Beach Boys' Party! is the tenth studio album by The Beach Boys, released in 1965. Although Brian Wilson has been known to have said that he always wanted to do a party album, this album is generally considered to be a filler album, quickly recorded and released in time for Christmas to satisfy Capitol Records while Wilson was working on what would become Pet Sounds. As such, it is often left out of the discography, despite the album having an unexpected hit when radio DJs began playing "Barbara Ann" instead of the non-album single "The Little Girl I Once Knew" note . Though even that is a major polariser in the Beach Boys fan-base.
Hits and fan favourites include "Barbara Ann", "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away", "Devoted To You" and "There's No Other (Like My Baby)".
2015 saw the release of Beach Boys' Party! Uncovered and Unplugged, an 81-track album which included the original tracklist without the "party" overdubs as well as lots of outtakes from the sessions, including several songs that were not included in the original release.
Tracklist:
Side One
- "Hully Gully" (2:22)
- "I Should Have Known Better" (1:40)
- "Tell Me Why" (1:46)
- "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" (2:18)
- "Mountain Of Love" (2:51)
- "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" (2:56)
- "Devoted To You" (2:13)
Side Two
- "Alley Oop" (2:56)
- "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" (3:05)
- "Medley: I Get Around/Little Deuce Coupe" (3:12)
- "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (2:23)
- "Barbara Ann" (3:23)
Principal Members:
- Al Jardine - guitar, backing and lead vocals
- Bruce Johnston - bass, vocals
- Mike Love - lead vocals
- Brian Wilson - lead vocals, bass
- Carl Wilson - guitar, backing and co-lead vocals
- Dennis Wilson - backing and lead vocals
Mountain Of Tropes:
- Cover Album: Almost the entire album consists of covers; the sole exception, the "I Get Around"/"Little Deuce Coupe" medley, is a parody remake of both songs.
- "I Should Have Known Better", "Tell Me Why" (from A Hard Day's Night) and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" (from Help!) are all Beatles covers.
- "The Times They Are A-Changin'" is from Bob Dylan's album of the same name.
- "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" is by The Crystals.
- "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" is by The Rivingtons.
- "Hully Gully" is by The Olympics.
- "Alley Oop" is by the Hollywood Argyles.
- "Mountain Of Love" is by Harold Dorman.
- "Devoted To You" is by The Everly Brothers.
- "Barbara Ann" is by The Regents.
- Filler Album: This album was only really recorded and released so the band would have something to release while they were working on Pet Sounds.
- Everything Is an Instrument: Among the chatter in the bridge of "Barbara Ann" is a comment about "Hal and his famous ashtray". Legendary session drummer Hal Blaine was known for occasionally using an ashtray as a percussion instrument, most notably on Dean Martin's "Houston".
- Face on the Cover: The band (minus Bruce) and their girlfriends are featured on the album cover in a series of photographs.
- Live Album: The album is presented as a live party album, despite the fact that all of it was recorded in the studio.
- Medley: "I Get Around" and "Little Deuce Coupe" are performed as a medley. "The Times They Are A-Changin'" includes a snippet of "Heart and Soul" performed on the piano at the end.
- An outtake included in the Uncovered and Unplugged release features a quick 30-second medley of "Hang On, Sloopy", "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "Twist and Shout".
- New Sound Album: It was the band first predominantly cover album and the first were they performed everything acoustically.
- Self-Deprecation: The self-covers of "I Get Around" and "Little Deuce Coupe" are performed in an humorous manner, with new parody lyrics.
- Self-Titled Album: Beach Boys' Party!
- Special Guest: Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean sings co-lead vocals on "Barbara Ann". His contribution had to be uncredited due to both groups being on different labels (Jan and Dean on Liberty, The Beach Boys on Captiol), but Carl can be heard saying "Thanks, Dean" at the end.
- Step Up to the Microphone: Dennis Wilson sings lead vocals on "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away". Al Jardine sings lead vocals on "The Times They Are A-Changin'", as well as co-lead vocals on "I Should Have Known Better" and "Tell Me Why". Carl Wilson sings co-lead vocals on "I Should Have Known Better" and "Tell Me Why".
