Customer Reviews

Endless Summer

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the perfect title for a Beach Boys retrospective. These songs are constants of the oldies-radio format, especially during the summer. All of those sixties-sounding songs (classic, to the point of being nearly cliche) are here: "Surfin' Safari" "Catch A Wave" "Surfer Girl" "Surfin' U.S.A." "Shut Down" "Little Deuce Coupe" "California Girls" "I Get Around" and so on. If it was about Waves, Women, or Wheels and it had perfect harmony, it's probably on this album. And there are just enough songs dealing with semi-adult themes ("In My Room" "Don't Worry Baby" "Girl Don't Tell Me" "When I Grow Up To Be A Man"), that the whole package doesn't get stale. A couple of omissions are "Surfin'" (recorded before the Beach Boys signed with Capitol) and "Surf City," which Brian Wilson gave to Jan and Dean. "Barbara Ann" seems like is should have been here, and the version of "Help Me, Rhonda" that's included here is not the hit single we heard on the airwaves. But considering "Good Vibrations" was added to the CD release, all is forgiven. True-to-the-core fans of The Beach Boys and Surf music will want to go deeper ("Spirit Of America" is another great compilation for this purpose). But if you want just the cream of their output, all you really need to buy are "Pet Sounds" and this album. No matter what you're doing or where you might be, with "Endless Summer," you have the sun, the sand, and the surf (and maybe even a babe)! Who could ask for more?

Yes, this is all it's cracked up to be. The Beach Boys were producing tremendous music in the 1970's, much different stuff than what is on Endless Summer. The problem was it wasn't selling!

Along came perhaps the best greatest hits album of all-time in this masterpiece and the group was back in the mainstream. Many people not old enough in the 1960's to become fans were introduced to the band through "Endless Summer". I was one of them.

This album and it had a tremendous impact on me. Prior to purchasing "Endless Summer", I had heard bits and pieces of the Beach Boys' tunes, mostly their hits. The other songs on "Endless Summer" I hadn't heard, like "Wendy", "Don't Worry Baby", and "Girls on the Beach" simply blew me away.

Don't pass this over as simple surf music. The Wilsons, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston, wrote some sophisticated harmonies. The singing on this album is tremendous, and if you have any ounce of nostalgia and romance in your life, this album will grab you.

It's not just a greatest hits package, it's a music compilation for the ages. It hooked me on the group forever.

I was there and I can tell you: THIS is a GREAT Beach Boys CD! The mid-sixties belonged to the unusual magic of the Twist, Elvis Presley and Surf Music! Jan and Dean, The Ventures, and the greatest of them all, The Beach Boys. There were good folk music songs back then which also had great harmonies but none better than the Beach Boys! This excellent compilation has just about all of the great sounds of those wonderful years. Thanks, studio guys, for the excellent recording transfer to CD. These songs are correct for a sample of the Beach Boys' dynasty years. I Get Around! Surfin U.S.A! In My Room! Fun Fun Fun! Surfer Girl! Don't Worry Baby! California Girls! Good Vibrations! All originals, all high fidelity! (I would have liked to ride my Honda tonight) If it's been a while, buy this priceless CD and catch a wave!

Besides "Made In U.S.A." this is the second best of the Beach Boys greatest hits albums which there are plenty of. I just think "Made In U.S.A." was better because it featured songs from Pet Sounds. This album has a good format though. Having "Shut Down", "Fun Fun Fun" and "I Get Around" back to back to back is a great trio. Ending the album with "Good Vibrations" was cool but I think ending it with "All Summer Long" cause the album is "Endless Summer" and "All Summer Long" is the end of the summer. The album is over all very good. "Warmth of the sun" is a great song. The album is really worth it. Any true Beach Boys fan deserves this album.

Let's go surfin' now
Everybody's learning how
Come on and safari with me
(Come on and safari with...)

Early in the morning we'll be startin out
Some honeys will be comin' along
We're loadin' up my woody
with the boards inside
and heading out singing our song

Come on (surf route) baby wait and see (surfin' safari)
Yes I'm gonna (surf route) take you surfin' (surfin' safari) with me
Come along (surf route) baby wait and see (surfin' safari)
Yes I'm gonna (surf route) take you surfin' (surfin' safari) with me

Let's go surfin' now
Everybody's learning how
Come on and safari with me

Now, at the risk of sounding so schmaltzy that I get 10,000 negative votes for just this one review, I have to admit that this CD brings back a LOT of fond memories for me. Although I was too young to listen to The Beach Boys in the early 1960's, I still grew up listening to the album throughout the 1970's. All of us kids at school would ache for the next dance night when we'd all show up and dance to these great songs. We never wanted to stop dancing when we heard these awesome songs; and when one of the teachers chaperoning the dance would look at us he would smile when he saw us having fun, too. They were beautifully written songs then; and they're equally beautiful songs now.

The set of tracks on this album displays the remarkable versatility of The Beach Boys. They could sing about the excitement of a youthful summer romance ("All Summer Long,") the allure of the opposite sex ("California Girls,") the machismo pride of being a big man on campus ("Be True To Your School,") and even the risk factors in love and the possible end of a love affair with the song "Don't Worry Baby."

Ever since The Beach Boys wrote "Good Vibrations" and performed it for the first time, people have gone wild over it! It's an awesome song that even by itself highlights the talents and versatility of the group. Listen to the song. You will hear it consistently alternating between the sounds of a somewhat more traditional type of ballad with the racier, quasi-psychedelic sounds that were just beginning to permeate music in the mid 1960's. Love it!

The quality of the sound is excellent and the cover art is great. The pictures of the men within nature symbolize for me both the emotional freedom to experience love and the natural sex drive men have for their women. The liner notes have the song credits but the lyrics are not here. I wished there were an essay about The Beach Boys, especially for new fans of the group. Unfortunately, you won't find one in the liner notes; I guess this is a minor disappointment, though.

Overall, this is SOME GREAT CD to pick for your first "Beach Boys" CD! It really highlights some of their very best work. I agree with other reviewers that it is not comprehensive by itself and if you want to get more Beach Boy CDs I would try Pet Sounds for your next CD.

I highly recommend this CD for fans of The Beach Boys (obviously), people who want to try out a Beach Boys CD, fans of pop as well as the bands from the 1960's in general. A keeper! SMILE

I am an original fan of the Beach Boys and the Beatles. The first two albums I ever bought at age 13 were Meet The Beatles and Surfer Girl. After all these years, when I want to listen to the Beach Boys, I always grab Endless Summer. There have been many compilations of Beach Boys Hits over the years, but none come close to this, even the new Sounds of Summer. Endless Summer stayed within that early three year period and the programming of the album is perfect(even though they used the inferior LP version of Help Me Ronda). It is still the best Beach Boys album of old material.

I am only 23, but I have grown up listening to this album. First on vinyl, then as my very first casette tape, and finally on CD. The Beach Boys became my favorite band of all time, via this album, and I have never been able to find a better compiliation of their greatest hits. Every other album seems to be missing some of their most well-known songs. This is truly the best Beach Boys album ever made. It is a must. It's just unfortunate it is also incredibly hard to find!

Released back in the 70's, this historic and important compilation introduced The Beach Boys to new a generation of fans. Totally essential to your rock music library. The original Lp's did not contain "Good Vibrations", a song bursting with such creative power it perhaps remain unmatched in popular music since.

This is the first album I bought with my own money. I already was a Beach Boys fan, but this gave me an overview of their music about sun & surf and hot rods. I couldn't listen to it enough. This southern California girl wasn't even born when the Beach Boys first got together, so the southern California romanticism really knocked me out. Brian Wilson's beautiful, harmonic arrangements just constantly put a smile on my face.

While there is so much more to Beach Boys music than the simpler, carefree fare compiled on this album, it's a great introduction to anyone who's been hooked by the Beach Boys sound.

The album and original CD (which i have) is great. One of the best collections of the BB's. However this MP3 offering by Amazon is not what I have. As they are listed here some of the stereo versions have been replaced with mono. Why do they have to mess with a known good thing?
The songs 'In My Room' and 'Surfer Girl' are fantastic in stereo.
Granted some songs are in mono because they were the early Beach Boys.
Here are the stereo versions from the original CD that are now offered in mono on this faux Endless Summer.

Surfer Girl
The Warmth Of The Sun
Be True To Your School
Little Deuce Coupe
In My Room
Wendy
Don't Worry Baby

**UPDATE**
After listening to the samples here I noticed the mono/stereo labeling is all messed up (as of 8/26/10). Some labeled as mono are stereo and vice versa. In any case it is not like the original.
I don't know how Amazon gets their mp3 samples or who labels them but they got this one really messed up.
Always listen to the samples before you buy.