I Get Around

by

The Beach Boys

Album: All Summer Long      Released: 1964

US Chart: 1     UK Chart: 7

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Like most early Beach Boys songs, this does not have deep lyrical content. It's a fun song about a teenage lifestyle featuring friends, girls and cars.

This was The Beach Boys first #1 in their own country ("Surfin' Safari" went to #1 in Sweden 2 years earlier). Father-manager Murry Wilson and therefore his beleaguered son Brian despaired over not hitting the top spot in the US, coming off second best first to the Four Seasons through 1962 and into '63, then to Jan & Dean when they got to #1 that summer with "Surf City" - a song Brian Wilson wrote - and then into 1964 with the Beatles took over.

This was released as a double A-side single in May 1964 with "Don't Worry Baby." It is considered one of the best ever single releases along with "Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever" by The Beatles and "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley. It was rated fifth biggest seller of 1964 by both Billboard and Cash Box - indicating close to 2 million US units sold - though it was another 18 years before Capitol submitted it to the RIAA for auditing (the only other Beach Boys single the label did this for was "Good Vibrations").

This was The Beach Boys real breakthrough in the UK, reaching #7 in a chart that for months had seen only British faces. It was effusively pushed by Mick Jagger on British TV's Juke Box Jury and he personally circulated copies of it to the UK's independent pirate radio stations offshore. It was also #1 in Canada and New Zealand.

Fuzzed and reverbed guitar were demonstrated on this way before anyone else in Rock, but too subtly for the general public to notice. It was about 3 years later that fuzz and reverb became a huge deal from the amplifiers of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards. (thanks, Gary - Auckland, New Zealand, for above 4)

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Comments:

Hey the chili peppers coverd this song
- Lyle, farmington,

Paul McCartney said Brian Wilson's "God Only Knows" was the greatest song ever recorded. Also he was inspired to begin development of "Sargent Pepper" after listening to the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" considered by many one of the greatest albums ever. Keith Moons favourite song was Don't Worry Baby the "B" side to I Get Around. I could go on about the influence the Beach Boys had and still have in music. The Beach Boys also captured a time and place, Southern California with the cars, the surf and the girls something many of us just dreamed of.
- Alan, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

This is the Best Beach Boys sounding production... it's Brian's best production of all time, in my opinion...the public loved it too..no.1 for 4 straight weeks!
- steve dotstar, los angeles, CA

My buddies and me are getting real well known The bad guys know us and they leave us alone This lyric perfectly sums up my last two years of high school.No way I could front off being a thug and a bad guy.But I held my own and got respect from the little gangsters!
- Doug, Oakland, CA

This song was very well placed in the 80's kid movie, 'Flight of the Navigator', in a scene when the main character was flying around in a flying saucer type of vehicle.....I recall that scene with this song playing all these years later.
- Rob, stamford, CT

LOL So true, Charlie! Here's to simplicity! Mike, your written English is as good, if not better, than most who claim English is their first language! "I get around" means they cruise ALL over town (or at least wherever the fun is). "Around" in this song means the here and there and wherever, like "around town." Hopefully that helps. :)
- Dennis, Moses Lake, WA

The lack of comments are probably due to the fact that there are no controversial lyrics to debate the meaning of. Suffice to say, it IS a great song.
- Charlie, Cape Girardeau, MO

A great song "but" the B side is better!!! Don't Worry Baby. The greatest Beach Boys song ever!!!!
- Alan, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada

I really, really love this song. It is so an awsome song. really very catchy. lots of melody and things and very good too. the best song by the beachboys (my favorite by them). I also like very much ''be true to your school'' ALOT. anyway I dont know what he means by ¨i get around`` ? like, i get around, ok, but around WHAT??? if some kind person would explain to me... SORRY ABOUT MY ENGLISH.
- mike, ottawa, Canada

One of the outstanding pop singles of all time.
- Pete, NY, NY

Used in the movie "Three Kings". Just got into the Beach boys, and am glad.
- Linus, Hamilton, ON, Canada

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