| All Summer Long | ||||
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| Studio album by The Beach Boys | ||||
| Released | July 13, 1964 | |||
| Recorded | April 2, 1964 – May 19, 1964 Except "Drive-In" 's instrumental track: October 18, 1963 |
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| Genre | Rock, surf rock | |||
| Length | 25:06 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Brian Wilson | |||
| The Beach Boys chronology | ||||
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| Allmusic | link |
All Summer Long is the sixth studio album by The Beach Boys and their second in 1964. Recorded in the aftermath of the British Invasion, spearheaded by The Beatles, the album marked a major turning point in The Beach Boys' career, and in leader/prime songwriter Brian Wilson as an artist.
All Summer Long hit #4 in the US during a 49 week chart stay. All Summer Long (Capitol (S) T 2110) is now paired on CD with Little Deuce Coupe, with bonus tracks from that period.
Songs from this album are also featured on the EP Four by The Beach Boys.
Contents |
Beginning in February 1964, Wilson engaged in a rigorous period of songwriting, emerging some weeks afterwards with songs including "I Get Around", "All Summer Long", "Wendy" and "Girls on the Beach". The Beach Boys dubbed their vocals over the instrumental tracks performed by session musicians, all produced by the 21-year-old Wilson.
"I Get Around" preceded the album's release by some two months and quickly raced to become their first #1 single in the United States; they also had a UK Top 10 debut with a #7 peak. The album was released in July, peaking at #4 in the United States, and being certified gold; the album did not make the UK charts, however.
But there was one major change in the internal structure of The Beach Boys during the making of All Summer Long. After enduring father and manager Murry Wilson's domineering ways for over two years, the band had reached the breaking point. During the recording session for I Get Around, the musicians fired their father as manager. An attempt at reconciliation on Murry Wilson's part, much of it captured on the running tapes for the " Help Me Rhonda" take that appeared on their next album, cemented the break.[1]
A summer feel permeates the cover of this album, with a series of candid snapshots mounted into a montage. Photography was credited to both Kenneth Veeder and George Jerman (who had taken the photographs for the bands earlier albums) but it remains unclear as to who took the color pictures on the front of the sleeve, or the black and white studio shots on the reverse. The location for the shoot was once again Paradise Cove, north of Malibu, the same location used for the Surfin' Safari sleeve. However, whilst it appears that all five band members were present for the session only Brian, Carl, Dennis and Mike were photographed on the sand (along with the two girls, in various outfits) - Al was absent that day for a case of Flu and his images were added at a later date.
On first pressings of the LP, the song "Don't Back Down" is misprinted as "Don't Break Down" on the front cover. This version of the LP sleeve also has the song titles printed in the same mustard-colored ink as the album title. Subsequent printings with the typo corrected have the song titles printed in black.
| Side one | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead Vocals | Length | |||||
| 1. | "I Get Around" | Brian Wilson/Mike Love | Brian Wilson/Mike Love | 2:12 | |||||
| 2. | "All Summer Long" | B. Wilson/Love | Love/group | 2:06 | |||||
| 3. | "Hushabye" | Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman | B. Wilson/Love | 2:40 | |||||
| 4. | "Little Honda" | B. Wilson/Love | Love | 1:52 | |||||
| 5. | "We'll Run Away" | B. Wilson/Gary Usher | B. Wilson | 2:00 | |||||
| 6. | "Carl's Big Chance" | B. Wilson/Carl Wilson | instrumental | 2:25 | |||||
| Side two | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead Vocals | Length | |||||
| 1. | "Wendy" | B. Wilson/Love | group/Love | 2:19 | |||||
| 2. | "Do You Remember?" | B. Wilson/Love | Love/B. Wilson | 1:40 | |||||
| 3. | "Girls on the Beach" | B. Wilson | B. Wilson/Dennis Wilson | 2:24 | |||||
| 4. | "Drive-In" | B. Wilson/Love | Love | 1:51 | |||||
| 5. | "Our Favorite Recording Sessions" | B. Wilson/Dennis Wilson/C. Wilson/Love/Al Jardine | spoken word | 1:59 | |||||
| 6. | "Don't Back Down" | B. Wilson/Love | Love/B. Wilson | 1:44 | |||||