"KOKOMO" THE BEACH BOYS (1988)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Cocktail

Sometimes we come across songs that exhibit characteristics that are core to a band’s persona, while other songs are complete departures. “Kokomo” is somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum. The most obvious Beach Boy traits in the song are the song’s theme and its vocal approach. Thematically it lived right in the band’s sweet spot. It’s a song about escapism and good times. On the vocal front, it features those beautiful, wide-spanning harmonies that the band is well known for. And that’s pretty much where the Beach Boy qualities end.

“Kokomo” is, in many ways, the antithesis of Beach Boy musicality. It’s not written by Brian Wilson, or by any other band member for that matter. In fact, Brian Wilson doesn’t even appear on the recording in any shape or form – no vocals, no instrumentation, not even the role of producer. While “Kokomo” was being conceived, Wilson was focused on a solo project, and by some accounts it seemed like the band pushed ahead with the project without waiting for his schedule to free up. It might be one of the lesser heralded songs from The Beach Boys fanbase, but the song soared up the charts and isn’t as detestable as you might expect. Look, if I had to choose between “Kokomo” and Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville”, I’ll choose “Kokomo" every single time.

“We'll put out to sea, and we'll perfect our chemistry.”

"HANG ON TO YOUR EGO" BEACH BOYS (1966)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

Few albums have the stature of Pet Sounds. That’s a true statement not just for the 60’s, but throughout time. It has set a very high bar for bands looking to do things differently and unexpectedly. That said, Pet Sounds truthfully just isn’t a favorite album of mine. But the greatest compliment I can give it is that I love many of the albums that it inspired. Much of the experimentalism that continues to happen in music simply wouldn’t be possible without the exceptionally talented Brian Wilson. One song that proves my point is “Hang On To Your Ego”, probably my favorite track from Pet Sounds.

The track sounds like it belongs under the big top. Timpanis, keyboards, banjos and even a bass harmonica give the song its circus-like feel. Throughout the track, I’m reminded of many great artists that came after The Beach Boys. The tempo change and interlude at the 1:40 mark reminds me of the instrumental cacophany of Wilco. The wide spectrum of instrumentation reminds me of Sufjan Stevens’ own versatility. And the unconventional song structure reminds me of Animal Collective and others. By pushing limits on “Hang On To Your Ego”, The Beach Boys have inspired so many other artists to do the same with their own songs.

“I know so many people who think they can do it alone. They isolate their heads and stay in their safety zones.”

"GOD ONLY KNOWS" THE BEACH BOYS (1966)

In rock music history, you might say there are two eras: before Pet Sounds and after Pet Sounds. “God Only Knows” was one of the best tracks on one of the most experimental albums ever recorded. That melody is unlike anything else. Unpredictable in its course, even after a hundred listens. And the musical interludes were written to cross barriers, not to make money. So much songwriting these days just feels lazy after hearing “God Only Knows”.

“If you should ever leave me though life would still go on, believe me. The world could show nothing to me. So what good would living do me. God only knows what I'd be without you.”