All This Is That: Brian Wilson

Saturday, May 03, 2008

The Beach Boys (and Back Street Boys) "When I Grow Up To Be A Man" (with lyrics)

This is without a doubt one of the great Beach Boys' songs. Only Brian Wilson could have written this song, although his cousin Mike Love later sued him and was granted credits and royalties. If you know the songs Brian wrote solo, you'd know a knucklehead like Mike Love could have never written this. [1] If he DID write the lyrics, they were clearly channeled straight from Brian's skull. I am in London, at two at night in my hotel room, and I naturally thought about the Boys. For a long period of time, they completely owned England, and often outsold concurrent Beatles releases. They influenced the Beatles, and pushed them forward to new frontiers (particularly with Summer Nights and Pet Sounds). These moving man-child lyrics that capture the soul of Brian Wilson.

Incredibly enough, the Backstreet Boys have covered this tune. I don't know much about them, being a little outside their target demo, but they have incredible voices, and this is an incredibly respectful and interesting cover...

When I grow Up To Be A Man

When I grow up to be a man
Will I dig the same things that turn me on as a kid?
Will I look back and say that I wish I hadn't done what I did?
Will I joke around and still dig those sounds
When I grow up to be a man?

Will I look for the same things in a woman that I dig in a girl?
(fourteen fifteen)
Will I settle down fast or will I first wanna travel the world?
(sixteen seventeen)
Now I'm young and free, but how will it be
When I grow up to be a man?

Oooooo Ooooooo Oooooooo
Will my kids be proud or think their old man is really a square?
(eighteen nineteen)
When they're out having fun yeah, will I still wanna have my share?
(twenty twenty-one)
Will I love my wife for the rest of my life
When I grow up to be a man?

What will I be when I grow up to be a man?
(twenty-two twenty-three)
Won't last forever
(twenty-four twenty-five)
It's kind of sad
(twenty-six twenty-seven)
Won't last forever
(twenty-eight twenty-nine)
It's kind of sad
(thirty thirty-one)
Won't last forever
(thirty-two...)
When I grow up to be a man
Will I dig the same things that turn me on as a kid?
Will I look back and say that I wish I hadn't done what I did?
Will I joke around and still dig those sounds
When I grow up to be a man?

Will I look for the same things in a woman that I dig in a girl?
(fourteen fifteen)
Will I settle down fast or will I first wanna travel the world?
(sixteen seventeen)
Now I'm young and free, but how will it be
When I grow up to be a man?

Oooooo Ooooooo Oooooooo
Will my kids be proud or think their old man is really a square?
(eighteen nineteen)
When they're out having fun yeah, will I still wanna have my share?
(twenty twenty-one)
Will I love my wife for the rest of my life
When I grow up to be a man?

What will I be when I grow up to be a man?
(twenty-two twenty-three)
Won't last forever
(twenty-four twenty-five)
It's kind of sad
(twenty-six twenty-seven)
Won't last forever
(twenty-eight twenty-nine)
It's kind of sad
(thirty thirty-one)
Won't last forever
(thirty-two...)

[1] According to the Wikipedia, (and my own earlier research) "In November 1969, the Wilson's father Murry Wilson, sold the copyrights to the band's songs to Irving Almo for approximately $700,000.[1] Many years later in April 1992, just after Brian Wilson had won a lawsuit which recovered many of the copyrights to his songs, Mike Love filed a lawsuit against Brian Wilson claiming that he had not been given credit, and therefore hadn't received royalties, on over thirty of the band's songs, many of them hit singles.[2] One of these songs was "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)". The song was originally credited solely to Brian Wilson but Mike Love claimed that he had a hand in writing the lyrics. Mike Love won the lawsuit and the song-writing credit was amended, therefore ensuring future royalties on all of the songs that he had claimed he had a hand in writing.

Recording
The song was recorded over two sessions in 1964 at Western Recorders. The instrumental track was most likely recorded on August 5 with the vocals being overdubbed five days later on August 10. The instrumental track, arranged by Brian Wilson, features Carl Wilson on lead and rhythm guitars; Al Jardine on electric bass guitars; Brian Wilson on acoustic piano & harpsichord; Carrol Lewis on harmonica and Dennis Wilson on drums. The song features both Mike Love and Brian Wilson on the lead vocals with backing vocals by Brian, Carl & Dennis Wilson, Mike Love and Al Jardine.
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