Today!
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| The Beach Boys Today! | ||
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| Studio album by The Beach Boys | ||
| Released | 8 March 1965 | |
| Recorded | Main Recording: 7-19 January 1965 Sporadically: 8 & 22 June, 5 & 8 August, 9 October and 16 December 1964 |
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| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 28:54 | |
| Label | Capitol Records | |
| Producer(s) | Brian Wilson | |
| Professional reviews | ||
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| The Beach Boys chronology | ||
| The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (1964) |
The Beach Boys Today! (1965) |
Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) (1965) |
Today! is the ninth studio album by The Beach Boys, and their first of three in 1965. Although no one realized the significance of the album at the time, Today! marked a major turning point inside the band's world, and in particular, leader Brian Wilson's personal life.
By the end of a particularly stressful 1964, The Beach Boys had released four albums in the preceding twelve months, in addition to beginning this album by recording two advance singles—"When I Grow Up" and "Dance, Dance, Dance." As the man in charge, Wilson was both physically and emotionally exhausted, yet the Beatles' ever-increasing popularity and influence ensured that Brian kept slogging to keep afloat. On December 23, 1964, Brian had a nervous breakdown due to the strain and realized that something was going to have to give. And that was touring.
While the bulk of Today! was being recorded in January 1965, he informed the rest of the band that he wanted to stay in the studio and create their music while the Boys played it to audiences. The band reluctantly agreed, and after a brief alliance with Glen Campbell in Wilson's place, Bruce Johnston, a musician and major admirer of the band, became the Beach Boys' live bassist in April 1965 as Today! was rising the charts. Many consider Today! to mark the beginning of Brian Wilson's artistic maturation.
The album is famous for having one side of up-beat songs and a second side of melancholic ballads.
On the first half, "When I Grow Up," "Dance, Dance, Dance" and "Do You Wanna Dance?" were all hits, and "Help Me, Ronda" would be worked on further to deliver the Beach Boys their second #1 hit in May (amid a small spelling change in the title). The second side, in retrospect, was an indicator to where Brian Wilson was going musically. Considered darker and more meaningful than previous softer works, alongside Wilson's increasing productivity in the studio, the ballads on the second side are thought of as a precursor to Pet Sounds' technical triumphs, including strings, pianos, more percussion, and volume tricks.
Many consider Today! to be more thought out and "mature" than other albums at the time by 1965 standards. However, the shift in style appeared to have little detrimental effect, concerning sales; Today! was a #4 gold-selling smash in the US, and the following year it would reach #6 in the UK. In 2003, the album was ranked number 270 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
It has since come to light—and has long been freely admitted to by Brian Wilson—that he had begun using marijuana during December 1964 as a stress reliever, and once he realized the profound effect it had on the way he perceived music, Wilson became a regular user. Although drugs opened up doors for him musically, they also would contribute to his eventual mental collapse in ensuing years.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
All songs by Brian Wilson/Mike Love, except where noted.
- "Do You Wanna Dance" (Bobby Freeman) – 2:19
- Features Dennis Wilson on lead vocals
- "Good to My Baby" – 2:16
- Features Brian Wilson and Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" – 2:07
- Features Mike Love and Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" – 2:01
- Features Mike Love and Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "Help Me, Ronda" – 3:08
- Features Al Jardine on lead vocals; this is the original version. Brian Wilson re-recorded a different arrangement of "Ronda," changed the spelling of her name to "Rhonda," and released it as the Beach Boys' next single.
- "Dance, Dance, Dance" (Brian Wilson/Carl Wilson/Mike Love) – 1:59
- Features Mike Love and Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "Please Let Me Wonder" – 2:45
- Features Brian Wilson and Mike Love on lead vocals
- "I'm So Young" (William H. Tyrus Jr.) – 2:30
- Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "Kiss Me, Baby" – 2:35
- Features Mike Love and Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "She Knows Me Too Well" – 2:27
- Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "In the Back of My Mind" – 2:07
- Features Dennis Wilson on lead vocals
- "Bull Sessions With "Big Daddy"" (Brian Wilson/Carl Wilson/Mike Love/Al Jardine) – 2:10
- Group interview with Earl Leaf. Marilyn Wilson also appears briefly, but Alan Jardine is absent.
[edit] Singles
- "When I Grow Up" b/w "She Knows Me Too Well" (Capitol 5245), 17 August 1964 US #9; UK #27
- "Dance, Dance, Dance" b/w "The Warmth of the Sun" (from Shut Down Volume 2) (Capitol 5306), 26 October 1964 US #8; UK #24
- "Do You Wanna Dance?" b/w "Please Let Me Wonder" (Capitol 5372), 8 February 1965 US #12 ("Please Let Me Wonder" US #52)
- "Kiss Me, Baby" featured as the B-side to "Help Me, Rhonda"
The Beach Boys Today! is now paired on CD with Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), with bonus tracks from that period.
The Beach Boys Today! (Capitol (D) T 2269) hit #4 in the US during a chart stay of 50 weeks. It reached #6 in the UK in the summer of 1966.
[edit] Sources
- The Beach Boys Today!/Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) CD booklet notes, David Leaf, c.1990.
- "The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience", Timothy White, c. 1994.
- "Wouldn't It Be Nice - My Own Story", Brian Wilson and Todd Gold, c. 1991.
- "Top Pop Singles 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- All Music Guide.com
