Today/Summer Days & Summer Nights (+B-Sides)

The Beach Boys | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B00000B9AZ
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #172,246 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Do You Wanna Dance

2. Good to My Baby

3. Don't Hurt My Little Sister

4. When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)

5. Help Me, Rhonda [LP Version]

6. Dance, Dance, Dance

7. Please Let Me Wonder

8. I'm So Young

9. Kiss Me Baby

10. She Knows Me Too Well

11. In the Back of My Mind

12. Bull Session with "Big Daddy"

13. The Girl from New York City

14. Amusement Parks, U.S.A.

15. Then I Kissed Her

16. Salt Lake City

17. Girl Don't Tell Me

18. Help Me, Rhonda [Single Version]

19. California Girls

20. Let Him Run Wild

See all 29 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Digitally remastered 1998 two-on-one reissue on Capitol ofthese two top five albums the label originally released in1965. Features a 24 page booklet with previously unreleasedphotos & extended liner notes, original cover art and atotal of 29 cuts, includi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Genius ---- Brian Wilson Reaching His Peak, August 29, 2000

By 

paperbackriter (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Today/Summer Days & Summer Nights (+B-Sides) (Audio CD)

Absolutely the best two-fer in the Beach Boys' catalog, "Today/ Summer Days and Nights", is sheer testimony to the genius that is Brian Wilson. This is Brian and the Boys flexing their musical muscle in 1965, going head to head with the Beatles, preparing to shatter the boundaries of pop music with the release of "Pet Sounds" the following year.

It is interesting, in hindsight, to hear the band's rapid development on tracks such as "Let Him Run Wild" and "When I Grow Up". The sophistication of these songs, as well as the startling single "The Little Girl I Once Knew", utterly confused the teenyboppers back in '65. In retrospect, however, it's obvious that Brian was headed for higher ground. Side Two of "Today" (tracks 7 -11) is practically a preview of "Pet Sounds". The lush orchrestration and mature lyrical themes of "I'm So Young" and "Kiss Me Baby" far exceeded anything the band had ever attempted. Side Two's crown jewels, however, are the ballads "Please Let Me Wonder" and "She Knows Me Too Well". Melodic and hauntingly beautiful, both songs would have fit perfectly on "Pet Sounds".

Other highlights include "California Girls" -- so familiar now it's often considered the Boys' signature tune. Listen, however, to its semi-classical introduction and try to imagine how innovative it must have sounded in 1965. Heck, it's hard to imagine any current artist attempting to tackle such an ambitious musical interlude! Equally cool is the Beatlesque "Girl Don't Tell Me" which features Carl Wilson's first lead vocal (stellar of course..) and some killer drum fills. The hooky "You're So Good To Me" is the hit single that never was. (Just about every Beach Boys album contains one of those!) Casual and hardcore fans alike will get a kick out of comparing the album cut "Help Me, Ronda" (note the strange spelling) with the remake "Help Me Rhonda" which reached #1 on the singles chart. If nothing else, the startling transformation of "Rhonda" proves how hard Brian was willing to work in order to perfect his craft.

"Today/Summer Days and Nights" is a remarkable document of a band just reaching its artistic peak. Like Dylan's "Highway 61" and the Beatles' "Rubber Soul" (which ironically inspired Brian to tackle "Pet Sounds"), "Today" was a mere springboard for better things yet to come. However, the thrill of actually hearing an artist developing the confidence that leads to such greatness is a rare experience indeed. This is a must for any serious music fan. Great Stuff !!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime and captivating, April 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Today/Summer Days & Summer Nights (+B-Sides) (Audio CD)

"The Beach Boys Today!" may very well be the best album the Beach Boys ever recorded. Not as special as "Pet Sounds," it also features a greater variety of music. Ranging from the "hit sounds" of "Dance, Dance, Dance," to moody, passionate ballads such as "Kiss Me, Baby" and "In The Back Of My Mind," this record manages to encapsulate everything that made the Beach Boys such a great band all those years ago. The only clinkers are two: the original "Help Me, Ronda," which is totally slaughtered by the later single version, and "Bull Session With Big Daddy," which, coming after five straight ballads, seriously shatters the mood (and is boring after the first time you hear it). Without those two tracks, there would have been no question about this record's greatness; as it is, it's still a contender.

"Summer Days" just isn't as groundbreaking, and most of the songs aren't as good either, but they do measure up to the high standards set by previous "Fun in the sun" albums like "Surfer Girl" and "All Summer Long." It's still pleasing to the ears, and "Let Him Run Wild" is one of the best songs in the Beach Boys' whole catalog; it's more obviously sophisticated in its melody and arrangement than the entire previous album. Brian's recent remake (on "Imagination") in no way measures up to this one.

To round out the package, we have a handful of very good bonus tracks. For now, this CD is the one to get, until the material is reissued again; it belongs in the collection of every serious fan of modern pop and rock.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You can't go wrong, June 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Today/Summer Days & Summer Nights (+B-Sides) (Audio CD)

If for no other reason, than the value and economy of all the great music, plus well-done liner notes, you can't go wrong buying "Today"/"Summer Days (and Summer Nights)" - a wonderful two-fer featuring more Beach Boys magic just prior to "Pet Sounds."

Wilson's creative genius and production skills are growing in leaps and bounds as can be heard on, well, the entire album - but although some of the songs are very moving and emotional ("She Knows Me Too Well," "Kiss Me Baby," etc.) we still get some fun stuff here ("Dance, Dance, Dance," "Help Me Rhonda," "And Then I Kissed Her," etc.), and some music that's just downright silly ("Amusement Parks USA," "I'm Bugged at My Old Man,") - nevertheless, its all great.

There just isn't enough great Beach Boys music with Brian Wilson at the helm - as the dominating force of the group before he gave up the production reins, and eventually any interest and input in the Beach Boys whatsoever. I guess every artist must have a "rise" and "fall," but this cd tracks Wilson and the Beach Boys on their way up to the apex of 1966/67 - the peak of the Boy's commercial and creative success ("Pet Sounds," the "Good Vibrations" single, and the unreleased "SMiLE"), and let me tell you, its a very enjoyable ride.