The Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations” Rare Studio Recording Film Footage

17 Recording Sessions, 90 Hours Of Tape, One Masterpiece

Recorded at Columbia Studios in Los Angeles, The Beach Boys’ smash hit ‘Good Vibrations’ was the band’s biggest hit of their entire career and the most expensive, costing between $50,000 and $75,000 to produce Beach Boy Brian Wilson’s masterpiece. It was a song that caused critics to brand Wilson a “genius”, while he insisted he was just a “hard working guy” who really loved music and now we get to see the boys in studio as they recorded this classic!

Featuring footage of Wilson directing the rest of the band as ‘Good Vibrations’ is recorded, this footage gives us a fantastic glimpse into their intimate little world as they worked feverishly on one of the biggest hits the world has ever seen.

Fun Fact: Production for ‘Good Vibrations’ spanned seventeen recording sessions at four different studios.

It’s no secret that Brian Wilson was one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century, but this video is fantastic in that it sheds some light on the blood, sweat, and tears put into making what is now hailed as a “pocket symphony”!

+ Good Vibrations lyrics +

I, I love the colorful clothes she wears
And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair
I hear the sound of a gentle word
On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air

I’m pickin’ up good vibrations
She’s giving me excitations
I’m pickin’ up good vibrations (Oom bop, bop, good vibrations)
She’s giving me excitations(Oom bop, bop, excitations)
Good good good good vibrations (Oom bop, bop)
She’s giving me excitations(Oom bop, bop, excitations)
Good good good good vibrations (Oom bop, bop)
She’s giving me excitations (Oom bop, bop, excitations)

Close my eyes
She’s somehow closer now
Softly smile, I know she must be kind
When I look in her eyes
She goes with me to a blossom world

I’m pickin’ up good vibrations
She’s giving me excitations
I’m pickin’ up good vibrations (Oom bop, bop, good vibrations)
She’s giving me excitations (Oom bop, bop, excitations)
Good good good good vibrations (Oom bop, bop)
She’s giving me excitations (Oom bop, bop, excitations)
Good good good good vibrations (Oom bop, bop)
She’s giving me excitations (Oom bop, bop, excitations)

I don’t know where but she sends me there
(Ah my, my, what a sensation)
(Ah my, my, what elations)
(Ah my, my, what)

Gotta keep those lovin’ good vibrations
A happenin’ with her
Gotta keep those lovin’ good vibrations
A happenin’ with her
Gotta keep those lovin’ good vibrations
A happenin’

Ah
Good good good good vibrations (Oom bop, bop, I’m pickin’ up good vibrations)
She’s giving me excitations (Oom bop, bop, excitations)
Good good good good vibrations (Oom bop, bop)
She’s na, na

Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na
Do, do, do, do, do,
Do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do,
Do, do, do