"I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man" is a song written by

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

for the

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band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1965 album '' Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)''. However, when ''Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)'' was reissued in the early 1970s as ''California Girls'', the track was cut from the running order.

Background

"I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man" was inspired by Brian Wilson's tumultuous relationship with his father, Murry, who was well known for his abusive treatment of his children. In the song, the singer's father uses extreme punishments to reprimand minor incidents, resulting in the singer being locked in his room, his windows being boarded up, his surfboard and radio being taken away, his hair cut off, and a meager meal of bread crumbs and water being the only thing for him to eat.

Critical opinion

'' AllMusic'' critic Thomas Ward said of the song, "'I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man' is one of the least complex songs in the Beach Boys' canon, yet it is not without its charms, even though group leader Brian Wilson was too embarrassed to own up to singing it on the album credits. What is essentially a Fats Domino-style boogie and some awful, trite lyrics ('Can't drive, can't do a doggone thing/I'm bugged at my ol' man/And he doesn't even know where it's at') is at least rendered bearable by some wonderfully primitive piano playing and, truth be told, a clichéd but gorgeous bridge that has Brian Wilson's stamp all over it." Author Peter Ames Carlin described the track as "a tossed-off piano blues number" and "one of the weirdest pieces of humor to ever turn up on anyone's album."

Personnel

Credits from Craig Slowinski. *

(Credited as "Too Embarrassed") – lead and backing vocals, piano *

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 and Dennis, and the group's ''de ...

– backing vocals * Dennis Wilson – backing vocals *

Marilyn Wilson Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford (née Rovell; born February 6, 1948) is an American singer who is best known as the first wife of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Raised in Los Angeles, she started her singing career in the late 1950s, initially as part ...

– backing vocals

References

{{authority control 1965 songs Blues songs Comedy rock songs The Beach Boys songs Songs written by Brian Wilson Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson Songs about fathers