You won’t find too many bands or artists out there who could consistently ape the sound of The Beach Boys. After all, there’s only one Brian Wilson, so coming up with beach-worthy material is going to be an issue. Plus, who else could copy that incredible vocal blend time and again?
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There have been plenty of times, however, when artists have been able to at least pay homage to that inimitable Beach Boys blend for one-off songs. Here are five of the most memorable.
“Back in the U.S.S.R” by The Beatles
This is perhaps the most famous of all the Beach Boys homages out there, courtesy of a group that openly admired the work of Brian Wilson and the band. Paul McCartney had actually just spent time with Beach Boy Mike Love during a retreat to India to study Transcendental Meditation when he came up with this rip-roaring rocker. McCartney added the twist that his character was homesick for Russia instead of for the California girls. Interesting note: That’s McCartney playing drums on this song as well, as Ringo Starr had temporarily left the sessions for the White Album.
“Go All the Way” by The Raspberries
In terms of their music, The Raspberries skewed more towards power pop than the surf-rock that The Beach Boys favored. But perhaps no band captures the acrobatic nature of The Beach Boys’ harmonies the way these guys did. The key to that was lead singer Eric Carmen, who could soar to very Wilson-like places when the occasion called for it. You could really point to any number of Raspberries’ singles and catch a very Beach Boys vibe when you hear those walled voices rocketing skyward. “Go All the Way” just might be the most famous of the bunch.
“Shannon” by Henry Gross
This one should have an asterisk next to it because it was directly inspired by a Beach Boy. Singer/songwriter Gross was acquaintances with Carl Wilson, who told him a story about the death of a beloved dog named Shannon, which was also the name of Gross’ dog at the time. Gross then spun a sad, pretty song about just how devastating the loss of a pet can be. To drive home the connection, he used his highest register in the chorus and added some backing harmonies that seem like they could have appeared on Pet Sounds. “Shannon” became a Top 10 hit in 1976.
“The Show Must Go On” by Pink Floyd
This song is a kind of interstitial piece in The Wall, taking place right before the protagonist Pink takes a turn toward fascism. Roger Waters decided he wanted it to sound like The Beach Boys, and the band was actually scheduled to perform the backing vocals before backing out. Luckily, Bruce Johnston did make it and arranged the backing vocals, which he also helped perform with a group that included Toni Tenille of Captain & Tenille fame. Interestingly enough, Waters, who conceived of The Wall and wrote just about all of it, doesn’t appear on the track, instead handing lead vocals to David Gilmour.
“The Other Side of Summer” by Elvis Costello
Costello intentionally wanted this song to sound as Beach Boys-like as possible so he could then undercut that sunny feeling with the sour sentiment of the lyrics. Although the backing vocals certainly have that West Coast vibe, where he really nails it is with the production, which doubles up instruments to get the kind of big sound Brian Wilson managed on classics like “Good Vibrations.” All of that is used in service of a song about the darker side of the season, how the tragedies and injustices pile up while many people are too busy basking in the sunshine to realize it.
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