Surfer Girl

I was 10 when this came out. So naturally I didn't really discover The Beach Boys until later - the single Darlin' - which is one of the first singles I ever bought. Then I got the album Summer Days and Summer Nights, and The Beach Boys Today, etc. Now I have pretty much the whole catalog. But when I first discovered these early albums from 1963 and 1964, that was when I was really knocked out. The classic harmonies, double-tracked, with the Beach Boys still playing their own instruments. That was the sound that put it way over the top for me. Check out Brian's duet with himself on The Surfer Moon. South Bay Surfer was based on a melody by Stephen Foster, the first pop musician in the USA. Your Summer Dream, a solo by Brian, is killer. Brian talks about being inspired by the Beatles' Rubber Soul to make every track good and no throwaways - Well I think he had already achieved it in a certain way on these early albums from the early 60s. Although yes he also achieved it later too on Pet Sounds and SMiLE etc. in an over-the-top way.