Endless Summer (The Beach Boys album)

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Endless Summer is a hit compilation by the American rock group The Beach Boys . It was released on June 24, 1974 in the United States by the Capitol Records record company . The compilation reached number 1 on the American Billboard charts on October 5, 1974.

Story about the album

By the late 1960s, Beach Boys sales in the United States had plummeted. The Beach Boys tried to change their image during the hippie heyday, but their record company Capitol Records continued to announce them as the "best surfing combo". When their contract expired in 1969, the Beach Boys changed their record label and signed a new contract with Warner Bros. However, sales in the USA recovered only slowly with the next albums. In 1973 after their album "Holland" and the award-winning "In Concert", the Beach Boys decided to put new releases on hold and to win back their American fans through extensive concert tours through the USA. Because in Europe they had had great success with their current music since 1966. During this tour the band members worked on new material and talked about recording a new album.

In the spring of 1974, their old record company Capitol Records had the idea to release a new hit compilation, as their predecessors had already sold very well. The band was very open to this plan, but asked not to name the compilation "Best of" or "Greatest Hits". It was Mike Love who came up with the idea to name the album "Endless Summer". He was also the band representative who was involved in the selection of the title.

The compilation contains a selection of 20 pieces from the years 1962–1965, the band's early years. Of the songs "Be True to Your School", "Help Me, Rhonda" and "Fun, Fun, Fun" the album versions and not the single versions were used.

In the USA the album was released as a double LP. After it was able to establish itself at number 1 in the hit lists in October 1974, it remained in the Billboard Top 200 for a total of 155 weeks. With over 3 million copies sold and triple multi-platinum, it is one of the band's most commercially successful albums.

A successful surf documentary called " The Endless Summer " had already appeared in 1966 .

Track list

page 1

Most of the pieces were composed by Brian Wilson and Mike Love , exceptions are noted.

  1. Surfin 'Safari - 2:05
  2. Surfer Girl (Brian Wilson) - 2:26
  3. Catch a Wave - 2:07
  4. The Warmth of the Sun - 2:51
  5. Surfin 'USA ( Chuck Berry / Brian Wilson) - 2:27

Page 2

  1. Be True to Your School (Album Version) - 2:07
  2. Little Deuce Coupe (Brian Wilson / Roger Christian) - 1:38
  3. In My Room (Brian Wilson / Gary Usher ) - 2:11
  4. Shut Down (Brian Wilson / Roger Christian) - 1:49
  5. Fun, Fun, Fun - 2:16

Page 3

  1. I Get Around - 2:12
  2. Girls on the Beach - 2:24
  3. Wendy - 2:16
  4. Let Him Run Wild - 2:20
  5. Don't Worry Baby (Brian Wilson / Roger Christian) - 2:47

page 4

  1. California Girls - 2:38
  2. Girl Don't Tell Me - 2:19
  3. Help Me, Rhonda - 3:08
  4. You're So Good to Me - 2:14
  5. All Summer Long - 2:06

literature

  • Kingsley Abbot (Ed.): The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson. Hannibal, St. Andrä-WIERT 1998, ISBN 3-85445-160-1 .
  • Andrew G. Doe et al .: The complete guide to the music of the Beach Boys. Omnibus Press, London / New York 1997, ISBN 0-7119-5595-6 .