The Beach Boys (album)
| The Beach Boys | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 10, 1985 | |||
| Recorded | June 1984[1]–March 23, 1985[2] | |||
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| Length | 37:52 (LP) 40:31 (CD) | |||
| Label | Brother/Caribou/CBS | |||
| Producer | Steve Levine | |||
| The Beach Boys chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Beach Boys | ||||
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The Beach Boys is the 25th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on June 10, 1985. Produced by Steve Levine, the album is the band's first after the drowning of founding member Dennis Wilson.[3] It was also the band's first album to be recorded digitally and the last released by James William Guercio's Caribou Records.[4]
Supported by the release of its lead single "Getcha Back", The Beach Boys charted at number fifty-two in the United States and number sixty in the United Kingdom. A further two singles – "It's Gettin' Late" and "She Believes in Love Again" were released in July and October 1985 respectively.
Background and release
[edit]The Beach Boys spent the next several years touring, often playing in front of large audiences, and recording songs for film soundtracks and various artists compilations. Brian Wilson's psychologist Eugene Landy, who was originally awarded co-writing credits on Wilson's songs, stated in a contemporary interview, "I'm practically a member of the band [...] Brian's got the talent to make the music. [...] He's the creator. The other band members are just performers. So I'm the one who's making the album."[5] Commenting on his relationship to the band in 1988, Brian said that he avoided his family at Landy's suggestion, adding that "Although we stay together as a group, as people we're a far cry from friends."[6] Mike denied the accusation that he and the band were keeping Brian from participating with the group.[7]
The album was released on 10 June 1985 and proved a modest success, becoming their highest-charting album in the US since 15 Big Ones. The Beach Boys was the group's final album for CBS. The following year they returned to Capitol with a 25th anniversary greatest hits album Made in U.S.A, which featured two new tracks, "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" and a cover of the Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreamin'", with the latter featuring Roger McGuinn of the Byrds on lead guitar. Made in U.S.A eventually went double platinum.
Among the guest musicians, Ringo Starr played drums on "California Calling", while Stevie Wonder played most of the instruments on "I Do Love You".[8]
Promotion and legacy
[edit]To promote the release of the album, "Getcha Back" was released as the lead single on 8 May 1985 to moderate commercial success, reaching number twenty-six on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles charts, and narrowly charting within the top one hundred of the singles charts in the United Kingdom, peaking at number ninety-seven. Cash Box credited the song as being "so wonderously recalls [the Beach Boys'] earlier times and earlier sounds."[9] A second single, "It's Gettin' Late", was released on 17 July 1985, achieving moderate commercial success in the United States where it reached number eighty-two on the Billboard Hot 100, twenty on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts and twelve on the Gavin Report Adult Contemporary charts. A third and final single, "She Believes in Love Again", was released in October 1985.
On July 4, 1985, the group played to an afternoon crowd of over one million in Philadelphia, and the same evening they performed for over 750,000 people on the Mall in Washington.[10] They also appeared nine days later at the Live Aid concert[11] and performed at the "opening campfire" of the 1985 National Scout Jamboree for a crowd of over 32,000 members and guests of the Boy Scouts of America.[12] The band's performances on July 4, 1985, marked the first time that actor John Stamos would sit in with The Beach Boys. Stamos would also collaborate with the band on You Again? and Full House and promote the band's later releases on the show. Stamos' occasional guest appearances have continued since 1985.[13] Jardine's son Matt joined the touring band in 1988 as a percussionist, with Figueroa leaving by that summer.[14]
Levine reflected that he had remained "immensely proud" of the album and lamented its poor sales.[15]
Reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [16] |
| Blender | [17] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C[18] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [19] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [20] |
Critical reaction was mixed.[15] Writing in Rolling Stone, Parke Puterbaugh called the album 'pretty entertaining', adding 'though not a world-beating act of artistic reassertion, the LP does serve to showcase those amazing voices, and to remind the world that nobody does it better—still.'[21]
Commercially, The Beach Boys marked a moderate return for the band, with the album debuting at number sixty on the albums charts in the United Kingdom, spending two weeks in total within the top one hundred.[22] In the United States, it debuted at number fifty-two on the Billboard 200 albums charts, and spent a combined total of fourteen weeks on the charts.[23] Similarly, it achieved moderate success in the national albums charts in territories including Australia, Canada and Germany.[24][25]
The album was ranked as the 26th best Beach Boys album of all time by Classic Rock magazine, saying that despite the single "Getcha Back" reaching the top thirty of the Billboard Hot 100, "there's little else here to care about".[26]
Track listing
[edit]Eugene Landy originally received co-writer's credit for all Brian Wilson compositions. This credit was omitted starting with the album's 2000 CD reissue.[27]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Getcha Back" | Mike Love and Brian Wilson | 3:02 | |
| 2. | "It's Gettin' Late" | Carl Wilson | 3:27 | |
| 3. | "Crack at Your Love" | Al Jardine and B. Wilson | 3:40 | |
| 4. | "Maybe I Don't Know" |
| C. Wilson | 3:54 |
| 5. | "She Believes in Love Again" | Bruce Johnston | Bruce Johnston and C. Wilson | 3:29 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "California Calling" |
| Love and Jardine | 2:50 |
| 2. | "Passing Friend" | C. Wilson | 5:00 | |
| 3. | "I'm So Lonely" | B. Wilson | B. Wilson and C. Wilson | 2:52 |
| 4. | "Where I Belong" |
| C. Wilson and Jardine | 2:58 |
| 5. | "I Do Love You" | Stevie Wonder | C. Wilson with Jardine | 4:20 |
| 6. | "It's Just a Matter of Time" | B. Wilson | B. Wilson and Love | 2:23 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Male Ego" | B. Wilson, Love | B. Wilson and Love | 2:32 |
Personnel
[edit]Credits sourced from Craig Slowinski, John Brode, Will Crerar and Joshilyn Hoisington.[28] Track numbers refer to the CD release.
The Beach Boys
- Al Jardine – lead (3, 6, 9, 10) and backing vocals (all but 4 and 5), electric guitars (6)
- Bruce Johnston – lead (5) and backing vocals (all tracks), Kurzweil K250 (5)
- Mike Love – lead (1, 6, 11, 12) and backing vocals (all but 4)
- Brian Wilson – lead (1, 3, 8, 11, 12) and backing vocals (all but 5), Yamaha DX1 (3, 6, 8, 11, 12), Roland Jupiter-8 (3), Oberheim OB-8 (3), Oberheim Xpander (12), piano (6)
- Carl Wilson – lead (2, 4, 5, 7–10) and backing vocals (all tracks), Yamaha DX1 (2, 4, 9), electric guitar (2)
Additional players
- John Alder – electric (1, 6, 8) and acoustic guitars (1), guitar synthesizer (4), dobros (11)
- Graham Broad – drums (4), drums with brushes (11), jingle stick (1), castanets (1), maracas (1), bongos (1), hi-hat (2, 5), cowbell (4), congas (5), shaker (5), tom-tom (11), tambourine (1, 11)
- Jeffrey Foskett – backing vocals (5)
- Stuart Gordon – violins (5), violas (5), cellos (5)
- Steve Grainger – baritone saxophone (1, 2), tenor saxophone (7)
- Roy Hay – electric guitars (7), Yamaha DX1 (7), PPG Wave 2.3 (7), Oberheim OB-8 (7), Oberheim Xpander (7), Prophet-5 (7)
- Simon Humphrey – bass guitar (6)
- Judd Lander – harmonica (11)
- Steve Levine – Fairlight CMI programming (all tracks), LinnDrum programming (1–4, 7, 8, 12), Simmons hi-hat (3)
- Julian Lindsay – Kurzweil K250 (1, 9, 11), PPG Wave 2.3 (1–3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12), Oberheim OB-8 (2, 4, 6, 9, 11), Yamaha DX1 (1, 2, 4, 5, 9), Oberheim Xpander (5), Prophet-5 (2), Roland Jupiter-8 (4), E-mu Emulator (9), bass guitar (1, 2, 4), organ (6, 11), acoustic piano (10)
- Marcus Miller – bass guitar (3)
- Kenneth McGregor – trombone (2, 5)
- Terry Melcher – backing vocals and Kurzweil K250 (1)
- Gary Moore – electric guitars (4, 5), Synthaxe (5)
- Ian Ritchie – tenor saxophone (2, 8), Lyricon (3), baritone saxophone (12)
- Dave Spence – trumpet (2)
- Ringo Starr – drums and timpani (6)
- Stevie Wonder – Fender Rhodes electric piano (10), harmonica (10), bass synthesizer (10), Linn 9000 drum machine (10), tambourine (10)
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 (Billboard)[15] | 52 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[29] | 60 |
| Australia (ARIA)[30] | 67 |
| Canada (RPM)[31] | 74 |
| Germany (GfK)[32] | 60 |
References
[edit]- ^ Doe, Andrew G.; et al. "Gigs & Sessions: 1984". Bellagio10452.com. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Doe, Andrew G.; et al. "Gigs & Sessions: 1985". Bellagio10452.com. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Dillon 2012, p. 249.
- ^ Dillon 2012, pp. 249, 254.
- ^ White 1996, p. 339.
- ^ White, Timothy (June 26, 1988). "BACK FROM THE BOTTOM". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ Love & Hirsch 2016, pp. 333–334.
- ^ Doe & Tobler 2004, p. 108.
- ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. May 25, 1985. p. 11. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ "Annals of Music - The Beach Boys". Pop History Dig. Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
- ^ "Live Aid 1985, The Day the World Rocked". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
- ^ Wendell, Bryan (March 17, 2016). "Jambo '85: Hurricane, Beach Boys and legendary Apple bags". Scouting. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ^ "This week in BB History". Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ "The Beach Boys Touring Lineups". Archived from the original on July 10, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
- ^ a b c Dillon 2012, p. 254.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. The Beach Boys at AllMusic
- ^ Wolk, Douglas (October 2004). "The Beach Boys Keepin the Summer Alive/The Beach Boys". Blender. Archived from the original on June 30, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1990). "B". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). London: Oxford University Press. p. 479. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; with Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York, NY: Fireside/Simon & Schuster. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ "The Beach Boys". Rolling Stone. August 15, 1985. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- ^ "THE BEACH BOYS". Official Charts. June 22, 1985. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ "The Beach Boys | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ "The Beach Boys - German charts". offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ "australian-charts.com - Discography The Beach Boys". australian-charts.com. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ Gallucci, Michael GallucciMichael (June 11, 2025). "The Beach Boys Albums Ranked". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
- ^ Doe & Tobler 2004, p. 107.
- ^ Slowinski, Craig (Summer 2023). Beard, David (ed.). "The Beach Boys 1985". Endless Summer Quarterly Magazine. Vol. 36, no. 142. Charlotte, North Carolina.
- ^ The Beach Boys The Beach Boys
- ^ "australian-charts.com - Discography The Beach Boys". australian-charts.com. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ Compiled by RPM magazine. Copies are missing from the collectionscanada.gc.ca archive meaning some chart peaks could be inaccurate.
- ^ "Discografie von The Beach Boys". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). Retrieved July 18, 2021.
Bibliography
[edit]- Dillon, Mark (2012). Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77090-198-8.
- Doe, Andrew; Tobler, John (2004). Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys: The Complete Guide to Their Music. ISBN 9781844494262.
- Love, Mike; Hirsch, James S. (2016). Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy. Penguin. pp. 333–334.
- White, Timothy (1996). The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the Southern Californian Experience. Macmillan. ISBN 0333649370.
External links
[edit]- The Beach Boys at Discogs (list of releases)
