The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” Lyrics Meaning
There are two prevailing theories as to the meaning of this song. Which one a listener subscribes to is really based on whom he or she interprets as the addressee, i.e. the female who is giving the Boys the titular “good vibrations”. There is a popular school of thought which actually believes this lady is a euphemism for LSD, a powerful substance The Beach Boys are known to have dealt with. Indeed the psychedelic Flower Power trend of the 1960s, which this track was a part of, was heavily influenced by illicit substance use.
But considering that is not how the writers themselves have explained the song, such understanding is for the most part a conspiracy theory. Rather the title points to the general-colloquial understanding of the word vibration, as it being synonymous with an inner feeling. So basically, a “good vibration” is the same as a good feeling. And the singer is picking up these vibes, once again, from a particular female. And considering that the first verse is dedicated to him admiring the way she looks, the implication is that she is a romantic interest.
Also you can say that he’s thoroughly smitten. As a matter of fact him receiving these “good vibrations” does not necessitate actually being in her company. Rather, just the anticipation of being the recipient of her love is enough to send him to the moon. Or another way of looking at it is the psychedelic element of this song isn’t based on the singer being high on any substance. Instead he is on cloud nine due to being in love.
Conclusion
Owing to the above, we can confidently come to the conclusion that “Good Vibrations” is in fact a love song. Indeed what has put the singer on this joyous wavelength is being in love.
Writing Credits for “Good Vibrations”
This Beach Boys’ classic was written and produced by The Beach Boys’ members Mike Love and Brian Wilson. The latter went on to act as the song’s producer.
Brian Wilson has stated that his mom is the one who first introduced him, as a child, to the concept of “vibrations”.
Mike Love was not officially acknowledged for his writing contributions to this classic (specifically in composing the lyrics). That is until 1994, when he won a lawsuit to be credited for composing “Good Vibrations” in addition to other Beach Boys’ tracks he contributed to.
Release Date of “Good Vibrations”
This song was released by Capitol Records as a standalone single on 10 October 1966 (with the instrumental track “Let’s Go Away for Awhile” on its B-side).
“Good Vibrations” was first teased by The Beach Boys during July of that same year in Billboard magazine.
An Exceptional Song
“Good Vibrations” went on to become one of the most-recognizable songs in American music history. That’s another way of saying it was mega-successful in its day and is considered an indisputable classic in the rock genre. For example, as of 2011 (almost 50 years after its release) it held the number 6 spot on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also acknowledged it as one of the “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”. Moreover in 1994, it was added onto the distinguished list of exceptional tunes which make up the Grammy Hall of Fame. And this is despite not winning the 1967 Grammy which it was actually nominated for.
And in terms of its charting history, “Good Vibrations” scored a number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, it achieved the same in Malaysia, New Zealand and on the UK Singles Chart.
Also it made it into the top 10 of music charts in the 11 other countries in which it charted.
Moreover in the United States, the track was certified Gold in 1966 and Platinum in 2016, both signifying that it had sold at least a million copies.
A Very Expensive Song to Produce
At the time of its release, “Good Vibrations” held the distinction of being the most-expensive song to produce ever. This is the result of over 90 hours of audio which was recorded to be potentially used on the track which was sourced from a bunch of different recording sessions. In other words, The Beach Boys spent a whole lot of time in the studio working on this tune. And ultimately the final product utilized the tape-splicing technique, where a bunch of audios recorded at different times were made into one cohesive song. And whereas with modern technology such methods now are more or less the norm, back then it was truly innovative (and once again expensive).
Indeed up until the time “Good Vibrations” blew up, studios were not necessarily perceived as being music instruments in and of themselves. Or stated differently, up until then, few songs were written specifically for the purpose of being recorded in the studio (as opposed to being composed for live performances and then taken to the studio). Or put another way, some pundits consider this song to have significantly influenced the course of music history in regards to how studios are used.
But as for the vocals themselves, they were recorded at one location – CBS Columbia Square in Hollywood – though they did take about a month to complete in entirety.
Carl Wilson Serves as Lead Vocalist
What’s also interesting is that the reason Carl Wilson (1946-1988) went on to serve as the lead vocalist on “Good Vibrations” was because his brother and bandmate, Dennis Wilson (1944-1983), had laryngitis at the time.
Usage of Electro-Theremin
“Good Vibrations” is noted for utilizing an old-school instrument called the Electro-Theremin. In fact in the song the instrument is actually played by one of its inventors, Paul Tanner (1917-2013).
Actually, in his bio “wouldn’t it be nice”, Brian said his mother would tell him when he was a kid that dogs sometimes bark at people in response to their “bad vibrations”. So this love song is where someone gives you good vibrations.