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TL;DR:

  • Nancy Sinatra covered The Beach Boys’ “California Girls” with Brian Wilson’s help.
  • She said the album that featured the cover was really good.
  • The Beach Boys’ “California Girls” became a hit but it did not reach No. 1 in the United States.
Nancy Sinatra wearing boots
Nancy Sinatra | GAB Archive / Contributor

Nancy Sinatra once recorded The Beach Boys‘ “California Girls” for an album based around a specific theme. Brian Wilson worked on the cover with her. Subsequently, Sinatra said recording the track was one of the best moments of her life.

Nancy Sinatra covered The Beach Boys’ ‘California Girls’ as part of an album of California-themed songs

In 2002, Sinatra released her album California Girl. The album features covers of songs themed after the Golden State, including The Eagles’ “Hotel California,” The Mamas & the Papa’s “California Dreamin’,” and Dionne Warwick’s “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.”

Wilson played on Sinatra’s rendition of “California Girls.” During an interview with Wilson’s website, she discussed how the cover came together. “Brian and [record producer] Jeff Foskett came into the studio, and again, just so generous of them, so giving,” she said. “Just never asked for anything. I’m trying to remember where we recorded it — I think it was at somebody’s home.”

Why The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson worked on Nancy Sinatra’ cover of the song

Sinatra asked Wilson to work on her “California Girls.” “That experience, it’s so funny you would bring that up,” she said. “That experience was one of the greatest in my life, and it was — I don’t know — it just came out of the blue. ‘Would you be on my ‘California Girls’ recording?’ I mean that wasn’t written for a girl to sing. And he said sure (laughs) and he was so sweet about it, you know?” Sinatra said Wilson is a brilliant individual.

Sinatra gave fans more insight into her album California Girls. “It was actually recorded over a couple of decades,” she revealed. “[Guitarist] Billy Strange and I realized we have a whole album here of California-type songs and we should do something with it, but it didn’t go anywhere. It’s a shame because it was really, really good.”

Related

Frank Sinatra Turned Down a James Bond Theme Song and Gave It to His Daughter, Nancy Sinatra

How the original ‘California Girls’ performed on the pop charts in the United States

The Beach Boys’ “California Girls’ was a hit. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 11 weeks. The song continued to reach listeners through covers by Sinatra, David Lee Roth, Gideon Park, and others.

The tune appeared on the album Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!). The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 33 weeks.

The Beach Boys’ “California Girls” was a classic and Sinatra loved putting her own spin on it.

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