The Beach Boys have so many number one hits, that you'd think their entire discography would be any of the band members' legacy. Well, Brian Wilson, the de facto leader of the band, dishes on the one song he takes a special shine to.
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Back in 2011, songwriter and producer Brian Wilson shared his insight into some of his best and most enduring songs with Goldmine. There, he commented on one song in particular, and shared just how proud he was of it.
It turns out their hit song "California Girls" is the only tune he explicitly said he was "proud" of. And that's got to mean something.
When speaking about "California Girls," Wilson said "I came up the introduction first. I'm still really proud of that introduction."
And it is a good one. It builds up beautifully and is instantly recognizable. The song was released in 1965, with the album Summer Days (And Summer Nights). The song was a huge hit. Although it hasn't endured as much as some of their other top songs, Brian Wilson loves it more than most of the songs he's created.
Brian Wilson Gushes Over "California Girls"
"It has a classical feel," he continued.
"I wrote the song 'California Girls' in the same key as the introduction. It took me some time. I wanted to write a song that had a traditional country and western left-hand piano riff, like an old country song from the early '50s. I wanted to get something that had kind of a jumpy feeling to it in the verses."
And he achieves just that. The 20-second intro is a mastery of composition in itself, and it shocks me to know that he was only 22 years old at the time. It feels like he's experienced beyond his years at the time when listening to that intro.
No wonder he's so proud of it.
Brian Wilson is often credited as one of the most innovative and creative writers of the 20th century. The iconic sound he brought to the Beach Boys is unmatched. And "California Girls" is just one example of his talent.
