The year is 2012, and I’d just driven to Detroit — the Motor City I’d dreamed about for years— for the first time in order to work my internship at Chrysler. It was the start of what would be the greatest summer of my life in which my new friend Brandon and I would wring every last drop of car culture out of our new temporary home by attending as many car shows as humanly possible. It was absolutely epic, and by the time the 12-weeks were over and I was driving back to my college in Virginia, there was only one band playing in my head as the soundtrack of my summer: The Beach Boys.
I didn’t know it at the time, but what I was experiencing that summer was arguably the height of American car show culture — an amazing moment to be an enthusiast, and one that may never be replicated. Baby Boomers — to some, the ultimate car-enthusiast generation — were in the peak of their retirement, aged between about 50 and 70 years old. A generation with considerable disposable income and the ability to enjoy a healthy twilight years (relatively speaking), these folks lived and breathed cars during this time. Their Chevy Bel Airs and Ford Falcons and Edsels and Studebakers and Kaiser Darrins absolutely glistened in the Michigan summer sun, their beautiful paint jobs coloring the landscape so vividly you couldn’t help but stare.
“Best-in-Show” trophies stood proudly on a table adjacent to their cars, along with photo albums of the painstaking rust-to-radiant restoration the owners had undertaken years before. Wearing Hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts, they sat in lawnchairs not far from their vehicles, ready to jump up if you lingered more than a few seconds near their vehicle, happy to tell you everything you could possibly know. Their spouses sat alongside them, also happy to tell you a bit about the car, since they’d heard it all so many times before; they were often thrilled to see their partner in their element.
The vibes were amazing. People exchanged stories, taught each other about cars, and just generally enjoyed showing and looking at machines. And all the while, playing in the background, was The Beach Boys.
I used to think it was a bit corny, but now that this golden era of American Baby-Boomer car show culture is arguably slowing, I miss it. I miss the Hawaiian shirt-wearing old timers who talk your ears off to the point where you have to politely find a way to end the conversation and move on to the next car. I miss the photo albums and the trophies and the memorobilia and brochures and supportive spouse and, heck, I even miss the ’57 Bel Airs. But it was the way it all came together, as a gathering of cars and car-people, and I WISH THEY ALL COULD BE CALIFORNIA GIRRRRLLLLS seemingly on repeat. It was pure magic.
Obviously, this nostalgia is coming from news that The Beach Boys’ frontman Brian Wilson passed away this week at age 82.
The band became a mainstay in American car show culture not just because of its classic “California” sound, but because of the lyrics — the Beach Boys sang about cars. Often. Much of that can be attributed to Roger Christian and Gary Usher. Here’s a bit about the latter from Beachboys.com:
his page is devoted to the man who, out of all of the Beach Boys contemporaries, most closely matched Brian Wilson in style and output. Gary Usher helped Brian Wilson shape the songs of much of the early Beach Boys albums, from the hot-rod craze of “Fun, Fun, Fun” to the deeply introspective “In My Room.”
We all know “Fun, Fun, Fun till her daddy takes the T-bird away!”
We also probably know “Shut Down,” “Little Deuce Coupe” and “Don’t Worry Baby,” which Brian Wilson and Roger Christian worked on together. Shut down “was based on a Christian poem about a drag race between a fuel-injected 1963 Corvette Stingray and a 413 Max Wedge Dart “Super Stock,” car website Top Speed notes. “Little Deuce Coupe” is about a 1932 Ford Model 18. And “Don’t Worry Baby” features the lyrics:
I guess I should’ve kept my mouth shutWhen I started to brag about my carBut I can’t back down now becauseI pushed the other guys too farShe makes me come aliveAnd makes me wanna driveWhen she says “Don’t worry baby”Don’t worry baby
Christian also co-wrote car-themed songs “Dead Man’s Curve” and “Little Old Lady From Pasadena” for Jan and Dean.
Anyway, Rest In Peace Brian Wilson. Your music will forever be the soundtrack of American car show culture, especially from the Baby Boomer era. In fact, here’s the Instagram post that the National Corvette Museum sent The Autopian this past Christmas:
View this post on Instagram
Beach Boys and Corvettes; a match made in heaven.
Top Image: Beach Boys/Surfin’ Safari Album Cover
The oldies music really does improve the feel of a car show for me. As a kid, I was a bit weird and listened to the oldies and all-70s radio stations instead of “alternative” or whatever was popular in the 90s. Eventually I started listening to more contemporary music. Obviously I go to car shows for the cars, but it’s nice to get those doses of oldies music during the summer.
I attend a couple shows that don’t play the usual oldies music, a British car show and a concours d’elegance. The British show usually has no music playing, so it feels a little sterile. The concours has jazz or piano playing, which I guess fits the event, but makes it feel kind of sleepy.
Looking back, I’m pretty sure ‘boomer’ car shows are the reason I’m so interested in cars. I loved seeing rows and rows of beautifully maintained old vehicles, and I was particularly fascinated with tailfins. I do appreciate seeing cars of my generation popping up at shows now, but I would miss seeing all of the really
oldvintage stuff.I will not, however, miss those time-out dolls.
A bit of marketing genius, the early Beach Boys 45s had a surf song on one side and a car song on the other. Cover the country. Rest in harmony, Brian.
I was 12 the summer “I Get Around” hit. It still means that much to me. That said, car show music by and large sucks. Last show I went to had a DJ who had it turned up so loud you couldn’t hold a conversation. When I went up to discuss that he said “Loud music creates excitement and energy” No..asshole..it makes people just stand around because that’s all you can do.
The other thing is..there is so much more “car music” out there is only you’d look. Gary Usher’s Super Stocks for one. Lesser known..like the cars you go to see.
I think of alot of 50s and early 60s music for car shows I guess mainly because of the greatest gen and boomers being at car shows along with them being around diners or 50s themed places. Basically american graffiti sound track, beach boys, bill Haley, chuck Berry, buddy Holly, along with some random surf stuff and maybe some motown and doo-wop. There have been a few resurgences of surf. A band called summer twins I used to fool old timers all the time they swore they had heard it before. There was a rockabilly trend for a while too I think they are still around but maybe more of the rat rod crowd. I’ve noticed some of the car shows that have turned more to import and JDM stuff have will sometimes have some kind of house playing around but also jpop and kpop . Some of them even play royalty free stuff because they are filming or assume someone will be filming for a platform.
In the late 90s I dropped out of collage for a while and was living with my friends punk metal band just outside Monterey California. The local kids showed us this hidden beach down toward big sur, where we would build fires and party, etc., often staying out there the whole weekend.
One night we were camped in the clearing above the beach, big fire going, high as punk kids can get… When these two huge guys in security gear just materialized out of the forest! We were certain they were some kind of police and thought we were screwed. Then one says in this deep voice:
“We need you to understand, this is Brain Wilson’s property you are on right now. He doesn’t mind you camping here, but you have to keep your fire under better control.”
Then they disappeared back into the forest.
It made me think that Brain Wilson must be a very cool dude.
That’s an awesome story to have. I’m envious
So many New Balances and jorts. 😉
When I hear any song off of Pet Sounds I am transported to sepia toned memories of childhood, playing with Micro Machines on my bedroom floor.
Many hours spent sitting in that sunlit room racing tiny T-Birds, Corvettes and hot rods while listening to that album with my brother.
Shiny and Chrome!
Brian Wilson
Shiny and Chrome.
My aunt and uncle retired to The Villages in Florida and when I go to visit I always try to time it to be there for the monthly car shows they have (at least over the winter months). Definitely pure, uncut Boomer car-show culture there.
I will genuinely miss the boomer car culture when it fades. As a younger millennial, I always loved going to old car shows and talking the owner’s ears off about old Mopars (they were always shocked and somewhat refreshed that a young kid loved their car as much as they did). Some of the older American cars were genuinely beautiful and interesting.
The Beach Boys would still be great even if they didn’t have a single song about cars. Brian Wilson’s music production and vocal arrangements were amazing in the 60s. He learned a lot from Phil Spector but took it to a whole other level.
Here’s an archive.is link for the linked NY Times article.
Totally agree.
They also were the originators of Shoegaze music, which snowballed in to other sub-genres.
There’s a British songwriter of some repute who called “God Only Knows” the greatest song ever written. His name? Sir Paul McCartney.
Rest well, Mr. Wilson.
I agree with the article title stipulating American cars. I also went to VW shows in the 90s. Saw plenty of hippie vans (and hippies). Not much surf music at those events.
Literally the only acceptable time to hear Beach Boys music is at a car show.
?
Tell me you’ve never heard Pet Sounds without actually saying those words.
You are entitled to your WRONG opinion.
Rest in peace, such great hits, only 82, it’s surprising they hit it that big at such a young age, he was literally 18 when they formed the band, and by 25 had a ton of hits, that’s crazy talent.
I’m glad you mentioned the song “In my room” too. It’s not as well publicized, but Brian Wilson was really one of the first mainstream people to be open about his mental health struggles, and even now gets referenced as helping people find the strength to get help.
On another note, Brian went through a ton of shit as a kid, and adult.
As noted in a lot of reports his father was a total POS.
Which again, was not something that was normal to be open about in his day and has undoubtedly helped others open up
I read a story about Brian recently: supposedly, his father once hit him in the side of the head so hard that he basically lost hearing in one of his ears. Because of this, he preferred to work in mono recordings rather than stereo.
I didn’t know anything about that until I went to find out why Barenaked Ladies sang about “Lyin’ in bed just like Brian Wilson Did”.
Funny enough that’s exactly how I learned about it all too. But Brian Wilson was a bit before my time, but I remember hearing the BNL song and wondering who that was and hit the deep rabbit hole learning all about it and I thought it was so cool that he was so open about everything
For the love of all that’s good, take a break today and listen to Pet Sounds.
This hit me right in my calloused Generation X heart yesterday. I played Pet Sounds (the stereo remaster; Brian can’t have his way about EVERYTHING) at an inadvisable level of volume on my commute into work today. I took the long way so as to get the entire album in.
Fellow X-er here. You might also like – “Pet Sounds: In the Key of Dee” by Bullion, a tribute to producer J Dilla and his appreciation for the Beach Boys’ 1966 album “Pet Sounds”.
Will definitely check it out. Thanks!
Been a big fan since 1964.
Was able to see them live a few times as a kid. Good stuff.
I hope Brian and Dennis are out there catching a wave or two today.
Thanks guys.
There is no better song to drive with the top down to than the ethereal sound of Good Vibrations.
And I think i heard somewhere that the engine revving at the start of “409” was an earlier 348 in Gary’s ’58 Impala.
If you haven’t yet, give a listen to the Beach Boys eps of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs.
Huh. I guess “She’s real great, my Three-Four-Eight” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.