Don't Go Near the Water (Beach Boys song)

Infobox Song
Name = Don't Go Near the Water


Border =
Caption =
Type =
Artist = The Beach Boys
alt Artist =
Album = Surf's Up
Published =
Released = August 30, 1971
track_no = 1
Recorded = April 3, 1971
Genre = Pop
Length = 2:39
Writer =
Composer = Mike Love/Al Jardine
Label = Brother/Reprise
Producer = The Beach Boys
Tracks =
prev =
prev_no =
next = Long Promised Road
next_no = 2
Misc =

"Don't Go Near the Water" is a song written by Mike Love and Al Jardine for the American pop band The Beach Boys. It was the first track on their 1971 album "Surf's Up".

Composition

The Beach Boys hired Jack Rieley as their manager in 1970. In order to make the band more relevant, Rieley suggested that the band write songs that were more political. "Don't Go Near the Water" is the first example of this. 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.

Recording

The song was recorded at the same session as Long Promised Road and 4th of July, both also recorded for the Surf's Up album. The lead vocals are by the song's composers, Love and Jardine. Brian Wilson contributed the piano part.

Releases

The song was chosen to be the B-side of the "Surf's Up" single, released on November 8, 1971. It did not chart. It was later released on November 2, 1981 as the B-side of the "Come Go with Me" single. The single charted at #18 in the US but never charted in the UK.

See also

*List of songs by The Beach Boys