Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys by Mark Dillon [Book]

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Mark Dillon’s book is an entertaining look at fifty Beach Boys tunes.  The selections are listed chronologically and an admirer (most often a musician) shares a personal memory attached to each song.  Some contributors were colleagues and spent time with the guys, others grew up listening to the records.  The surviving Beach Boys are also among the fifty selected.  In addition to the recollections, Dillon provides historical recording notes, songwriting origins and wonderful Beach Boys factoids.

Memorable bits for me come from the Byrd’s Roger McGuinn on “Don’t Worry Baby”, Beach Boys session player Carol Kaye “California Girls”, actress/musician Zooey Deschanel on “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, director Cameron Crowe on “Feel Flows” and brief-Beach Boy Blondie Chaplin’s take on “Sail on Sailor”.