brian and mike writing team

[wiggbuggie]

I was wondering how is the writing partnership between Brian and Mike since they wrote most of the beach boys songs like john and paul from the beatles. How much input did Mike have etc.

[Ron]

I'm no expert, but I get from the things I've heard and what we've seen Brian do since, that Brian wrote nearly all the music with maybe Mike just giving a few simple suggestions about direction they could go, then Mike writing most of the lyrics with Brian giving a few lines here and there.  There's exceptions, like Mike only writing the last 5 or 6 words in Wouldn't It Be Nice and wanting a songwriting credit, etc, or Brian writing all of Surfer Girl, etc.

[Aegir]

Mike doesn't have a credit on Surfer Girl, does he?

[mikeyj]

Mike doesn't have a credit on Surfer Girl, does he?

No, just Brian.

[BiNNS]

Well we all know that The Beach Boys mean so much to so many people because of the positivity.....and that was mike! (according to mike).

[wiggbuggie]

well I also prefer  mikes lyrics on good vibrations then the tony asher/brian wilson one so i guess one person wrote the majority of the song and the other one filled out the gaps or hooks

[Dancing Bear]

For the vast majority, Mike only wrote or co-wrote the lyrics.

Now, Mike writing also the music. The exceptions, as far as I know:

- I Get Around: Mike added the "round-round-round-round-I get Around" section

- Let the Wind Blow - It's said that Mike came up with the basic tune. If true, it must be also said that Brian probably worked the hell out of it

- Good Vibrations - Mike suggested that the bass line in the chorus would also become a vocal line (I'm picking up good vibrations etc)

- Wouldn't it be Nice - the very maligned "Goodnight Baby" tag, Mike may have come up with the melody on his own.

[John]

Didn't Meant For You, Anna Lee The Healer and Do It Again (maybe not all three, but some) start out as Love tunes?

[Dancing Bear]

Didn't Meant For You, Anna Lee The Healer and Do It Again (maybe not all three, but some) start out as Love tunes?

I've never read about it. Mike probably approached Brian with the basic themes, inspiring him to create the tunes - or dust off something he had written in 1962.    From those three, Anna Lee sounds like the most simple and basic, therefore a good candidate.

[John]

Do It Again, now I come to think of it, is at least partly derived from A Thing Or Two to these ears, plus? Underwater by the Frogmen, is it? I love it was a Love inspiration at least.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Do It Again, now I come to think of it, is at least partly derived from A Thing Or Two to these ears.

Exactly, John. The last few chords of the fade of "A Thing Or Two" are, almost note for note, "Do It Again".

Whenever Mike talks about writing with Brian again and making more Beach Boys' music, I always think of "Do It Again" as the kind of song he has in mind.