"Don't Go Near the Water" is a song by American rock 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 ...

from their 1971 album '' Surf's Up''. Written by

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 ...

and

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 ...

, the song puts an ironic, ecological spin on the traditional Beach Boys beach- and surf- based songs: instead of enjoying surfing and other fun activities, this time the listener is advised to avoid the water for environmental reasons.

Background and recording

The song was recorded at the same session as " Long Promised Road" and "

4th of July Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

", both also recorded for ''Surf's Up''. The lead vocals are by the song's composers, Love and Jardine. According to biographer

Peter Ames Carlin Peter Ames Carlin (born March 14, 1963) is an American journalist, critic and biographer who has written for publications such as ''People'' magazine, ''The New York Times Magazine'', '' The Los Angeles Times Magazine'', and ''The Oregonian''. Sev ...

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 ...

contributed the dissonant piano part. However, in a 2007 interview, Wilson stated of the song, "Totally Alan’s trip. I was not part of that." Jardine spoke about the song in a 2021 interview: Unused lyrics for the song mentioned the narrator's father in reference to the water: "I think it killed my dad".

Release

The song was the B-side of the " Surf's Up" single, released on November 8, 1971. It did not chart. Featured as an A-side in New Zealand, it peaked at #21 there. It was later released on November 2, 1981 as the B-side of the "

Come Go with Me "Come Go with Me" is a song written by C. E. Quick (a.k.a. Clarence Quick), an original member (bass vocalist) of the American doo-wop vocal group the Del-Vikings. The song was originally recorded by The Del-Vikings (lead singer Norman Wright) ...

" single. The single charted at #18 in the U.S. but never charted in the UK.

Personnel

Credits from Craig Slowinski The Beach Boys *

– co-lead and backing vocals, tack piano, electric guitars (fed through a Moog), banjos *

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

– backing vocals *

– lead and backing vocals *

– co-lead and backing vocals, harmonica, harmonium, Baldwin organ *

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 vocals, electric lead guitar, tambourine; possible guiro Session musicians * Daryl Dragon – grand piano, Moog synthesizer, electric rhythm guitar, bass guitar *

Mike Kowalski Mike Kowalski (born July 28, 1944) is an American drummer, percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as a longtime touring and session drummer for the rock band the Beach Boys. Early career Mike Kowalski was born in Hollywood, California ...

– drums; possible guiro

References

Works cited

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Don't Go Near The Water (Beach Boys Song) 1971 songs The Beach Boys songs Songs written by Al Jardine Songs written by Mike Love Song recordings produced by the Beach Boys Environmental songs