All Summer Long is the sixth studio album by the Beach Boys and their second in 1964. It rose to number four in the US during a forty-nine week chart stay, and was certified gold by the RIAA. "I Get Around" preceded the album's release by some two months and quickly raced to become their first number one single in the US; they also had a UK Top 10 debut with a number seven peak.
The album's sessions were recorded in the aftermath of the British Invasion, marking a major turning point in the Beach Boys' career, and in bandleader/primary songwriter Brian Wilson as an artist. All Summer Long was to be their final album which reveled in California beach culture.
Songs from this album are also featured on the EP Four by the Beach Boys.
Background
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"Drive-In" was recorded shortly after the release of Little Deuce Coupe in October 1963.[1] Beginning in February 1964, Bandleader Brian Wilson engaged in a rigorous period of songwriting, emerging some weeks afterwards with songs including "I Get Around", "All Summer Long", "Wendy" and "Girls on the Beach".
That April, during the recording sessions of "I Get Around" and "Little Honda", Brian relieved his father Murry Wilson of his managerial duties after three years.[1] An attempt at reconciliation on Murry's part, much of it captured on the tapes for the 1965 recording sessions of "Help Me, Rhonda", cemented the break. In an interview with Hit Parader, Brian later recalled, "We love the [Wilson] family thing – y'know: three brothers, a cousin and a friend is a really beautiful way to have a [rock] group – but the extra generation can become a hang-up."[3]
All Summer Long was to be the Beach Boys' final album which reveled in California beach culture.[4] Only one song explicitly references surfing: "Don't Back Down"; while "Little Honda" is the only hot rod song.[5]
Cover artwork
Photography was credited to both Kenneth Veeder and George Jerman (who had taken the photographs for the band's earlier albums) but it remains unclear as to who took the color pictures in the montage on the front of the sleeve, or the black and white studio shots on the reverse. The location for the shoot was once again Paradise Cove, north of Malibu, the same location used for the Surfin' Safari sleeve. However, whilst it appears that all five band members were present for the session only Brian, Carl, Dennis and Mike were photographed on the sand (along with the two girls, in various outfits) - Al was absent that day for a case of Flu and his images were added at a later date.
On first pressings of the LP, the song "Don't Back Down" is misprinted as "Don't Break Down" on the front cover. This version of the LP sleeve also has the song titles printed in the same mustard-colored ink as the album title. Subsequent printings with the typo corrected have the song titles printed in black.
Reception
The Girls on the Beach
The Beach Boys were later featured in the 1965 film The Girls on the Beach, performing "Girls on the Beach", "Lonely Sea", and "Little Honda". Their appearance was filmed in April 1964, a month before All Summer Long was completed.
Track listing
Following a 1990s court case, the songs "I Get Around", "All Summer Long", "Wendy", "Do You Remember?", "Drive-In", and "Don't Back Down" were amended to include a songwriting credit to Mike Love that did not exist previously.[9]
All songs written and composed by Brian Wilson/Mike Love except where noted.
Personnel
Partial credits courtesy of session archivist Craig Slowinski. They are amalgamated from all tracks except "We'll Run Away", "Carl's Big Chance", "Do You Remember?", "Drive-In", and "Our Favorite Recording Sessions'.[10]
- The Beach Boys
- Session musicians and technical staff
Charts
- Albums
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1964 |
US Billboard 200 Albums Chart |
4[4] |
- Singles
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
| 1964 |
"I Get Around" |
US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart |
1 |
| 1964 |
"Little Honda" |
US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart |
65 |
| 1964 |
"Wendy" |
US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart |
44 |
References
- 1 2 Doe, Andrew Grayham. "GIGS64". Endless Summer Quarterly. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ↑ "The Beach Boy Empire" Taylor, Derek. October 5, 1966. Hit Parader, p13
- 1 2 3 Richie Unterberger. "All Summer Long - The Beach Boys | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
- ↑ Holmes, Chris (October 25, 2011). "The Popdose Guide to the Beach Boys". Popdose.
- ↑ The Virgin Encyclopedia Of Popular Music, Concise (4th Edition), Virgin Books (UK), 2002, ed. Larkin, Colin.
- ↑ The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2nd Edition) Random House/Rolling Stone Press (US), 1983, ed. D. Marsh, J.Swenson ISBN 0-394-72107-1
- ↑ Doe, Andrew G. "Album Archiveq". Bellagio 10452. Endless Summer Quarterly.
- ↑ Boyd, Alan; Linette, Mark; Slowinski, Craig (2014). Keep an Eye On Summer 1964 (Digital Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records. Mirror
- Sources
[4]
