Beach Boy Beards

Lately, I’ve been telling pretty much anyone who’ll listen that the Beach Boys’ 1971 album Surf’s Up is, without a doubt, the most terrific pop album I’ve heard all year. Maybe I’m overcompensating because I’m 37 years late to the party, so let me explain why I’m bringing it up now: it’s summertime, I’ve been on vacation (hence the lack of updatage from yours truly), and I’ve been on a huge Beach Boys kick. Ample enough reason for me.

“Don’t Go Near the Water” is the opening track on Surf’s Up. It’s an unexpectedly political and (perhaps?) unintentionally goofy song, but I think it’s those odd quirks that make it such a memorable and catchy tune. And as much as everyone loves to hate Mike Love, it’s songs like this that make me tip my hat in his favor.

The below video clip is from YouTube, so of course the audio isn’t great: the harmonies are condensed; the slinky, descending Moog bass riff on the chorus is muffled; and Al Jardine’s high notes aren’t quite as piercing as they are on the record. Even so, thanks to YouTube, you get to scope their wicked early ’70s garb: they look like a group of surly merchant marines on shore leave waiting to be picked up by the Mystery Machine to help investigate some spooks on the dock. Dig those beards!

“To be cool with the water is the message of this song.” Really, Mike? That’s soooo deep.

And in case you can’t get enough of Mike Love and his scraggly beard (I know I can’t), then you’re in for a real treat with cokemachineglow’s list of the Top 22 Pictures of Mike Love Looking Like a Douche. Behold:

I nearly choked on my tongue looking through this list. The photo of Love looking like a douche above looks like it was taken during the video shoot for 1969’s “Break Away” single. Everyone else in the band decided to go with white leisure suits, but not Mike Love. His attire of choice? Jesus robes. (Were Jesus robes his “thing” for a while circa 1969-71? Czech out the video of “Long Promised Road,” also from Surf’s Up. There, at 2:35, again with the Jesus robes! But seriously, though, do watch the video. Not only is Carl Wilson absolutely adorable, but I promise the song is better than any other song dealing with long roads released that decade.)

And while I’m on the subject of Beach Boys and their beards, I feel obligated to mention that the only original Beach Boy who looks remotely clean-shaven in the “Don’t Go Near the Water” wharf scene is Dennis Wilson, which is remarkable considering how he turned out just a few years later:

Dennis Wilson – “Rainbows”
(from Pacific Ocean Blue)

I guess a lifetime of boozin’, womanizin’, and fraternizin’ with Charles Manson will catch up with you after all.

The reissue of his only solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue, has reignited interest in Dennis Wilson as a songwriter recently. The album is a stark shift from his work with the Beach Boys, and reveals a depressing, fatalistic streak that’s hard to ignore given his tragic and abrupt death in 1983 off the shore of Marina del Rey. Bummertown.

Listen, I don’t want to end this post on a downer, so be sure to listen to “Rainbows,” the Dennis Wilson song about happiness and singing birds and rainbows that still manages to be a little gritty. And be sure to marvel in his beard, which looks like a cross between Grizzly Adams and Jeffrey Lebowski.

And finally, just because I can’t help myself, here’s another cokemachineglow list of the Top Five Sub-Par Beach Boys Tracks That Are Still Better Than Any Song by Wolf Parade.

What? “Ten Little Indians” didn’t make the cut? C’mon!