Beach Boys in the 1980s Top Ten (in no particular order)
People read top 10 lists. It seems like a round number that we happened to be conditioned to read. Sadly finding 10 great songs from The Beach Boys in the 1980s isn’t going to be easy.
I’ll have songs just to fill out the ten needed that I may not like.
10. Wipe Out (with The Fat Boys) see above
9. East Meets West (with the Four Seasons) it should be a classic. The song didn’t do much on the pop sales charts, but on oldies radio, it was a hit. The single sold out in New Jersey. To hear it today, it’s dated.
8. Rock N Roll to the Rescue This song isn’t on ITunes or Spotify. When released, it barely cracked the Hot 100 sales. It’s not a terrible song. It had a story about finding and discovering rock songs and loving the songs then starting a band. The Beach Boys were the second generation of Rock N Roll so the songs they name drop would be songs from their youth. I can hear a riff here and a phrase there from those early songs. Perhaps that’s why the song can’t be found, copyrights.
7. Keep the Summer Alive. From a 1980 album. They begin the decade with a mission statement. The song has a bouncy piano driven melody with back up harmony. Perfect to play in June days
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6. Still Cruising- Their first single release after KoKoMo. It works as a Beach boys song, harmonies, cars, the vibe. It’s a fun song.
5. It’s Getting Late. I can’t believe this wasn’t a bigger hit. It’s got a memorable hook and chorus. The song has a driving melody that is still fun.
4. California Dreaming. It seems like a natural fit for the band. It has California right in the title. It’s actually one of their best in their later years. It has a great saxophone solo, the vocals are strong, and the singing is good. It has the typical backing vocals and bounce. The song was featured on a Greatest Hits compilation that you can't get today. The song while not a big Top 40 Hit, was a Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit.
3. Come Go With Me. I thought this was a Top 10 song, but it fell short. The song is on multiple greatest hit compilations. It was a remake of a late 1950s song, but The Beach Boys bring life and nostalgia into the production. It’s a lively live song that they played through the decade to a lot of applause.
2. KoKoMo. You’d think I would make this my number 1 1980s song. It’s pleasant. The opening lines are memorable, but the rest of the song is just there. The chorus is catchy and memorable so it sticks with you. The vocals are strong and they sound older but not old. It deserved to be a hit.
Getcha Back. This cracked the Top 40, but it was a Beach Boys song. There are harmonies, touches of instruments that don’t solo but are there, the bridge that can be sung along to. The song has a story and a group fade out. I didn’t know until recently, but there is something else about the song that I like. It should be a disqualification, but the song strongly follows Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.” People have done mashups of the songs and it sounds like one song. Still love both songs