She Knows Me Too Well

Last updated
"She Knows Me Too Well"
Beach Boys - When I Grow Up (to be a man).jpg
Single by The Beach Boys
from the album The Beach Boys Today!
A-side "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"
ReleasedAugust 24, 1964
RecordedAugust 5–8, 1964
Studio United Western Recorders, Hollywood
Genre Pop rock
Length2:27
Label Capitol
Composer(s) Brian Wilson
Lyricist(s)
Producer(s) Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys singles chronology
"I Get Around"
(1964)
"She Knows Me Too Well"
(1964)
"Dance, Dance, Dance"
(1964)
Audio sample
"She Knows Me Too Well"

"She Knows Me Too Well" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys, about a man who is engrossed and obsessed in his own jealousy and insecurity. [1] It was released on the 1965 album The Beach Boys Today! , initially serving as the B-side of their "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" single in 1964. [2] It was one of the first songs that Brian wrote while under the influence of marijuana. [3]

Contents

Composition

Brian considered the song a tribute to Burt Bacharach. [4] According to Allmusic, "This song can essentially be called 'son of "Don't Worry Baby".' It's built around the same kinds of Spector-inspired chord changes and also has a similar sense of vulnerability." [1] According to PopMatters ,

The harmonically complex song perfectly expresses the tension and confusion of the lyrics, but always manages to be accessible and tuneful in a way that only Brian Wilson can pull off. That the track was first recorded so early in the album process (before the process even began, in fact) and manages to be one of the most forward-thinking tracks the Beach Boys had put out up to this point, is quite astonishing. [5]

Interpreting its lyrics,

the narrator explores his own relational shortcomings but continues to delude himself into thinking that everything is alright. The first verse expresses his guilt, admitting “I treat her so mean, I don’t deserve what I have / And I think that she’ll forget just by making her laugh”. The second verse, half of which is repeated after the bridge, discusses his jealousy and insecurity, hinting at his emotional abuse of her. He sings, “I get so jealous of the other guy / And then I’m not happy till I make her break down and cry”. But he also recognizes his hypocrisy: “When I look at other girls, it must kill her inside”. But all these issues, in his mind at least, are taken care of by the fact that “she can tell I really love her”. The choruses express the sentiment that because she knows him so well, none of these things matter. They do, of course, but his delusion makes for a more interesting song. [5]

David Leaf believed the song "is another of the important musical developments on the road to Pet Sounds , and in retrospect, hearing this in 1965 might have felt very strange … almost like you were hearing a cut from Pet Sounds a year before that album even existed." He also notes that it was "a gorgeous production, but it took a little while to get used to, probably because the bittersweet chord changes and harmonies were more sophisticated than the typical pop ballad of the day." [6]

Recording

The song was recorded over two sessions at United Western Recorders in early August, both engineered by Chuck Britz and produced by Brian Wilson: the first session for the instrumental track took place on August 5 in tandem with "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"; three days later, the vocals were recorded. [7] They are doubletracked, just as they are on most Beach Boys songs. [2] The instrumental track features Carl Wilson on both lead and rhythm electric guitars, Alan Jardine on electric bass guitar, Brian Wilson on acoustic upright piano, and Dennis Wilson on drums. The song features Brian Wilson on lead vocal and Brian, Carl & Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, and Al Jardine on backing vocals. [8]

On the Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 7 (1964): The Alternate "Beach Boys Today" Album Vol. 1 bootleg, various recording sessions were released in high quality. Four takes of the instrumental track (plus rehearsals) were released on this bootleg, as well as two backing vocal overdubs and Brian's lead vocal overdub. [9]

Release

In August 1964, "She Knows Me Too Well" was released in the United States as the B-side of the "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" single. The single, the band's tenth in the United States, peaked at number nine position on the Billboard charts, with "She Knows Me Too Well" in its own right placing at number 101 in Billboard and number 93 in Cash Box. The song was treated as the A-side at Vancouver's popular CFUN station and reached number seven locally.[ citation needed ]

The song was also released in the United Kingdom, again as the B-side of the "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" single, which was the band's sixth there. The single didn't fare as well, but still peaked at number 27 on the charts.

Cash Box described it as "a captivating cha cha beat romancer that's...sure to please the kids." [10]

American rock band Stone Temple Pilots recorded a cover version of the song during the sessions for their 1994 album Purple. This version of the song was included on the band's 2019 "Super Deluxe" version of the album.

Personnel

Track details courtesy of session archivist Craig Slowinski. [11]

The Beach Boys

Additional personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>The Beach Boys Christmas Album</i> 1964 studio album by The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys' Christmas Album is the seventh studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released November 9, 1964 on Capitol Records. It contains five original songs and seven standards on a Christmas theme. The album proved to be a long-running success during subsequent Christmas seasons, initially reaching No. 6 on Billboard's Christmas LP's chart in its initial release and eventually going gold. Music historian James Perone wrote that it is "regarded as one of the finest holiday albums of the rock era".

<i>The Beach Boys Today!</i> 1965 album by the Beach Boys

The Beach Boys Today! is the eighth studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released March 8, 1965 on Capitol Records. It signaled a departure from their previous records with its orchestral sound, intimate subject matter, and abandonment of car or surf songs. Side one features an uptempo sound, while side two consists mostly of introspective ballads. Supported by this thematic approach, the record became an early example of a rock concept album and established the group as album artists rather than just a singles band. It has since become regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help Me, Rhonda</span> 1965 song by the Beach Boys

"Help Me, Rhonda" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys, appearing first on their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today! and subsequently in re-recorded form on the following 1965 album Summer Days . It was written by Brian Wilson, with additional lyrics by Mike Love. Unlike many other songs by the band from this period, "Help Me, Rhonda" features a lead vocal sung by Al Jardine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss Me, Baby</span> 1965 single by The Beach Boys

"Kiss Me, Baby" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it was issued as the B-side of the group's "Help Me, Rhonda" single on April 5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Please Let Me Wonder</span> 1965 single by the Beach Boys

"Please Let Me Wonder" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it was the first song Wilson wrote under the influence of marijuana. The lyrics are about a man who does not know if a girl loves him and is afraid of learning the answer, and so he prefers to fantasize that she does. On February 15, the song was issued as the B-side to their "Do You Wanna Dance?" single before the album's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Timin' (The Beach Boys song)</span> 1979 single by the Beach Boys

"Good Timin’" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys and the second single from their 1979 album L.A. . It is one of the few songs jointly credited to Brian and Carl Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friends (The Beach Boys song)</span> 1968 single by the Beach Boys

"Friends" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1968 album Friends. It was written by Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson and Al Jardine. Sung by Carl, the song was recorded in waltz time. "Friends" was the first single from the album of the same name and has since been described as a "cult favorite."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)</span> 1964 single by the Beach Boys

"When I Grow Up " is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the lyrics describe a boy who is anxious of when he stops being a teenager, pondering such questions as "Will I love my wife for the rest of my life?" The song was first issued as a single, with the B-side "She Knows Me Too Well", on August 24, 1964. It peaked at number 9 in the US, number 27 in the UK, and number 1 in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance, Dance, Dance (The Beach Boys song)</span> 1964 single by The Beach Boys

"Dance, Dance, Dance" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album Beach Boys Today!. Written by Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Mike Love, it was first issued as a single in October 1964, backed with "The Warmth of the Sun". "Dance, Dance, Dance" marked Carl's first recognized writing contribution to a Beach Boys single, his contribution being the song's primary guitar riff and solo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Honey (The Beach Boys song)</span> 1967 single by The Beach Boys

"Wild Honey" is a song recorded by the American rock band the Beach Boys. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it was released as the lead single from their 1967 album Wild Honey, with the B-side of the single being "Wind Chimes". The single peaked at number 31 in the U.S. and number 29 in the U.K.

"Wendy" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band the Beach Boys. It was released on their 1964 album All Summer Long and was also featured on their EP, Four by The Beach Boys.

"Don't Back Down" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys and the final track on their 1964 album All Summer Long. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the lyrics describe a group of surfers who "don't back down from that wave", explaining that they "gotta be a little nuts" to show the girls "who's got guts". It was the group's last surfing-themed song until 1968's "Do It Again".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm So Young</span>

"I'm So Young" is a song written by William H. "Prez" Tyus, Jr., of Cincinnati, Ohio. First recorded by the Students, the song has received cover versions by Rosie and the Originals, the Del-Vikings, Benjy Ferree, the Beach Boys, Naomi Wilson, and, as "So Young," by the Ronettes, Antony and the Johnsons, and the Devil Dogs.

"Don't Hurt My Little Sister" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!. Written by Brian Wilson with additional lyrics by Mike Love, it was inspired by Wilson's interactions with sisters Marilyn, Diane, and Barbara Rovell. It was produced on June 22, 1964, making it the earliest-recorded song on the album.

"Let Him Run Wild" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album Summer Days . Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it was issued as the B-side to "California Girls" and was one of the first songs that Wilson wrote while under the influence of marijuana.

"Girl Don't Tell Me" is a song written by Brian Wilson for the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on July 5, 1965, on the album Summer Days . It was later included as the B-side of the group's single "Barbara Ann", which was released on December 20, 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livin' with a Heartache</span> 1980 single by The Beach Boys

"Livin' with a Heartache" is a song written by Carl Wilson and Randy Bachman for the American rock band the Beach Boys, one of two collaborations between the two writers. It was recorded from August 27–29 at Bachman's home studio known as "The Barn" in Lynden, Washington with two further sessions at Rumbo Studios in November and December 1979. "Livin' with a Heartache" was released on the Beach Boys' 1980 album Keepin' the Summer Alive and was subsequently released with a truncated 3:05 mix as a single backed with "Santa Ana Winds" which failed to chart in the US.

"All Dressed Up for School" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys that was recorded in 1964 during the early sessions for their album The Beach Boys Today!. Written by Brian Wilson, the lyrics express the narrator's newfound fascination with a girl after realizing "what a turn on" she is in school clothes. It is one of the last original tracks the group recorded as a small ensemble rock band before entering their orchestral phase.

<i>Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)</i> 1965 studio album by the Beach Boys

Summer Days is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on July 5, 1965, on Capitol. The band's previous album, The Beach Boys Today!, represented a departure for the group through its abandonment of themes related to surfing, cars, and teenage love, but it sold below Capitol's expectations. In response, the label pressured the group to produce bigger hits. Summer Days thus returned the band's music to simpler themes for one last album, with Brian Wilson combining Capitol's commercial demands with his artistic calling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guess I'm Dumb</span> 1965 single by Glen Campbell

"Guess I'm Dumb" is a song recorded by American singer Glen Campbell that was released as his seventh single on Capitol Records on June 7, 1965. Written by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman, it is a love song that describes a man who regrets ending a relationship after he realizes he still harbors deep feelings for his former lover. The single failed to chart.

References

  1. 1 2 Greenwald, Matthew. "She Knows Me Too Well". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  2. 1 2 Badman, Keith. The Beach Boys. The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band: On Stage and in the Studio Backbeat Books, San Francisco, California, 2004. ISBN   0-87930-818-4 p. 63
  3. Wilson, Brian; Greenman, Ben (2016). I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir. Da Capo Press. p. 191. ISBN   978-0-306-82307-7.
  4. Benci, Jacopo (January 1995). "Brian Wilson interview". Record Collector. UK (185).
  5. 1 2 Interrante, Scott (June 19, 2014). "When I Grow Up: The Beach Boys - "She Knows Me Too Well"" . Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  6. Leaf, David (1990). Today/Summer Days (CD Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records.
  7. Slowinski, Craig (2008), The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today!, pp. 35–36.
  8. Slowinski, Craig (2008), The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today!, p. 35.
  9. Sea Of Tunes, 1998, "Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 7 (1964): The Alternate "Beach Boys Today" Album Vol. 1", Luxembourg.
  10. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 29, 1964. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  11. Slowinski, Craig (2014). Keep an Eye On Summer 1964 (Digital Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records. Mirror