A Beach Boys hit in the 80s? We know what you\u2019re probably thinking. But, no, we\u2019re not talking about \u201cKokomo\u201d here. The band had already made a minor comeback of sorts three years earlier with their first Top 40 hit with an original song in nine years.<\/p>\n
The song was \u201cGetcha Back\u201d, which pushed into the pop charts, video and all, in 1985. And as was so often the case with this band, it came during a period of turmoil.<\/p>\n
Summer Slump<\/p>\n
As the 80s arrived, even the most ardent fans of The Beach Boys had to admit that it had been quite some time since they\u2019d been relevant as an artistic force. They could always count on a wave of nostalgia to come rolling to the shore now and again, usually spurred on by a new greatest hits package. But the new records that they made barely registered.<\/p>\n
The struggles continued in 1980 with Keepin\u2019 The Summer Alive, which came and went without a trace. That\u2019s when The Beach Boys started to focus on touring the oldies circuit. In 1981, they even released a pair of Top 40 singles (\u201cThe Beach Boys Medley\u201d and \u201cCome Go With Me\u201d) that didn\u2019t even attempt to meet the moment.<\/p>\n
In 1983, tragedy rocked the band when Dennis Wilson drowned at the age of 39. On top of that, Brian Wilson, the band\u2019s one-time artistic genius, struggled to contribute much of anything. Intra-band squabbles intensified. Still, the band pushed ahead with a self-titled album that arrived in 1985.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack\u201d in Business<\/p>\n
On The Beach Boys album, Brian Wilson contributed sporadically. His psychologist, Elliot Landy, also insisted on being an integral part of the proceedings, much to the band\u2019s dismay. Although Brian could be heard taking a brief lead vocal part in \u201cGetcha Back\u201d, he had no hand in its writing.<\/p>\n
Instead, fellow Beach Boy Mike Love co-wrote the song with Terry Melcher, long an associate of the band. Love also took lead vocals. And, as Love\u2019s style usually dictated, \u201cGetcha Back\u201d lived in a world of cars and teenage romance, even though, in this case, he was looking back at it all.<\/p>\n