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Time to Play b-sides-“Don’t Worry Baby” The Beach Boys. Yesterday in my Sounds of Summer feature I had “I Get Around” The Beach Boys first #1 single from the summer of 1964. I mentioned in passing that the b-side was “Don’t Worry Baby.” While I do love “I Get Around”- certainly one of The Beach Boys greatest singles- “Don’t Worry Baby” has always been my #1 favorite Beach Boys song. “Don’t Worry Baby” was written by Brian Wilson and Roger Christian. Brian- the musical genius- produced the record and sang the lead vocal. It sounds perfect with Brian’s falsetto singing voice. I can’t imagine this song being half as good with Mike Love singing it [got to get a jab in at Mike Love whenever I can but it’s true this is a song meant for Brian to sing.} Even as a B-side- “Don’t Worry Baby” was a hit- it reached #24. It is also listed by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. Rolling Stone ranked it #178 on their 500 Greatest Songs Ever list. Pitchfork ranked it #14 in their 200 Greatest Songs Of The 1960’s. It is one Beach Boys song to me that I can’t hear enough. One of the greatest B-sides ever- Don’t Worry Baby.”
“Don’t Worry Baby” has been covered by a number of artists over the years- the most famous being B.J. Thomas in 1977 who had a #17 hit single with it- his final appearance in the Top 40.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0YGC68qP4
This guy brags about his car and now he has to race and he tells his girl not to worry. Surfing, cars and girls were all the early Beach Boys ever sang about.
And, it made them very rich doing so.
I usually reserve “voice of an angel” for female singers. I must use it for Brian’s voice. B-side or not it is one of my favorites of theirs.