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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Forever No. 1: The Beach Boys' ‘I Get Around'
Forever No. 1 is a Billboard series that pays special tribute to the recently deceased artists who achieved the highest honor our charts have to offer — a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single — by taking an extended look back at the chart-topping songs that made them part of this exclusive club. Here, we honor Brian Wilson, who died on Wednesday (June 11) at age 82, by looking at the first of The Beach Boys' three Hot 100-toppers: the irresistible pop smash 'I Get Around.' The Beach Boys had racked up four consecutive top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (discounting B sides) prior to 'I Get Around,' but this ebullient song was their first single to reach No. 1. They recorded it in April 1964, making it the first song they recorded after The Beatles arrived in the U.S. that February. More from Billboard The 20 Best Beach Boys Songs (Staff Picks) Don Was Remembers Brian Wilson's 'Mystical' Genius: 'He Explored Creative Territory Where No Musicians Had Gone Before' How LadyLand, the Scrappy Festival That Could, Is Shaping Queer Culture & Live Music In NYC If The Beach Boys felt threatened by the Fab Four's explosive arrival, they were not going down without a fight. 'I Get Around' is chock-full of hooks – great harmonies, handclaps, twangy guitar work and the inspired 'round-round-getaround' hook. In his liner notes for the 1990 reissue of Little Deuce Coupe and All Summer Long, Beach Boys expert David Leaf said the track represented 'a major, revolutionary step in Brian's use of dynamics.' He added: 'From the opening note to the falsetto wail on the fade, this is one of the greatest tracks the Beach Boys ever cut. … Powered by the driving lead guitar break, the explosive harmonies and the handclaps, everything about this track was very spirited.' The song runs a highly efficient 2:14, making it the second-shortest No. 1 hit of 1964. The Beatles' 'Can't Buy Me Love' was a couple of seconds shorter. With this song, The Beach Boys continued to move away from the surf music fad that they rode in on, with such hits as 1962's 'Surfin' and 'Surfin' Safari' and 1963' 'Surfin' U.S.A.' and 'Surfer Girl.' Like its immediate predecessors 'Be True to Your School' and 'Fun, Fun, Fun,' 'I Get Around' has nothing to do with catching a wave, but instead is more generally capturing teen life in early-'60s California. (And, when you think about it, driving songs played nearly as big a part of the early Beach Boys success as surfing songs, between 'I Get Around,' 'Fun, Fun, Fun,' 'Little Deuce Coupe,' '409' and others.) Mike Love sang lead vocals on 'I Get Around,' with Brian Wilson contributing falsetto lead vocals on the chorus. All five members of the group – also including Al Jardine, Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson – contributed harmony and backing vocals. The fabled Wrecking Crew of top Los Angeles session players, including Hal Blaine and Glen Campbell, played on the track. The song has a line that seems autobiographical, given the group's rising level of success over the previous two years: 'My buddies and me are gettin' real well-known.' The song also includes one of the most charming lines ever in a pop song: 'None of the guys go steady 'cause it wouldn't be right/ To leave your best girl home on a Saturday night.' The group projects a strutting confidence throughout. Biographer Mark Dillon compared the lyrics to 'the braggadocio of a modern-day rapper' — fitting that nearly 30 years later, one of the all-time most legendary MCs would recycle the title for his own cockiest hit. The song entered the Hot 100 at No. 76 for the week ending May 23, 1964. It was the week's fourth-highest new entry, behind hits by Elvis, Bobby Vinton and Lesley Gore, though it wound up eclipsing all of those. The song reached No. 1 in its seventh week, July 4, displacing Peter & Gordon's 'A World Without Love,' which was written by Paul McCartney (though officially credited to Lennon/McCartney.) McCartney and Wilson, two of the greatest songwriters of all time, spurred each other on to ever-greater heights for many years. The Beatles' 'Back in the U.S.S.R.' was clearly an homage to The Beach Boys' 'Surfin' U.S.A.' 'I Get Around' topped the Hot 100 for two weeks, before being displaced by The 4 Seasons' 'Rag Doll.' (These groups, representing the pinnacle of West Coast and the East Coast pop, respectively, were among the few American groups from the pre-Beatles era that continued to thrive after the British invasion.) 'I Get Around' also put The Beach Boys on the map in the U.K., becoming their first top 10 hit in that country. The B side of 'I Get Around' was the equally great 'Don't Worry Baby,' making this one of the strongest double-sided singles in pop music history. It ranks with Elvis' 'Don't Be Cruel'/ 'Hound Dog,' The Beatles' 'Penny Lane'/'Strawberry Fields Forever,' The Beach Boys' own 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'/'God Only Knows' and a handful of others. The song was the opening track on (and only single released from) the group's sixth album, All Summer Long, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in August 1964. In his liner notes to the 1990 reissue, Leaf noted, 'All Summer Long was the last regular studio album The Beach Boys recorded before Brian quit the touring band – the last complete Beach Boys album Brian cut before he suffered a nervous breakdown in late December of 1964.' Incredibly, 'I Get Around' didn't receive a single Grammy nomination. The Beach Boys' only songs to receive Grammy nods were 'Good Vibrations' and the 1988 Brian-less hit 'Kokomo.' The Recording Academy has since sought to make amends, awarding The Beach Boys a lifetime achievement award in 2001 and inducting five of their most classic works (including 'I Get Around') into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Wilson was initially the only songwriter credited on the song. In 1992, Mike Love sued to get a credit on this and many other songs. Love prevailed in December 1994, when he was awarded co-writing credits on 35 songs – as well as $13 million. In his series 'The Number Ones,' Stereogum writer Tom Breihan wryly summarized the dispute: 'Mike Love later sued Brian for a co-writer credit, and if he really did come up with the round round getaround part, he deserved it.' While there is no improving on The Beach Boys' recording of 'I Get Around,' several artists have taken a stab at it over the years. Red Hot Chili Peppers performed it at the 2005 MusiCares Person of the Year gala where Brian Wilson was honored. My Morning Jacket performed it on the 2023 special A Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys (which CBS re-aired on Sunday night). Billie Joe Armstrong posted his version of the song on Instagram on Wednesday (June 11), hours after the news of Wilson's death broke. 'Thank you Brian Wilson,' Armstrong wrote. 'I recorded a cover of 'I Get Around' a few years ago. ..never got to share it. One of my all time favorite songs ever.' Check back tomorrow and Wednesday for our Forever No. 1 reports on The Beach Boys' second and third No. 1 hits, 'Help Me Rhonda' and 'Good Vibrations.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Four Decades of 'Madonna': A Look Back at the Queen of Pop's Debut Album on the Charts Chart Rewind: In 1990, Madonna Was in 'Vogue' Atop the Hot 100
USA Today
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Joan Jett pays tribute to Sly Stone, Brian Wilson at Las Vegas residency opener: Review
Joan Jett pays tribute to Sly Stone, Brian Wilson at Las Vegas residency opener: Review Show Caption Hide Caption 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees announced The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2025 inductees, which include hip-hop pioneers Outkast and '80s icon Cyndi Lauper. unbranded - Entertainment LAS VEGAS – If Joan Jett needs to peek at a lyric, she doesn't rely on a teleprompter. Instead, she glances down at the binder opened to a printed page. At 66, she's still rockin' the shag hair and tough chick sleeveless vest, both in her preferred black, and delivering the signature "ch-ch-ch-ch" of "Cherry Bomb" with a snarl and a smile. It is notable that Jett remains unchanged after 50 years in a business that was notoriously bitter toward strong women fronting rock bands. That she's doing it sounding as vocally robust and looking as effortlessly cool as she has for decades is ovation worthy. On Friday, June 13, Jett and her reliable Blackhearts - Dougie Needles on guitar, Hal B. Selzer on bass and Michael McDermott on drums – played the first of a five-show stint through June 21 at the House of Blues Las Vegas. Jett is also an opener on Billy Idol's current tour and will resume her slot Aug. 14. For her Vegas christening, Jett and her band – which also included longtime producer, business partner and confidante Kenny Laguna on keyboards – unpacked a 75-minute chest of hits and deep cuts. The tracks included the industry side-eye singalong "Fake Friends" and "Coney Island Whitefish," both from 1983's "Album." That record also contained Jett's faithful rendition of Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People," a song that espouses her lifelong belief in equality. "This one's for you, Sly!" Jett said before diving into the airy guitar chords. Prior to taking the stage, the Beach Boys' carefree "Fun, Fun, Fun" filled the venue, an obvious nod to cofounder Brian Wilson, who died two days after Stone on June 11. Jett knows that casual fans are thrilled to relish in her swaying hit cover of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson & Clover" and the foot stomper "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)." But the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is also a savvy veteran who understands that her dedicated, multi-generational audience will appreciate a throwback to the Bruce Springsteen-penned "Light of Day," which featured drummer McDermott rolling through a cascade of tom tom beats. Fans will also happily finger snap along with her to The Replacements' "Androgynous." A wallop of a trifecta – "I Love Rock 'N' Roll," "I Hate Myself For Loving You" and "Bad Reputation" – showcased Jett's brawny pop-rock salted with a dash of punk, at least in attitude. In a recent interview with USA TODAY, Jett shared that she wanted to include some acoustic songs in her Vegas shows and she did. At the end of the concert, she detoured with tunes including "Oh Woe is Me," a bonus track from her 1981 breakthrough album "I Love Rock 'N' Roll." Jett is a steadfast rocker — a musician and songwriter whose continued success is rooted in being untrendy but unshakably cool. For that alone, she should take many bows.
Express Tribune
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Brian Wilson of Beach Boys dies aged 82
Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys co-founder who masterminded the group's wild popularity and soundtracked the California dream, has died, his family announced on Wednesday, as reported by AFP. He was 82. The statement on Instagram did not give a cause. Wilson was placed under a legal conservatorship last year due to a "major neurocognitive disorder." "We are at a loss for words right now," said his family. "We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world." The pop visionary crafted hits whose success rivaled The Beatles throughout the 1960s, a seemingly inexhaustible string of feel-good tracks including Surfin' USA, I Get Around, Fun, Fun, Fun and Surfer Girl that made the Beach Boys into America's biggest selling band. Wilson didn't surf, but his prodigious pen and genius ear allowed him to fashion a boundary-pushing soundscape of beachside paradise. His lush productions were revered among his peers, with even Bob Dylan once saying, "That ear – I mean, Jesus, he's got to will that to the Smithsonian!" Dylan also paid tribute to Wilson on Wednesday, posting on X "about all the years I've been listening to him and admiring his genius. Rest in peace dear Brian." After five years of extraordinary songwriting, in which he produced 200 odes to sun, surfing and suntanned girls, Wilson sank into a deep, drug-fuelled depression for decades. He would emerge 35 years later to complete the Beach Boys' unfinished album, Smile – widely regarded as his masterpiece. John Lennon said he considered Pet Sounds (1966) to be one of the best albums of all time, while Paul McCartney said Wilson was a "genius". The musician's many accolades included a Kennedy Center Honor in 2007, when the committee dubbed him "rock and roll's gentlest revolutionary." "There is real humanity in his body of work," they said, "vulnerable and sincere, authentic and unmistakably American."
Business Recorder
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Recorder
Beach Boy Brian Wilson, surf rock poet, dies at 82
NEW YORK: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys co-founder who masterminded the group's wild popularity and soundtracked the California dream, has died, his family announced Wednesday. He was 82. The statement on Instagram did not give a cause. Wilson was placed under a legal conservatorship last year due to a 'major neurocognitive disorder.' 'We are at a loss for words right now,' said his family. 'We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.' The pop visionary crafted hits whose success rivaled The Beatles throughout the 1960s, a seemingly inexhaustible string of feel-good tracks including 'Surfin' USA,' 'I Get Around,' 'Fun, Fun, Fun' and 'Surfer Girl' that made the Beach Boys into America's biggest selling band. Wilson didn't surf but his prodigious pen and genius ear allowed him to fashion the boundary-pushing soundscape of beachside paradise. His lush productions were revered among his peers, with even Bob Dylan once telling Newsweek: 'That ear – I mean, Jesus, he's got to will that to the Smithsonian!' But after five years of extraordinary songwriting, in which he produced 200 odes to sun, surfing and suntanned girls, Wilson sank into a deep, drug-fueled depression for decades. He would emerge 35 years later to complete the Beach Boys' unfinished album, 'Smile' – widely regarded as his masterpiece. 'Surfin' USA' John Lennon said he considered 'Pet Sounds' (1966) to be one of the best albums of all time, while Paul McCartney said Wilson was a 'genius' – who reduced him to tears with one song from the album, 'God Only Knows,' which Wilson wrote in 45 minutes. Its melancholic depths hinted at Wilson's own painful secret. Born on June 20, 1942 in a Los Angeles suburb, Wilson found music as a haven of safety and joy after an upbringing in which he suffered abuse from his domineering father, who would go on to manage the group. Music was his protection, and The Beach Boys was a family affair: he formed the band with his two brothers Dennis and Carl, his cousin Mike Love and neighbor Al Jardine. Wilson did all the songwriting, arranging and sang and played bass guitar; his bandmates just had to sing in harmony. Their first song 'Surfin,' in 1961, was a loose prototype for the unique sound that would become their signature, a fusion of the rock styles of Chuck Berry and Little Richard with the preppy vocal harmonies of 'The Four Freshmen.' By late 1962, there was hardly a teen who did not know them thanks to the eternal ode to youthful nonchalance, 'Surfin' USA.' Lost youth But Wilson was ill at ease on stage and did not like recording studios. In 1964 he had a panic attack on a plane to France, after which he stopped touring. He was deaf in his right ear and his mouth sagged when he sang – the result of the many beatings he received from his father. 'It was tough. My dad was quite the slave driver,' Wilson told Rolling Stone magazine in 2018. 'He made us mow the lawn and when we were done, he'd say, 'Mow it again.' The Beach Boys' early songs spoke of simple joys and innocence. But Wilson's writing became darker as he began to eulogize lost youth. He channeled the group towards the more psychedelic rock central to the hippie culture taking hold in California. In 1966 he brought out 'Good Vibrations,' a song recorded in four different studios that consumed over 90 hours of tape and included multiple keys, textures, moods and instrumentations. The single topped the charts and sold one million copies in the United States, but Wilson was at the brink. In 1967, his mental health deteriorated, worn down by his enormous workload and his wild consumption of drugs. He abandoned 'Smile,' planted his grand piano in a sandbox, and took vast quantities of LSD and acid. Eventually diagnosed as schizophrenic, Wilson began hearing voices and thought the famed 'Wall of Sound' producer Phil Spector was spying on him and stealing his work. The group eventually parted ways. 'Gentlest revolutionary' The troubled artist had long stints of rehab and relapses as well as legal issues including a lengthy, eyebrow-raising relationship with a controlling psychotherapist who was eventually blocked by a court order from contact with Wilson. The artist credits his marriage to former model Melinda Ledbetter as helping him to rebuild his life. He revived and finished 'Smile,' releasing it in 2004. His brother Dennis drowned in 1983, while Carl died of cancer in 1998. Last year Wilson's family successfully pursued a legal conservatorship following the death of Melinda, with his longtime manager and publicist being put in charge of his affairs. Wilson's seven children were consulted by the conservators regarding major health decisions as a stipulation of the agreement. The musician's many accolades included a Kennedy Center Honor in 2007, when that committee dubbed him 'rock and roll's gentlest revolutionary.' 'There is real humanity in his body of work,' they said, 'vulnerable and sincere, authentic and unmistakably American.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson dead at 82
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Brian Wilson, founding member and main songwriter of the Beach Boys, has died, aged 82. The news of the singer-songwriter's passing was shared by his family on Instagram. The post reads: "We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. "We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving."We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy." No cause of death has yet been disclosed. One of the most respected and admired musicians ever to work within the field of pop music, Wilson was born on June 20, 1942 in Inglewood, California. He co-founded the Beach Boys with his brothers Dennis and Carl, their cousin Mike Love, and close friend Al Jardine in 1961, and the group were signed to Capitol Records the following year. The defining sound of Californian youth culture in the early '60s, Beach Boys went on to become the most iconic and successful American band of the decade, scoring Top 10 Billboard chart singles with songs such as Surfin' USA, Fun, Fun Fun, I Get Around , California Girls, Wouldn't It Be Nice, Good Vibrations and many more. In 1964, Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown and elected to withdraw from touring with the group to concentrate on songwriting and production. His group's acknowledged masterpiece, 1966's Pet Sounds, has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest albums ever, with Wilson recognised by musicians worldwide as a songwriting genius for his innovative, groundbreaking and hugely influential compositional skills, his use of complex harmonies, his arrangements and orchestration. "I believe that without Brian Wilson's inspiration, Sgt Pepper might have been less of the phenomenon that it became,' Beatles producer George Martin is quoted as saying in Charles L Granata's book Brian Wilson And The Making Of Pet Sounds. 'Brian is a living genius of pop music. Like The Beatles, he pushed forward the frontiers of popular music."Beach Boys have sold sold more than 100 million records worldwide, according to their website. Last year it was revealed that Wilson was suffering from dementia, and was placed in a conservatorship, overseen by his manager and US publicist. The Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood was one of the first musicians to pay tribute to Wilson following the announcement of his death."Oh no, Brian Wilson and Sly Stone in one week ~ my world is in mourning," Wood posted on X. "So sad." In his own tribute, John Lennon's son Sean hailed Wilson as "our American Mozart."
