When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)

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"When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"
Beach Boys - When I Grow Up (to be a man).jpg
Single by the Beach Boys
from the album The Beach Boys Today!
B-side"She Knows Me Too Well"
ReleasedAugust 24, 1964
RecordedAugust 5–10, 1964
StudioWestern, Hollywood
GenreRock and roll[1]
Length2:01
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys singles chronology
"I Get Around"
(1964) 		"When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"
(1964) 		"Dance, Dance, Dance"
(1964)
Music video
"When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" on YouTube
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"When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the lyrics describe a boy who is anxious of when he stops being a teenager, pondering such questions as "Will I love my wife for the rest of my life?" The song was first issued as a single, with the B-side "She Knows Me Too Well", on August 24, 1964. It peaked at number 9 in the US, number 27 in the UK, and number 1 in Canada.

It is one of the first rock songs that discussed impending adulthood and is possibly the earliest US top 40 song to contain the expression "turn on" (from the lyric "will I still like the things that turned me on as a kid?"). The song is also distinguished for its musical sophistication, featuring multiple key changes, a hook based on a dissonant, functionally ambiguous chord, tempo stretches, and a long pause as a climax. The single marked the beginning of Brian Wilson's abandonment of surf rock and car songs on which the Beach Boys had built their success up to that point.

Background[]

"When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" was written and composed by Brian Wilson with additional lyrics by Mike Love.[1] At the time, Brian told the Birmingham Post, "When I was younger, I used to worry about turning into an old square over the years. I don't think I will now, and that is what inspired 'When I Grow Up'."[2] In a 2011 interview, he commented that when he wrote the song, he had a dismal view of his future.[3][4] In his 2016 memoir, Love wrote that the song was "probably influenced" by Murry Wilson, who constantly challenged Brian's manhood.[5] Wilson later revisited the topic of manhood in the 1966 song "Child Is Father of the Man".[6]

Lyrics[]

The lyrics describe a boy who is anxious of when he stops being a teenager. To this effect, the narrator poses such question as "Will I love my wife for the rest of my life?"[7] That line in particular marked the first instance of a Beach Boys song discussing falling out of love with someone, as opposed to just being in or out of a relationship.[8] Academic Jody O'Regan interpreted the line as Wilson admitting that he had doubts about his marriage.[8]

Critic Richard Meltzer later cited "When I Grow Up" as the moment when the Beach Boys "abruptly ceased to be boys".[9] It is one of the first rock songs to discuss impending adulthood[3] and is possibly the earliest US top 40 song to contain the expression "turn on" (from the lyric "will I still like the things that turned me on as a kid?").[10]

Composition[]

"When I Grow Up" features multiple key changes, a hook based on a dissonant, functionally ambiguous chord, tempo stretches, and a long pause as a climax.[3] Music historian Charles Granata wrote that the song "best exemplifies the [band's] musical growth" through its "effective combination of odd sounds" and its "full and round" vocal harmonies.[11]

O'Regan afforded attention to the drum pattern for avoiding a traditional backbeat rhythm. Instead, it "effectively plays 'around' the vocals with interesting fills adding texture and drama to the passing of time in the lyrics. Each part of the drum kit works independently from each other, horizontally as four separate parts, rather than a whole set working together."[12]

Recording[]

The track was recorded over two sessions in 1964 at Western Studio. The instrumental track was most likely recorded on August 5 with the vocals being overdubbed on August 10.[2] With the exception of the harmonica in the verses, all the instruments were played by the group members themselves. It took 37 takes to record.[3] Wilson later expressed disappointment with his vocal, saying that the group were trying to sound like the Four Freshmen, but his voice was too "whiney".[13]

Release[]

On August 24, 1964, "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" was issued as a single, backed with "She Knows Me Too Well", and later peaked at number 9 in the US and number 27 in the UK.[14] It also spent two weeks at number one in Canada's national RPM chart.[15]

In the UK, the single was issued on October 23.[16] During the band's first British tour in November 1964, they performed this song for their first television appearances in Britain, on , The Beat Room, Top Gear, and Ready Steady Go!.[17]

Personnel[]

Surviving sessions audio and AFM musician contracts sheets, documented by Craig Slowinski have enabled this personnel list to be compiled.[1]

The Beach Boys

  • Al Jardine – electric bass guitar, harmony and background vocals
  • Mike Love – lead vocals, harmony and background vocals
  • Brian Wilson – acoustic upright piano, Baldwin electric harpsichord, lead vocals, harmony and background vocals
  • Carl Wilson – electric lead and rhythm guitars, harmony and background vocals
  • Dennis Wilson – drums, hi-hat, harmony and background vocals

Session musician

Charts[]

Chart (1964) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Singles Chart[16] 1
UK Singles Chart[2] 27
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] 9
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[18] 7

References[]

Citations

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Slowinski, Craig (2007). "The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today!" (PDF). Retrieved October 27, 2012.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Badman 2004, p. 63.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Interrante, Scott (April 28, 2014). "When I Grow Up: The Beach Boys - "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"". PopMatters.
  4. ^ Prince, Patrick (March 2, 2011). "Brian Wilson gives a brief summary of his hit songs". Goldmine Mag.
  5. ^ Love 2016, p. 91.
  6. ^ Priore, Domenic (2005). Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece. London: Sanctuary. ISBN 1860746276.
  7. ^ O'Regan 2014, pp. 115, 215, 252.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b O'Regan 2014, p. 252.
  9. ^ O'Regan 2014, p. 253.
  10. ^ Lambert 2016, p. 128.
  11. ^ Granata 2003, pp. 63–64.
  12. ^ O'Regan 2014, p. 131.
  13. ^ Benci, Jacopo (January 1995). "Brian Wilson interview". Record Collector. UK (185).
  14. ^ Badman 2004, pp. 63, 66.
  15. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Badman 2004, p. 67.
  17. ^ Badman 2004, pp. 71–72.
  18. ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 17, 1964

Bibliography

External links[]

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