About The Song
“California Girls” by The Beach Boys stands as one of the band’s most celebrated and influential recordings, representing a pivotal moment in their artistic evolution. The song was recorded on April 6, 1965, and was released as a single on July 12, 1965, backed with “Let Him Run Wild.” It reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, trailing “Help” by The Beatles and “Like A Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan, and became one of the band’s most successful songs globally with top 10 chart positions in several countries.
The genesis of “California Girls” occurred during a transformative period for Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys. Wilson conceived the song during his first acid trip while thinking about women and Western film scores. Wilson wrote the music to the chorus during a dinner party in early 1965, and then collaborated with Mike Love on the lyrics. The song originally had the working title “We Don’t Know” during its initial recording sessions at Western Studio in Los Angeles.
This recording marked a significant shift in The Beach Boys’ production approach. When Brian Wilson decided to stop touring with The Beach Boys, he dedicated more time to recording, with using the studio as an instrument becoming Wilson’s primary goal. Wilson enlisted the help of Los Angeles’ top session players rather than use the band on the recording, as he was becoming accustomed to doing. It was the band’s first recording with touring musician Bruce Johnston, who was not yet an official member of the group.
Musically, “California Girls” was groundbreaking for its sophisticated production elements. The song is distinguished for its orchestral prelude, layered vocals, and chromaticism. The song featured a soaring orchestral production that represented the group’s most ambitious recording up to that point. Although the Beach Boys’ vocals wouldn’t be added until June 4th, the complex instrumental arrangements laid the foundation for what would become a signature sound for the band.
Brian Wilson held “California Girls” in particularly high regard among The Beach Boys’ catalog. Wilson later referred to it as “a hymn to youth”, the Beach Boys’ “anthem”, and his favorite record by the group, although he remained dissatisfied with their vocal performance. The song’s influence extended beyond The Beach Boys themselves, as “California Girls” inspired the Beatles’ parody “Back in the U.S.S.R.” and many songs with similar themes.
Video
Lyric
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 thereThe Midwest farmer’s daughters really make you feel alright
And the Northern girls with the way they kiss
They keep their boyfriends warm at nightI wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California girlsThe West Coast has the sunshine
And the girls all get so tanned
I dig a French bikini on Hawaii island
Dolls by a palm tree in the sandI been all around this great big world
And I seen all kinds of girls
Yeah, but I couldn’t wait to get back in the States
Back to the cutest girls in the worldI wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California girlsI wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California girlsI wish they all could be California girls
(Yeah, the way they walk)
(The way they talk)