Skip to main content

TL;DR:

  • The Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby” got sampled in a Garbage song.
  • Garbage was very inspired by 1960s music.
  • The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson had a strong reaction to the sample.
The Beach Boys during the "Don't Worry Baby" era in black-and-white
The Beach Boys | Gems / Contributor

The Beach Boys‘ “Don’t Worry Baby” is one of the band’s most moving songs. Garbage’s “Push It” includes a sample of “Don’t Worry Baby.” Subsequently, Garbage revealed what Brian Wilson thought about the sample.

Shirley Manson thought it’d be cute to sample The Beach Boys’ ‘Don’t Worry Baby’

A sample of The Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby” appears in Garbage’s “Push It.” During a 1998 interview with Hot Press, Garbage’s Shirley Manson discussed why her band sampled The Beach Boys. 

“Because we all love The Beach Boys, we thought it would be ‘cute’ to sample them as a harmony,” Manson said. “So we stuck it in and it sounded amazing to have them as backing vocalists. Then of course, for legal reasons we had to sort of amend it and have me do harmonies and seek Brian’s permission, but then I suppose, that subtly injected a sort of (laughs) ‘Beach Boys consciousness’ throughout the recording process.”

Manson discussed the influence of 1960s music on Garbage. “In ‘Special’ for instance, I can’t think of any latter-day bands where a female is singing those sort of stacked ’60s-style vocals, and we thought it would be really effective,” she said. “That is my favorite moment in the record, when you hear those.”

What Brian Wilson thought about Garbage’s ‘Push It’

During a 1998 interview with MTV News, Manson revealed how The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson reacted to the sample. “We sent a tape to Brian Wilson to ask him if we could use it and he said it was OK, but that he didn’t think it sounded anything like the Beach Boys song,” he said.

Garbage was honored Wilson allowed them to sample “Don’t Worry Baby.” They were also honored Wilson decided to keep the tape of “Push It” they sent him. 

Related

A Member of The Mamas & the Papas Co-Wrote The Beach Boys’ Last No. 1 Song

How ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ and ‘Push It’ performed

“Don’t Worry Baby” became a minor hit for The Beach Boys. It reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 10 weeks. The tune appeared on the album Shut Down Volume 2, which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. The album lasted on the chart for 38 weeks.

“Push It” was a minor hit as well. The tune reached No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 18 weeks. Garbage put “Push It” on the album Version 2.0. That album made it to No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 70 weeks. Version 2.0 is still one of Garbage’s biggest albums.

“Push It” wasn’t the last song from the alternative scene to reference “Don’t Worry Baby.” Lana Del Rey’s “Love” repeatedly uses the line “don’t worry baby” in its bridge. 

“Push It” is one of Garbage’s most popular songs and Wilson gave it his seal of approval.

Best in Entertainment