"Don't Back Down" is a song by the American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

band

the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...

and the final track on their 1964 album '' All Summer Long''. Written by

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025) was an American musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often Brian Wilson is a genius, called a genius for his novel approaches to pop compositio ...

and

Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who is one of the vocalists of the Beach Boys, of which he was an original member alongside his cousins Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Carl Wilson and their frien ...

, the lyrics describe a group of surfers who "don't back down from that wave", explaining that they "gotta be a little nuts" to show the girls "who's got guts". It was the group's last surfing-themed song until 1968's " Do It Again". In 1990, an earlier version of "Don't Back Down" was included on a reissue CD that compiled ''

Little Deuce Coupe ''Little Deuce Coupe'' is the fourth album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released October 7, 1963 by Capitol Records. It reached No. 4 in the U.S. during a chart stay of 46 weeks, and was eventually certified platinum by the RIA ...

'' and ''All Summer Long'', and in 2014, a new stereo mix was featured on the archival release '' Keep an Eye on Summer''. In 1996,

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

band

the Queers The Queers are an American punk rock band, formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joseph “Joe” P. King (a.k.a. Joe Queer) along with Scott Gildersleeve (a.k.a. Tulu), and John “Jack” Hayes (a.k.a. Wimpy Rutherford). With the ...

recorded a

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of the song that served as the lead single for their album '' Don't Back Down''.

Composition

The song, in the key of A-flat, modulates to the key of A during each chorus, and returns to A-flat during the verse. A modulation during the chorus had previously been used by Wilson in songs such as "

Don't Worry Baby "Don't Worry Baby" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their March 1964 album '' Shut Down Volume 2''. Written by Brian Wilson and Roger Christian, Wilson's lead vocal is considered one of his defining performances, and he late ...

Critical reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

'' critic

Richie Unterberger Richie Unterberger (born 1962) is an American author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing. Life and writing Unterberger attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he wrote for the university newspaper '' The Daily P ...

called the track a "relatively little-known treasure" and praised it for its "uncommonly anxious lyrics." Music historian Andrew Hickey called the song "one of 'All Summer Long's''best tracks." Musicologist Philip Lambert said that Don't Back Down' positively explodes with surfing energy and vitality."

Alternate version

An alternate version, sharing some of the elements of the final produced version, has a more serious tone. Lines such as "I know what it's like when you feel like backing down" and "Just grit your teeth, take it on, but don't back down!" give this version a personal, conversational and challenging direction.

Personnel

Per Craig Slownski.Mirror
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– lead, bass, backing, and harmony vocals *

Al Jardine Alan Charles Jardine (born September 3, 1942) is an American musician who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best known as the band's rhythm guitarist, background vocalist, and for occasionally singing lead vocals on singles such as number-one hit ...

– backing and harmony vocals, electric bass guitars *

– chorus falsetto, backing, and harmony vocals; upright, tack, or grand piano;

Hammond B3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

; arranger *

Carl Wilson Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian Wilson, Brian and Dennis Wilson, ...

– backing and harmony vocals, electric rhythm guitars *

Dennis Wilson Dennis Carl Wilson (December 4, 1944 – December 28, 1983) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their drummer and the middle brother of bandmates Brian Wilson, Brian and Carl Wilson as well as ...

– backing and harmony vocals, drums ;Additional musicians and production staff *

Hal Blaine Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky; February 5, 1929 – March 11, 2019) was an American drummer and session musician, thought to be among the most recorded studio drummers in the music industry, claiming over 35,000 sessions and 6,000 singles. ...

– drums *

Chuck Britz Charles Dean Britz (November 7, 1927 – August 21, 2000) was a recording engineer who worked with Jan and Dean, Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, P.F. Sloan and The Grass Roots on numerous albums between 1962 and 1967. Biography Britz was b ...

– engineer *

Ray Pohlman Merlyn Ray Pohlman (July 22, 1930 – November 1, 1990) was an American session musician and arranger who played both upright bass and bass guitar, and also did sessions as a guitarist. He is credited with being the first electric bass player in ...

– 6-string electric bass guitar *

The Honeys The Honeys (originally the Rovell Sisters) were an American girl group, formed in Los Angeles in 1958, that initially comprised sisters Marilyn, Diane, and Barbara Rovell. Barbara was later replaced by their cousin, Ginger Blake. After 1962, ...

(

Marilyn Rovell Marilyn may refer to: People * Marilyn (given name) * Marilyn (singer) (born 1962), English singer * Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962), an American actress Places * Marilyn (hill), a type of mountain or hill in the British Isles with a prominence ...

, Diane Rovell, Ginger Blake) – backing vocals

References

{{authority control 1964 songs The Beach Boys songs Songs written by Brian Wilson Songs written by Mike Love Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson