Which Beach Boys "Classics" are.. 'Not to your taste?'

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Don't Back Down was my pick, until I heard it on BB50 tour. A case where the live version is far  better than the studio.
Still have to go with 'Don't Hurt My Little Sister'.

[Eric Aniversario]

Be True To Your School and Barbara Ann

Still like them, but I don't go out of my way to listen to them.  I do like Barbara Ann in a live setting though

[theCOD]

In My Room

It's just not my style, I guess. I haven't listened to it in years.

[Aegir]

Do You Remember, Drive-In. Midnight's Another Day (and TLOS in general) is sooooo overrated. "look guys! he's being self referential! how deep!"

[STE]

All their classics - and all their songs - are to my taste but I've grown tired or bored of many of them after all these years.
If we take the RAH setlist as a list of classics, I'm not so into these ones:

Album versions:
- Surfer Girl, In My Room, Surfin' Safari, You're So Good To Me, That's Why God Made The Radio, Do You Wanna Dance, Rock N Roll Music, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Barbara Ann

Live at gigs:
- Sloop John B, Dance Dance Dance, You're So Good To Me, California Girls, Please Let Me Wonder, That's Why God Made The Radio, Do You Wanna Dance, Don't Worry Baby, I Get Around, Rock N Roll Music, Surfin'USA, Barbara Ann

probably even more

[Dave Modny]

"Be True To Your School"

for me, it depends which one. I hate the one with the Rovell sisters but I like the ES version.

I don't know. I think I hate 'em both...lol. Though, in truth, I'll admit that the fact that I've always thought of the 45 as the one rote, uninspiring, annoying single of the Beach Boys early career -- compared to the company around it that is -- probably clouded my judgment somewhat. If it were just an annoying album track for me, I may not have focused on it as such.

As it stands for both versions, I hated them when I first heard them nearly 40 years ago, and I still hate them today. I can usually pull something good out of any BW/ML concoction from the era, no matter how formulaic it night be, but as noted, this one just tweaks me and seems so pedestrian to me on so many levels. From that opening awkward chorus lyric..."just like you would to your girl......or guy," to that bland melody. Ugh. As a good friend of mine said....."F**k school spirit!" On Wisconsin indeed.

I think I'd rather hear "Denny's Drums" on repeat.  

[Aegir]

The album version is so much better, in my opinion. the cheerleaders are pretty annoying.

and we're talking about LYRICAL CONTENT on a Beach Boys board? that's silly! sure, I never went to a school football game in my life, and I hate school spirit. (I think one of the greatest moments of my life was when I found a way to sneak out of the fall pep rally. I hated pep rallys! I'd rather take a chemistry test, which I also hate, then go to a pep rally.)

but not only is this song really catchy, it's my favorite kind of Beach Boys song, the "Mike Love Explains His Lifestyle" song, let's call it. I'm sure someone can think of a better name. This is mainly present is the earlier stuff but also exists songs like "I Just Got My Pay and "HELP is on the Way". "I Wanna Pick You Up" (using the interpretation that it's actually about a baby, and not a girlfriend) is this type of song lyrically but not musically or vocally (obviously).

[Dave Modny]

and we're talking about LYRICAL CONTENT on a Beach Boys board? that's silly!

It's not so much a matter of whether the lyric is deep...or not....has meaning...or not....is good....or not, etc. I can listen to plenty of songs with bad lyrics. I'm not even a "lyrics guy," in general, when it comes to the Beach Boys. It's just that, in the particular example I gave, I find it structurally annoying (i.e.  the "or guy" add-on at the end of the phrase). It really bugs me to the point where it disrupts everything else for me.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

Agree about "Be True to Your School" plus "All Summer Long" for me.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I've never been a big fan of Hushabye, Surfer Moon, or Spirit of America.

[halblaineisgood]

The album version is so much better, in my opinion. the cheerleaders are pretty annoying.

and we're talking about LYRICAL CONTENT on a Beach Boys board? that's silly! sure, I never went to a school football game in my life, and I hate school spirit. (I think one of the greatest moments of my life was when I found a way to sneak out of the fall pep rally. I hated pep rallys! I'd rather take a chemistry test, which I also hate, then go to a pep rally.)

but not only is this song really catchy, it's my favorite kind of Beach Boys song, the "Mike Love Explains His Lifestyle" song, let's call it. I'm sure someone can think of a better name. This is mainly present is the earlier stuff but also exists songs like "I Just Got My Pay and "HELP is on the Way". "I Wanna Pick You Up" (using the interpretation that it's actually about a baby, and not a girlfriend) is this type of song lyrically but not musically or vocally (obviously).

They're the best, aren't they? Songs of the Mike Love listing and explaining the merits of something variety are the best!! I like 'em a lot..

[stack-o-tracks]

All the car songs.

Don't Worry Baby? f***.

[halblaineisgood]

All the car songs.

Don't Worry Baby? f***.

I enjoyed that song for many years, without realizing there were car lyrics in it.

[Rocky Raccoon]

All the car songs.

Don't Worry Baby? f***.

I enjoyed that song for many years, without realizing there were car lyrics in it.

It's more of a love song than a car song even though it's about the girl making the guy feel better about a race.  I've always found it quite romantic actually.

[Gertie J.]

barbara ann, wild honey, back home, kokomo, AND perhaps admission of day Cool Cool Water, any reincarnation.

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

I forgot "Wild Honey" on my earlier list. Can't stand any version I've ever heard.

[EgoHanger1966]

Wild Honey is a grower, for sure.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I've always found the studio version of Wild Honey a little too tame, Darlin' too and other songs on that album.  Like they have so much potential to be fast paced rockers but the production isn't rough enough to make them that.  But the live versions of Darlin' on In Concert and the Knebworth recording, amazing.  They're still good songs though but I think they could have been done better.

[NatureShowInStereo]

409, Be True to Your School, Surfin, Ballad of Ole Betsy, Wendy, Then I Kissed Her, probably a few more.

All songs that fall into my personal "least favorites" category.

[halblaineisgood]

I was just listening to some Surfin USA. The Beach Boys  as a self contained unit were awesome. Great album for appreciating the part each of the guys played, and what ingredient they brought to the beach boy stew. I must say that 60's mono Beach Boys stuff sounds so fantastic, as reliably fantastic as original mono motown stuff.

Kokomo
Surfer Girl
Surfin USA

Surfin USA is a damn fine song. Damn fine album. Surfer Girl is too, although not as good an album as USA imo. But you don't care for either, huh? How can you call yourself "DW" , or a "real beach boy" when you so clearly hate the beach!! The fact that you fail to groove on Surfin USA, one of his all time great drum performances is a damn shame.

[EgoHanger1966]

I was just listening to some Surfin USA. The Beach Boys  as a self contained unit were awesome. Great album for appreciating the part each of the guys played, and what ingredient they brought to the beach boy stew. I must say that 60's mono Beach Boys stuff sounds so fantastic, as reliably fantastic as original mono motown stuff.

Kokomo
Surfer Girl
Surfin USA

Surfin USA is a damn fine song. Damn fine album. Surfer Girl is too, although not as good an album as USA imo. But you don't care for either, huh? How can you call yourself "DW" , or a "real beach boy" when you so clearly hate the beach!! The fact that you fail to groove on Surfin USA, one of his all time great drum performances is a damn shame.

Also, Kokomo is a damn fine song. I think many would regard it as a quirky oddity if it hadn't been a hit.

[halblaineisgood]

I was just listening to some Surfin USA. The Beach Boys  as a self contained unit were awesome. Great album for appreciating the part each of the guys played, and what ingredient they brought to the beach boy stew. I must say that 60's mono Beach Boys stuff sounds so fantastic, as reliably fantastic as original mono motown stuff.

Kokomo
Surfer Girl
Surfin USA

Surfin USA is a damn fine song. Damn fine album. Surfer Girl is too, although not as good an album as USA imo. But you don't care for either, huh? How can you call yourself "DW" , or a "real beach boy" when you so clearly hate the beach!! The fact that you fail to groove on Surfin USA, one of his all time great drum performances is a damn shame.

Also, Kokomo is a damn fine song. I think many would regard it as a quirky oddity if it hadn't been a hit.

I like Kokomo too. But, I understand anti-kokomoism. Kokomo bashing would never provoke me to comment. It makes sense...I just don't understand a fan who dislikes Surfin USA. It's like an  Elvis fan who doesn't like Good Rockin' Tonight , Chewbacca defense!

[Shady]

I really can't stand "breakaway"

Is it even a classic? Maybe not but it's the best I got

[halblaineisgood]

You're So Good To Me is not so good...to me.

Now that you mention it, that is kind of a weak track. At least on the Summer Days album.  Maybe it plays better in the context of Endless Summer. Did it attain classic status mostly because of its inclusion there? Or was it the Beatles connection... the oft-told tale of la la la la's on You're So Good To Me inspiring similar Beatle la la la la's ?

[Phoenix]

It depends on the definition of classic.  Using the C50 set list as a guideline I thought "Ballad Of Ole' Betsy" was completely unwarranted and out of place but having gone back and listened to the original version for the first time in years, I have to say Brian's original vocal makes all the difference in the world.  On the other side of that, the studio version "Wild Honey" just doesn't work for me at all, which is why I keep hoping the powers-that-be will release a live version from the 70's one day.  The combination of Blondie's vocal, the faster tempo, and the rawness of the live setting really make that song what it always should have been. 

Beyond that, there are several early songs I could do with out but I don't know if they'd be considered "classics".  The first couple albums of several 60's bands have the odd track or two that doesn't hold up but by the time of Surfer Girl, the Boys' quality had greatly improved.  However, I think "South Bay Surfer" is absolutely dreadful; much worse than some of the earlier filler.

I also think a lot of Dennis's middle period stuff is really overrated (tho I think other stuff he's done is fantastic).  Songs like "Cuddle Up" and "Make It Good" feel less like songs and more like "feels" that just build, never reaching any real resolution. 

As far as stone cold classics (50 Big Ones, etc.) I've always had less tolerance for the car songs than the surf songs but can't say any of the hits on either of those topics bother me now.  I do think Smiley, Lei'd In Hawaii, and Friends (and to a lesser extent Wild Honey) are almost unlistenable to my ears, especially coming after Pet Sounds and Smile.  I understand Brian's need to "pull back" and make "music for Brian to cool out to" but that stripped bare stuff went on far too long for my tastes, which is why I actually like 20/20.  Disjointed tho it may be, at least it sounds like a finished (albeit directionless) album and not just a collection of demos some guys made while they were stoned.

Your mileage may vary.