Forever (The Beach Boys song)

1971 single by the Beach Boys

"Forever"

Single by the Beach Boys
from the album  Sunflower
A-side| "Cool, Cool Water"
Released| March 1971
Recorded| March 12–17, 1969
Studio| Gold Star Studios and Beach Boys Studio, Los Angeles
Genre| Rock, pop
Length| 2:40
Label| Brother/Reprise
Songwriter(s)| Dennis Wilson, Gregg Jakobson
Producer(s)| The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys singles chronology
| "Tears in the Morning"
(1970)  | "Forever"
(1971)  | "Wouldn't It Be Nice (live)"
(1971)

|
|

"Forever" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1970 album Sunflower. It was written by Dennis Wilson and Gregg Jakobson. Dennis sang lead vocal. His brother Brian assisted with the arrangement.[1]

## Reception

[edit]

Brian Wilson declared of the song, "'Forever' has to be the most harmonically beautiful thing I've ever heard. It's a rock and roll prayer."[2] AllMusic reviewer Matthew Greenwalk wrote,

> Easily one of the standouts on the Sunflower album, "Forever" is sort of a capper on Dennis Wilson's unexpected burst of creativity during the 1968-1969 period. A lovely, effervescent melody frames his soulful vocal and lyrics, which are as an accurate description on everlasting love and faithfulness as one could ever want to hear. There is a timeless quality to the whole piece, which is not unlike some of the more refined Elton John/Bernie Taupin ballads that would dominate the pop charts later in the 1970s. The unfortunate timing of the Charles Manson murders during this period sadly took some air out of Dennis' creative drive, yet this is still one of the greatest examples of his artistry.[3]

## Other releases

[edit]

* In 1972, American Spring, a duo consisting of Brian Wilson's then-wife Marilyn and her sister Diane Rovell included it on their sole album, produced by Wilson.
* In 2003, an a cappella version was included on the Beach Boys' compilation Hawthorne, CA.[3]
* In 2021, session highlights, instrumental, and a cappella versions were included on the band's box set Feel Flows.[4]

## John Stamos version

[edit]

A newly recorded version featuring lead vocals from actor and Beach Boys sideman John Stamos, appeared on the band's 1992 album Summer in Paradise.[5] Stamos performed the song on at least three episodes of his sitcom Full House (one of them during his character's 1991 wedding).[citation needed] On the first episode of Fuller House in 2016, "Forever" was once again performed by Jesse and the Rippers with other characters from the show singing as well.[6]

### Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for "Forever" by the Beach Boys and John Stamos  Chart (1993)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[7] | 100

## Personnel

[edit]

Sourced from Craig Slowinski.[8]

The Beach Boys

* Mike Love – harmony and backing vocals
* Brian Wilson – harmony and backing vocals
* Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, Rocksichord
* Dennis Wilson – lead vocals, harmony and backing vocals, piano, tambourine, production
* Bruce Johnston – piano

Additional musicians

* Mike Anthony – electric guitar
* Jimmy Bond – arco double bass
* Lyle Ritz – bass
* Daryl Dragon – vibraphone
* Gene Estes – drums
* Frank Capp – tympani
* Orville “Red” Rhodes – pedal steel guitar
* Paul Beaver – Moog synthesizer
* Spiro Stamos, Roy Tanabe, Shari Zippert, Jay Rosen – violins

Additional production staff

* Stephen Desper – engineer
* Doc Siegel – additional engineer

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Kubernick, Harvey (July 2, 2021). "Kubernick: Beach Boys "Feel Flows" Box Set". Music Connection.
2. ^ White, Timothy (2000). Sunflower/Surf's Up (CD Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records.
3. ^ a b "Forever" review at Allmusic
4. ^ Legaspi, Althea (3 June 2021). "The Beach Boys Detail Massive 1969-1971 Era Box Set, Share 'Big Sur'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
5. ^ Jones, Doug (30 August 2016). "Low Tide: The Beach Boys hit rock bottom in 1992 with 'Summer in Paradise'". Dangerous Minds. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
6. ^ "John Stamos, Beach Boys Perform Together In Hawaii, 'Full House' Memories Flood In". Huffington Post. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
7. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 265.
8. ^ Slowinski, Craig (Summer 2020). "Sunflower: 50 Year Anniversary Special Edition (Issue 130, Volume 33, No. 3)". Endless Summer Quarterly Magazine (Magazine). Charlotte, North Carolina, USA: David Beard.

## External links

[edit]

* Forever (A Cappella Mix / Remastered 2001) on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

Sunflower

Songs|

| Side one|

* "Slip On Through"
* "This Whole World"
* "Add Some Music to Your Day"
* "Got to Know the Woman"
* "Deirdre"
* "It's About Time"

|

Side two|

* "Tears in the Morning"
* "All I Wanna Do"
* "Forever"
* "Our Sweet Love"
* "At My Window"
* "Cool, Cool Water"

Outtakes|

* "Back Home"
* "Carnival"
* "Fallin' in Love"
* "Loop de Loop (Flip Flop Flyin' in an Aeroplane)"
* "Games Two Can Play"
* "Good Time"
* "I'm Going Your Way"
* "I Just Got My Pay"
* "Raspberries, Strawberries"
* "San Miguel"
* "Soulful Old Man Sunshine"
* "Susie Cincinnati"
* "Take a Load Off Your Feet"
* "When Girls Get Together"

Related articles|

* The Beach Boys
* discography
* "Break Away"
* "Celebrate the News"
* Cows in the Pasture
* Feel Flows

* Surfin' Safari
* Surfin' U.S.A.
* Surfer Girl
* Little Deuce Coupe
* Shut Down Volume 2
* All Summer Long
* The Beach Boys' Christmas Album
* The Beach Boys Today!
* Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
* Beach Boys' Party!
* Pet Sounds
* Smiley Smile
* Wild Honey
* Friends
* 20/20
* Sunflower
* Surf's Up
* Carl and the Passions – "So Tough"
* Holland
* 15 Big Ones
* The Beach Boys Love You
* M.I.U. Album
* L.A. (Light Album)
* Keepin' the Summer Alive
* The Beach Boys
* Still Cruisin'
* Summer in Paradise
* Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
* That's Why God Made the Radio

* v
* t
* e

The Beach Boys singles

1960s|

| 1961|

* "Surfin'" / "Luau"

|

1962|

* "Surfin' Safari" / "409"
* "Ten Little Indians" / "County Fair"

1963|

* "Surfin' U.S.A." / "Shut Down"
* "Surfer Girl" / "Little Deuce Coupe"
* "Be True to Your School" / "In My Room"
* "Little Saint Nick" / "The Lord's Prayer"

1964|

* "Fun, Fun, Fun" / "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"
* "I Get Around" / "Don't Worry Baby"
* "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" / "She Knows Me Too Well"
* "Dance, Dance, Dance" / "The Warmth of the Sun"
* "The Man with All the Toys" / "Blue Christmas"

1965|

* "Do You Wanna Dance?" / "Please Let Me Wonder"
* "Help Me, Rhonda" / "Kiss Me, Baby"
* "California Girls"/ "Let Him Run Wild"
* "The Little Girl I Once Knew" / "There's No Other (Like My Baby)"
* "Barbara Ann" / "Girl Don't Tell Me"

1966|

* "Sloop John B" / "You're So Good to Me"
* "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "God Only Knows"
* "Good Vibrations" / "Let's Go Away for Awhile"

1967|

* "Then I Kissed Her" / "Mountain of Love"
* "Heroes and Villains" / "You're Welcome"
* "Wild Honey" / "Wind Chimes"
* "Darlin'" / "Here Today"

1968|

* "Friends" / "Little Bird"
* "Do It Again" / "Wake the World"
* "Bluebirds over the Mountain" / "Never Learn Not to Love"

1969|

* "I Can Hear Music" / "All I Want to Do"
* "Break Away" / "Celebrate the News"

1970s|

| 1970|

* "Add Some Music to Your Day" / "Susie Cincinnati"
* "Cottonfields" / "The Nearest Faraway Place"
* "Slip On Through" / "This Whole World"
* "Tears in the Morning" / "It's About Time"

|

1971|

* "Cool, Cool Water" / "Forever"
* "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (live) / "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (by Merry Clayton)
* "Long Promised Road" / "Deirdre"
* "Long Promised Road" / "'Til I Die"
* "Student Demonstration Time" / "Don't Go Near the Water"
* "Surf's Up" / "Don't Go Near the Water"

1972|

* "You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" / "Cuddle Up"
* "Marcella" / "Hold On Dear Brother"

1973|

* "Sail On, Sailor" / "Only with You"
* "California Saga/California" / "Funky Pretty"

1974|

* "Surfin' U.S.A." / "The Warmth of the Sun"
* "Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" / "Susie Cincinnati"

1975|

* "Sail On, Sailor" / "Only with You"

1976|

* "Rock and Roll Music" / "T M Song"
* "It's O.K." / "Had to Phone Ya"
* "Everyone's in Love with You" / "Susie Cincinnati"

1977|

* "Honkin' Down the Highway" / "Solar System"

1978|

* "Peggy Sue" / "Hey Little Tomboy"

1979|

* "Here Comes the Night" / "Baby Blue"
* "Good Timin'" / "Love Surrounds Me"
* "Lady Lynda" / "Full Sail"
* "It's a Beautiful Day" / "Sumahama"

1980s|

| 1980|

* "Goin' On" / "Endless Harmony"
* "Livin' with a Heartache" / "Santa Ana Winds"

|

1981|

* "The Beach Boys Medley" / "God Only Knows"
* "Come Go with Me" / "Don't Go Near the Water"

1985|

* "Getcha Back" / "Male Ego"
* "It's Gettin' Late" / "It's O.K."
* "She Believes in Love Again" / "It's Just a Matter of Time"

1986|

* "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" / "Good Vibrations" (live)
* "California Dreamin'" / "Lady Liberty"

1987|

* "Happy Endings" (with Little Richard) / "California Girls" (live)

1988|

* "Kokomo" / "Tutti Frutti" (Little Richard)

1989|

* "Still Cruisin'" / "Kokomo"

1990s|

| 1990|

* "Somewhere Near Japan" / "Kokomo"
* "Problem Child" / "Problem Child (Instrumental)"

|

1992|

* "Hot Fun in the Summertime" / "Summer of Love"

1996|

* "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" / "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "Here Today"

2010s|

| 2011|

* "Good Vibrations" / "Heroes and Villains"
* "Don't Fight the Sea" / "Friends"

|

2012|

* "That's Why God Made the Radio" / "That's Why God Made the Radio" (instrumental)
* "Isn't It Time" / Live in Chicago

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

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