Mike Love's best?

[Amy B.]

The general direction of this board lately seems to put Mike up there with the best lyricists. Well, I'm not convinced. Please post what you think are examples of Mike's best work. I guess I just keep coming back to "spring vacation, good vibrations" and the like.

[Jason]

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.

[mjforever]

Mike Love was no John Lennon but without him we would have been stuck with a 60's Four Freshman tribute band ...

[Ziggy Stardust]

All This Is That.

[18thofMay]

This thread=
a) Discussion from 475 other threads
b) Sh¡t stir
c) going nowhere
d) all of the above

[Amy B.]

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.

I'm actually looking for examples of lyrics--great lines from songs.... I guess I don't consider "Do It Again" to be all that great. It's just a bunch of what had by then become BBs cliches. I'll give you "Warmth of the Sun": "What good is the dawn that grows into day; the sunset at night or living this way." That's great. It's arguable whether he actually wrote I Get Around. Same with California Girls. And I don't think either of those are brilliant anyway. (Brian's not usually a great lyricist either.) I don't know. I think for the type of thing they were going for, Chuck Berry was much better.

[Amy B.]

This thread=
a) Discussion from 475 other threads
b) Sh¡t stir
c) going nowhere
d) all of the above

Not trying to stir anything up. I just don't understand the brilliant lyricist thing. It's like when people say Paul McCartney is a brilliant musician. Umm...he's pretty good. He's not the greatest rock instrumentalist I've heard or anything. And I'm a fan.

[EgoHanger1966]

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.

I'm actually looking for examples of lyrics--great lines from songs.... I guess I don't consider "Do It Again" to be all that great. It's just a bunch of what had by then become BBs cliches. I'll give you "Warmth of the Sun": "What good is the dawn that grows into day; the sunset at night or living this way." That's great. It's arguable whether he actually wrote I Get Around. Same with California Girls. And I don't think either of those are brilliant anyway. (Brian's not usually a great lyricist either.) I don't know. I think for the type of thing they were going for, Chuck Berry was much better.

Remember that the Beach Boys wouldn't be the same without Mike's lyrics on those early songs. I Get Around doesn't have lyrics like The Warmth of the Sun, but they are perfect for what the Beach Boys were all about on their singles in that period.

I think we have an issue now because it's 45 years later from those early hits, and it's no longer convincing (IMO) for them to have new songs about beaches in mind and cruising the town.

[Amy B.]

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.

I'm actually looking for examples of lyrics--great lines from songs.... I guess I don't consider "Do It Again" to be all that great. It's just a bunch of what had by then become BBs cliches. I'll give you "Warmth of the Sun": "What good is the dawn that grows into day; the sunset at night or living this way." That's great. It's arguable whether he actually wrote I Get Around. Same with California Girls. And I don't think either of those are brilliant anyway. (Brian's not usually a great lyricist either.) I don't know. I think for the type of thing they were going for, Chuck Berry was much better.

Remember that the Beach Boys wouldn't be the same without Mike's lyrics on those early songs. I Get Around doesn't have lyrics like The Warmth of the Sun, but they are perfect for what the Beach Boys were all about on their singles in that period.

I think we have an issue now because it's 45 years later from those early hits, and it's no longer convincing (IMO) for them to have new songs about beaches in mind and cruising the town.

Okay, you have a point. Maybe I'm just resentful that he wasn't able to grow as a lyricist. Again, not trying to start something. I think we should be able to express opinions on this board. I do recognize Mike's place in the band, especially as a frontman.

[EgoHanger1966]

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.

I'm actually looking for examples of lyrics--great lines from songs.... I guess I don't consider "Do It Again" to be all that great. It's just a bunch of what had by then become BBs cliches. I'll give you "Warmth of the Sun": "What good is the dawn that grows into day; the sunset at night or living this way." That's great. It's arguable whether he actually wrote I Get Around. Same with California Girls. And I don't think either of those are brilliant anyway. (Brian's not usually a great lyricist either.) I don't know. I think for the type of thing they were going for, Chuck Berry was much better.

Remember that the Beach Boys wouldn't be the same without Mike's lyrics on those early songs. I Get Around doesn't have lyrics like The Warmth of the Sun, but they are perfect for what the Beach Boys were all about on their singles in that period.

I think we have an issue now because it's 45 years later from those early hits, and it's no longer convincing (IMO) for them to have new songs about beaches in mind and cruising the town.

Okay, you have a point. Maybe I'm just resentful that he wasn't able to grow as a lyricist. Again, not trying to start something. I think we should be able to express opinions on this board. I do recognize Mike's place in the band, especially as a frontman.

No, you're fine, no one's attacking you for having an opinion.
Mike has written some "mature" lyrics (didn't he write Big Sur?), but I'd say it's more of an issue with commercialism rather than he wasn't able to grow. Mike is all about the money and selling to as many people as he can. If he feels that Kokomo-esque lyrics are going to sell to a larger audience than Brian's melancholy "ego music" (his words, not mine!), well, guess which kind of lyric he's gonna keep on writing?

[Aegir]

Tell me tell me mama
Will you ever go again to Sumahama
Perhaps you'll find love there
Somewhere between the Earth the sky and water
There at Sumahama

[Doo Dah]

I like Pitter Patter. You can draw a relationship between those lyrics and California Saga. In an 'eco' kinda way.

A rain swept plain
Soon after springtime rains blow over
Will sprout new grain
And miles of fresh green fields of clover

Winter and its cold
soon will lose its hold
With the changes spring will bring
Sun comes pourin' down
warmin' up the ground
Bringin' new life with the spring

[KittyKat]

The general direction of this board lately seems to put Mike up there with the best lyricists. Well, I'm not convinced. Please post what you think are examples of Mike's best work. I guess I just keep coming back to "spring vacation, good vibrations" and the like.

Troll alert. 

[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.

[Sam_BFC]

Please Let Me Wonder and I'm Waiting for the Day are pretty great...not sure how much of those Mike is responsible for.

[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?

[Amy B.]

The general direction of this board lately seems to put Mike up there with the best lyricists. Well, I'm not convinced. Please post what you think are examples of Mike's best work. I guess I just keep coming back to "spring vacation, good vibrations" and the like.

Troll alert. 

Oh, please.   

[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?

Edit: Whoops, I quoted the wrong message but the point is still there.

[oldsurferdude]

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.

[KittyKat]

The general direction of this board lately seems to put Mike up there with the best lyricists. Well, I'm not convinced. Please post what you think are examples of Mike's best work. I guess I just keep coming back to "spring vacation, good vibrations" and the like.

Troll alert. 

Oh, please.   

Internet humor.  But all these threads top-posting with Mike stuff gets redundant.  Also, when you say you don't believe Mike wrote the lyrics to "I Get Around" or "California Girls," it sounds a little biased.  Brian Wilson himself said in interviews that Mike wrote the lyrics specifically to "California Girls" and a few other songs he didn't get credited with, and that was before the lawsuit was filed.  The court believed Mike and Brian didn't appeal.  Carl Wilson, David Marks, and Al Jardine also gave depositions that were favorable to Mike's side. 

[Amy B.]

The general direction of this board lately seems to put Mike up there with the best lyricists. Well, I'm not convinced. Please post what you think are examples of Mike's best work. I guess I just keep coming back to "spring vacation, good vibrations" and the like.

Troll alert. 

Oh, please.   

Internet humor.  But all these threads top-posting with Mike stuff gets redundant.  Also, when you say you don't believe Mike wrote the lyrics to "I Get Around" or "California Girls," it sounds a little biased.  Brian Wilson himself said in interviews that Mike wrote the lyrics specifically to "California Girls" and a few other songs he didn't get credited with, and that was before the lawsuit was filed.  The court believed Mike and Brian didn't appeal.  Carl Wilson, David Marks, and Al Jardine also gave depositions that were favorable to Mike's side. 

Okay, well, I don't think those lyrics are that great anyway, as I said. But I will say I like the examples posted elsewhere in this thread. So I'm getting convinced. I think it's perfectly valid to post this thread. People have certainly debated about Brian's best work, etc. That's one of the purposes of this board. So repeated posts about Mike, particularly after a new album with some of his work, make sense to me.

[mabewa]

"Big Sur" is definitely a great lyric!

Mike has definitely written a lot of good-to-great lyrics over the years.  I'm not too fond of his lyrics on the new album (definitely the weakest aspect of the album overall IMHO), but if he could get over the attachment to heavy-handed nostalgia, I wouldn't be surprised if he could turn out some excellent stuff again. 

[Forshorn]

"She makes the Indy 500 look like the Roman chariot race now"

Classic.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

As I sit and close my eyes, there's peace in my mind
And I'm hoping that you'll find it too

And these feelings in my heart...
I know...
Are meant for you.....

[Rocky Raccoon]

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.