Red arrow pointing to dark shadow indicating a tooth abscess
My head has had a bad week. One of my several dormant tooth abscesses erupted, causing a dull, throbbing, and persistent pain to the left side of my face. I then developed a sinus infection, possibly as a consequence (note that in your medical journals). I had two almost entirely sleepless nights. A friendly dentist extracted the offending tooth yesterday — toothache now gone, though my sinus infection appears to be worsening.
Through the second of these sleepless nights, I listened to several hours of the Beach Boys. I love the Beach Boys — no other band has given me as much pleasure or consolation. I decided I would compile my 100 favourite Beach Boys songs, a tacky but engaging endeavour that might help me take my mind off my head. I drew up a long list, intuitively quantified the satisfaction each song gives (or has given) me, and ordered them accordingly.
Here is my list in descending order…
100. She’s Goin’ Bald
99. Hang On To Your Ego
98. Tones
97. Friends
96. With Me Tonight
95. Let’s Put Our Hearts Together
94. Our Prayer
93. Mrs. O Leary’s Cow
92. Help Me Rhonda
91. Loop De Loop (Airplane song)
90. No Go Showboat
89. Good Time
88. I Wanna Pick You Up
87. Funky Pretty
86. Child is The Father of Man
85. Johnny Carson
84. Just Once In My Life
83. Let’s Go Away For A While
82. I Can Hear Music
81. All Summer Long
80. Be True To Your School
79. Never Learn Not To Love
78. Amusement Parks USA
77. Can’t Wait Too Long
76. Do It Again
75. This Whole World
74. Surfer Girl
73. Darlin’
72. Add Some Music To Your Day
71. Long Promised Road
70. Gettin’ Hungry
69. The Night Was So Young
68. Fun Fun Fun
67. Lonely Sea
66. A Day in the Life of a Tree
65. When a Man Needs a Woman
64. When I Grow Up to Be a Man
63. It’s About Time
62. Tears in the Morning
61. Big Sur (Landlocked Version)
60. Sail on Sailor
59. Had To Phone Ya
58. Be With Me
57. Here Today
56. Wake the World
55. Feel Flows
54. I’ll Bet He’s Nice
53. Let Him Run Wild
52. Do You Like Worms
51. In the Back of My Mind
50. Breakaway
49. Wind Chimes (Smiley Smile)
48. Country Air
47. Let the Wind Blow
46. You Still Believe in Me
45. Anna Lee the Healer
44. Time To Get Alone
43. She’s Not the Little Girl I Once Knew
42. Forever
41. Disney Girls
40. Solar System
39. Cabinessence
38. I Do
37. At My Window
36. I’m Waiting For the Day
35. I Went To Sleep
34. Vegetables (Smiley Smile)
33. That’s Not Me
32. Cool Cool Water
31. Busy Doin’ Nothing
30. Steamboat
29. Hushabye
28. Little Pad
27. Your Summer Dream
26. Our Sweet Love
25. Meant For You
24. California Girls
23. Heroes and Villains
22. Caroline No
21. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
20. She’s Knows Me Too Well
19. Be Here in the Morning
18. Cuddle Up
17. Airplane
16. Little Bird
15. Deirdre
14. Til I Die
13. In My Room
12. You’re So Good to Me
11. All I Wanna Do
10. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
9. I Get Around
8. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
7. Good Vibrations
6. Wonderful (Smile Sessions)
5. Warmth of The Sun
4. Please Let Me Wonder
3. Surf’s Up
2. God Only Knows
1. Don’t Worry Baby
* I noticed after the fact that I had left out the sublime “All This Is That” which deserves a place anywhere between 20 and 80. I couldn’t bring myself to omit anything already on the list, however, hence me mentioning it here. Honourable mentions also to “When Girls Get Together”, “The Beaks of Eagles”, “Kiss Me Baby”, “Pet Sounds”, and “Farmer’s Daughter”.