The Beach Boys: selected songs, 1962-1965

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(above) The Beach Boys during their debut Hollywood Bowl performance on 19 October 1963 as the last act on Y-Day, an event sponsored by the Hollywood YMCA and local station KFWB. They performed four hits plus an a cappella tribute to the radio station. Preceding them (according to “The Beach Boys Gigography, Tour History” at Songkick.com) were Duane Eddy, Jan and Dean, and The Rivingtons. However, Bobby Vinton rather than The Rivingtons was reportedly advertised. The Beach Boys setlist: 1. Little Deuce Coupe, 2. In My Room, 3. Be True To Your School, 4. Surfer Girl, 5. KFWB Theme.

See also:

T he Beach Boys gallery, 1962-1965

1962

Lonely Sea (Brian Wilson, Gary Usher) recorded 13 June 1962 (outtake, Surfin’ Safari sessions) released on Surfin’ USA album 25 March 1963

with Brian Wilson lead vocal only

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Surfin’ Safari (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) — Capitol 4777, b/w 409 was the second Beach Boys single, and their first for Capitol. It was recorded at Western Recorders in Hollywood, California, on 19 April 1962, as a demo. Also recorded at the same demo session were 409, Lonely Sea, and Their Hearts Were Full of Spring.

Released on 4 June 1962, the single became their first hit, peaking at #14. It was also the first and title track of their debut album, released 1 October 1962.

Mike Love — lead vocal
Brian, Carl, & Dennis Wilson, Mike Love — back vocals
Carl Wilson — guitar
David Marks — guitar
Brian Wilson — bass
Dennis Wilson — drums

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1963

LP: Surfer Girl — released 16 September 1963

Surfer Girl (Brian Wilson) — recorded on 12 June 1963; issued 22 July 1963 on the single Capitol 5009, b/w “Little Deuce Coupe”

From the book Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963, by James B. Murphy, p. 135:

In 1990 Brian recalled, “Back in 1961, I’d never written a song in my life. I was nineteen years old. And I put myself to the test in my car one day. I was driving to a hot dog stand and I created a melody in my head without being able to hear it on a piano. I sang it to myself. I didn’t even sing it out loud in the car. When I got home that day, I finished the song, wrote the bridge, put the harmonies together and called it ‘Surfer Girl’.”

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Little Deuce Coupe (Brian Wilson, Roger Christian) — first issued 22 July 1963 as the B-side of the single “Surfer Girl” (Capitol 5009). Surfer Girl peaked at #7, while Little Deuce Coupe reached #15 on the Hot 100 chart.

(below) Live, from the Lost Concert, 1964

In My Room (Brian Wilson, Gary Usher) — originally released 16 September 1963 on the album Surfer Girl, Capitol Records ST 1981 (ST-1981); issued on the single Capitol Records 5069, as the B-side of “Be True to Your School,” (chart success: US #23)

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1964

LP: Shut Down Volume 2 — released 2 March 1964

Don’t Worry Baby (Brian Wilson, Roger Christian) — from the 1964 album Shut Down Volume 2. It was also released on 11 May 1964 as the B-side of I Get Around, which became the first #1 single by the Beach Boys. Don’t Worry Baby reached #24.

The Warmth of the Sun (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) — recorded on 1 and 8 January 1964, and released in March on the Beach Boys’ fifth studio album, Shut Down Volume 2 — On 26 October 1964 it was issued on the single Capitol 5306 as the B-side of “Dance, Dance, Dance,” and reached #8 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart.

Read “The Story Behind The Beach Boys’ Classic The Warmth of the Sun” at forgottenhits.com.

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The Beach Boys’ Lost Concert — concert date: 15 March 1964(?)

Set list for the “Lost Concert”

1. Fun, Fun, Fun
2. Long Tall Texan
3. Little Deuce Coupe
4. Surfer Girl
5. Monster Mash (missing from video)
6. Surfin’ USA
7. Shut Down
8. In My Room
9. Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow
10. Hawaii

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LP: All Summer Long — released 13 July 1964

I Get Around (Brian Wilson, Mike Love)

Live in concert at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in the T.A.M.I Show, 29 October 1964

All Summer Long (Brian Wilson, Mike Love)

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1965

LP: Today! — released 8 March 1965

Wikipedia says,

The album is notable for having one side of up-beat songs and a second side of melancholic ballads.^[11] On the first half, “When I Grow Up (To Be a Man),” “Dance, Dance, Dance” and “Do You Wanna Dance?” were all hits, and “Help Me, Rhonda” would later be reworked to deliver the Beach Boys their second #1 hit in May.^[12] The second side indicates Wilson’s continuing maturation as an artist, with more sophisticated production values and deeper subject matter foreshadowing the following year’s Pet Sounds.

Kiss Me, Baby (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) — Third track on side two of the album Today!, and B-side of the single “Help Me, Rhonda,” Capitol 5395

Please Let Me Wonder (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) — B-side of “Do You Wanna Dance,” Capitol 5372 — peak chart positions: “Do You Wanna Dance,” #12; “Please Let Me Wonder,” #52