Spirit of America (The Beach Boys album)

Infobox Album | Name = Spirit of America
Type = Compilation Album
Artist = The Beach Boys


Released = 14 April 1975 (US)
Recorded = April 1962 -
April 1969
Genre = Rock
Length = 51:09
Label = Capitol Records
Producer = Brian Wilson,
The Beach Boys
and Nick Venet
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:w1uh6j2h71e0 link] |Last album = "Endless Summer"
(1974)
This album = "Spirit of America"
(1975)
Next album = "Good Vibrations - Best of The Beach Boys"
(1975)

"Spirit of America" is the 1975 follow-up to the Capitol Records compilation of music by The Beach Boys, "Endless Summer", released the previous year. After the enormous success of its predecessor, Capitol rounded up the few remaining early hits that weren't released on "Endless Summer", as well as some worthy album tracks, in addition to two rare singles, "The Little Girl I Once Knew" and "Break Away". Although it features only a handful genuine hits, "Spirit of America" proved to be another success for The Beach Boys' former label, reaching #8 at home and going gold.

As with "Endless Summer", "Spirit of America" was compiled and released while The Beach Boys were contracted with Reprise Records and, as such, is not considered an "official" album of theirs.

Due to the appearance of more comprehensive and updated hit packages, "Endless Summer", "Spirit of America", and the 1982 followup "Sunshine Dream" have long since been deleted from the group's catalog.

Track listing

All songs by Brian Wilson/Mike Love, except where noted.

#Dance, Dance, Dance (Brian Wilson/Carl Wilson/Mike Love) – 1:59
#Break Away (Brian Wilson/Reggie Dunbar) – 2:54
#* Reggie Dunbar is a pseudonym for Murry Wilson"
#A Young Man is Gone (Bobby Troup/Mike Love) – 2:15
#409 (Brian Wilson/Mike Love/Gary Usher) – 2:00
#The Little Girl I Once Knew (Brian Wilson) – 2:36
#Spirit Of America (Brian Wilson/Roger Christian) – 2:23
#Little Honda – 1:51
#Hushabye (D. Pomus/M. Shuman) – 2:40
#Hawaii – 1:59
#Drive-In – 1:50
#Good to My Baby – 2:17
#Tell Me Why (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) – 1:38
#Do You Remember? – 1:37
#This Car of Mine – 1:35
#Please Let Me Wonder – 2:45
#Why Do Fools Fall In Love? (Frankie Lymon/Morris Levy) – 1:58
#Custom Machine – 1:38
#Barbara Ann (Fred Fassert) – 3:07
#* "Full length Beach Boys' Party! version"
#Salt Lake City – 2:00
#Don't Back Down – 1:44
#When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) – 2:02
#Do You Wanna Dance? (Bobby Freeman) – 2:18
#Graduation Day (J. Sherman/N. Sherman) – 2:17

"Spirit of America" (Capitol SVBB 11384) hit #8 in the US during a chart stay of 43 weeks.

The song "Dance, Dance, Dance" featured in this album was also one of 2 Beach Boys tracks included in a promotional-only various artists compilation album issued by Capitol records entitled "The Greatest Music Ever Sold" (Capitol SPRO-8511/8512), which was distributed to record stores during the 1976 Holiday season, as part of Capitol's "Greatest Music Ever Sold" campaign which promoted 15 "Best Of" albums that were released by the record label. "Help Me, Rhonda" from "Endless Summer" was the other Beach Boys song included.