Kiss Me, Baby

Last updated
"Kiss Me, Baby"
Kiss Me, Baby - The Beach Boys.jpg
Single by the Beach Boys
from the album The Beach Boys Today!
A-side "Help Me, Rhonda"
ReleasedApril 5, 1965
RecordedDecember 16, 1964 –January 15, 1965
Studio Western, Hollywood
Genre Pop [1]
Length2:35
Label Capitol
Composer(s) Brian Wilson
Lyricist(s)
Producer(s) Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys singles chronology
"Do You Wanna Dance?"
(1965)		"Kiss Me, Baby"
(1965)		"California Girls"
(1965)
Audio sample

"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. [2]

Contents

Overview

"Kiss Me, Baby" is about a quarrel between the narrator and his lover, and his attempt to repair their relationship. [3] Wilson was inspired to write "Kiss Me, Baby" while walking around a red light district in Copenhagen. [4] He composed it at his hotel room there on November 14, 1964, days after proposing to singer Marilyn Rovell. [5] Love said that the "wistful bass line ... led to my lyrics about a guy who has a disagreement with his girlfriend, even though they can't even remember what they fought about, leaving them both brokenhearted." [6]

The arrangement features basses, guitars, saxophone, pianos, vibraphone, drums, and temple blocks—the sound of the latter percussion soon became a signature for Wilson– [7] as well as English horn and French horn. [8] Doo-wop style background vocals sing "Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit" repetitively throughout the chorus and outro. [9] Love described the "R&B, doo-wop, bass thing" as an "'In the Still of the Night' type vibe". [10] Journalist Scott Interrante interpreted this part of the lyric as implying that the narrator "knows the on-again/off-again relationship should remain off. But this doesn’t stop him from wondering, as he lies awake at sunrise, 'Are you still awake like me?'" [8]

Biographer Mark Dillon cited it as "a ballad that pleaded for the romantic reconciliation [Wilson] anticipated with Marilyn." [7] Conversely, Interrante said that it "doesn’t seem to lyrically parallel Brian Wilson’s personal life at the time ... For an album whose songs are so concerned with the future—whether worrying about it or anticipating it—'Kiss Me, Baby' is an odd man out, focusing on coming to terms with the present." [8]

Recording

The song was recorded over two dates at Western Recorders, both produced by Brian Wilson. The instrumental track was recorded on December 16, 1964, with Chuck Britz engineering. The vocals were overdubbed on January 15, 1965. [11] It has the distinction of being the only track on Today! whose recording spanned before and after Wilson's nervous breakdown in late December 1964. [12]

Critical reception

Thomas Ward of AllMusic praised "Kiss Me, Baby" as a product of Wilson's "dense, multi-layered confessional songs, with adult themes and exploring issues previously only developed by performers such as Bob Dylan". [13] Interrante described it as among Wilson's "most interesting compositions" in addition to containing "some of the thickest and most beautiful harmonies the group had pulled off up to that point." [8] Biographer Jon Stebbins praised "Kiss Me, Baby" as "the pinnacle of balladry", one of the group's "most romantic and emotional songs", and "a mammoth artistic achievement". [8] Billboard described "Kiss Me, Baby" as "good ballad material with strong arrangement and vocal performances." [14] Cash Box described it as "a tender, slow-moving moody ballad which effectively blends in snatches of harmony and counterpoint." [15]

Variations

Personnel

Per band archivist Craig Slowinski. [17]

The Beach Boys
Additional musicians and production staff

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Girls</span> 1965 song by the Beach Boys

"California Girls" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album Summer Days . Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the lyrics detail an appreciation for women across the world, but how they don't compare to women from California, the band's home state. It was released as a single, backed with "Let Him Run Wild", and reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a top 10 hit in several other countries, becoming one of the band's most successful songs globally.

<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">Wouldn't It Be Nice</span> 1966 single by the Beach Boys

"Wouldn't It Be Nice" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys and the opening track from their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Written by Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, and Mike Love, it is distinguished for its sophisticated Wall of Sound-style arrangement and refined vocal performances, and is regarded among the band's finest songs. With its juxtaposition of joyous-sounding music and melancholic lyrics, it is considered a formative work of power pop, and with respect to musical innovation, progressive pop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do You Want to Dance</span> 1958 song by Bobby Freeman

"Do You Want to Dance" is a song written by American singer Bobby Freeman and recorded by him in 1958. It reached number No. 5 on the United States Billboard Top 100 Sides pop chart and No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. Cliff Richard and the Shadows' version of the song reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom in 1962, despite being a B-side. The Beach Boys notably covered the song in 1965 for their album The Beach Boys Today!. Retitled "Do You Wanna Dance?", their version reached No. 12 in the United States. A 1972 cover by Bette Midler with the original title restored reached No. 17.

<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">I'm Waiting for the Day</span> 1966 song by the Beach Boys

"I'm Waiting for the Day" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Written primarily by Brian Wilson, the lyrics describe a man who is "waiting for the day" when the woman he loves will be ready to commit to a relationship with him. Wilson, alongside co-author Mike Love, are the only Beach Boys who appear on the recording.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Here Today (The Beach Boys song)</span> 1966 song by the Beach Boys

"Here Today" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, the lyric warns the listener of inevitable heartbreak before the narrator reveals himself to be the ex-boyfriend of the listener's newfound love. Musically, the song features an uncommon formal structure, the use of electric bass guitar as a lead instrument, and a 20-bar length instrumental break.

<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 (To Be a Man)" 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, it was first issued as a single on August 24, 1964, paired with the B-side "She Knows Me Too Well". It peaked at number 9 in the U.S., number 27 in the UK, and number 1 in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She Knows Me Too Well</span> 1964 single by The Beach Boys

"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. It was released on the 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!, initially serving as the B-side of their "When I Grow Up " single in 1964. It was one of the first songs that Brian wrote while under the influence of marijuana.

"Wonderful" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1967 album Smiley Smile and their unfinished Smile project. Written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks, it was their only collaboration that resulted in a love song, telling the story of a young girl's sexual awakening and its disruption of her devotion to God and her parents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deirdre (song)</span> 1971 single by the Beach Boys

"Deirdre" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1970 album Sunflower. Written primarily by Bruce Johnston, it is a love song named after the sister of one of his ex-girlfriends, and is one of his two main song contributions on the album, the other being "Tears in the Morning". Johnston stated that co-writer Brian Wilson's contributions were limited to a few lyrics.

<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">California Saga/California</span> 1973 single by the Beach Boys

"California Saga/California" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their January 1973 album Holland. It was written by Al Jardine and is the third and final part of the "California Saga" series of songs on Holland. In May 1973, a remixed version was issued as a single under the title "California Saga ".

"Good to My Baby" is a song composed by Brian Wilson with words by Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys.

"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.

"In the Back of My Mind" 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, it is a heavily orchestrated ballad composed in 6/8 time. Dennis Wilson largely sings lead solo though briefly during the middle eight, his brothers Brian and Carl sing two lines in unison.

"Goin' On" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1980 album Keepin' the Summer Alive. The single reached number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<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.

"Sherry She Needs Me" is a song written in 1965 by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman for the American rock band the Beach Boys. The recording was not released until decades later. As a solo artist in 1998, Wilson completed the song with lyric changes by Carole Bayer Sager; it was renamed "She Says That She Needs Me" and released on his album Imagination.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Fine, Jason (2004). "The Beach Boys". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 46–49. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  2. ↑ Badman 2004, p. 89.
  3. ↑ O'Regan 2014, pp. 115, 210.
  4. ↑ Gaines 1986, p. 118.
  5. ↑ Badman 2004, p. 73.
  6. ↑ Love 2016, p. 112.
  7. 1 2 Dillon 2012, p. 40.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Interrante, Scott (June 2, 2014). "When I Grow Up: The Beach Boys – "Kiss Me, Baby"". PopMatters .
  9. ↑ O'Regan 2014, pp. 210, 255.
  10. ↑ Beard, David (March 8, 2022). "THE BEACH BOYS TODAY". thebeachboys.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  11. ↑ Badman 2004.
  12. ↑ Badman 2004, p. 82.
  13. ↑ Ward, Thomas. "Kiss Me, Baby". AllMusic.
  14. ↑ "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. April 10, 1965. p. 48. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  15. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. April 10, 1965. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  16. ↑ Dillon 2012, p. 43.
  17. ↑ Slowinski, Craig (2007). "The Beach Boys- The Beach Boys Today!" (PDF). Retrieved April 4, 2019.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.