Take a Load Off Your Feet

"Take a Load Off Your Feet"

Song by The Beach Boys from the album Surf's Up

Released

August 30, 1971

Recorded

January 1970
early 1971

Genre

Psychedelic pop

Length

2:29

Label

Brother/Reprise

Composer

Al Jardine, Brian Wilson, Gary Winfrey

Producer

The Beach Boys

Surf's Up track listing

10 tracks
Side one "Don't Go Near the Water" "Long Promised Road" "Take a Load Off Your Feet" "Disney Girls (1957)" "Student Demonstration Time" Side two "Feel Flows" "Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" "A Day in the Life of a Tree" "'Til I Die" "Surf's Up"

"Take a Load Off Your Feet" is a song written by Al Jardine, Brian Wilson and Gary Winfrey for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was projected to be released on Add Some Music, an album which was to be released in 1970. After that album was reworked into Sunflower, "Take a Load Off Your Feet" was released on the next Beach Boys album, Surf's Up.

Composition

Gary Winfrey returned to California, after serving in the Air Force, in 1968. He and Al Jardine quickly rekindled a friendship that had begun back when both were in high school. Winfrey's wife Sandi was pregnant at the time, and her ankles were swollen. With the song Hair being popular at the time, somebody suggested writing a similar song about ankles. That song turned into "Take a Load Off Your Feet". Brian Wilson would later add some lyrics and help with the melody.

Recording

The first session for the song was during the Add Some Music sessions in January 1970. The song was then put on hold until the early part of the next year. All of the sessions were held at Brian Wilson's home studio. Brian did the lead vocal on the first and third verse (though this verse not in falsetto and also sped up on the final mix-leading it to be confused with Jardine), alternating giving way to Jardine, who sang the second and fourth verse and also played bass guitar. The Beach Boys, with help from Winfrey, sang the backing vocals, and Brian added sound effects including hitting an empty 5-gallon Sparkletts glass water container with a rubber mallet for percussion, footsteps and the horn of his Rolls-Royce Phantom V.

Live Versions

The Beach Boys performed the song live for the first time in 1975 and then again during their 1993 Box Set Tour.

Personnel

The Beach Boys

Al Jardine – lead, harmony and backing vocals; acoustic guitar; bass
Bruce Johnston – harmony and backing vocals
Mike Love – harmony and backing vocals
Brian Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals; percussion; sound effects
Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – harmony and backing vocals

Additional musicians and production staff

Gary Winfrey – harmony and backing vocals

References

Surf's Up

Songs

Side one	"Don't Go Near the Water" "Long Promised Road" "Take a Load Off Your Feet" "Disney Girls (1957)" "Student Demonstration Time"

Side two	Feel Flows "Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song)" "A Day in the Life of a Tree" "'Til I Die" "Surf's Up"

Hits	Best of The Beach Boys Vol. 1, 2, 3 Endless Summer Spirit of America Good Vibrations – Best of The Beach Boys 20 Golden Greats Ten Years of Harmony Sunshine Dream Made in U.S.A. Greatest Hits Vol. 1, 2, 3 The Very Best of The Beach Boys Sounds of Summer The Platinum Collection (Sounds of Summer Edition) The Warmth of the Sun Fifty Big Ones

Themed	Stack-O-Tracks Ultimate Christmas Classics Selected by Brian Wilson Good Vibrations: 40th Anniversary Edition Summer Love Songs

Rarities	Rarities Lost & Found (1961–62) Endless Harmony Hawthorne, CA The Big Beat 1963 Keep an Eye on Summer 1964 Beach Boys' Party! Uncovered and Unplugged

Box sets	Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys The Pet Sounds Sessions The Capitol Years The Original US Singles Collection The Capitol Years 1962–1965 The Smile Sessions Made in California

Documentary films

Good Vibrations Tour (1976)
An American Band (1985)
Nashville Sounds (1996)
Endless Harmony: The Beach Boys Story (1998)
Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980 (2002)
Doin' It Again (2012)

Associated places

Influence

History / Lists

Book
Category
Portal
Wikiquote

People associated with The Beach Boys

Personnel	Alan Boyd Chuck Britz Stephen Desper Larry Levine Steve Levine Mark Linett Earle Mankey Bob Norberg Joe Thomas Nick Venet

Businessmen	David Anderle James William Guercio Jack Rieley Murry Wilson

Bands	American Spring Bob & Sheri Bruce & Terry California Music Captain & Tennille Celebration Chicago The Flames The Honeys The Wrecking Crew

Musicians/ songwriters	Tandyn Almer Ron Altbach Tony Asher Roger Christian Jan and Dean Daryl Dragon Danny Hutton Gregg Jakobson Stephen Kalinich Charles Manson Terry Melcher Andy Paley Van Dyke Parks John Phillips Dick Reynolds Toni Tennille Gary Usher Don Was

Touring members	Adrian Baker Phil Bardowell Gerry Beckley Nelson Bragg Glen Campbell Richie Cannata John Cowsill Daryl Dragon Jeffrey Foskett Probyn Gregory Billy Hinsche Matt Jardine Mike Kowalski Randell Kirsch Mike Meros Carli Muñoz Joe Pollard Darian Sahanaja Toni Tennille Scott Totten

Writers	Peter Ames Carlin David Leaf Byron Preiss Domenic Priore Jules Siegel Jon Stebbins Derek Taylor Michael Vosse Timothy White Paul Williams

Other	Eugene Landy Melinda Ledbetter Stan Love Christine McVie Rocky Pamplin John Stamos Paul Tanner Carnie Wilson Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford Wendy Wilson Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

The Beach Boys singles discography

1960s

1961	"Surfin'" / "Luau"

1962	"Surfin' Safari" / "409" "Ten Little Indians" / "County Fair"

1963	"Surfin' U.S.A." / "Shut Down" "Surfer Girl" / "Little Deuce Coupe" "Be True to Your School" / "In My Room" "Little Saint Nick" / "The Lord's Prayer"

1964	"Fun, Fun, Fun" / "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" "I Get Around" / "Don't Worry Baby" "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" / "She Knows Me Too Well" "Dance, Dance, Dance" / "The Warmth of the Sun" "The Man with All the Toys" / "Blue Christmas"

1965	"Do You Want to Dance" / "Please Let Me Wonder" "Help Me, Rhonda" / "Kiss Me, Baby" "California Girls"/ "Let Him Run Wild" "The Little Girl I Once Knew" / "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" "Barbara Ann" / "Girl Don't Tell Me"

1966	"Sloop John B" / "You're So Good to Me" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "God Only Knows" "Good Vibrations" / "Let's Go Away for Awhile"

1967	"Then I Kissed Her" / "Mountain of Love" "Heroes and Villains" / "You're Welcome" "Wild Honey" / "Wind Chimes" "Darlin'" / "Here Today"

1968	"Friends" / "Little Bird" "Do It Again" / "Wake the World" "Bluebirds over the Mountain" / "Never Learn Not to Love"

1969	"I Can Hear Music" / "All I Want to Do" "Break Away" / "Celebrate the News"

1970s

1970	"Add Some Music to Your Day" / "Susie Cincinnati" "Cottonfields" / "The Nearest Faraway Place" "Slip On Through" / "This Whole World" "Tears in the Morning" / "It's About Time"

1971	"Cool, Cool Water" / "Forever" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (live) / "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (by Merry Clayton) "Long Promised Road" / "Deirdre" "Long Promised Road" / "'Til I Die" "Surf's Up" / "Don't Go Near the Water"

1972	"You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" / "Cuddle Up" "Marcella" / "Hold On Dear Brother"

1973	"Sail On, Sailor" / "Only with You" "California Saga: California" / "Funky Pretty"

1974	"Surfin' U.S.A." / "The Warmth of the Sun" "Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" / "Susie Cincinnati"

1975	"Sail On, Sailor" / "Only with You"

1976	"Rock and Roll Music" / "T M Song" "It's O.K." / "Had to Phone Ya" "Everyone's in Love with You" / "Susie Cincinnati"

1977	"Honkin' Down the Highway" / "Solar System"

1978	"Peggy Sue" / "Hey Little Tomboy"

1979	"Here Comes the Night" / "Baby Blue" "Good Timin'" / "Love Surrounds Me" "Lady Lynda" / "Full Sail" "It's a Beautiful Day" / "Sumahama"

1980s

1980	"Goin' On" / "Endless Harmony" "Livin' with a Heartache" / "Santa Ana Winds"

1981	"The Beach Boys Medley" / "God Only Knows" "Come Go with Me" / "Don't Go Near the Water"

1985	"Getcha Back" / "Male Ego" "It's Gettin' Late" / "It's O.K." "She Believes in Love Again" / "It's Just a Matter of Time"

1986	"Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" / "Good Vibrations" (live) "California Dreamin'" / "Lady Liberty"

1987	"Happy Endings" (with Little Richard) / "California Girls" (live)

1988	"Kokomo" / "Tutti Frutti" (Little Richard)

1989	"Still Cruisin'" / "Kokomo"

1990s

1990	"Somewhere Near Japan" / "Kokomo" "Problem Child" / "Problem Child (Instrumental)"

1992	"Hot Fun in the Summertime" / "Summer of Love"

1996	"I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" / "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "Here Today"

2010s

2011	"Good Vibrations" / "Heroes and Villains" "Don't Fight the Sea" / "Friends" "Cabinessence" / "Wonderful"

2012	"That's Why God Made the Radio" / "That's Why God Made the Radio" (instrumental) "Isn't It Time" / Live in Chicago

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