The Beach Boys and My Ill Head

Posted by John Category: Miscellaneous
Red arrow pointing to dark shadow indicating a tooth abscess

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”.