Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, “California Girls” became one of The Beach Boys‘ signature songs. The track was featured on their classic album “Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)”, their ninth album, released in 1965. It was an instant hit which peaked at number 3 on the United States Billboard Hot 100.
Over the decades many other artists covered the track, including the Van Halen vocalist David Lee Roth, when he decided to leave the band in the mid-80s and pursue a solo career. His version was released in December, 1984 and featured on his first EP “Crazy From the Heat” (1985). But what was Brian Wilson’s opinion on the version made by David Lee Roth?
Brian Wilson’s opinion on David Lee Roth’s “California Girls” cover
Usually, some musicians are not really big fans of cover versions of songs written by them but Brian Wilson actually loved David Lee Roth’s version. “It was so perfect that when David Lee Roth did it 20 years later and reached the same spot on the charts, No. 3,” Wilson continued. “He used Carl to sing backup on it to keep the vibe. I love that version. My favorite part is where he ad-libs, I dig the girls,” Brian said as reported by American Songwriter.
When asked by New York Times magazine in 2005 which kind of artists he was listening to in the 80s, Roth was his answer. “David Lee Roth. I thought that his version of “California Girls” was really, really good.”
Roth’s version curiously had the Beach Boy Carl Wilson (Brian’s brother) along with Christopher Cross doing the backing vocals. As Brian said, just like the original version, it peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The famous music video inspired by Frederico Fellini’s “Amarcord” was released in 1985, directed by Pete Angelus, and helped the song to be featured on MTV constantly. “What a cover job, wow! I thought he took it to a new place,” Wilson told the Boston Herald in 2000
What David Lee Roth said about Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys
“Crazy From the Heat” was really important for David Lee Roth’s solo career and paved the way for his praised albums which would later be released with the guitarist Steve Vai, bassist Billy Sheehan and Drummer Gregg Bissonette. The Van Halen vocalist was obviously a big fan of The Beach Boys and in 1988, he talked about the band and Brian.
“Drugs do wonderful things to people, don’t they? They sure build strong bodies 12 ways, don’t they? I was, I was a Beach Boy. I was a Beach Boy when I was in fourth grade. We were wearing surf shorts long before the door guard at the Lexington Queen. And I was a Beach Boy for three minutes, 28 seconds when I recorded California Girls. Right?”
“And I think it was dope that that sent Brian spinning off the road and kept on going. And it is the same thing, reflected in the eyes of how many other musicians, all of Hendrix’s best stuff came before the dope. All of Joplin’s, Janis Joplin’s best music, and Scott Joplin’s came before the dope. It’s,” he told Steve Harris.
