A Sucker for a Beach Boys Summer

When I graduated from high school way back in 1969 what I wanted more than anything was to be a beach boy for the entire summer. Southern California would have been a great place to do that and I used to daydream about working in a surfboard store and surfing and having this beach bunny girlfriend and the whole nine yards.

What I got instead was a few weeks in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a job as a bus boy and dishwasher and a fickle girlfriend who liked older guys who had flashy cars, money to burn and more interesting jobs. But at least I had my big dreams and my favorite beach boy music.

I've been way too old for wanting to be a beach boy for more years than I care to remember but, when I think of the great summer sounds of The Beach Boys, I still think about the Summer of '69 and how it could have been.

Here are 14 of my favorite songs by The Beach Boys.
The red numbers indicate my six favorites:

California Girls

Dance, Dance, Dance 2

Don't Worry Baby 1

Do You Wanna Dance?

Fun, Fun, Fun 6

Hawaii

Help Me, Rhonda

I Get Around 4

Little Deuce Coupe

Sloop John B

Surfer Girl 3

Surfin' USA

Wouldn't It Be Nice

Your Summer Dream 5