The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine.
They appeared in The Monkey's Uncle (1965), in which they perform "The Monkey's Uncle" with Annette Funicello. They also authored a song called "Disney Girls (1957)" which included references to the parks. In addition, many of their songs were made into music videos on DTV, which was shown on The Disney Channel.
Founding member Brian Wilson released two albums on Walt Disney Records: Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin in 2010 and In the Key of Disney in 2011, before returning to Capitol Records.
Personnel[]
- Brian Wilson – vocals, bass, keyboards
- Mike Love – vocals
- Carl Wilson – vocals, lead guitar, keyboards
- Dennis Wilson – vocals, drums, percussion
- Al Jardine – vocals, rhythm guitar
Appearances in Disney productions[]
Film[]
- The Beach Boys appeared in the 1965 Walt Disney Productions film, "The Monkey's Uncle", where they performed the film's Sherman Brothers-penned title song with Annette Funicello.
Television[]
- In the 1980s, several of the Beach Boys' songs were made into music videos, set to footage of classic Disney animation, on DTV, which ran on The Disney Channel for many years. They include: "Be True To Your School", "California Girls", "Catch a Wave", "Dance, Dance, Dance", "Good Vibrations", "I Get Around", "The Man With All the Toys", "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow", and "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)". Several of the aforementioned videos were also included in later DTV compilation videos, including "Pop & Rock" ("Dance, Dance, Dance"), "Golden Oldies" ("When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"), and "Groovin' For a '60s Afternoon" ("Catch a Wave", "I Get Around", "Be True To Your School", and "California Girls").
- Two other songs, "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Little Deuce Coupe", have been released as videos in a follow-up series, DTV². One more song, "Surfin' Safari", has been made into a video on yet another series, Re-Micks.
- Then-Beach Boys members Al Jardine, Matt Jardine, Bruce Johnston, Mike Love, and Carl Wilson appeared in the season 6 episode of Home Improvement, "The Karate Kid Returns". In reference to Beach Boys Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, the band is referred to in-universe as next-door neighbor Wilson's cousins.
Theme parks[]
- The songs "California Girls", "Good Vibrations", "Surfin' U.S.A.", "I Get Around", "You're So Good to Me", "All Summer Long", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Fun, Fun, Fun", and "Surfer Girl" were covered in a merry-go-round calliope style and used as part of the background music in Paradise Pier at Disney California Adventure from 2001 to 2012. The original version of "California Girls" was included in the background music for the park's entrance plaza, Sunshine Plaza, before it was redesigned as Buena Vista Street. The Paradise Pier version of "California Girls" can still be heard in the Esplanade between Disney California Adventure and Disneyland.
- The song "California Girls" was parodied as "California Bears" in Country Bear Vacation Hoedown, which operated at Disneyland from 1986 to 2001, at the Magic Kingdom from 1986 to 1992, and at Tokyo Disneyland from 1994 to present.
- The song "Good Vibrations" and the band were parodied as "Good Nutrition" by The Peach Boys in Epcot's Food Rocks attraction from 1994 to 2004.
- The Beach Boys performed at Disney California Adventure's "Rockin' the Bay" concert series in 2002, although this lineup only featured Bruce Johnston and founding member Mike Love. Surviving members Brian Wilson and Al Jardine would not rejoin the group onstage until the band's 50th anniversary reunion tour in 2012, after which Love again began touring under the Beach Boys name without Wilson or Jardine.
Trivia[]
- Mickey Mouse is mentioned on the song "Cassius" Love Vs. "Sonny" Wilson from the Beach Boys album Shut Down Volume 2. Mike Love can be heard saying "at least I don't sound like Mickey Mouse!' to Brian Wilson, a snap at their similarly high-pitched voices.
- The Beach Boys tune "God Only Knows" was featured in a trailer for Toy Story 4.
- The Beach Boys song "Surfin' Safari" was sung in Mickey's Fun Songs: Beach Party at Walt Disney World.
