Made in U.S.A. (The Beach Boys album)

Made in U.S.A.
Greatest hits album by
The Beach Boys
ReleasedJuly 7, 1986 (1986-07-07)
RecordedApril 1962 (1962-04) – 1969 (1969), 1975 (1975) – 1976 (1976), 1977 (1977) – 1978 (1978), 1984 (1984) – May 1986 (1986-05)
GenreRock
Length64:15
LabelCapitol
ProducerNick Venet, Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys, Carl Wilson, Al Jardine, Steve Levine, & Terry Melcher
The Beach Boys chronology
The Beach Boys
(1985) 		Made in U.S.A.
(1986) 		Still Cruisin'
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]

Made in U.S.A. is a 1986 double vinyl album (or one-CD) compilation of some of The Beach Boys' biggest successes. Released by their original record label, Capitol Records, it marked a brief return to the label, with whom The Beach Boys released one further album, 1989's Still Cruisin'.

Featuring a number of their 1960s classics, in addition to a sampling of their later hits, Made in U.S.A. also contains two new recordings, both produced by Terry Melcher. "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" is a Mike Love/Melcher collaboration, and "California Dreamin" is a cover of the Mamas & the Papas' late 1965 debut single. Both were released as singles and made the U.S. pop singles chart.

A slow seller, Made in U.S.A. reached No. 96 in the U.S. and ultimately went double platinum there, though with other compilations now available, Made in U.S.A. has since gone out of print.

Promotional videos

The first video released for Made in U.S.A. was for the single, "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue". The video features a common Beach Boys theme of the beach, surfboards, and cars. The video features all (then-surviving) members of the Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston) with the exception of David Marks, Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar who at the time were not active members.

The second music video produced for the album was a black and white video of the song "California Dreamin'". The video is predominantly filmed at a church and features all (then-surviving) members of The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston). The Mamas & the Papas member and "California Dreamin'" songwriter John Phillips appears in the video as a preacher within the church; also featured in the video are his ex-wife Michelle Phillips and Roger McGuinn of The Byrds.

Track listing

All songs by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, except where noted.

  1. "Surfin' Safari" – 2:05
  2. "409" (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Gary Usher) – 1:58
  3. "Surfin' U.S.A." (Brian Wilson, Chuck Berry) – 2:27
  4. "Be True to Your School" – 2:07
    Single version with cheerleader chant (Provided by The Honeys)
  5. "Surfer Girl" (Brian Wilson) – 2:23
  6. "Dance, Dance, Dance" (Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love) – 1:59
  7. "Fun, Fun, Fun" – 2:16
  8. "I Get Around" – 2:11
  9. "Help Me, Rhonda" – 2:45
  10. "Don't Worry Baby" (Brian Wilson, Roger Christian) – 2:42
  11. "California Girls" – 2:37
  12. "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" – 2:00
  13. "Barbara Ann" (Fred Fassert) – 2:05
  14. "Good Vibrations" – 3:36
  15. "Heroes and Villains" (Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks) – 3:37
  16. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, Mike Love) – 2:23
    Alternative mono mix with a different, more prominent lead vocal, due to the original mix being temporarily lost
  17. "Sloop John B." (Traditional, arranged by Brian Wilson) – 2:56
  18. "God Only Knows" (Brian Wilson, Tony Asher) – 2:48
  19. "Caroline, No" (Brian Wilson, Tony Asher) – 2:17
    Single version without passing train/barking dogs coda
  20. "Do It Again" – 2:18
    Single version without workshop effects coda
  21. "Rock and Roll Music" (Chuck Berry) – 2:28
  22. "Come Go with Me" (C.E. Quick) – 2:06
  23. "Getcha Back" (Mike Love, Terry Melcher) – 3:01
  24. "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" (Mike Love, Terry Melcher) – 3:44
  25. "California Dreamin'" (John Phillips, Michelle Phillips) – 3:10
    Roger McGuinn on electric guitar

Singles

  • "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" b/w "Good Vibrations (Live in London)" (Capitol), June 9, 1986 US number 68
  • "California Dreamin’" b/w "Lady Liberty" (Capitol), September 1, 1986 US number 57

Made in U.S.A. (Capitol) reached #96 in the U.S. during a chart stay of 12 weeks.

References

  1. ^ Made in U.S.A. at AllMusic
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). London: Oxford University Press. p. 479. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
  • The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience, Timothy White, c. 1994.
  • "Top Pop Singles 1955–2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
  • "Top Pop Albums 1955–2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.