one of those harmonies when Carl's choirboy tones soar everywhere! And Brian's theme of 'shackles that are tying me down' occurs for the first time. A gem which I play often for it's power to lift me with it's positivity and purity!
Mike Love looks like he's trying to be the mystical guru of the group. I'm quite certain that that's what he was trying to be. I'm laughing as I write this.
No one ever told Mike he was not the good looking one - Dennis was. Thus tonnes of archive footage of him pressing his fat, stupid, bearded face up to the camera and making everyone sick.
@Verniegirl9 There is a 1968 song by the Goodees called "Condition Red" (it basically has the exact storyline of "leader of the Pack", except they're Southern). Anyway, at the beginning, the girl quotes her parents: "why doesn't he get a HAIRcut [drawled]? Why doesn't he SHAVE. Y'know, he used to be such a good looking boy before he grew that AWFUL beard."
This is a great song and a strong show of the great stuff the band were putting out around this time, this has a real nice feel and showed that when brian put his mind to it he could still knock out a quality tune, id be interested to know what murry (Reggie dunbar) wilsons input to the song was.
Me too. They co-wrote it, but to me it reads like the Dad in denial of his son's mental illness and trying to motivate his son to snap out of it (but really for guilty Dad's sake), manipulating the son to dismiss and over-simplify the last five "lost" years as having just been "in his head". Interestingly, when he died 4 years later Brian did not attend his funeral.
Beautiful song to listen to before I was aware of the abuse and damage reparation behind it. Still a great song.
@helenaZZZZirlandaise thank you. i would say that you are probably right on target with your assessment. it is still amazing to me how brian could STILL make such soothing, calming, wonderful, beautiful, inspiring, exhilarating, warm, healing music amidst everything that was going on in his life/was then going on in his life/had previously transpired.
Yes John, I agree. His is one of the most inspirational stories I know. The sheer integrity of this unassuming genius in overcoming his demons just blows me away.
And what a lonely furrow he has had to plough, yet he still clung to a goodness deep within himself which he never allowed to be damaged.
But the name "Beach Boys", imposed on them against their will, does seem to have unfairly portrayed a superficial core which masks the true depths of their talent and spirituality..
@helenaZZZZirlandaise thank you for the reply. that was very well stated. yes, after the first three albums the name beach boys just didn't fit any longer. surfin' safari was a nice debut...from basically a bunch of kids. the material is age appropriate. surfin' usa was a huge leap forward. the lonely sea is the group's first classic album cut/non-single song. it is also the first glimpse of bw's melancholy side. surfer girl continued the musical growth.
@johnrunion some even go as far as to say that surfer girl is the first concept album in the pop/rock era. after that, they left the title 'beach boys' behind. pretty much all of their surf songs were contained on their first three albums, except don't back down which didn't appear until their 5th album. i don't consider do it again a 'surf'' song. all of their race car songs were pretty much on their first 5 albums. they released 12 albums in roughly 3 years.
@johnrunion they released 12 albums in roughly 3 years. their entire surf catalog transpired in a very short period of time. ..just 3 albums for the most part.
This is one of those songs I can listen to and sing over and over again. It's a brilliant melody, great lyric, and I love everyone's contributions to the vocals. It makes for fun listening: okay, there's Carl, okay that's Al, there's Mike (well, not so much Mike--haha).
One of the all time great bands of American pop music dont think they made a bad record, In my room was brilliant so was this, so many good recordings too many to mention.
This has a weird history. The label check list the writers as Brian Wilson & Reggie Dunbar, which is a known professional pseudonym for Murray Wilson, his father.
Trivia time!!!!This Song was recorded in March of 1969 and was on the Capital Records label. The 45rpm record has STEREO on it. The Trivia question is: What Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson song is on THE FLIP SIDE of this 45? Hint: Both songs were on the 20/20 ALBUM.( I know that doesn't help much.)
Didn't know this off the top of my head, Wikipedia list "Celebrate the News" and shows photo of single sleeve.
Neither were on the original vinyl LP.
I did remember that "Breakaway" was the very last thing delivered to Capitol after "20/20" was released, before their original or first contract expired.
Your right! it was not on the Original 20/20 Album. I have the original and I should have looked at it before. Does the 20/20 re-release have the EYE CHART on the inside, like on the original?
The CD release of Friends & 20/20 doesn't include the EYE CHART photo, it only makes a reference to it. As I have never seen the inside of the 20/20 album sleeve, I've never seen this photo. Most of the regular Capitol albums I only have on CD.
I agree that this is an inspirational song to give you the courage to make changes in your life. I was 23 when this came on the radio and it stopped me in my tracks! I bought their Greatest Hits but only wanted to listen to Breakaway because at that time I was contemplating moving to Australia from the stormy moors of Lancashire - important decision. But shortly afterwards I did ..... Thank You, Brian!
Soundtrack of my youth, plus all the other BB hits. Rural Lancashire - so removed from LA, California, surfing etc, yet it struck a chord that's never really dimmed.
I was working on my '67 Camaro when this song came on the radio for the first time in '69, the year I bought the car. The only thing better than a new car was a new Beach Boys song!
May 31st 1969 Hammersmith Odeon, London. I was 13. My elder brother took me to the concert.
A transforming moment in time...this song became the track for my life. I took one look at those golden young men with the great voices and said "if that is what America looks and sounds like, I wnat to be there."
Forty years later ...I've been in the USA 31 years. I did indeed Breakaway.
wow thats a cool story... i love good comments like your inspiring story... its absolutely amazing the power of GOOD music... this is a very inspirational song... inspires courage, the kind of courage to really BREAKAWAY from some of lifes harder situations... you should write a short story about that experience (or a long story) ! Im still learning about what the beach boys did before 1969... how did i ever under-rate these guys in my youth? great song.
I can appreciate what you typed. I was a bit older. During their heyday I was a preteen to a teenybopper.
Man....was it ever magic. One hit after another. I Get Around, 409, Lit'l Deuce Coupe, Help Me Rhonda, Don't Worry Baby, Sloop John B.... on and on. It was magic! EVERYONE wanted to move to California. The Beach Boys were the greatest American band ever.
For England, it was The Beatles, without a doubt. The Beach Boys were America's answer to The Beatles.
What a great song!! You just gotta love Beach Boys! People says than I`m too young listen at Beach Boys:( But does it really matter if they were popular that long ago, as long as the musik is great. Which it is!! : )
I agree. Break Away was ignored by the Top 40 when it came out but 50 years from now it will be considered one of their best songs. Great sound; great message (ala Mark 1:15).
Mike, what time does the mothership arrive?
misterdirtyknees 1 month ago 2
one of those harmonies when Carl's choirboy tones soar everywhere! And Brian's theme of 'shackles that are tying me down' occurs for the first time. A gem which I play often for it's power to lift me with it's positivity and purity!
MsJollycholly 1 month ago
Love this song when ever Im down I love to listen to this song, really lifts the spirit !!!!!!!!
sweetie7924 1 month ago
Brian was (and still is) a genius; Carl was the soul of the Beach Boys. One of a kind.
PR46797 1 month ago
I love these guys
PR46797 1 month ago
@FuckingStanz mike love is cool and an hero
scrie100 3 months ago
Nice of one of the apostles to sit in with the boys.
moddrummer67 4 months ago 4
Such a great song & harmonies [of course], Brian wrote it with his Dad Murry. I didn't make that up!!
LaudCranium 4 months ago
Porz Freibad 3.7.69 , eins der damals angesagten Lieder das ich nie vergessen werde
521herbert 4 months ago
Mike Love looks like he's trying to be the mystical guru of the group. I'm quite certain that that's what he was trying to be. I'm laughing as I write this.
casestudyification 5 months ago
No one ever told Mike he was not the good looking one - Dennis was. Thus tonnes of archive footage of him pressing his fat, stupid, bearded face up to the camera and making everyone sick.
whyteay 6 months ago
Did Mike Love become a monk? The effect of being in the presence of Charlie Manson perhaps?
CrankCase08 8 months ago
@CrankCase08 Mike was/is a follower of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi....not sure he ever met Manson...Dennis certainly did!
dirkbrad 8 months ago
this is just magic... and all these years on brings back so many memories .... thankx lads...
philcomic1 8 months ago
this song has such good vibes!!! Carl was such an amazing singer, he will never be replaced
mikemik712 9 months ago 2
Carl was so brilliant !
nottsday 10 months ago 2
I can't help but wonder how the other fellas in the group felt with ol' Mike standing over there in his "monk looking" garb! - lol.
Rydal54 10 months ago
cool - Beat Club performance - anybody have the actual audio (?)....
hellomcflyy 11 months ago
What was Mike Love wearing?!? Ewww ....
monalisabx 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Good bye man I am your naughty girl mworld5.info
maduharshi 1 year ago
I think Mike would admit that wasn't his best look
impassable 1 year ago
@impassable Definitely - and yet Dennis looks the same here as he did in 1965
ashie259 1 year ago
Carl is adorable....I'd love to know why he covered up his gorgeous face with that beard,either.
Darlin756 1 year ago
@Darlin756 Well as we get older sometimes double chin happens. :)
impassable 1 year ago
shit i love this song....breakaway..one the of the best from beach boys...
utubsko333 1 year ago
Mike Love is fucking terrifying.
FuckingStanz 1 year ago 34
@FuckingStanz He looks like a refugee from the Manson clan...
Baskerville22 1 year ago
@FuckingStanz LOL.
WizardsMachine 10 months ago
@FuckingStanz LOL.
WizardsMachine 10 months ago
@FuckingStanz and still is. read his comments about the Smile re-issue. he actually loved it all along! who'd a' thunk it?
alburtise 9 months ago
Carl is so cute. I wish he didn't grow that beard and cover up his face for all those years.
Verniegirl9 1 year ago
@Verniegirl9 There is a 1968 song by the Goodees called "Condition Red" (it basically has the exact storyline of "leader of the Pack", except they're Southern). Anyway, at the beginning, the girl quotes her parents: "why doesn't he get a HAIRcut [drawled]? Why doesn't he SHAVE. Y'know, he used to be such a good looking boy before he grew that AWFUL beard."
shmuli9 1 year ago
@shmuli9 That's funny! Thanks for the laugh!
Verniegirl9 1 year ago
[ continued... ]
The most sinister line in the song is "Oh boy, you'll jump for joy if you'll just break away".
helenaZZZZirlandaise 1 year ago
Dennis looks like hes about to barf all over the drumset!
relimes 1 year ago
great song
shanehenning26 1 year ago
fuck i luv this
skinnyrichard 1 year ago 20
@skinnyrichard Do you have to swear!
regentv980 8 months ago
@regentv980 sorry for my profanities :-)
skinnyrichard 7 months ago
luv this beach boys track
skinnyrichard 1 year ago 5
Imagine how BIG this great tune would have been if written recorded, & released 3 or 4 years earlier, when their popularity was at its zenith.
RTSiciliano 1 year ago
AWESOME
LVEMEDO 1 year ago
Aaaah Mikes cool
rodstarr2001 1 year ago
WTF is that mike love the bearded guy at the end?
relimes 1 year ago
@relimes He reminds me of Rasputin lol
belladeballe 1 year ago
This is a great song and a strong show of the great stuff the band were putting out around this time, this has a real nice feel and showed that when brian put his mind to it he could still knock out a quality tune, id be interested to know what murry (Reggie dunbar) wilsons input to the song was.
paulandnic14 1 year ago
@paulandnic14 yes, i have often wondered just how much input murry had in this song.
johnrunion 1 year ago
@johnrunion
Me too. They co-wrote it, but to me it reads like the Dad in denial of his son's mental illness and trying to motivate his son to snap out of it (but really for guilty Dad's sake), manipulating the son to dismiss and over-simplify the last five "lost" years as having just been "in his head". Interestingly, when he died 4 years later Brian did not attend his funeral.
Beautiful song to listen to before I was aware of the abuse and damage reparation behind it. Still a great song.
helenaZZZZirlandaise 1 year ago
@helenaZZZZirlandaise thank you. i would say that you are probably right on target with your assessment. it is still amazing to me how brian could STILL make such soothing, calming, wonderful, beautiful, inspiring, exhilarating, warm, healing music amidst everything that was going on in his life/was then going on in his life/had previously transpired.
johnrunion 1 year ago
@johnrunion
Yes John, I agree. His is one of the most inspirational stories I know. The sheer integrity of this unassuming genius in overcoming his demons just blows me away.
And what a lonely furrow he has had to plough, yet he still clung to a goodness deep within himself which he never allowed to be damaged.
But the name "Beach Boys", imposed on them against their will, does seem to have unfairly portrayed a superficial core which masks the true depths of their talent and spirituality..
helenaZZZZirlandaise 1 year ago 2
@helenaZZZZirlandaise thank you for the reply. that was very well stated. yes, after the first three albums the name beach boys just didn't fit any longer. surfin' safari was a nice debut...from basically a bunch of kids. the material is age appropriate. surfin' usa was a huge leap forward. the lonely sea is the group's first classic album cut/non-single song. it is also the first glimpse of bw's melancholy side. surfer girl continued the musical growth.
johnrunion 1 year ago 2
@johnrunion some even go as far as to say that surfer girl is the first concept album in the pop/rock era. after that, they left the title 'beach boys' behind. pretty much all of their surf songs were contained on their first three albums, except don't back down which didn't appear until their 5th album. i don't consider do it again a 'surf'' song. all of their race car songs were pretty much on their first 5 albums. they released 12 albums in roughly 3 years.
johnrunion 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@johnrunion they released 12 albums in roughly 3 years. their entire surf catalog transpired in a very short period of time. ..just 3 albums for the most part.
johnrunion 1 year ago
haha, mike love.. im laughing AT you.. not with you.. you fucking LOSER!
burstmatress 1 year ago
Esta cancion es una las sessiones del album 20/20 al igual que celebrate the news y We're together again.
musicvideo007 1 year ago
had Mike Love gone a bit coco by then?
relimes 2 years ago
This is one of those songs I can listen to and sing over and over again. It's a brilliant melody, great lyric, and I love everyone's contributions to the vocals. It makes for fun listening: okay, there's Carl, okay that's Al, there's Mike (well, not so much Mike--haha).
dennyvibes 2 years ago
One of the all time great bands of American pop music dont think they made a bad record, In my room was brilliant so was this, so many good recordings too many to mention.
caslox 2 years ago
lol, I saw this and was like, what is Mike wearing. :) Then I saw my gorgeous Carl and that is all I could focus on. :)
wouldntyoulike2know 2 years ago 2
I love this song and i am angry that is ignored by their bigger hits. Though it's nice to see 70s fashions creeping in.
ColumRogers 2 years ago
Absolutely delightful after all these years, great lyrics, thanks
ronashahar 2 years ago 2
cool song - these guys could really sing !
megawavez 2 years ago
a hit in the uk and yet a masterpiece
rouens 2 years ago
Why the thumbs down? It did chart very well internationally but not in the US.
himself801 2 years ago
Mike Love had gone a bit maharishi by then!
harrasepp 2 years ago 4
a brillant song. chalk it up with the other million brian wilson classics.
ssiknick83 2 years ago 3
Too bad the consumers of the time failed to agree.
RTSiciliano 2 years ago 3
This has a weird history. The label check list the writers as Brian Wilson & Reggie Dunbar, which is a known professional pseudonym for Murray Wilson, his father.
himself801 2 years ago
Trivia time!!!!This Song was recorded in March of 1969 and was on the Capital Records label. The 45rpm record has STEREO on it. The Trivia question is: What Dennis Wilson/Gregg Jakobson song is on THE FLIP SIDE of this 45? Hint: Both songs were on the 20/20 ALBUM.( I know that doesn't help much.)
surfside48 2 years ago
Didn't know this off the top of my head, Wikipedia list "Celebrate the News" and shows photo of single sleeve.
Neither were on the original vinyl LP.
I did remember that "Breakaway" was the very last thing delivered to Capitol after "20/20" was released, before their original or first contract expired.
himself801 2 years ago
Your right! it was not on the Original 20/20 Album. I have the original and I should have looked at it before. Does the 20/20 re-release have the EYE CHART on the inside, like on the original?
surfside48 2 years ago
The CD release of Friends & 20/20 doesn't include the EYE CHART photo, it only makes a reference to it. As I have never seen the inside of the 20/20 album sleeve, I've never seen this photo. Most of the regular Capitol albums I only have on CD.
himself801 2 years ago
Celebrate The News! great song!!!!!
stwads 2 years ago
one of my favorite songs ever! great share, jeanette - LVMEDO!!
david
dlpine71 2 years ago
Mike Love is an asshole
rep0eagle 2 years ago
mike love is GOD!
popartafterflash 2 years ago
If you insist, then Hitler and Saddam were great humanitarians.
himself801 2 years ago
LoL I bet you're never even spoke to him in person.
mdefil23 2 years ago
Hey Mike...Friar Tuck just called. He wants his robe back.
aquarius11 2 years ago 4
I agree that this is an inspirational song to give you the courage to make changes in your life. I was 23 when this came on the radio and it stopped me in my tracks! I bought their Greatest Hits but only wanted to listen to Breakaway because at that time I was contemplating moving to Australia from the stormy moors of Lancashire - important decision. But shortly afterwards I did ..... Thank You, Brian!
JSWren 2 years ago
Soundtrack of my youth, plus all the other BB hits. Rural Lancashire - so removed from LA, California, surfing etc, yet it struck a chord that's never really dimmed.
martinjp1958 2 years ago
I was working on my '67 Camaro when this song came on the radio for the first time in '69, the year I bought the car. The only thing better than a new car was a new Beach Boys song!
Tundramensch 3 years ago 5
true
regentv980 3 years ago
My first Single!!!
padenstedt 3 years ago
good choice
regentv980 3 years ago
May 31st 1969 Hammersmith Odeon, London. I was 13. My elder brother took me to the concert.
A transforming moment in time...this song became the track for my life. I took one look at those golden young men with the great voices and said "if that is what America looks and sounds like, I wnat to be there."
Forty years later ...I've been in the USA 31 years. I did indeed Breakaway.
jensmate 3 years ago 5
wow thats a cool story... i love good comments like your inspiring story... its absolutely amazing the power of GOOD music... this is a very inspirational song... inspires courage, the kind of courage to really BREAKAWAY from some of lifes harder situations... you should write a short story about that experience (or a long story) ! Im still learning about what the beach boys did before 1969... how did i ever under-rate these guys in my youth? great song.
stumptacular 3 years ago
jensmate:
I can appreciate what you typed. I was a bit older. During their heyday I was a preteen to a teenybopper.
Man....was it ever magic. One hit after another. I Get Around, 409, Lit'l Deuce Coupe, Help Me Rhonda, Don't Worry Baby, Sloop John B.... on and on. It was magic! EVERYONE wanted to move to California. The Beach Boys were the greatest American band ever.
For England, it was The Beatles, without a doubt. The Beach Boys were America's answer to The Beatles.
dale1966gto 3 years ago
to be picky, The Beach Boys already had a few US hits before The Beatles arrived. The Byrds were America's answer to The Beatles.
himself801 2 years ago
@himself801
As much as I like the beach boys and the byrds I have to say there is no answer to the Beatles.
SIMBER9 2 years ago
What a great song!! You just gotta love Beach Boys! People says than I`m too young listen at Beach Boys:( But does it really matter if they were popular that long ago, as long as the musik is great. Which it is!! : )
lovestadunge 3 years ago
good music should be appreciated by all ages not just certain generations.
And you are correct, the beach boys did make great music.
metcard 3 years ago
I agree. Break Away was ignored by the Top 40 when it came out but 50 years from now it will be considered one of their best songs. Great sound; great message (ala Mark 1:15).
{Click BB45s for rare Beach Boys video playlist}
BB45s 2 years ago 4
good for you,the Beach Boys are for everyone
regentv980 3 years ago 2
Love it! Their music was always so happy.
laura060366 3 years ago
One of my ALL time favourite Beach Boys tunes - now I know Brian was having a sabbatical during this era but ........
Where on earth or outer-space was Mike Love ???
SteveCaftdunt 3 years ago
.......superb song! I just can't remember who that is with the long hair, beard, and kaftan! It must be all that dope I've been smoking.
smelgy 3 years ago
yay! :)
SarahoLouise 3 years ago