The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds is considered one of the greatest albums of all time, and rightfully so in my opinion. The album includes "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Sloop John B", and "God Only Knows" just to name a few. But, there's something special about the Beach Boys' pre-Pet Sounds era as well. After all, when most people think of the Beach Boys, they think of clean-cut surf rockers. Their early career was loaded with plenty of great hits, like "Surfin' USA", "Surfin' Safari", "I Get Around", and "California Girls". And among these hits were also beautifully tender ballads like "Surfer Girl", "In My Room", and "Don't Worry Baby", songs that charted well in their own right. Well, what about all the album tracks that were deep cuts? Many are pretty forgettable filler, as that was what Brian Wilson tried to avoid when he created Pet Sounds. These 10 tracks, however, are not filler. I sorted through all the filler so you don't have to! Here are 10 underrated early Beach Boys songs that are worth a listen.
1.) Farmer's Daughter
I'll admit, the harmonies on this song are pretty rudimentary. But, the Beach Boys were still in their early stages when they released this song, as it was off their early 1963 album "Surfin' USA". Brian's soaring falsetto carries this song, and I think the melody is very pretty. The song was actually inspired by The Beach Boys touring out in the midwest and hooking up with actual farmer's daughters. Specifically, it was inspired by their 14-year old rhythm guitarist David Marks (later replaced by Al Jardine). Of course, the Beach Boys would reference "the midwest farmer's daughter" in "California Girls" just a few years later, so they were definitely fans of chicks from the farmland.
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| David Marks, the forgotten Beach Boy that helped inspire this song. |
2.) Lonely Sea
Brian's earliest masterpiece, this deep cut is the best song off the "Surfin' USA" album. Yes, better than the commercial title track and its B-side "Shut Down" (both of which are also pretty awesome, by the way). But while the Mike Love-led surf rock and hot rod songs got the airplay, the haunting "Lonely Sea" lurked under the radar. The opening chord progression sucks you right into its beautiful yet dark melody. Brian was the genius behind this song, though he co-wrote it with Gary Usher. His falsetto once again lifts the song to incredible heights, but when the boys back him up halfway through the song, it creates quite a chilling effect. This is one I would definitely recommend checking out. It's more musically intriguing than anything the Beatles were making at the time, and I obviously don't say that lightly.
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| Surfin' USA is an album with a lot of filler, but also unheralded gems like "Lonely Sea". |
3.) Surfers Rule
The Beach Boys' drummer Dennis Wilson wasn't exactly the most talented singer in the group, but his attitude definitely lifts up this underrated surfing tune. As the only actual surfer in the Beach Boys, his heart is truly in it when he sings about "a woody full of surfers". The more famous upbeat songs from the Surfer Girl album include "Catch a Wave" and "Little Deuce Coupe", but this energetic song is arguably better than both of them. And while Denny is the main vocalist, Brian joins in on the chorus and the outro. Ah yes, the outro on this song is the stuff of legends. Because this song is about how "surfers rule", the Beach Boys dig at their rival group, singing "Four Seasons, you better believe it". All the while, Brian is singing the falsetto line from "Walk Like a Man". You gotta love the pettiness!
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| Dennis puts in a solid effort on lead vocals with this one. |
4.) Your Summer Dream
"Surfer Girl" may be one of the most uneven albums I've ever listened to in terms of what's good and what's not. There is incredibly forgettable filler songs, yes... but then there's this! And it's not even the best Brian-led ballad on Surfer Girl, as there's also the title track and "In My Room". But, let's not forget about this song, with its serene imagery of a guy walking on the beach with his girl. Brian effortlessly soars through this song's gorgeous melody, And, even though it's a Beach Boys song, it is just Brian who is singing. Backing vocalists, who needs 'em? "Surfer Girl" was the first album where Brian was also acting as sole producer, and the 21-year old's musical genius was already clearly shining on tracks like this.
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| A young Brian with his guitar in the studio. |
5.) In The Parkin' Lot
Beach Boys fans tend to hate on Mike Love for a variety of reasons, but let's throw him a bone. We can actually thank Mike for the group's doo wop flavor, which is definitely present on this song. For being an upbeat song about making out with your girl in the car, there are actually some fantastic harmonies on here. Quite honestly, part of me is surprised this song wasn't released as a single. It could've been the B-side to "Fun, Fun, Fun", rather than their meh cover of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". But I digress. The song has an interesting beginning and end, with a distinctly Beach Boys "ooo" sound. And throughout much of the song, the boys back up Mike with "doo run, doo run". Yes, the doo wop influence is clear!
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| This song is on Shut Down Volume 2... quite the interesting album. |
6.) The Warmth Of The Sun
Hold on, I know what you must be thinking! "I've heard of this song... how could it be underrated?". I'll give you two reasons. First of all, let's look at how it was treated in 1964. It was buried as the B-side to the vastly inferior "Dance, Dance, Dance". While a lot of Beach Boys' B-sides charted at the time, this one didn't. Now, let's look at how it's treated now. Okay fine, the critics like it. It shows up on a lot of lists like this! But here's the thing, they don't like it enough. For me, this song is in the Good Vibrations/God Only Knows tier of Beach Boys songs. This absolute masterpiece was originally on yet another uneven album in "Shut Down Vol. 2". It outshone even songs like "Don't Worry Baby", in my opinion. Brian's beautiful melody put a unique twist on the traditional 50s chord progression. And its haunting image of lost love was actually somewhat inspired by the recent assassination of JFK. I do give Mike some credit for helping write the simple yet tragic lyrics like "The love of my life, she left me one day". But, it's Brian's beautifully pure voice that carries this incredible song. Hope I've gotten my point across with this one!
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| Brian and Mike, known for their contentious relationship, made a great collaboration here. |
7.) Hushabye
Doo wop fans will be familiar with this one, as it was originally released by the Mystics in 1959. And the Beach Boys were clearly fans of doo wop, doing an okay job on the aforementioned "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", and butchering the Regents' great song "Barbara Ann". But "Hushabye" was no act of butchery, as it's one of the strongest tracks on their 1964 album "All Summer Long". The harmonies are sublime, not detracting too much from the original Mystics version, while also putting the Beach Boys' own spin on it. As you might imagine by now, Brian's falsetto is a key contributor on this song. But, it's Mike that does a great job with singing the "lullabye, and good night" line. An unusual role for him, considering he usually sings the upbeat songs, but it works. This cover is worthy, and dare I say, better than the Mystics' original!
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| Here are the Mystics, who sang the doo wop original. |
8.) We'll Run Away
Times were different in 1964 versus today. Brian's song about a very young couple running away and getting married was, as it turns out, quite real for him. Whereas people wait a long time to get married nowadays (or just don't get married at all), people went straight at it in 1964. Brian was the very young age of 22 when he married his wife Marilyn in 1964... and Marilyn was the much younger age of 16. Not quite Jerry Lee Lewis levels of creepiness, but not good either, Brian. Anyway, why do I bring up this story? Well, just listen to the opening line of this song, "We know they're right when they say we're not ready, but all we care is how we feel right now". Brian was singing about his lived experience here, and so he delivers this song quite passionately. He wanted to prove doubters like his father wrong, both musically and in his personal life.
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| Brian with his first wife, Marilyn. |
9.) I'm So Young
It's another song about marrying young, and another doo wop cover! This time, the original comes from the Students in 1958. Their version is a true doo wop classic, and a lot of 60s groups covered it. The Ronettes did a version of it, but it was overproduced gobbledygook that really detracts from the doo wop original. So, did the Beach Boys do this song justice? Well it's on the list, so yes they did! The Beach Boys keep it simple here, no complex orchestration like on the Ronettes' cover. But Brian's production still adds a unique twist from the Students' version, as the harmonies feel more lush than they do street corner. And the drums on the bridge help give the "I'm... I'm... I'm... so young" line some extra intensity. I still (slightly) prefer the Students' original version, but it's really close.
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| The Students, the doo wop group that sang the original. |
10.) Amusement Parks U.S.A.
By 1965's album "Summer Days (And Summer Nights)", the Beach Boys were in a transition between their early sound and Pet Sounds. The transition may have actually been even more evident on their previous album, "The Beach Boys Today!". But, this album combines the Beach Boys' traditional message of cars and girls with Brian's increasingly complex musicality and experimentation. And this amusing song about roller coasters at the amusement park is complete with screaming, a carnival barker, and a list of different locations (à la "Surfin' USA). The song is definitely not for everyone, with one critic dismissing it as a "subpar effort" that's a throwback "to the empty-headed summer filler of previous days". But I find this song's goofiness rather charming, and it actually ends by saying that "at first you'll be a chicken" on a ride, "but you'll do it with a girl sittin' right by your side". Those lyrics remind me of the time I went on Steel Force in 6th grade only because I didn't want to look like a chicken to my crush! So, "Amusement Parks U.S.A." certainly speaks to me more than it does the average person.
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| Here is Steel Force, which I will never ride again no matter how much I like someone. |
So overall, "Amusement Parks U.S.A." might not be one you want to check out. But there are certainly some I'd recommend you look at. I already discussed "Lonely Sea". But if you're a doo wop fan, definitely check out "Hushabye" and "I'm So Young"... see how you like them compared to the originals. "Your Summer Dream" is a truly underrated ballad worthy of your attention. And if for some reason you've never heard "The Warmth of the Sun", stop living under a rock and listen to it now!
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