of the greatest Pop songs so far makes him one of Pops' greatest lyricists so far. Fair?

I disagree with your point. California Girls lyrics are not good at all IMO, but the music is fantastic. But I think that Mike was at least a bit poetic on songs like Warmth of the Sun, Good Vibrations and the WH and Sunflower albums. Babarann is a very popular song, but is neither good musically or lyrically.

Barbara Ann wasn't written by either Brian or Mike. It was a Regents cover.

[ontor pertawst]

Insert Quote
How can a Beach Boys fan NOT like the California Girls lyrics..

Unless you write for pitchfork

I don't like 'em. Kinda sleazy to me... the music is so majestic and the words just make me think of Mike traveling around doing the equivalent of checking horses' teeth. I prefer the Pet Sounds lyrics or the more awkward, pathetic luv lyrics.

Paul Williams didn't like the lyrics either, didn't he write about it? There's a reprint in "How Deep Is the Ocean?"  I think it's safe to say he was a Beach Boys fan and a damn fanatical one who's crazily enthusiastic writing puts pitchfork to shame.

[Melt Away]

"Please Let Me Wonder" - Those lyrics are something divine. I wonder if Mike wrote them all, though.

"Let Us Go On This Way" - Maybe trying a little too hard with the lyrics but still a killer.

"Sumahama" - Weird Asian vibe but beautiful nonetheless.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I think we might have to widen our criteria, our personal opinions of being "poetic" or this or that is not going to be the only measure of "greatest" or even "good". Poetic does not always fit the song etc.. I mean California Saga's lyrics are crap to me but California Girls are great. Anyway....what do I know, I not a big poetry fan.  I thought Webb's lyrics for McArthur Park were a joke the first time I heard it. Maybe it was Harris' over the top delivery. It still makes me laugh when I hear it.

Well, we don't have to agree on what is artistic/poetic. I was just saying that just because its a hit, doesn't make it artistic/poetic. I will give Mike credit for writing lyrics that are catchy and people like to sing. But personally, I think in Today, he showed he could be as good as Tony Asher. Good Vibrations and Wild Honey he could be as good as umm the Turtles lyrically. Help Me Rhonda lyrics were up to par with the Beatles of 65, but California Girls lyrics was 62 or 63 level IMO.