How The Beach Boys Tried To Win Over The Four Seasons With 1964’s ‘Wendy’

The Beach Boys band was quite competitive with other groups such as The Beatles, but there was another group that caught their attention in the ‘60s: The Four Seasons. Like the Wilson brothers and the rest of The Beach Boys Band, Four Seasons were equally trying to break into the Southern California music scene from Newark, New Jersey.

Brian Wilson and Mike Love wrote “Wendy” as part of their All Summer Long album and their first EP, Four By The Beach Boys, which was released in 1964. However, Brian admitted they had The Four Seasons in mind as well. Over the years, “Wendy” has proven to be a classic that has been successfully covered by Bill DeMain and Descendants.

Brian Wilson enjoyed The Four Seasons’ music and wanted to ‘flatter’ them somehow

Some fans assume “Wendy” was written for one of Brian’s daughters. However, he clarified that the song came way before her birth and was a nudge at The Four Seasons. Brian admitted to liking their vocal style and commended the impressive job producer Bob Crewe was doing on their releases.

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After the song debuted, they performed it on several occasions, including on The Ed Sullivan Show and as part of their 50th-anniversary set, with Bruce Johnston doing the lead vocals more than half the time. “Wendy” hit the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, Germany, and Switzerland, earning them nationwide and global recognition.

Following an impressive career run lasting over seven decades, The Beach Boys are now wrapping things up with a series of eventful lineups this year, which includes their ongoing Endless Summer 2024 tour, ending in October. All except Brian continue to deliver an unforgettable performance to concertgoers, as the frontman currently suffers from a major neurocognitive disorder.

They recently celebrated the release of their Disney + documentary, The Beach Boys, which portrays their rise to fame and the chaos in between. At the same time, their first-ever book, The Beach Boys By The Beach Boys, hit the shelves to give readers a glimpse into their lives behind the scenes via text and a collection of rare photos.