It's OK (The Beach Boys song)

"It's OK" (spelled "It's O.K." on the record label) is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1976 album 15 Big Ones. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it is an upbeat song about celebrating summer fun. It was issued as a single on August 9, 1976 (with the B-side "Had to Phone Ya") and reached number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single version is slightly sped-up compared to the album version.

Background and recording

"It's OK" is an upbeat song about celebrating summer fun that was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love. Brian commented of the song in a 1995 interview, "That was written inside Brother Studios in Santa Monica. At the end, where Dennis goes (sings) "Find a ride", we put two of his voices on there, and it sounded fan-tas-tic! Fuckin' fantastic from Dennis." On another occasion, he praised Love's lyrics, but said that the song "doesn't bring back real pleasant memories."

Sessions for the song commenced at Brother Studios in October 1974, notably featuring members of Wizzard who were staying in Los Angeles at the end of their only U.S. tour. Contrary to the credits on the back of the 15 Big Ones album, bandleader Roy Wood played drums, not saxophone.

Legacy

In the United States, the song was the highest-charting original single that the Beach Boys released between "Do It Again" (which peaked at number 20 in 1968) and "Getcha Back" (which peaked at number 26 in 1985); however, "Almost Summer" (a song written by Wilson, Love, and Al Jardine for the sidegroup Celebration) reached number 28 in 1978, while "The Beach Boys Medley" (which also interpolates the band's 1965 cover of "Barbara Ann") peaked at number 12 in 1981. "It's O.K." later reappeared as the B-side to the 1985 single "It's Gettin' Late".

Record World said that "it works remarkably well" and called it a "summer celebration as only know how to produce."

In 2019, Love re-recorded "It's O.K." for his album 12 Sides of Summer. Brian Wilson also re-recorded the track for the soundtrack to the documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (2021).

Personnel

Per 2000 liner notes and Dillon.

The Beach Boys

Al Jardine – backing vocals
Mike Love – lead and backing vocals
Brian Wilson – backing vocals, piano, organ, Moog bass
Carl Wilson – backing vocals, guitar
Dennis Wilson – backing vocals, drums
Ricky Fataar – drums

Additional musicians and production staff

Dennis Dreith – clarinet
Jules Jacobs – clarinet
Marilyn Wilson – backing vocals
Roy Wood – drums
Mike Burney - saxophone
Nick Pentelow - saxophone

References

Ainsley, Will (May 24, 2024). "Every Beach Boys Album, Ranked". Spin. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
^ Dillon, Mark (2014). Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story. ECW Press. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-77090-198-8.
Benci, Jacopo (January 1995). "Brian Wilson interview". Record Collector (185). UK.
"Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. August 28, 1976. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
Diken, Dennis; Buck, Peter (2000). 15 Big Ones/Love You (booklet). The Beach Boys. California: Capitol Records. p. 2.

External links

It's OK (Alternate Mix) on YouTube

15 Big Ones

Songs

Side one	"Rock and Roll Music" "It's O.K." "Had to Phone Ya" "Chapel of Love" "Everyone's in Love with You" "Talk to Me" "That Same Song" "T M Song"
Side two	"Palisades Park" "Susie Cincinnati" "A Casual Look" "Blueberry Hill" "Back Home" "In the Still of the Night" "Just Once in My Life"

Outtakes

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

This 1970s rock song–related article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Categories: