The Beach Boys-CALIFORNIA GIRLS:Your Thoughts & Mix/Version Preferences+Chartbustin'

This timeless, classic Beach Boys' song- one of my Top 5 favorites among so many great ones of their's- has always been the quintessential essence of mid-'60s California pop: girls + beach + sunshine = blissful utophia. It conjures up images of an innocent, youthfully-exuberant, by-gone era that, at the time of "California Girls' " release in mid-July '65, was just starting to undergo a radical transformation, both musically and socially.

From the song's enticing opening intro, featuring Carl Wilson (lead) and Jerry Cole (rhythm) on 12-string electric guitars (plugged directly into the console)- with the tantalizing taps from Hal Blaine's hi-hats- "California Girls" erupts with Mike Love's fine lead vocals, Hal Blaine's powerful drums, Carol Kaye's efficient electric bass guitar lines, Howard Roberts' electric rhythm guitar, etc: a rich canvas of sound, with a majestic, sweeping flow, intricate background harmony vocals, and excellent dynamics. Including three saxes, a trumpet, vibraphone, acoustic grand piano, acoustic upright string bass, and tambourine, the song was lavishly arranged by Brian Wilson. The organ (Hammond B-3) solo- played by Al de Lory- fits in perfectly and sounds just right, like warm sunshine. "California Girls" has always struck me as a true carnival of sound, a musical magic trip that I've never grown tired of hearing. It's striking, different, and mesmerizing- a superbly-crafted pop masterpiece. Brian Wilson has always regarded "California Girls" as one of his favorite musical accomplishments.

What are your thoughts and opinions about this Beach Boys' classic? Do you remember your feelings when you first heard it, whether back in the day, or later? Which mono mix do you prefer- the 45 hit single mix or the album mix, from "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)"? What do you think of the stereo remixes- any love for them, and any preferences among the three different stereo remixes on cd? For anyone who has the original Capitol 45 RPM single and/or the SD (ASN!!) original album on vinyl, feel free to offer your insights on how they sound, especially compared to their digital counterparts.

A Chartbustin' narrative is in the pipeline, and will follow later... .


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For a detailed discussion/analysis of the recording of "California Girls," please see Craig Slowinsk's definitive, superb presentation at http://www.beachboysarchives.com . My brief comments concerning the musicians and instruments involved in its' recording are based on Craig Slowinski's site.


CALIFORNIA GIRLS (Music- Brian Wilson/ Words- Mike Love)

*** Released on July 12, 1965 as Capitol single 5464. ***

 

Anyone who has the original Capitol 45 RPM hit single of "California Girls", it would be way cool if you could post a scan shot of the single itself, as well as the sleeve. Ditto for the album "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)".

Thanks in advance.

 

Any memories, Steve, of when you first heard CALIFORNIA GIRLS back in the day? I'm figuring you caught it first on KRLA, right after it came out (after mid- July '65).

Any insights into your remastering of it for the DCC Gold cd, "Endless Summer"? Any 'tales from the vault'?

 

But that's one of the things that makes it so great! Seemingly something from a completely different song, yet it fits perfectly, and it's beautiful to boot! Man I wish there was radio friendly pop music being made to that standard these days...I might turn on a radio.

Dale

 

Cool, vivid memories, Steve: like looking at a snapshot in time! Much appreciated.

I was wrong on the station, because I didn't factor you hearing it from another car's radio. Those are the details that really stick with you. Of course your prime station back then was KRLA, right? It's all good.

Another 'threw me for a loop' surprise was the local LA charting of CALIFORNIA GIRLS. KRLA actually charted it first, on 7/17/65 at #40- a mere five days after its' release. It made its' debut on KFWB's chart eleven days later. But as you recall, it was getting increasing airplay on KFWB early on.

Like you, I never get tired of hearing/listening to CALIFORNIA GIRLS.

 

Gene Weed (great memory, Steve!) had the 3-6 PM time slot on KFWB in July '65.

When I was listing the charting of CALIFORNIA GIRLS on KFWB, I wrote "Debut' for 7/28/65, but inexplicably forgot to notate the chart position- I never do that! Just went back and checked, and it entered KFWB's charts at #34 for that week. Dylan's LIKE A ROLLING STONE had just hit the #1 spot on KFWB that same week- talk about tough competition!

 

Well-said, Dale, and so true! There were real DJ's with personalties back then, and creative Program Directors on many local stations who weren't afraid to take a chance on some solid, 'unknown' bands as well. Today it's all computers and robotized playlist/genre/type formatting: Clear and lifeless... .

 

Here's some miscellaneous notes concerning the CALIFORNIA GIRLS' recording sessions, from Craig Slowinski's informative site, http://www.beachboysarchives.com :

*** Of the 44 'takes', only six weren't 'false starts.'
*** On the master take, #44, everything went down "... perfectly, the only flaw being a 'click' on the tape 10 seconds into the intro. The 'click' in question, although an unintended noise, sounds close enough to a hit on the hi-hat to fool generations of unsuspecting music fans (the 'click was left intact in the song's first stereo remix, included on the original edition of the 'Endless Harmony Soundtrack,' but was surgically removed from later editions of that CD, as well as from the new stereo remix that appears on 'Sounds Of Summer'). ..." (Craig Slowinski, from site listed above).

Everyone gets one guess on who was responsible for the 'surgical removal' of that click on the latest two stereo remixes..... .

It was fun listening through headphones today to CALIFORNIA GIRLS and hearing that click at 10 seconds. No 'click-less' stuff for this guy!

 

I think the lyrics are what really make the song. Such vivid imagery. Mike's lyrics are a definite improvement over "You're grass and I'm a power mower".

 

Such a great pop song. Just today I was listening to it from one of the stellar sounding DCC Beach Boys comps and I just had to pick up my acoustic guitar to learn how to play it. Playing it won't be a problem, and I figure if David Lee Roth can sing it so can I.

Ever since I moved to Socal 2 years ago I've been on a Beach Boys kick and this really is THE summer song.

 

What a great song! The intro alone is a work of genius. This is one of those songs I never tire of hearing. And imo it's one of the best Beach Boys singles ever (along with Breakaway and others).



Another tidbit of info...The beach Boys single and David Lee Roth's cover version (regardless of your opinion of it) both peaked at #3 on the charts.

 

Good point. The way Mike covered the country in that natural way ("East Coast girls," " Northern girls," etc) with down-to-earth, believable lyrics, was so effective, and drew you in along with the fantastic music, sound, and arrangements.

So true about the original lyrics/song titles. Fortunately "Oh Yeah/ (Yeah) I Dig The Girls" was scrapped as the song's title as well.

 

I remember Dick Clark had it on "rate a record" while it was climbing the charts, just to see what people thought of it as he considered it somewhat radical. The response was very positive. I was eleven that year, and constantly implored a teenage girl with a portable record player to put it on at the swimming pool I hung out at. I have never tired of it.

 

Thanks for posting that neat shot of the single's sleeve, "pool of tears'. I'm right with you, Steve, and others on never tiring of hearing CALIFORNIA GIRLS. It's so timeless.

 

Of course I've always loved Cal. Girls. The slow intro make such a great concert opener that they seldom strayed from it. I must admit I like the remix on "Sounds Of Summer", you can hear Bruce so well and whole record just sounds more dynamic.

 

Here's the flip side:

 

Somehow I never got that Al de Lory was the organist on the solo...now I get how he ended up producing Glen Campbell's early work.

 

Doesn't Brian Wilson in the Endless Harmony dvd say that Larry Knechtel was on the organ for that session?

 

Thanks, Steve. Somehow I expected an ocean/beach shot, but maybe that would have been too obvious, plus it was 1965. Where were the girls? I know the answer: in the song!

 

I was just going by the artwork that I've seen for years. Perhaps it's a Uk sleeve. I don't know. Oh well, can't be blamed for trying. Honestly, I never seen many 45 sleeves that tied in well their respective 45's.

 

They were with Dennis!

 

While I don't have the "Endless Harmony" dvd to reference, I went by Craig Slowinski's exhaustive recording session notes, as detailed at http://www.beachboysarchives.com . Slowinski had access to the AFM contract sheets, and Larry Knechtel's name is not listed on them for the CALIFORNIA GIRLS' recording sessions. Nor is Larry Knechtel's name brought up at all in Slowinski's discussion of the recording sessions.

According to Slowinski, there was some after-the-fact confusion on who played guitar with Carl Wilson on the intro. Carl himself, in a 1982 interview published in the September 1983 issue of "Musician" magazine ( with Geoffrey Himes), remembered that it was Ray Pohlman. The AFM session sheets tell a different story: Pohlman's name is not listed on them. Instead, it was actually Jerry Cole, who is listed.

This is all extremely understandable, given all the recording sessions, passage of time, etc. (information based on Craig Slowinski's site, listed above).

It's all good.

 

Plus, props and kudos for trying on the sleeve: A+ for effort.