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The Beach Boys released “I Get Around,” a song co-written by Mike Love and Brian Wilson. Years later, Love commented on the lyrics for the All Summer Long original, crediting Wilson with the “making lots of bread” line. Here’s what we know about the hit from this surf rock group.  

The Beach Boys released ‘I Get Around’ on ‘All Summer Long’

Singer and mastermind Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys directs from the control room while recording the album 'Pet Sounds'
Singer and mastermind Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys directs from the control room while recording the album ‘Pet Sounds’ | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

This surf rock group gets around — even singing about it on their 1964 release All Summer Long. “I Get Around” became one of the most popular songs from this album.

During a Songfacts interview with Randy Bachman, the musician explained Wilson created chord progressions thanks to a “fake book, which is all the Broadway hits.” He took “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue” and transformed that into “I Get Around.”

This track details some of the romantic encounters of the narrator. Of course, the lyrics mention cars, a signature of the surf rock group.

“I get around (get around, ’round, ’round, I get around),” the lyrics state. “From town to town (get around, ’round, ’round, I get around) / I’m a real cool head (get around, ’round, ’round, I get around) / I’m makin’ real good bread (get around, ’round, ’round, I get around) / I get around (’round, ’round).”

Since its debut, this track was added to 50 Big Ones: Greatest Hits. It earned over 145 million Spotify plays and became one of the most popular songs by the Beach Boys. 

Mike Love said Brian Wilson came up with some lyrics for the Beach Boys’ ‘I Get Around’

Mike Love is credited as the “I Get Around” co-writer alongside Brian Wilson. Years later, the artist elaborated on the collaborative process and where the inspiration came from for “I Get Around.”

“Brian came up with, ‘I’m a real cool kid, I’m making lots of bread’ as the beginning of the song,” Love said during an interview with On Milwaukee. “I liked those lines, but I thought it should begin with something more like, ‘Ba-ba-ba, ba-Barbara Ann,’ you know?” 

“That intro became ‘’Round, ‘round, get around, I get around,’ he added. “Sometimes we wrote beautiful songs together in the middle of the night. Brian and I were best friends long before the band came along, but that didn’t last.”

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Mike Love wrote and performed other songs with the Beach Boys

Love is credited as a co-writer on several Beach Boys originals, including “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “The Man With All the Toys,” and “Good Vibrations.” He appeared as a founding member of the group, performing at Live Aid and earning Grammy Awards and nominations. 

Mike Love continues to host concerts under the Beach Boys name, sometimes joined onstage by Full House cast member John Stamos. Now, music by the Beach Boys is available on most major streaming platforms. 

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