Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Prefer this to Today. There are a lot of silly tracks, but it just adds to the charm for me.

Are there really a lot of silly tracks? Besides the obviously comic I'm Bugged At My Old Man, and Amusement Parks USA (at least for the part when Brian laughs), i don't consider any of the rest of it particuarly silly...

[Dudd]

Prefer this to Today. There are a lot of silly tracks, but it just adds to the charm for me.

Are there really a lot of silly tracks? Besides the obviously comic I'm Bugged At My Old Man, and Amusement Parks USA (at least for the part when Brian laughs), i don't consider any of the rest of it particuarly silly...

Well, less serious than Today.

[scooby1970]

I love the whole vibe and feel to the Summer Days (And Summer Nights!) album, for me it represents The Beach Boys doing what they do best, and singing well crafted songs with great harmonies. Highlights of the album for me are "The Girl From New York City", "Amusement Parks USA", "California Girls" and "You're So Good To Me".

Mark

[Orange Crate Art]

Awesome album! Features one of my all time favorite songs (Let Him Run Wild). I love the energetic opening track The Girl From New York City (my favorite example of Brian's soaring falsetto). You're So Good To Me, Girl Don't Tell Me, California Girls, Help Me Rhonda all on the same album, all classics. I could live without Amusement Parks USA although I have nothing against it. It's sorta like a 1965 version of County Fair. I'm Bugged At My Old Man is funny but it spoils the mood after hearing CG, LHRW, YSGTM and Summer Means New Love (I prefer the 1976 version of Bugged with the hacking and coughing and laughther from Carl and Dennis). Love the a cappella And Your Dream Comes True, truly beautiful.

[rab2591]

The 2012 stereo remaster of this album is incredible. They really knocked it out of the park with this.

I've ALWAYS hated 'I'm Bugged At My Old Man' - but I've realized it's actually a brilliant piece of filler: you have a lousy/awful instrumentalized/vocalized song just before one of their most beautiful a cappella songs they ever recorded. In that respect I find it hilarious/brilliant. Like Bull Sessions, it has become part of the album for me; I never skip this song when listening to the entirety of this album now.

[Gabo]

How could an album with terrible songs like "Amusement Parks USA" earn 5 stars? I agree with an earlier post that that song is not only a bad song, but "an assault on the senses."

Of course, some of the Boys' most famous tunes are also on this record.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

How could an album with terrible songs like "Amusement Parks USA" earn 5 stars? I agree with an earlier post that that song is not only a bad song, but "an assault on the senses."

Of course, some of the Boys' most famous tunes are also on this record.

It's probably my favourite song on the album. The louder its played the better as far as I'm concerned... Love that carnival-style sound! Can't wait for the MIC alternate version.

[Gabo]

How could an album with terrible songs like "Amusement Parks USA" earn 5 stars? I agree with an earlier post that that song is not only a bad song, but "an assault on the senses."

Of course, some of the Boys' most famous tunes are also on this record.

It's probably my favourite song on the album. The louder its played the better as far as I'm concerned... Love that carnival-style sound! Can't wait for the MIC alternate version.

I played it to my friend and he demanded that I turn it off. It's just ridiculously grating...

[Dudd]

How could an album with terrible songs like "Amusement Parks USA" earn 5 stars? I agree with an earlier post that that song is not only a bad song, but "an assault on the senses."

Of course, some of the Boys' most famous tunes are also on this record.

It's probably my favourite song on the album. The louder its played the better as far as I'm concerned... Love that carnival-style sound! Can't wait for the MIC alternate version.

I played it to my friend and he demanded that I turn it off. It's just ridiculously grating...

Well, at least it's better than County Fair.

[Dudd]

Stella the snake dancer lives forever in our hearts.

[bluesno1fann]

IMHO not as good as some people say it is. Still a great album, no doubt, but not as good as Today, PS and Smile (Obviously), and the post-Smile albums.
"Let Him Run Wild" is my favourite track off this album, "California Girls" is great, but flogged to death. "Help Me Rhonda" is much better than the Today version, but once again, flogged to death. The rest of the tracks are great as well, even the joke song "I'm Bugged at my Old Man". Not a single bad song from this album!
3.5 out of 5.

[RiC]

I have a soft spot for Girl Don't Tell Me. For me that's the best song of this album. Other standouts are Then I Kissed Her, California Girls (it's still overrated), Let Him Run Wild and You're So Good To Me. Oh and I'm bugged at my ol' man, I love that, it's funny as hell. Girl from New York City, Amusement Parks USA, Salt Lake City, they all sound the same for me. I have to rate this 3/5, it's too mediocre as a whole. It has a lot great songs, but it's a big step back from Today!. But well after this album they really did a long run of amazing albums, so they did know how to do better than this. Maybe this one was too rushed or something. Or maybe I'll just 'get it' sometime later and start praising it as the best thing ever.

The Girl From New York City - 3/5
Amusement Parks U.S.A. - 2.5/5
Then I Kissed Her - 3.5/5
Salt Lake City - 3/5
Girl Don't Tell Me - 5/5
Help Me, Rhonda - 3.5/5
California Girls - 4/5
Let Him Run Wild - 4/5
You're So Good To Me - 4.5/5
Summer Means New Love - 3/5
I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man - 4/5
And Your Dreams Come True - 2.5/5

Oh yeah and the insert page in the vinyl release is so funny! All the members' pics are taken the same day in the beach or the boat, can't remember exactly, but then there's Al in the middle in some B&W photo, it's really funny looking. Gives the kinda expression that he's dead or something like that. 

[Lowbacca]

I have a soft spot for Girl Don't Tell Me. For me that's the best song of this album. Other standouts are Then I Kissed Her, California Girls (it's still overrated), Let Him Run Wild and You're So Good To Me. Oh and I'm bugged at my ol' man, I love that, it's funny as hell. Girl from New York City, Amusement Parks USA, Salt Lake City, they all sound the same for me. I have to rate this 3/5, it's too mediocre as a whole. It has a lot great songs, but it's a big step back from Today!. But well after this album they really did a long run of amazing albums, so they did know how to do better than this. Maybe this one was too rushed or something. Or maybe I'll just 'get it' sometime later and start praising it as the best thing ever.

The Girl From New York City - 3/5
Amusement Parks U.S.A. - 2.5/5
Then I Kissed Her - 3.5/5
Salt Lake City - 3/5
Girl Don't Tell Me - 5/5
Help Me, Rhonda - 3.5/5
California Girls - 4/5
Let Him Run Wild - 4/5
You're So Good To Me - 4.5/5
Summer Means New Love - 3/5
I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man - 4/5
And Your Dreams Come True - 2.5/5

Oh yeah and the insert page in the vinyl release is so funny! All the members' pics are taken the same day in the beach or the boat, can't remember exactly, but then there's Al in the middle in some B&W photo, it's really funny looking. Gives the kinda expression that he's dead or something like that. 

Curious ratings, dude. Only 3.5 for motherf*ckin' "Rhonda"? And while I've always liked "Bugged", I'd never give it 4/5 - more than you'd award "Salt Lake" or "Then I Kissed Her"? Diggin' your enthusiasm for "Girl Don't Tell Me" and "You're So Good To Me", though.

Just sayin' - curious ratings.

[RiC]

Curious ratings, dude. Only 3.5 for motherf*ckin' "Rhonda"? And while I've always liked "Bugged", I'd never give it 4/5 - more than you'd award "Salt Lake" or "Then I Kissed Her"? Diggin' your enthusiasm for "Girl Don't Tell Me" and "You're So Good To Me", though.

Just sayin' - curious ratings.

Yeah, I understand that I like Rhonda's Today! version more, and I like the live versions, but I'm not very keen on this one. And Bugged... well yeah true, of course Then I Kissed Her is better song "artistically" and so on, I just think Bugged is a very funny song... It's in other league completely, they souldn't be compared against each other.

[Gabo]

While I love Today!, I greatly dislike Summer Days. Perhaps because it both followed Today! and contained a few hit singles many seem to appraise it with masterpiece status though it is so almost unlistenably flawed. There is just way too much fluff here, at the beginning and the end, and the only songs of any quality are packed in the middle. The album also suffers from its complete lack of cohesion which unfortunately gives the sense that the album was thrown together rather than deliberately planned. While I doubt Today! was conceived as an album the way Pet Sounds was, the songs on that album are undeniably unified in their production and lyrical themes.

I love California Girls, Let Him Run Wild, and Girl Don't Tell Me as much as anyone, but I'd rather hear them on a compilation.

2/5

[Mr. Wilson]

4/5 A  step back from Today but still a fine record.. The pic on the front should have 6 BB + would have been a better cover..

[slippingonthrough]

This is how you make a Beach Boys album that is both creative and commercial.

New York City is a great rocker.
Amusement Parks is just plain fun (I like it, deal with it).
Then I Kissed Her is nice (I never understood why people hate it).
Salt Lake City: The backing track is awesome but the lyrics just sound like an advertisment. The only song I really don't like.
Girl Don't Tell Me: Great song. Imagine if the Beatles did a cover of this song on Help.  Nice vocal by Carl.
Help Me Rhonda: Their second #1. What else can I say. Al had some good luck.
California Girls: Why this didn't go to #1. I don't know.
Let Him Run Wild: Beautiful. Lost Classic.
You're So Good To Me: Great Song. Love the backing vocals. Stereo mix is awesome.
Summer Means New Love: Nice little instrumental.
I'm Bugged at my Ol Man: Cool fun song.
And Your Dream Comes True: Now smiley smile and wild honey, this is how you do an Acapella ending to an album.

Great, fun enjoyable album. Cover is awesome. 5/5

[retrokid67]

I'm probably in a class all by myself but California Girls when I first heard it stuck out like a soar thumb because I noticed the harmonies sounded different  (later I found out it was Bruce).  I like it better now than I did before but not by much.  I agree that a lot of the songs are silly but they're not as ridiculous as some of their late 70s-90s stuff. I'll give it a 4/5

[bluesno1fann]

Cover is awesome.

To each their own. To me it's pretty dull; the guys look somewhat awkward.

I agree. Carl and especially Dennis look virtually unrecognizable IMO.

Also I heard that the reason why Al isn't on the front cover was because he was sick and couldn't make it to the photo-shoot. Couldn't they just postpone it a week or so for Al to appear?!

Plus, for some reason they didn't let Bruce on the cover, even though he was one of the BB's by then and was actually at the photo-shoot!

So many mistakes...

[bluesno1fann]

Also I heard that the reason why Al isn't on the front cover was because he was sick and couldn't make it to the photo-shoot. Couldn't they just postpone it a week or so for Al to appear?!

Plus, for some reason they didn't let Bruce on the cover, even though he was one of the BB's by then and was actually at the photo-shoot!

Absolutely. Did you ever see the similar case in any band when one of its members is absent? Exactly, never. As to your 2nd point, Bruce wasn't allowed to be on the cover because of the contractual obligations. If I got it right, he was already signed to another records company & waited till its finish.

It's a shame with Bruce, but I guess it's understandable. As I said, they should have postponed the photo-shoot for Al

[slippingonthrough]

Al could have been ROCKIN those sunnies.

[slippingonthrough]

See!

[bluesno1fann]

See!

 

Funny but Anachronistic. 

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

A massive step back from Today. No where near as great as Pet Sounds. Though the highs on this are just as good as the highs on those albums. Still, it's obvious Brian knew better how to make a great album by this point, which makes this kind of disappointing. Like others, I wonder if this album was rushed?

The first couple of tracks are alright, but really not my cup of tea. I prefer the original version of Then He Kissed Me, chalk me up as another who hates Amusement Parks, but aside from that the first five tracks are good but dont leave too much of an impression or work particularly well together. Where it really takes off is when Help Me Ronda starts up. But this is just a remake of their own song from the very previous album...so it just feels like a cheap retread. Should have just left the new version as a standalone single.

Side two starts off fantastically. California Girls, for me, is where Brian completely mastered his craft and made a perfect, timeless work of art. Coincidentally or not, its also his first acid-inspired tune. To me, the inclusion of this track amid all the fun-in-the-sun fare only highlights how much Brian was above the surfing stuff even this early on, and how much more talented he was than Mike Love by this point. I agree with Peter Ames Carlin's assessment; the lyrics hold this song back. It's still amazing even with them, but I almost wish this track had been held over for Pet Sounds so Tony Asher could have taken a swing at it. I think he could have better written the angsty longing feeling that the instrumental invokes. The backing track itself though, is so good it wouldnt sound out of place on Pet Sounds or even SMiLE in my opinion.

The next two tracks are also great. That instrumental is a wonderful insight into what would come in PS.

...And then I'm Bugged at My Old Man comes in and completely ruins the flow. All the brilliance of those past four/five tracks is immediately sabotaged by this bit of filler. Some of you saying that it's a novelty song forgives it are just making excuses, I have to say. The fact that it IS pure, unadulterated filler only makes it more of an insult, as far as im concerned. Brian had just made Today. He knew how cohesive and strong an album could and should be. This wasnt 1963 anymore; by this stage, he was better than that.

The last track is really nice and really gives that "end of an era" vibe. For better or worse, Brian was outgrowing the formula and it showed heavily on this LP. Luckily he would go on to make Pet Sounds, which combined the lush backing tracks of this album with the cohesiveness of Today. Unfortunately... well, we all know the story.

I give it a 4/5, which is maybe a bit too generous. There's some amazing tracks as good as anything any band ever did. The weaker tracks are still good, just subpar and unfitting with the better stuff. Overall there is little cohesive flow and the filler track is shoddy and an insult. But in early 1965 the album still wasnt thought of as art in its own right yet. That wouldnt come until late '65 and all through '66. So I give them some leeway with that.

[drbeachboy]

After reading your reviews, I am getting the feeling that you do not appreciate Brian's stabs at humor in his music. Songs like Drive-In and I'm Bugged At My Old Man are clearly Brian's attempt at musical humor; one light and fun and the latter dark and edgy, but tongue planted firmly in cheek none the less. Having grown up in the era of drive-in movies and also having a verbally abusive father, I like and understand what Brian does with these songs. Both are very telling about where Brian was at at the time.