THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

930-Beach Boys-California Girls.

1965-Number 26 single.

Best Bit-At 0.22. California, or Colorado, or Carolina, or Connecticut, or even Cleckheaton, as long as she’s got a pulse.

The Beach Boys (see also best songs 180 and 74) were formed in 1961, in Hawthorne, California, United States, by the brothers Brian, Dennis, (1944-1983) and Carl Wilson, (1946-1998) along with their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Bruce Johnson who officially joined the group in 1965, sang on a studio recording for the first time with the Beach Boys on this song.

Brian Douglas Wilson (see also best songs 811) was born on June 20th, 1942, in Inglewood, California, United States, he is one of the most respected figures in the history of ‘Popular Music,’ with generations of musicians having been influenced by his work. Wilson himself has said that his formative influences included George Gershwin, (1989-1937) Phil Spector, (1939-2021) Burt Bacharach, (1928-2023) and the American male ‘Jazz,’ ‘Traditional Pop,’ and ‘Barbershop’ performers the ‘Four Freshmen.’ Wilson has suffered with mental health issues for all of his adult life, and has been diagnosed with ‘schizo-affective disorder,’ and ‘mild manic depression,’ Wilson has said that he began having hallucinations at the age of 22 in 1965, shortly after starting to use psychedelic drugs. The Beatles producer George Martin (1926-2016) said,’No one made a greater impact on the Beatles than Brian, the musician who challenged them most of all. Jimmy Webb (see also best songs 846-197 and 1) has said, ‘As far as a major, modern producer who was working right in the middle of the Pop milieu, no one was doing what Brian was doing. We didn’t even know that it was possible until he did it.’ Another telling tribute came from David Crosby, (1941-2023) (see also best songs 621 and 417) who said,’He was the most highly regarded pop musician in America. Hands down. Everybody by that time had figured out who was writing it all and who was arranging it all.

‘California Girls’ was co-written by Brian Wilson, (music) and Mike Love, (lyrics) with the songs production being by Wilson. It was the second of two singles released from the Beach Boys ninth studio Album ‘Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!’) from July 1965. The first single released from the Album ‘Help Me Rhonda’ had made Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in America, while ‘California Girls’ reached Number 3. On the writing of ‘California Girls’ Brian Wilson has said,’I came up with the introduction first, I’m still really proud of that, it has a classical feel. I wrote the song ‘California Girls’ in the same key as the introduction.’ Wilson has also said that he got inspiration for the songs intro from ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Joy,’) the piece of music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) in 1723.

All five official members of the Beach Boys sang on ‘California Girls,’ along with Bruce Johnson, who also provided harmony and backing vocals. There was also another 13 musicians who were known as the ‘Wrecking Crew’ (see also best songs 846-811-744-672-660-527-486-262-202-197-192-180-127 and 71) who played on the track, these included the legendary Hal Blaine, (1929-2019) (drums) and Carol Kaye (bass guitar.) In 1985 David Lee Roth who had been the lead vocalist with the American Rock band Van Halen (see also best songs 647) released a cover version of ‘California Girls’ for his first solo single. The track which featured Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys on backing vocals, like the original, also peaked at Number 3 on Billboard.

Many come to the conclusion that the Beach Boys are stating that all the best looking girls come from California, but the true message isn’t that. Having been all around the world, and seen many pretty girls, the Beach Boys’ actual wish is that all those girls could live in California. Mike Love who sang the lead vocals, and wrote the songs lyrics has said,’I wanted the song to be a tribute to girls everywhere, not just in the United States, let alone California, but everywhere in the world.’

‘Well, East coast girls are hip I really dig those styles they wear, and the Southern girls with the way they talk, they knock me out when I’m down there. The Midwest farmer’s daughters really make you feel alright, and the Northern girls with the way they kiss, they keep their boyfriends warm at night.’