Brian Wilson

We lost Brian Wilson yesterday, Rest in Peace. Thanks for the music.

Wouldn't It Be Nice?



This song encapsultes everything I love about The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson.

I can't believe I like this cover - Red Hot Chili Peppers

If there is a band I deeply, truely dislike, it's the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

I also deeply love The Beach Boys. Love, love, love.

So when this came up on my YouTube feed, I kind of cringe clicked on it.

But it's actually very, very good. It's a very straight-up cover. They don't do anything "RHCP" with it . . . they just play it dead solid well. I'm impressed.

I Like the Cover Better: Summertime Blues

I like the original song, "Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran.

I even like the Rush cover from Feedback. And this excellent Kyoushirou version in Japanese. And The Who. And The Stray Cats. The Beach Boys (one my hands-down favorite bands). Even Marc Bolan and TRex! It's a can't-miss song.

But nothing compares, in my mind, to Blue Cheer:



It's oddly a cover that doesn't work as well without your brain knowing the original, but it takes that meta-song knowledge and spins it somewhere amazing. It's Quentin Tarantino-like in its ability to show you what's awesome about the original by going someone the original never, ever, could.

If you know any Summertime Blues covers I didn't mention, please add them in the comments.

Fun, Fun, Fun (Single Version)

The other day, I was out around lunchtime. 75 degrees. Windows rolled down. And The Beach Boy's Fun, Fun Fun - the Single Version - blasting from my radio.



It's a simple joy, but it's joy. Joy does not demand complexity.

My favorite lines?

"Well the girls can't stand her because she walks, looks, and drive like an ace, now.
She makes the Indy 500 look like a Roman chariot race now."

I had fun, fun, fun for 2:21.