Saturday May 16, 2020 “ I Get Around” The Beach Boys
Truth be told we just don’t get around much anymore.
The Beach Boys are truly an American musical institution and Brian Wilson is one of the real rock & roll geniuses who gave us so many classic tunes to sing along with and here they are finally on Song of the Day. Written by Brian, this 1964 tune is the group’s first number one US single and was the fifth biggest selling single that year with 2 million copies sold.
There is just so much history and interesting information about the Beach Boys so I thought we would go for some of the more obscure stuff surrounding them and expand your knowledge of Beach Boys trivia, so here’s a short quiz (answers below)
1- Who was the Beach Boys first manager?
2- Which Beach Boy was personal friends with a mass murderer?
3- Which Beach Boy married his cousin’s daughter?
4- What famous recording star toured with and played on several of their albums?
5- Which Beach Boy was the only surfer?
6- Which Beach Boy’s children had a famous pop group?
7- What was Brian Wilson’s first US number one hit (hint it’s not “I get Around”)
8- What non Beach Boys song forced Brian to pull his car off the road to listen to it?
9- Which Beach Boys album inspired by Rubber Soul almost broke the group up?
10- Who is the only Beach Boy that actually played a musical instrument on most albums?
I took some liberties with the lyrics below to better express the current condition.
Stay safe and well…but don’t get around just yet.
Round round get around, I get around, yeah
(Get around round round I get around, ooh-ooh) I get around
Fom town to town (get around round round I get around)
I'm a real cool head (get around round round I get around)
I'm makin' real good bread (get around round round I get around)
I'm gettin' bugged driving up and down the same old strip
I gotta find a new place where the kids are hip
My buddies and me are getting real well known
Yeah, the bad guys know us and they leave us alone
I get around (get around round round I get around)
From town to town (get around round round I get around)
I'm a real cool head (get around round round I get around)
I'm makin' real good bread (get around round round I get around)
I get around (round, get around-round-round, ooh)
(Wah-wah-ooh)
(Wah-wah-ooh)
(Wah-wah-ooh)
We always take my car 'cause it's never been beat
And we've never missed yet with the girls we meet
None of the guys go steady 'cause it wouldn't be right
To leave their best girl home now on Saturday night
I get around (get around round round I get around)
From town to town (get around round round I get around)
I'm a real cool head (get around round round I get around)
I'm makin' real good bread (get around round round I get around)
I get around (round, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)
Round round get around, I get around, yeah
Get around round round I get around (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Get around round round I get around (wah-wah-ooh)
Get around round round I get around (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Get around round round I get around (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Get around round round I get around (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Get around round round I get around (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Get around round round I get around (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Get around round round I get around (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Get around round round I get around (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Answers:
1- Murry Wilson, their father, fired at the “I Get Around” session
2- Dennis Wilson was friends with Charles Manson.
3- Dennis married his cousin Carl Love’s daughter Shawn, his fifth wife
4- Glen Campbell played guitar on a bunch of Beach Boy recordings and replaced Brian when he stopped touring.
5- Dennis again. Ironically this surfer died when he fell off his boat and drowned.
6- Brian’s daughters Carnie and Wendy formed a group (Wilson Phillips) with John & Michelle Phillips (Mamas & Pappas) daughter Chynna and sold 10 million albums/CDs.
7- Brian wrote “Surf City” for friends Jan & Dean and they scored a number one hit with it
8- The Phil Spector produced “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes so overwhelmed him on first hearing Brian had to stop to listen to it
9- Pet Sounds was reviled by the band as ‘not their kind of sound’. It is listed as the second best album on the Rolling Stone list of greatest albums of all time.
10- Dennis once again. Apparently he was deemed an accomplished enough drummer by the record label and songwriter/producer Brian.