"Susie Cincinnati" is a song by the American rock band

the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that 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 frie ...

that was recorded during the sessions for their 1970 album ''

Sunflower The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a large annual forb of the genus ''Helianthus'' grown as a crop for its edible oily seeds. Apart from cooking oil production, it is also used as livestock forage (as a meal or a silage plant), as ...

''. It was written by

Al Jardine Alan Charles Jardine (born September 3, 1942) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best known as the band's rhythm guitarist and for occasionally singing lead vocals on singles such as "Help Me, Rho ...

about a female cab driver from Ohio.

Background

Al Jardine stated in a 2022 interview, "'Susie Cincinnati' is kind of a jab at

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

, a ' Drive My Car' kind of thing, I enjoyed that. There wasn’t so much a rivalry with The Beatles, more of an appreciation. With Brian it might have been competition but myself, I enjoyed their work a lot."

Recording

"Susie Cincinnati" was recorded at the Beach Boys' Bel Air studio on December 24, 1969 and January 7, 1970. The automobile sound effects were recorded on February 2, 1970.

Release

The song was first issued in February 1970 as the B-side of the "

Add Some Music to Your Day "Add Some Music to Your Day" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys that was released in the US on February 23, 1970 as the lead single from their album ''Sunflower (The Beach Boys album), Sunflower''. It was written by Brian Wilson, Joe Kn ...

" single, and then again in December 1974 as the B-side of the "

Child of Winter (Christmas Song) "Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys that was released as a standalone single on December 23, 1974. Written by Brian Wilson and Stephen Kalinich, it was the only Beach Boys single issued between the alb ...

" single. In 1976, it was included as a track on the album ''

15 Big Ones ''15 Big Ones'' is the 20th studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released July 5, 1976 on Brother/Reprise. It includes a mix of original songs and renditions of rock 'n' roll and R&B standards. The LP was the band's first albu ...

''.

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 ...

included it on the LP "because it's a good song", although

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 is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson. ...

felt that it was a "silly piece of shit".

Personnel

Per liner notes. The Beach Boys *

– lead and backing vocals, guitar *

Bruce Johnston Bruce Arthur Johnston (born Benjamin Baldwin; June 27, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who is a member of the Beach Boys. Johnston also collaborated on many records with Terry Melcher (his bandmate in Bru ...

– backing vocals *

Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bass-bari ...

– backing vocals *

– backing vocals, harmonica, bass *

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, guitar *

– backing vocals Session musicians *

Daryl Dragon Daryl Frank Dragon (August 27, 1942 – January 2, 2019) was an American musician, known as Captain from the pop musical duo Captain & Tennille with his then-wife, Toni Tennille. Career Born into a musical family, Dragon was the son of El ...

–

clavinet The Clavinet is an electrically amplified clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds by a rubber pad striking a point on a tension ...

* Dennis Dragon – drums

References

Citations Bibliography * * * *

External links

* * * * {{15 Big Ones 1970 songs The Beach Boys songs Songs written by Al Jardine Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson