http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1pYuAl7su8 Easily the best of the Beach Boys' pre-Pet Sounds songs, The Warmth of the Sun is also a worthy candidate for being considered the best song ever recorded by the band. It's certainly this writer's favorite Boys tune, and that's why it tops this list. Written on the evening of November 22, 1963, the day of the JFK assassination, the song, while never mentioning Kennedy or politics at all, reflects the melancholy the world was feeling at the time. Brian Wilson and Mike Love, who wrote the tune, use the story of a guy breaking up with his girlfriend to express the sorrow and sense of loss they felt (and, indeed, some have speculated that the song is as much about JFK's death as it is about a romantic breakup). However, despite the sadness that permeates this song, both melody and lyric, the song also has an undercurrent of hope running through it, exhibited most clearly through its final verse, which states that, even though he's lost his girl, he can still dream of her, and that ability will carry him through until he finds someone new, or, to use the verbiage of the song, the memory of the warmth of the sun will keep him warm until the sun comes out again. The song's musical arrangement is remarkably simple when compared to the rest of the Boys' tunes. Brian provides the lead vocal, adding his famous falsettos to the beginning of the song and interspersing them throughout the rest of the tune, while the rest of the group provides a basic harmony as a vocal backdrop for the chorus. The instrumental arrangement is simple, unusual for a Beach Boys song. However, such simplicity, both in vocals and instrumentally, contributes to the greatness of this song; it adds to the soothing mood that the tune is meant to create. The result is a perfect song to listen to while going through a breakup, having a hard time at work or school, or any time when one's feeling sad or frustrated. While sympathizing with the listener, the song also serves to soothe the listener and to reassure one that everything's going to be all right, that the sun will come out again. It's for those reasons that this song still stands head and shoulders above any other Beach Boys tune; it's because the song so enriches the lives of its listeners that this song has attained immortality. In the end, maybe that's why the Beach Boys have remained relevant for so long; through their music, they speak to us on an emotional level, assuring us that we're not alone, that others have walked the path we're walking on. At the same time, they assure us that, even in our darkest hours, that there are still things to live for and that things always get better. Any band that instills that kind of happiness and hope in its listeners deserves to be remembered forever. The boys from Hawthorne, California certainly will be remembered, as long as there are people on earth who appreciate music. In other words, the Boys will be remembered forever. Well, Whatculture readers, there you have it: ten songs that show why the Beach Boys are icons. Are there any others we've missed? Is the ranking wrong? Do you think there are any songs that don't belong on this list? Let us know!Videos courtesy of Youtube.com and its users.
Alan Howell is a native of Southern California. He loves movies of any and all kinds, Hollywood, indie, and everywhere in between. He loves pizza, sitcoms, rock and pop music, surfing, baseball, reading, and girls (not necessarily in that order).