Get the latest gossip

Forever No. 1: The Beach Boys, ‘Help Me, Rhonda’

The Beach Boys' scored their second No. 1 hit with "Help, Me Rhonda," the final simple single of their first golden age.

“I Get Around” was backed by “Don’t Worry Baby,” Wilson’s first real attempt to outdo his idol Phil Spector, with impossibly dreamy production and harmonies and a gorgeous rising verse melody that somehow elevated into an even-higher-flying chorus. In mid-’65, they were still fighting to maintain their place in an increasingly crowded pop-rock landscape — and, not having reached the Hot 100’s top five since “I Get Around” nearly a full year earlier, they needed a no-doubter to lead off Summer Days. 3-peaking follow-up to “Rhonda” — which, wouldn’t you know it, got stuck behind The Beatles’ “Help!” on the Hot 100 — came affixed with a cinematic instrumental intro and a vocal outro in-the-round that no other pop group of the time would have dared attempt.

Get the Android app