Friends (The Beach Boys album)
Encyclopedia
Friends is the fourteenth studio album
by The Beach Boys
, released in 1968.
As work on the album began in February 1968, Mike Love
, a recent convert to transcendental meditation
(TM), departed on a two week trip to India
(alongside The Beatles
and Donovan
) to study TM further with his new master, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
. In his absence, the remaining Beach Boys – Brian Wilson
, Dennis Wilson
, Carl Wilson
, Al Jardine
, and (now an official member) Bruce Johnston
– recorded the bulk of Friends along with selected members of The Wrecking Crew
.
Friends was the first Beach Boys album to feature significant songwriting contributions from Dennis Wilson, "Little Bird" and "Be Still"; the former's bridge incorporated elements of "Child Is the Father of the Man", a then-unreleased song from the aborted Smile
. Although production was credited to the group as a whole, this was the band's last album until 1976's 15 Big Ones
to feature Brian Wilson as a dominant creative force, writing or co-writing every song with the exception of "Be Still" (he went uncredited on "Little Bird" so that Dennis and Stephen Kainich could collect more royalties), and actively participating in recording sessions.
In mid-March, Mike Love returned from his TM retreat and contributed to the subsequent vocal sessions, with leads on the brief "Meant for You", which opens the album, and the understated "Anna Lee, the Healer", who was in reality a spiritual healer and not a masseuse as has been claimed (that was Marcella, on a later album). Almost immediately, the Beach Boys embarked on two US tours, one with the Strawberry Alarm Clock
, and another with, most controversially, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
himself (as a lecturer). Both were commercial failures, and were swiftly canceled (after they famously drew only 200 people in New York City
).
The first Beach Boys album to be released only in stereo (and their first release in true stereo since 1964's The Beach Boys' Christmas Album
), Friends was issued in June. It reached only #126 on American charts, as an indication of the band's depleted commercial fortunes at the time, but its later UK release was more popular, reaching #13.
" replace "Diamond Head" on side two.
The Japanese release of Friends added "Do It Again" as the first song on side two.
Friends is now paired on CD with the Beach Boys' 1969 album 20/20
, along with bonus tracks from that period. Bonus tracks include their hit single "Break Away", as well as "Celebrate the News", "We're Together Again", "Walk on By", and a medley of "Old Folks at Home / Ol' Man River".
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
, released in 1968.
As work on the album began in February 1968, Mike Love
Mike Love
Michael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter and musician with The Beach Boys. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine, and continues to perform with the band to the present day...
, a recent convert to transcendental meditation
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation refers to the Transcendental Meditation technique, a specific form of mantra meditation, and to the Transcendental Meditation movement, a spiritual movement...
(TM), departed on a two week trip to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(alongside The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
) to study TM further with his new master, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
. In his absence, the remaining Beach Boys – Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, Dennis Wilson
Dennis Wilson
Dennis Carl Wilson was an American rock and roll musician best known as a founding member and the drummer of The Beach Boys. He was a member of the group from its formation until his death in 1983...
, Carl Wilson
Carl Wilson
Carl Dean Wilson was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys...
, Al Jardine
Al Jardine
Alan Charles "Al" Jardine is a founding member of top-selling American music group The Beach Boys, a guitarist and occasional lead vocalist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life:...
, and (now an official member) Bruce Johnston
Bruce Johnston
Bruce Arthur Johnston is a member of The Beach Boys and a songwriter, remembered especially for composing "I Write the Songs". Johnston was not one of the original members of the band...
– recorded the bulk of Friends along with selected members of The Wrecking Crew
The Wrecking Crew (music)
The Wrecking Crew was a nickname coined by the drummer Hal Blaine after the fact for a group of session musicians in Los Angeles, California, who earned wide acclaim in the 1960s. They backed dozens of popular singers, and were one of the most successful "groups" of studio musicians in music history...
.
Friends was the first Beach Boys album to feature significant songwriting contributions from Dennis Wilson, "Little Bird" and "Be Still"; the former's bridge incorporated elements of "Child Is the Father of the Man", a then-unreleased song from the aborted Smile
Smile (The Beach Boys album)
Smile is a previously unreleased album by The Beach Boys recorded throughout 1966 and 1967. The project was intended by its creator Brian Wilson as the follow-up to Pet Sounds, but was never completed in its original form...
. Although production was credited to the group as a whole, this was the band's last album until 1976's 15 Big Ones
15 Big Ones
-Singles:* "Rock And Roll Music" b/w "T M Song" , 24 May 1976 US #5; UK #36* "It's O.K." b/w "Had to Phone Ya" , 9 August 1976 US #29* "Everyone's In Love With You" b/w "Susie Cincinnati" , 1 November 1976...
to feature Brian Wilson as a dominant creative force, writing or co-writing every song with the exception of "Be Still" (he went uncredited on "Little Bird" so that Dennis and Stephen Kainich could collect more royalties), and actively participating in recording sessions.
In mid-March, Mike Love returned from his TM retreat and contributed to the subsequent vocal sessions, with leads on the brief "Meant for You", which opens the album, and the understated "Anna Lee, the Healer", who was in reality a spiritual healer and not a masseuse as has been claimed (that was Marcella, on a later album). Almost immediately, the Beach Boys embarked on two US tours, one with the Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock is a psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles best known for their 1967 hit "Incense and Peppermints". The group took its name as an homage to the Beatles' psychedelic hit "Strawberry Fields Forever", reportedly, at the suggestion of their record company Uni Records.They are...
, and another with, most controversially, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
himself (as a lecturer). Both were commercial failures, and were swiftly canceled (after they famously drew only 200 people in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
).
The first Beach Boys album to be released only in stereo (and their first release in true stereo since 1964's The Beach Boys' Christmas Album
The Beach Boys' Christmas Album
- The Musicians :* Al Jardine - guitar, vocals* Mike Love - vocals* Brian Wilson - bass guitar, vocals* Carl Wilson - guitar, vocals* Dennis Wilson - drums, vocals- Orchestra :...
), Friends was issued in June. It reached only #126 on American charts, as an indication of the band's depleted commercial fortunes at the time, but its later UK release was more popular, reaching #13.
Track listing
Foreign editions
The Australian release of Friends had "Good VibrationsGood Vibrations
"Good Vibrations" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys. Composed and produced by Brian Wilson, the song's lyrics were written by Wilson and Mike Love....
" replace "Diamond Head" on side two.
The Japanese release of Friends added "Do It Again" as the first song on side two.
Singles
- "Friends" b/w "Little Bird" (Capitol 2160), 8 April 1968 US #47; UK #25
Friends is now paired on CD with the Beach Boys' 1969 album 20/20
20/20 (The Beach Boys album)
20/20 is the sole 1969 album release by The Beach Boys, and their last studio album to be released with Capitol Records for the next seventeen years.-Recording:...
, along with bonus tracks from that period. Bonus tracks include their hit single "Break Away", as well as "Celebrate the News", "We're Together Again", "Walk on By", and a medley of "Old Folks at Home / Ol' Man River".