In 1988-Singer NEARLY DESTROYED Band’s Legacy in MINS…Then Had 1st #1 in 22 Years!-Professor of Rock
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ส.ค. 2023
- When Bad Songs Happen to Great Bands… Did one of the greatest bands of all time, the Beach Boys release one of the worst songs of all time in Kokomo? Today we’re telling the story of that chart-topping hit that polarized music fans. You’ve seen our #1 in Our Hearts episodes? Well, today’s episode could be the reverse of that. it’s made too many Worst Song of All-Time lists to count! How could one of the most iconic and creative bands in American pop history commit one of the 80s greatest musical sins? Well, the legendary genius Brian Wilson, Who wrote most of their material had nothing to do with it... Further, it was a big comeback #1 for a band that had been down and out since Brian, their musical leader had been MIA for years. Plus the shenanigans of Mike Love and his infamous Rock Hall of Fame speech! This one’s gonna be fun… Maybe you love the song it maybe you hate it. Let’s see NEXT on the Professor of Rock.
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#classicrock #80smusic #vinylstory #beachboys
Hey music junkies, Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of all time. If you remember trying to figure out how to set up the VCR to record your favorite shows when you couldn’t catch them before TIVO. You’ll dig this channel of musical nostalgia. Make sure to subscribe right now and click the bell so that you can jump into the time machine with us every single day. Also, check out our Patreon for even more content and to help us curate this music history.
For today’s episode, we’re giving you something of a twist. On the one hand, we’re covering one of my all-time favorite bands, The Beach Boys… with a special shout-out to one of my biggest musical heroes… Brian Wilson. But on the other, today’s track is without exception my least favorite track they ever released. It’s a song that Brian Wilson had no part in writing, but was rather in large part the creation of Mike Love… who is not their most beloved member… The track? the 1988 #1 hit Kokomo.
So upfront, I’m gonna say that Kokomo is a song that has divided Beach Boys fans since the day it was released. Technically, it’s their most commercially successful track… But for many listeners, it wore out its welcome pretty quick. In fact, since its release, "Kokomo" has become notorious for its collective negative reception… appearing on multiple all-time worst songs lists, including Blender's worst Top 50, NME’s 10 Worst Songs of the 80s, and Forbes' worst lyrics of all time. This isn’t the first time we’ve done a deep dive on a song from a worst all-time list. On previous episodes we’ve covered Starship’s We Built This City and Rick Dee’s Disco Duck. And I do have to say that it’s not even close to the worst song ever. Not even close.
But Kokomo, I’ll just say it holds a strange place in the Lore of the Beach Boys. I mean Brian Wilson is arguably the greatest musical genius still living, alongside Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney But Mike Love, the other leader of the Beach Boys has had his share of… moments… And the way he’s treated Brian over the years is quite offensive. Brian’s had his say thought. So where you do fall on the Kokomo divide? Like it? Love it? Can’t stand it? Hate it? Today, it’s the story behind the Beach Boys most infamous island track… - บันเทิง
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Poll: What is your pick for the WORST song of the 80s?
....DON'T WORRY......Be........ I can't even finish it........
George Thorogood Bad To The Bone
Every thing by Micheal Bolton or
Celine Dion
I'm going with Tom Jones' cover of Prince's "Kiss." There are probably worse, but that's the one that comes to mind.
That being said, I think I'll avoid the comments to this post. People are going to name a ton of classic tunes that are amazing, and I'll be ready to pull out the rest of my hair. LOL!
@@Sweet--Richard.4981 Oh my goodness. This is a leader for sure.
Until now, I was unaware that anybody hated this song. I like the vocal harmonies, the melody and the lyrics... what's not to like? I liked it back in 1988 and I like it now. I am perplexed by anybody's hatred for it.
I'm with you. I actually didn't know people hated this song until now. I was never a huge Beach Boys fan but I remember liking this one. Might have also helped that I was a John Stamos fan having watched him on General Hospital. So seeing him in the video of the song boosted its appeal for me
Same
Same here...🤷🏻♂️ had no idea....and it makes absolutely no sense to think 'Kokomo' or the hawaiian shirts of the 80's hurt in any way the legacy of the Beach Boys😂...in the end this video has not to do much with 'Kokomo' as much as it is a Brian Wilson fan service...and a mockery of Mike Love...and he's right on both points btw😂...however I don't think 'Kokomo' it's that terrible either...
@@benglez - Totally agree. I think it was Prof's day to rag on Mike Love, be that right or wrong, but the fact he is so enamored with Brian, and Brian doesn't like Mike. Or maybe it is Love's political beliefs, which would be my first guess. Regardless, I've been a Beach Boy fan since I heard 409 back in the 60's and I think Kokomo totally fits their groove. As for it being a fictitious place, well lots of songs take us to those places on purpose.
@@thebiggianthead8364Or it could be that Wilson was a songwriting genius and Love is a talentless hack
I'm the programmer at a classic hits station, and I regularly do audience surveys; Kokomo always gets a good response from our audience. It's not their greatest song, but it's not the worst song of the 1980s by any stretch.
Whoa, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" is a fantastic song. If you listen to it seriously, it's a heart-warming reaffirmation of life and positivity. The video was played for gags, but it has a serious message. It also sounds great musically and has some amazing vocal work.
I’ve seen some clips of Bobby M singing live. He seems like a really talented guy.
I was one of the kids who hated it then, I hate it now. Don’t worry be happy is an abomination. I don’t mean that disrespectfully. But I cringe to this day if it pops on the radio. Kokomo on the other hand is one of my all time favorite songs. I’m shocked how many people hate Kokomo.
@@GisherJohn24 There are few times when I read something that just makes me stop, stare, and shake my head in shock and disbelief. Music is great in that it's so varied that we can all find something we each enjoy. But wow, I totally think there's nothing at all wrong about your preferences, but to me, wow, Kokomo is, just, wow. It's definitely not, umm I just don't enjoy listening to it. But that's music for ya. We must be mirror opposites but that's kind of cool I think.
It's not a masterpiece but it doesn't deserve the derision and the bashing. It's better than most pop songs of the day.
Agree.
And it's better than ANY pop song on the music charts in 2023!!!
Who could argue with that? Maybe some poor Justin Beaver fan.@@patsimmons7352
True. I hear Kokomo more often than many other hits from 1988 on Classic Hits radio.
I agree and am gonna play it again after many years when i dj at my bar in my Jimmy Buffet type set as the tourist/over 40 crowd loves that mid tempo melodic stuff that they can move to or just sing along as everything doesnt have to be a boogie down banger to please the crowd and changing the tempo/genre is key to keeping the crowd engaged on a saturday night.
I've never hated Kokomo, but hearing all of this about Mike Love really paints it in a new light. Love's antics will put a damper on anything that his hands have been on.
Yeah, Mike Love isn't so great. Ick!!
....yeah, that Awards thing was miiiiiiiiiighty awkward, especially for 1988....mean, bitter Dude....
@@annmarieknapp2480damn right!!?
Listen to the Beach Boys hits. Who wrote them? Who arranged them? Not Mike Love. Look at the 70's albums. What songs did Mike write? What direction did he wrestle the band into? the worst albums of their careers. And he couldn't understand it, seething with jealously over people who had success with their own songs.
Wtf is wrong with Mike huh ???
At least he wasn't a druggie like his cousin Brain .. ...
Plus Mike is the voice of the Beach Boys
As a child I listened to Kokomo incessantly. It introduced me to the Beach Boys and made them one of my favorite bands of my childhood. I will never feel shame for my love of Kokomo.
Hey Professor, Bob Dylan is still alive and blows everyone you listed away. The Beattles are shit compared to Dylan.
@@toddroper7944 Dylan is okay. His voice can get annoying. Dylan should NEVER be mentioned in the same sentence as the GOAT of music, The Beatles.
@@toddroper7944 Dylan had more significance as a sort of cultural icon than as a musician. He wasn't all that talented. To even put him in the same league as the Beatles is ridiculous.
@@BillGraper Bob Dylan could do more with his voice than people realize -not as much as Tom Waits. However, no one can match "Like A Rolling Stone". It's a song and a performance that fit perfectly
Me too . I loved it .
As a late-comer to the Beach Boys fandom, I've got to say, I don't hate it. It's not their best, but it's catchy, has harmonies, and that sax is pure 80s cheese
📤📤📤📤.
I feel the same way. Falling somewhere in the middle.
Well said.
I loved that song because it brought The Beach Boys back to the forefront and introduced them to a new generation!
Yup! And it sounds quite different from their older music. As an 80s kid, I really liked it.
Never understood the hatred of "Kokomo". It was a fluffy lightweight tune but conveyed a mood of good times in the sun. It's the Beach Boys' niche!
It's a great pop record with a fantastic hook. There's just this annoying dogma among Beach Boys fans.
It’s a stupid song but hilariously stupid.
It is a song about good times in some remote island in the tropics! Even on that one thought can't one please people! What has this world come too!
I always liked Kokomo. Some people just have a bad attitude about pop hits. It was pure pop gold. The video was cool, too. Mike Love is a real piece of work. From what I understand, literally no one likes the guy. But at the end of the day, it's only rock and roll, and I like it.
Like it, yes I do! (Rolling Stones)
I like it! Yeah I like it!
Only rock and roll but I like it.
I liked it and came right at the same time the band was appearing all the time on Full House. I grew up on light rock from the '80s. Partially because that was all the parents were listening to and the station played music between 1960 and 80s.
@@raulbeck3722 let me guess your into pink floyd.
Mike Love is a total creep but I have to give him some credit, he was the lyricist for several classic Beach Boy tunes. I don't hate Kokomo but my kids love it and it did get them interested in the good stuff.
I would highly recommend the movie "Love and Mercy" for anyone at all interested in Brian Wilson. It goes in depth about that fiasco of a human psychologist. Brian Wilson is a true American treasure.
As one of Adam’s many rock tees says, “Brian Wilson is a genius”
Mark, yep bought "Love and Mercy" on bluray recently; Paul Dano does a superb job.
I've never been a Mike Love fan, but I've always liked Kokomo. Definitely fits the Beach Boys sound, and definitely not any worse than some of the band's other mediocre songs.
As a band with decades of experience, they could have done better and they could have also done much worse!
So you like your Vege-tables, do ya?
This is the Beach Boys we're talking about. I don't understand how ANYONE can think this is anything other than a piece of crap.
I always thought (KOKOMO) was a good song.
It’s just a feel good song.
@@danielmaher7108I mean, it's got a good melody, good harmonies, evocative lyrics, and is a solid vibe.
"Kokomo" is a song I always liked, whether I should've liked it or not. It took a few years before I learned it was a Beach Boys song. I furthermore didn't know until now about its dubious history or negative connotation. I just enjoy the thing when I hear it.
Ok. To each their own!
Same! I played it out when I was in 8th grade. I loved the beach boys!
... as Adam has said "no such thing as a guilty pleasure...."
And, that ain't nuttin' but the truth,@@istankimjong-unbutcantstan3398.
The chorus is undeniably catchy, I’ll give it that.
Curses! It took me decades to bury the memory of _"Disco Duck!"_ And it should go without saying, _"Kokomo"_ is not even close to being as bad.
Definitely reminds me of Adam’s commentary on Disco Duck. Definitely far worse than Kokomo.
I was just starting to forget 🪩🦆🎶 too! 😭
THEY GUY WHO DID DISCO DUCK WAS (IS?) A DJ IN LA -RICK DEES
@@lovly2cu725 OMG, I had forgotten about Rick too. He was getting nationally popular as a _Tom Bergeron_ host-type back in the 80's, and then he just. . .wasn't.
I would agree. Disco Duck is worse than Kokomo. And I am one of those who dislikes Kokomo. There. I said it.
Brian Wilson and Pet Sounds were the pinnacle of the Beach Boys. Brian is a musical genius.
Smile sessions.
"I do have to say Kokomo is not the worst song ever. That's being written 10 or 15 times a week on top 40 radio."
and that's why I love this channel!
📤📤📤📤
It might not exactly be the best song they ever recorded, but for a few magical months in 1988, nearly every student at the Wildwood Street School in Wilmington, MA became fans of The Beach Boys, many of which I'm SURE weren't aware that they'd been at it for 26 years already.
They were definitely new generations.
What's wrong with Kokomo? It's a catchy summer tune! It's not my favourite Beach Boys but it's not the worst song they did...
....GOOOOOOOOOD MORNING! ....It was them Yuppies, I just KNOW it! ...ha-HAA!!
It’s up there
Fr.
Good music is whatever’s fun or inspires you.
Uffff it sounds like karaoke, out of tune singing etc. it’s a Mike Love special
@@unclefreddy2009where is out of tune?
Kokomo was also recently lampooned on the show "What we do in the Shadows" Where two of the vampires, Lazlo and Najia brag about originally writing the song in 1792. The song was titled "The Seafaring Song of 1792" They play the song at a local amateur night, where it's a huge hit with the crowd.
That episode and their whole performance was pure comedy gold.
I will check it out!
@@zyffyrthat whole show is great! There's a movie that it is based off by the same name! It's a new Zealand flik!
@@phatphat7089 choice bro!
Love the show! ADORE the movie! Jemaine and Taika rule!
This is hardly a worst song. It makes anyone happy that listens to it.
Clearly not everyone. I find it highly annoying.
@@ImYourOverlordAgree with you. It’s annoying. Had to work their concert a couple years ago and they sounded particularly bad on that song.
Yea, if it's so terrible it wouldn't have been on all those tv shows.
@@willdevenport6980 Dang. I feel for you. Life is too short for second-rate music.
@@petergunn3614 Nah, the worst songs usually get massive exposure. Just look at everything Def Leppard's done since Pyromania, or Duran Duran since Rio.
I remember when this happened in 1988. It was historic music news. At the time, the Beach Boys held the record for the longest stretch between #1 pop songs (Good Vibrations 1966 and Kokomo 1988). Kokomo was a comeback song for the Beach Boys featured in the movie Cocktail starring Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Shue. It was not written by Brian Wilson so I think that's one of the reasons why it gets a bad reputation and reviews. Brian was the musical genius of the Beach Boys.The hate was directed at Mike Love (from everything I've read and heard about him, he's not likable nor a good guy). While I like the song Kokomo, I would not put it in the same class as their far more legendary material from the 1960's. In my opinion, Kokomo is certainly not a bad song and could never be categorized as one of the worst songs of all time but it is a bit overrated. It's not in my top 10 favorite Beach Boys songs but I still like it and think it's a good song.
I wish I'd read your comment before I posted mine. Very well stated!
You left out John Stamos on the video
Mike Love was only a cousin of the Wilsons so always felt he received less notoriety than the rest of the band because of that...almost as though he suffered from middle-child syndrome.
Far from the worst song of the 80s, but definitely a song you should not take seriously at all.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 I've always been a major Beach Boys fan. In fact, they rank as one of my top 5 favorite musical groups of all-time. If there was one Beach Boys song that was controversial which divided their fan base, Kokomo is it. Even reading in the comments section of over 1,000 posts, that seems to be the case. Many people either really love the song Kokomo or they despise it. When it came out in 1988, I liked it but thought it was way too commercialized, overexposed, and overplayed. So, I can understand why it turned some people off. Overall, I take the middle ground opinion in regards to this song. I do like the song but it fails in comparison to live up to all of their great songs they wrote and recorded during the 1960's which were their peak years when they were at the top of their game, creatively. All from the 1960's, I'll give you a dozen of my personal favorite Beach Boys songs. They are "Fun Fun Fun", "Surfin' U.S.A.", "Surfer Girl", "I Get Around", "Don't Worry Baby", "Help Me Rhonda", "California Girls", "Barbara Ann", "Good Vibrations", "Sloop John B.", "God Only knows" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice". Those songs I just mentioned would be on my Beach Boys playlist well before Kokomo but I still don't think it's a bad song.
Many Beach Boy fans may not know that they had the great '69 summer hit "I Can Hear Music" in which Carl really kills the vocals on this song.
In '86 The Beach Boys also did an awesome cover version of The Mamas And Papas song "California Dreamin'" in which Roger McGuinn of
The Byrds plays his 12 string Rickenbacker on this song. The sax player is unknown. Great tune!
📤📤📤📤.
I saw that video, it’s a really great cover.
LOVE THAT SONG, LOVE CARL'S VOICE
Thank you for putting down the REAL reason why people say they hate this song: It being overplayed to death.
I can say the same thing about ABBA's “the winner takes it all”, The Verve's “Bittersweet symphony”, Bryan Adams ' ”Everything I do, I do it for you”, Whitney Houston's “I will always love you” and all the different versions of Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah”
- Don't get me wrong, ALL of those songs are very well written and produced but hearing them for months on end, day in day out spoiled them forever in my personal case. I swear, as soon as I hear those violins of “Bittersweet symphony” start, I feel the red mist descending on me.
But “Kokomo” is NOT the Beach Boys' worst ever song, not by a long shot. Because for that, we have to go to their cover of Elton John's “Crocodile rock.” On paper, you should go “right song for the right band” but we're talking early nineties Beach Boys, VERY dated production and the guys just phoning it in. “Kokomo” is a MASTERPIECE compared to that.
Thanks again, Adam. Always fun and informative 😊
Really?!?
It's not in line with their older stuff but it wasn't awful by any means.
I still have it on my 80s playlist....
wasn't that bad for a movie soundtrack song. better than "take my breath
away", n "we built this city".
no comment.....@@driver4011
We play it at my school dance sometimes.
When you compare “Pet Sounds” with “Kokomo”, it’s obvious. The first one is a masterpiece, the second, 80’s cheese.
Mike hated Pet Sounds. He told Brian “only dogs can hear like you”, and gave Brian the title! Mike likes it every time he gets a royalty check, though… 😂
The apple has definitely fallen so far from the tree! 🍏
I DONT SEE WHAT THE BIG DEAL IS ABOUT PET SOUNDS@@5roundsrapid263
Thank you! I was beginning to think I was the only other person in the comments section who loved “Pet Sounds” and hated “Kokomo”! It’s like comparing apples and fillet minion. They’re not even in the same group. Or Mozart and any song sung by Barney that stupid purple dinosaur. Same concept. There IS no comparison because you can’t compare musical genius with someone who has no clue what they’re doing.
I saw Cocktail only once on TV and that scene of the two bartenders doing their work acrobatics really impressed me, truly the only memorable part(s). Years later I was working at a convenience store and had to do shifts by myself when my coworker would call off. When a big line suddenly formed I would go into "Cocktail" mode and juggle two cash registers. While one was waiting to process the credit card (we were still on dial up in the mid 2000's) I would take cash on the other register. If I grabbed the wrong product such as cigarettes, I would toss it without looking on the counter behind me and focus on getting what they meant to ask for. Frenetic but efficient got the job done. A couple years later when I switched to delivering pizzas, one of my regular customers ordered a pizza and told me she was impressed at how I could clear a long line. She said if the went into the store and it was a long line and the other 'girls' were working she would walk out. She told me that she went in with a friend who was concerned the line would take too long and the woman said, "Oh Bill is working, we'll be okay.".
nice work impressing the ladies Bill; hope it paid dividends for you...
At the time (1988), I thought it was pretty contrived! But, I actually like the song now! And Kokomo is still better than most songs today! ❤
Well! This song was a surprise for me......then Beach Boys came from nowhere with a pleasant surprise.....for many....❤
The Cocktail soundtrack had a hidden gem....." Wild Again" by starship......which got totally unnoticed...it was a typical late 80's power beat....number with xcellent vocals
I guess in 2023 it deserves another patient hearing by the experts of our time.....
God Bless the Professor of Rock
Love from Kashmir....
I haven’t watched Cocktail and have heard mixed reviews…..I wonder what the Professor thinks?
@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 its a fun little 80s flick. Something for guys and girls. Good music
@@fredstriker2042 Okay, I’ll see for myself
Thanks so much for doing this episode and this channel. It’s so important that this music is remembered or in this particular case, forgotten! I am a massive Beach Boys fan and although I own all of their albums (including Summer In Paradise 🤪) I am mostly a fan of their 60s and early 70s work. I remember being in high school when Kokomo was released and being a little embarrassed by this song even though it was popular among people I went to school with, it just seemed like a step down. Unfortunately the Love/Melcher collaboration would continue with Summer in Paradise but I am happy they were able to pull it together with That’s Why God Made the Radio which was a worthy final album. Kokomo is best left forgotten and songs like Good Vibrations, Surf’s Up and God Only Knows will live on for eternity!
One of the great things about watching Professor of Rock is that you're always put things in a positive light. The negativity in this one is disappointing.
great vid. also, great t-shirt, that album brings back so many memories as it was played frequently in our house every Christmas when I was growing up.
I've never heard Kokomo referred to as a bad song by any stretch by just about anyone I've talked to about it. Heck, it revitalized their career in the late 80's, honestly, and I happen to like the song a lot, as do most of the people I've talked to about it. If I remember right, even Todd in the Shadows thought it was good?
Unfortunately, that success did let Mike Love's villainy spread further on and damage the Beach Boys in a way they could never truly recover from...and honestly, Summer In Paradise is one of the biggest disasters of an album in music history.
Sloop John B deserves to be streamed more than this one. That one is a number one in my heart.
It’s a classic.
GOD ONLY KNOWS. JOHN WETTON HEARD THAT & HAD TO WRITE SONGS. I GAVE HIM THE INFO WHERE BRIAN HAD BREAKFAST DAILY. HE WAS A MASSIVE FAN
What a fun episode.
Bring on the Brian Wilson stories! Loved this one.
You really did your homework on this one! Most people would have not noticed a lot of the stuff that happened.
While Mike Love continually embarrasses himself and the band and the song sounds like a commercial for an airline it is a catchy tune that made kids of that era sing along to. So perhaps it introduced a young audience to the Beach Boys past hits which is a good thing. Definitely not the song I would want as their top 5 streamed but still a fun song. Professor please give us more of the Brian Wilson interview it is a fantastic interview.
Well it is one of their top 5 streamed.
It does sound like an airline commercial, that’s a great point there!
I love this song, but I was also 8 when it came out. I was raised on 50s-60s music so I was well aware of the Beach Boys. It was a fun song for kids to sing along and I have a fond memory of everyone (including the adults) riding the bus to Girl Scout camp and singing along. We didn't have a radio so I don't know how it started, but it brought everyone together.
There aren’t many songs I’ll switch the station on, but this is one of them. I’ve slowly come around to leaving on Invisible Touch (huge Genesis fan btw), Ebony & Ivory and Everybody Have Fun Tonight - but Kokomo gets the buzzer everytime :)
What’s wrong with Invisible Touch? Just curious. I love that one.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Me too! 80's classic!!!
@@BillGraper Land of Confusion scared the hell out of a lot of people too, with those muppets. Still a great song
Seriously, Kokomo is not on the list of the worst songs of the 1980s. I freaking love that song from the first time I heard it in the movie "Cocktail", and let's be for real who doesn't want to go to Kokomo?
It's certainly testimonial here to recognize that no band, no matter how influential or legendary they are, is an exception in making flawed music or musical choices at some point. But one must admit that it makes for interesting stories as to how it could get to such. Cheers as always man.
Even the Beatles belong in this category! Cheers, RC32. 🥂
My oldest sister loved the Beach Boys from the release of their first albums, before the Beatles hit. Years later her first daughter fell in love with this song, still loves it to this day. So for that reason alone, I leave it on when it comes on the radio. It turned the Beach Boys' music into a thread to tie generations together.
👆✍️🎉🎁
I agree, and I’m grateful for that. This song opened up a lot of folks to discover their 60s masterpieces.
Yes! Please do the Smile story! Awesome job as always on this episode.
I was the on air talent (Bryan Tyler) at THE Top 40 station in Tulsa Oklahoma at the time (KAY-107) doing mid day when this song came out. When I talk to my fellow radio vets who complain about having to play back to back Bee Gees in the 70s, THIS is always the song I throw back at them. Top 40 radio at that time was wild..... You would play Kokomo and Poison "Talk Dirty To Me" in the same quarter hour. ----- As always, my respect to The Professor of Rock. Another great episode. We even purchased my wife's latest pair of glasses from your sponsor to support you.
I like the song. Had no idea of the backstory until this video, though. I'd like to hear more about Smile!
Wow...this song was so popular when it came out I would never have guessed it was considered one of the worst songs of the 80's. Personally, I love it.
I'm not sure it is this hated. This video is the only place I have ever heard this.
I have loved Kokomo ever since I was a kid. I didn't even know who the beach boys were until I heard Kokomo. My choir class in Elementary School sang it as part of warm ups and it was so much. I then turned to other Beach Boys songs and I fell in love with the band.
Great shirt man; the compilation in the rack behind you, “Made in U.S.A.” was one of the first albums I ever had
I always liked Kokomo. I can understand it being far from their best work, but the 'hate' mystifies me.
To each their own.
Most people hear the songs in the context of their time period, while a lot of people, especially music critics, hear them in the context of the musicians' careers. For such people, there's nothing more depressing than hearing an artist they like put out something they don't that other people do. It means the artist has fallen greatly... and gotten rewarded for it... AND now they have to be reminded of it repeatedly when they turn on the radio (or, now, streaming service).
From "We Built This City" to "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" to "Kokomo" to "I Just Called to Say I Love You," there's no way these songs would get so much hate had they not been from the people who sang "Somebody to Love," "Maggie May," "Good Vibrations," and "Superstition." Those who hate them are despondent that their favorites could fall so low, while most people don't care who does what, and never even knew that "tropical drink melting in your hand" was a part of the lyrics anyway.
You can probably add "Miss You" by the Rolling Stones and "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye. While I liked "Miss You" I hated "Sexual Healing" at first because I didn't like the electronic drum arrangement or the lyrics but mainly the song sounded too mechanical unlike Gaye's earlier stuff. The same was true for "Between The Sheets" by the Isley Brothers. Those would take some getting used to. As for "We Built This City". That was better than the Jefferson Airplane stuff in my opinion.@@calmbbaer
I think that both "Miss You" and "Sexual Healing" have a decent reputation nowadays; for similar reasons, I originally was going to include "Silly Love Songs," then decided against it. "Uncle Albert" might be a better choice there.@@istankimjong-unbutcantstan3398
Definitely better than Separate Lives or Ebony and Ivory.
Anything Brian Wilson, I'd love to hear. I got an autograph during his Pet Sounds Tour years ago. His harmonies are tight. Love that sound.
That’s amazing! Was he a nice guy?
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21:07 Yes please! Would love to hear Brian’s story. Been going back to the music my mom played when I was a kid, Beach Boys being one of them
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I love kokomo! That song is what brought back the beach boys to a new generation. It is not a terrible song! Just different style of song which the beach boys needed. It had a different sound that was tropical. I loved it! Mike love is a genius as well. He wrote the hook for good vibrations. He made California girls a staple of the band. Even david lee Roth remade it.
The CD for Cocktail was an easy play for dance club, most of the songs did well for a year or more. Hippy Hippy Shake was always a hit at the bar I worked at. The twins from Full House say the show was everything but wholesome. One of the twins and Heath Ledger did an interview when Heath was living at their house before he died and she said the show behind the scenes was horrible for kids.
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I have a daughter who LOVES Kokomo! She has special needs, and music has been one of the things that keeps her smiling! She drives us absolutely crazy playing this song over and over, but it's delightful to watch her dance and conduct to the song. (she may have majorly contributed to the 300 million streams in Apple Music!) Just recently she discovered the classic Beach Boys songs, like California Girls and Surfin' USA and really digs them too!
Oh, Professor! I never hated “Kokomo” although I agree, I’d wondered where that particular tropical 🏝️ was! I was delighted to hear the Beach Boys on the charts once again (somewhat diluted, admittedly), with the lovely harmonizing. Interesting to learn the backstory, and thank you again for tour deep dives!
Seeing John Stamos playing the bongos in the Kokomo video always reminded me of Dan Akroyd being in the We Are the World video. Being famous for one form of entertainment doesn't make you talented in another. You only need look to Eddie Murphy and Bruce Willis (two of my favorite actors) to know some people should only LISTEN to music!
That's a good comparison!
LOL! Bruce Willis the "musician" was calling himself Bruno long before Bruno Mars adopted the name.
John Stamos actually plays drums and went on tour with the Beach Boys. He was very vocal about his love for performing with them. We saw him playing for them in the early 90's, it was the first concert we took our young daughters to!
Or Eddie Murphy singing Party All the Time. Whoever thought Eddie Murphy could sing needed to be fired…
Ackroyd was there because he played and sung as Elwood Blues, including in one of the biggest love letters to R&B, The Blues Brothers movie. Acting and singing are not mutually exclusive, have you not heard of musicals?
A number of stars do take advantage of fame to make a record. Even starting with William Shatner you haven’t even scratched the surface of strange.
I appreciate your honesty in this one Prof. I actually like "Kokomo" and the film "Cocktail". I'm actually quite surprised to hear that these at not well received today. I've always thought Mike Love had a massive ego and was quite a showoff. It does not surprise me at all that Brian didn't like Mike, they are complete opposites. Brian is a very humble and good man, he had a lot of trauma to deal with from how abusive his father was to him. I hope he's in a good place mentally.
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MIKE TRIED TO OUST BRIAN OUT OF CONTROL OF THE BAND
He was so humble that he took writing credit on 80+ songs that Love co-wrote. 35 of which he is now credited for after a lawsuit. Remember there are 2 sides to every conflict.
Love it!love the old stuff,love kokomo,so interesting
I love the song. Especially when the chorus kicks in and you sing along
Who the Hell hates Kokomo!??? That song is a banger! Very memorable and one of their best I'd say. Hear it played all the time at water parks during the summer!
Wow, this is shocking! I am a child of the 80’s and grew up listening to The Beach Boys on oldies radio. I’ve had the opportunity to see them twice in concert, the second time more in name only than actual living Beach Boys. Kokomo has been one of my all time favorites. Maybe it has something to do with that episode of Full House, but I had no idea it was anywhere close to being on any worst song ever list. To each their own, but this song will stay toward the top of my favorites songs list.
I've been a huge fan of the Beach Boys since about 1980 when I first listened to their 1970's greatest hits album "Endless Summer". I became an even bigger Brian Wilson fan when I discovered "Pet Sounds" a few years later and with the release of his solo album in 1988. Having said that, I don't hate "Kokomo", but I also don't recognize it as a true Beach Boys tune. I recall discussing it with my then boss who loved the song. I explained that Brian Wilson wasn't a part of it and he had been the heart of The Beach Boys. She said, "Sounds like they don't need him." I just shook my head. What I will say for "Kokomo" is that it brought the attention of the mainstream back to the Beach Boys and I believe it made people look back at previous albums and brought more recognition to Brian as a result.
I was on my Pacific Cruise holiday when I heard this and I still love it. Some fabulous memories.
I guess I'm dating myself when I say, I loved the Cocktail soundtrack. Kokomo and Don't Worry being my favorite songs on the album.
Are you saying you're old, because you're not. But if you remember when Good Vibrations came out, well then....
Haha, the latter makes me feel good!
@@trisspeaker9572 Gen X is kind of old now :)
The Preston Smith song is rather catchy too; as well as Mellencamp's cover of Rave On
Don't think it belongs on the worst songs list at all.
It is such a shame that great bands have members that end up despising each other. Beach Boys, Styx, Van Halen, Fleetwood Mac, Gin Blossoms to name a few.
,....nice to know they all lasted longer than a decade, however.
"Don't Worry Be Happy" on a bad song list? So many people,including me, love it- its so cheerful!❤
I'm good with listening to Kokomo a couple of times a decade. Thanks, Adam, you took care of my Kokomo fix until at least 2028.
Been a Beach Boys fan all my life -- and I love 'Kokomo' -- It's a great song.... it is NOT one of the worst songs ever written. Most bands go thru a lot of ups and downs -- unfortunately, the Beach Boys have been in turmoil for a long time and it's too bad they can't find a way to mend fences.....
Wow, this song is awesome! Who hates "Kokomo"? This is news to me.
✋ I do. It could be the worse 80s single by a 60s band, beating out the likes of Shes The Boss
I hate it. I absolutely am over the moon for Beach Boys, but not Kokomo. And I adore Brian Wilson who really is a bloody genuis. Pet Sounds is one of greatest albums ever made. Kokomo doesn't come in same orbit as "God Only Knows," and "Good Vibrations." To each his own, but seriously the way Mike Love treated the actual visionary of the band leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. Glad someone likes it though.
@@DC8091It is craptastic. But, "We Built This City on Rock and Roll" is bloody awful. That's worse song of 80s to me.
"Kokomo" is beyond the pale. And I actually liked "Getcha Back."
You should look at Rolling Stone’s worst songs of the 80s poll. Er…welp, Rolling Stone is not that reputable anyway, so…
I would love a Brian Wilson video.
Ever since Bare Naked Ladies made the song "Brian Wilson," I've always been intrigued by his story.
I *love* Kokomo! I grew up listening to my parents Beach Boys LPs and when Kokomo hit, my entire family loved it. I can't tell you how many car rides where this would come into the radio 📻 and my whole family would sing it in harmony. We *still* sing along, reciting all of those tropical 🍹 locations. 😊
I'm old enough to go back to the beginnings of rock and roll. When the Beach Boys started, it was a refreshing breath of fresh west coast "salty" air.
All of us who lived east of the rocky's dreamed about surfing in La Jolla, all the California girls, and having our own "Little Duce Coupe", or having a real "woodie" (that never saw snow).
My run with them ended with "Good Vibrations". By then I was moving on into new realms in music, even though I was actually, by then, living in California, very near La Jolla. The Doors and Jefferson Airplane had replaced them.
The Beach Boys are more than icons in rock music, they are legends. ;-)
Yes! If you’re ever going to the beach, just put on some Beach Boys!
I always liked that song that came out the year I turned 20, it's catchy & and light-hearted & got me into the Beach Boys music.
I don't begrudge anyone about all the behind the scenes angst.
This song is very catchy when you first hear it. My mom who is a big country music fan, would always sing along with it when it was being played on MTV.
Good Vibrations is my fave ! And the trippy video ! Lol
What makes the Beach Boys interesting is this tension between the trite fluff like Kokomo and songs with depth and experimentation like those on Pet Sounds and Smile. Early on songs, like California Girls, that could be described as teen pop songs but had a unique aesthetic that went missing on things like Kokomo. Good Vibrations is a masterpiece that illustrates this tension well.
Good Vibrations is one of the 20th century’s greatest INSTITUTIONS. More than just a perfect song.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980no argument on that from me.
I’d love to see the whole interview with Brian
I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!! It holds one of most favorite memories. It was a rainy Saturday evening and It was playing on the radio when I bought my 1st RC Car. (A hobby i still have today and im in my 50s) It will ALWAYS get cranked up when it come on.
There's no such thing as a bad song from the Beach Boys. They are my mom's favorite band and she will take on anyone who thinks there's a bad Beach Boys song
Eh. Hey Little Tomboy doesn’t need to exist.
They've done a lot of bad/lazy songs. Brian would admit it.
That’s pretty awesome, but they aren’t same band without Dennis & Brian
I quite enjoy Kokomo.
Well, I’m ready for her to fight me.
That song was coming to find you. You couldn't escape it. It played all day every day until 1990.
Right about the time I graduated from high school. Between Kokomo, Don’t Worry Be happy and Fast Car, it seemed like the local radio stations had these in very heavy rotation. I got so sick of them. Luckily we had a local oldies station that played songs from 55-73. And my cherished copy of Steely Dan Decades.
This is one of those songs that I listened to so much when it first came out (usually played on the radio multiple times per hour) that I never need to listen to it again for the rest of my life.
Never felt that this was a "bad" song. I think MonsterMash or the Duck song. I really think Kokomo fits into the BeachBoys portfolio.
As a die hard Beach Boys fan I have mixed feelings about this song. I think a lot of true fans despise it because Brain was excluded from it. Brian's own admission was he was asked last minute to be on it but he had a prior engagement. The saving grace of the song is Carl's backing vocals. Although Mike get's a song writing credit most of the song was written before he became involved. In one interview he admits that his sole contribution to the song was in the line that's where we USED TO GO to THAT'S WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. As a foot note when John Phillips was on the Howard Stern show at least one year before the song was released he played and sang it on an acoustic guitar. Also what bothers some BB fans is Stamos involvement.
wow! John Phillips was on the Howard Stern show? Let us know if you find that audio eh?
As a child of the 1980s, with most of my memories rooted late in the decade, I mostly connect Kokomo with running home from school on Friday to watch Full House and the rest of the TGIF line-up. Kokomo is a song that's neither the worst nor best. I never cared about its quality, or how they played the hell of it. It's a memory, like so many other hits and non-hits of the decade. I'm actually a solid fan of The Beach Boys with "Pet Sounds" being one of my top 10 favorite albums of all-time. My butt isn't clinched about Mike Love's character Vs. Brian Wilson's genius or "classic" Beach Boys Vs. Kokomo. Of all the "crappy" lyrics "Everybody knows a little place like Kokomo" always followed me. I don't even know that Kokomo is supposed to be an actual place on the map. I could be wrong. My interpretation is that some of us have that sort of place. It could be the South of France, or your backyard in Summer. In 2015 for my wife and I, our Kokomo or Margaritaville if you like, became Las Vegas. Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" has become more of a minor annoyance to me than Kokomo will ever be, as it has become, in my humble opinion a nearly unbearable singalong rite of passage.
Being a metal head during the 80's I was not a fan of Kokomo. It was something your parents put on in a long car ride to drive me crazy. It was a mall song stuck on replay at what ever place you had to work at the time. Today in my 50's the song doesn't make me mad as it use to, but after seeing this video you have accomplished bringing back the hate for this song. Thanks LOL
I'm not a big Beach Boys fan, but I love Kokomo! Great song! Screw the haters! Also, if you haven't heard Bob & Tom's parody of this song, Camel Toe, you're missing out.
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I liked this song. If you watch the movie Cocktail, you get where it fits in the story. And the chorus is exultant.
Love this! I’m so jealous you got to interview brian. I’m new to your channel. I would love to hear the interview!! Pretty please? ❤😊
This song was my jam when I was a kid, before I heard metal and got sent down a fun musical path of a different kind
The Beach boys did reach the top 40 quite a few times between 1966 to 1988, but it was mainly top 20 top 40. I think their last significant hit before Kokomo was come go with me in 1981
Their last top 10 hit before Kokomo was in 1976
Thanks for the story behind "Kokomo". Even bad Beach Boys beats the best of a lot of folks, so no, it doesn't belong on worst song lists. Hoping you'll tell us about Smile.
(Heck, I'm even a big fan of "Speed Turtle", which Brian did for Sandra Boynton's _Blue Moo_ album!)
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I used to live 40 miles from Kokomo, Indiana where they got this name. It's a pretty cool town. I've always loved this song and never really thought about the words of it. "Tropical drink melting in your hand" was passed off as a Caribbean treat I'd never heard of.
Another great episode, Adam. We saw the Beach Boys (sans Brian) perform in 2018. Overall, they sounded pretty good for guys in their 70s (Al Jardine especially) and performed 35+ songs, including most of their classics, plus some more obscure songs from the old catalog.
Unfortunately, Mike Love was obnoxious and unashamedly self-promoting, and seemed more interested in plugging his 2017 solo album than anything else.
Loved your interview with Brian Wilson. Keep up the great work.
They were literally the last band anybody thought would have a #1 song in 1988. It was a surprise hit. AND it's NOT a bad song. IF it was that bad it wouldn't have gone all the way to the top spot on the charts! & speaking of "We Built This City" by Starship, that's not a bad song either. Somebody wrote it, the band recorded it, people bought the single & album. It peaked at #1. Somebody somewhere is living the high life with the royalties those songs generate...lol.
Well said. I guess those 2 songs were overplayed back then & that often garners hatred in some folks.
I could name more than two songs that were overplayed back then.....@@probuilder961
We Built This City is pretty tight actually.
I have fond memories of Kokomo. It's not my favorite song, from the Beach Boys or even from 1988. That said, I don't consider it bad at all. I think a lot of people seem to dislike it just because it's an overplayed innocuous earworm. I can agree with those sentiments; however, that's as far as it goes. I personally really like the way the song makes me feel. To me, that's far more important than pretty much anything else.
Love this song - and put it in almost every yacht rock play list I generate.
Yes, PLEASE share your interview with Brian Wilson about SMiLE and...really, anything Brian had to say about anything :-)