Downer Wife/Girlfriend Hubby/Boyfriend Comments

[Jim V.]

My fiance is actually really cool about The Beach Boys. When we first started dating I made her a mix CD of most of what I considered their best stuff (and most likely to appeal to her). I also made mixes of Fleetwood Mac/Lindsey Buckingham, Elvis Costello, and Bob Dylan. Well anyways, I can tell she listened to The Beach Boys CD, cuz she has actually said how she really like "Heroes And Villains", "Surf's  Up", and "This Whole World". She also took to Fleetwood Mac and also Buckingham solo, and saw him live. Costello and Dylan for her, well not so much.


Well anyways, she accompanied me to the C50 concert and bought me a t-shirt and program. And then later said she would actually rather see a Brian solo show next instead of The Beach Boys. Anyways, she thought it was lame that everybody didn't get excited like I did when Brian started singing "Heroes And Villains" at the C50 show we went to. I mean, she's not a Beach Boys freak, but the fact that she once mentioned that she had a part of "Do You Like Worms" stuck in her head really is quite cool to me. So yeah. Who knows how these things work.

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

One Direction isn't bad at all.
My girlfriend and I listen to them all the time!

[Wild-Honey]

check it out!!!!!

That looks fantastic!  I love it!   Does she take orders    

[runnersdialzero]

Obviously not my spouse, but my mom said she "hated" "Surf's Up" after hearing it. I was hurt.

A really good friend said "Busy Doin' 'Nothin'" was "too Cabana Club" for her. I was hurt.

My girlfriend doesn't seem to be into them at all sans some of their hits. It hurts.

P.S. No really, these things sincerely hurt.

[Al Jardine: Pick Up Artist]

At Christmas I put TSS disc one on to show my family, everybody seemed kinda bored through Our Prayer and my mom moaned through Gee, once we got to the H&V Chorus she screamed to turn it off. Lame.

Most of my friends when I say I like them are all LOL CALIFORNIA GIRLS REALLY

[Mikie]

check it out!!!!!

That's called...........love right there, man.  She's definitely a keeper!  Dean Torrence would really appreciate this.

[runnersdialzero]

At Christmas I put TSS disc one on to show my family, everybody seemed kinda bored through Our Prayer and my mom moaned through Gee, once we got to the H&V Chorus she screamed to turn it off. Lame.

IT'S NOT CONVENTIONAL ROCK MUSIC AS MY BRAIN EXPECTS WHAT THE HELL THIS IS STUPID IS THERE EVEN A GUITAR SOLO IN THIS SONG LOL JESUS PUT ON SOME ROLLING STONES

[Myk Luhv]

I've found it interesting that my exes haven't liked The Beach Boys but have ended up liking the girl group stuff I play more. It's not that they've disliked the group, just that they've never been into them anywhere near as I am. Surprising, right?

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Well my first Girlfriend absolutely despised them to the ground - I made sure never to pass it past her ears, but she's gone now thank god. Her and My dad were simultaneously ganging up on me over it! Then again, we had no musical taste correlation. Nor much else actually. I still cite our break-up as 'Musical Differences' though

Second/current one on the other hand is far more accepting of it overall. The fact I played her Please Let Me Wonder early on went down well, and I figured as long as I keep doses regulated and small, it should be plain sailing from here.

[Myk Luhv]

My first ex, who I'm still friends with, actually bought me Surf's Up on vinyl -- and that album started my obsession, so she was there when I was just getting into the group hardcore which meant lots of BBs music! I was mistaken when I posted last: The first ex hates The Beach Boys thanks to me running them into the ground for her, haha.

[Jason Penick]

Obviously not my spouse, but my mom said she "hated" "Surf's Up" after hearing it. I was hurt.

It's bizarre to me that someone could find something to "hate" about that song, but I guess there's no accounting for taste. What does she usually listen to?

[Lowbacca]

My ex-wife fell in love with Pet Sounds when I purchased it in the late 90s. We still split up a year or so later, but she's still a fan and so are our 2 kids.

My girlfriend from '99 to '03 became a huge fan thanks to me. We flew to New Hampshire for one of the Pet Sounds shows, and she always said it was the most spiritual night of music she ever witnessed. She ended up loving a lot of the more obscure stuff... Please Let Me Wonder, Time To Get Alone, Breakaway (Brian's demo was the only version she would listen to), Wild Honey, Friends, Love You... the list goes on. I'll always remember her humming Country Air in the car one of the last times we spent together.

After her I was with a very talented classically-trained musician. She already knew what was up with Brian Wilson when we hooked up.

My next serious girlfriend laughed when I told her the Beach Boys were my favorite band, but it didn't take long until "This Isn't Love" became her favorite love song of all-time.

My current gal has probably impressed me the most. Took it upon herself to start collecting the Beach Boys on vinyl after I turned her on to a few things. She scored us killer seats to the Atlanta show in April, and she is about halfway done cross-stitching me the cover of Love You! I'm not gonna let this one get away. I will post a pic of her work once it's finished.

That's A LOTTA LUCK with ladies for a BBs fan's life, bro. 

[Dunderhead]

check it out!!!!!

I want one so much.

[The Shift]

Back when I was young(er) and fancy-free, on a couple of occasions girls I was out for a drink with turned up with copies of Pet Sounds in their handbags.  I suspect they were trying to impress (I was three stone lighter, nine years younger and had just got back from walking Mexico to Canada).

Still with the second and she's been to see the M&B band, BW and BB50 with me and we've produced a couple of kids together, one of whose favourite song is TWGMTR.

She despairs of the fact that I collect the BBs so avidly though.  Like, Pet Sounds – one copy, FSS – should be enough!!!!!!

[Sheriff John Stone]

OK, boring story here...When I was growing up, my bedroom was right next to the bathroom. My Dad would give himself his own haircuts, and he would stand in front of the mirror, cutting his hair, whistling to the records blaring from my bedroom. He was a great whistler; his favorite song for whistling was The Doors "L.A. Woman". He mastered Robby Krieger's guitar part, and he'd do a counter whistle to the "Mr. Mojo Risin" part.

Anyway, he also loved whistling to The Beach Boys; he knew all the hits. So, I buy Love You in early 1977 and I play it constantly. My Dad's favorite song to whistle to was "Roller Skating Child" and Carl's guitar part in "The Night Was So Young". So, after playing Love You for a solid month, and my Dad mastering the album for whistling, he says to me, "Who is that album by?"

[Lowbacca]

Anyway, he also loved whistling to The Beach Boys; he knew all the hits. So, I buy Love You in early 1977 and I play it constantly. My Dad's favorite song to whistle to was "Roller Skating Child" and Carl's guitar part in "The Night Was So Young". So, after playing Love You for a solid month, and my Dad mastering the album for whistling, he says to me, "Who is that album by?"

You probably could have shown him a recent promo photo of the boys in response and he still wouldn't have recognised them. 

[Sandeve]

Whilst I was listening to Holland the other night, my other half walked into the room, rolled his eyes and said 'if I hear this album one more time I'm going to move into the shed".  Misson complete, I think 

[EgoHanger1966]

Whilst I was listening to Holland the other night, my other half walked into the room, rolled his eyes and said 'if I hear this album one more time I'm going to move into the shed".  Misson complete, I think 

Leaving this shed for another one...

[Awesoman]

Used to bother me when my peers/family dogged on the Beach Boys.  These days I could care less.  I'm confident in my own self not to take other people's opinions personally like some whiny 13-year-old girl scout. 

[Iron Horse-Apples]

My wife likes what I tell her to like.

[wantsomecorn]

Whilst I was listening to Holland the other night, my other half walked into the room, rolled his eyes and said 'if I hear this album one more time I'm going to move into the shed".  Misson complete, I think 

Leaving this shed for another one...

Out in the barnyard...

[Julia]

I have found that most people (men or women) are not into music. They are into it for social reasons. They connect with people because it is the current hit. That is the only reason I can think of that everyone at clubs gets excited when a crappy song comes on. It also wouldn't surprise me if people like certain songs because they heard it in a movie. Like Kokamo, or Billy Joel's daughter like Don't Worry Baby because it reminds them of a certain scene or something. When I ask people what their favorite band is or what kind of music they like, 90% of them say they like all kinds of music and they like a lot of bands. Which probably means they just listen to top 40 on the radio and don't know the artists names half the time.

Thats how most people are with everything. You talked music specifically but it's with movies too. Most people dont appreciate movies as art, don't have the presence of mind to devote time to learn the craft and recognize when it's being applied well. They just want to go to the cool popular hyped new release they see everyone else talking about so they don't miss out on the next big thing. Then they see it and say "wow that was cool!" with their friends and that's where it ends. Anyone who, as respectfully as possible, expresses dislike or even just any reaction at all beyond "best movie ever!!" is a jerk for ruining the vibes. I could say I loved a movie 9/10, I just think this one aspect could be improved or whatever and I've had people get upset at me like I just ruined Saturday at the movies. I could love the movie 10/10, no complaints, and be gushing about how great the cinematography was and I still have had people get antsy with me and say "I don't care about ANY of that, I just want to HAVE FUN!" Like, I had fun...I think great art is fun, what's your problem? The problem is you're making them think and most people don't wanna do that. Me saying this isn't an exercise in "oooh look how deep and thoughtful I am!" but it's just the truth, that most people consume content passively and resent being made to feel like they have to "do homework" or whatever. I've had people act like I pissed on their floor when I say I didn't like the latest Marvel movie, then years later I'll reference it and they'll say "I dont think I saw that one" when I know we watched it together. But these movies make so little impression even the people that "like" them can't be bothered to commit it to memory.

It's frustrating in general how, I dont know, careless the average person is about things big and small. Like this is just a pet peeve about people's attitudes towards entertainment media but you know it extends to their job performance, politics, how they raise their kids, etc. Lotta people act like what the kids call NPCs.

[BJL]

I have found that most people (men or women) are not into music. They are into it for social reasons. They connect with people because it is the current hit. That is the only reason I can think of that everyone at clubs gets excited when a crappy song comes on. It also wouldn't surprise me if people like certain songs because they heard it in a movie. Like Kokamo, or Billy Joel's daughter like Don't Worry Baby because it reminds them of a certain scene or something. When I ask people what their favorite band is or what kind of music they like, 90% of them say they like all kinds of music and they like a lot of bands. Which probably means they just listen to top 40 on the radio and don't know the artists names half the time.

Thats how most people are with everything. You talked music specifically but it's with movies too. Most people dont appreciate movies as art, don't have the presence of mind to devote time to learn the craft and recognize when it's being applied well. They just want to go to the cool popular hyped new release they see everyone else talking about so they don't miss out on the next big thing. Then they see it and say "wow that was cool!" with their friends and that's where it ends. Anyone who, as respectfully as possible, expresses dislike or even just any reaction at all beyond "best movie ever!!" is a jerk for ruining the vibes. I could say I loved a movie 9/10, I just think this one aspect could be improved or whatever and I've had people get upset at me like I just ruined Saturday at the movies. I could love the movie 10/10, no complaints, and be gushing about how great the cinematography was and I still have had people get antsy with me and say "I don't care about ANY of that, I just want to HAVE FUN!" Like, I had fun...I think great art is fun, what's your problem? The problem is you're making them think and most people don't wanna do that. Me saying this isn't an exercise in "oooh look how deep and thoughtful I am!" but it's just the truth, that most people consume content passively and resent being made to feel like they have to "do homework" or whatever. I've had people act like I pissed on their floor when I say I didn't like the latest Marvel movie, then years later I'll reference it and they'll say "I dont think I saw that one" when I know we watched it together. But these movies make so little impression even the people that "like" them can't be bothered to commit it to memory.

It's frustrating in general how, I dont know, careless the average person is about things big and small. Like this is just a pet peeve about people's attitudes towards entertainment media but you know it extends to their job performance, politics, how they raise their kids, etc. Lotta people act like what the kids call NPCs.

Not disagreeing here. But I think many people, maybe most people, have a couple of things they really care about and work to understand on a deeper level. For some its music or a specific area of music (jazz guitar, this random Beach Boys album called Smile, whatever). For some its a craft or practice (knitting, woodworking, photography, yoga, running, lifting). For some its reading, for some its a sport, whether as a player or a spectator (sports are like music in that way). For some people its their job, I suppose, and for many people its their family and/or their kids and basically nothing else. They have an intricate understanding of this thing that they use to give shape and meaning to their life. But watching a movie or listening to an album to them is what, to me, is, I don't know, going to a hockey game would be. Like, I'd do it and enjoy it in a social context, but I'm not really gonna *get* it and I don't particularly care to.

I think you're right that there are people who really do go through life without thinking. And it frustrates me to no end that more people don't recognize that there are some things we should *all* be using our brains about. Like how you vote, or how you treat your partner, to pick to sides of the spectrum. People being on autopilot for things like that is sad and hurts us all. But I've found that life is more enjoyable if my attitude towards everyone is basically: "well, looks like my music is your hockey, and your hockey is my music."

[Zenobi]

Wise words from both of you "newcomers" in this thread, lol.

Two real nuggets:

"Great art is fun." (Julia)

"Looks like my music is your hockey, and your hockey is my music." (BJL)

 

[Zenobi]

Well, I have two exact opposites of downers.

I had tried for literally years to remember what an awesome piece of music WAS. Until a day when I hummed it at lunch, wondering about it aloud, and my (then) 16-years-old nephew immediately said: "Ah, it's the 1812 Overture by Tchaikowsky."
I had not been aware, up to then, that he listens to all kinds of music, including classical.

A little later, I was humming a short snippet of another piece, again wondering aloud, and my niece answered from another room: "The Tammurriata Nera!", which is an old Neapolitan folksong. She listens to all kinds of music, too.