Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
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| Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) | ||
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| Studio album by The Beach Boys | ||
| Released | June 1965 | |
| Recorded | 26 February - May 1965 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 26:42 | |
| Label | Capitol Records | |
| Producer(s) | Brian Wilson | |
| Professional reviews | ||
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| The Beach Boys chronology | ||
| The Beach Boys Today! (1965) |
Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) (1965) |
Beach Boys' Party! (1965) |
Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) is the tenth album by The Beach Boys and their second overall in 1965. As a follow-up to Today!, the successor had progressive moments, and it also had the band's "formula" for sun, summer, and fun.
After the shift in style of Today!, leader Brian Wilson reportedly was questioned by Mike Love and Capitol Records about what his musical intentions were, and encouraged him to make more "Beach Boys" type music for the next release. The band was, by now, stereotyped as a happy "fun in the sun" band that sang about the beach, girls and good times. Brian felt constrained by this stigma, and some steps toward more sophisticated subject matter and production techniques can be seen on this album.
Wilson composed an instrumental with strings, brass, vibes, piano ("Summer Means New Love") and a symphonic intro to their single "California Girls," which peaked at #3 in the US. "Girl Don't Tell Me," sung by Carl Wilson, was the band's first song without any harmonies attached—every member in the band played on the song, with Brian on celeste. (Most of their instrumental tracks by then were played by professional musicians.) "You're So Good to Me" is notable as it was the band's first released recording that didn't feature Brian on falsetto. "I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man" is a recording of Brian on piano, backed by silly vocals from his band-mates, chronicling the tragedies of a man caused by his father.
Those tracks being considered the major advancements on Summer Days, much of the rest has been referred to as "paint by numbers Beach Boys" by fans and critics alike—the lone exception being the fan favorite "Let Him Run Wild."
"The Girl from New York City" was a response to "The Boy from New York City," a hit by The Ad-Libs earlier that year. "Then I Kissed Her" was a cover of the 1963 Crystals hit, "Then He Kissed Me," obviously switching gender roles. It was an unlikely Top 5 UK hit in 1967, and Al Jardine's first lead vocal on the album. (The second being a re-recording of a Today! track, now called "Help Me, Rhonda" and was the Beach Boys' second US #1 hit.)
Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) was Bruce Johnston's first appearance on a Beach Boys album. As Brian's stage replacement, he was not an "official" member yet, but Brian Wilson appreciated Johnston's skills enough to have him contribute vocally. Bruce would often accompany the group on photo shoots, but he was prohibited from having those pictures published due to his existing contract with Columbia Records. His face would not grace the cover of a Beach Boys' album until 1967. Al Jardine was also not on the front cover of the album because of illness.
The album proved to be another gold-selling success in the US, where it hit #2 (behind The Rolling Stones's Out of Our Heads) and the following year, Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) would reach #4 in the UK.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
All songs by Brian Wilson/Mike Love, except where noted.
- "The Girl From New York City" – 1:54
- Features Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Amusement Parks U.S.A." – 2:29
- Features Mike Love [w/ Brian Wilson] on lead vocals
- "Then I Kissed Her" (Phil Spector/E. Greenwich/J. Barry) – 2:15
- Features Al Jardine on lead vocals
- "Salt Lake City" – 2:00
- Features Mike Love and Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "Girl Don't Tell Me" (Brian Wilson) – 2:19
- Features Carl Wilson on lead vocals
- "Help Me, Rhonda" – 2:46
- Features Al Jardine on lead vocals
- "California Girls" – 2:38
- Features Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Let Him Run Wild" – 2:20
- Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "You're So Good To Me" – 2:14
- Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "Summer Means New Love" (Brian Wilson) – 1:59
- Instrumental
- "I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man" (Brian Wilson) – 2:17
- Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "And Your Dream Comes True" – 1:04
- Features group vocals
[edit] Singles
- "Help Me, Rhonda" b/w "Kiss Me Baby" (from The Beach Boys Today!) (Capitol 5395), 5 April 1965 US #1; UK #27
- "California Girls" b/w "Let Him Run Wild (Capitol 5464), 12 July 1965 US #3; UK #26
Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) is now paired on CD with The Beach Boys Today!, with bonus tracks from that period.
Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) (Capitol (D) T 2354) hit #2 in the US during a chart stay of 33 weeks. It reached #4 in the UK in the summer of 1966.
[edit] Sources
- The Beach Boys Today!/Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) CD booklet notes, David Leaf, c.1990.
- "The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience", Timothy White, c. 1994.
- "Wouldn't It Be Nice - My Own Story", Brian Wilson and Todd Gold, c. 1991.
- "Top Pop Singles 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- All Music Guide.com
