The Beach Boys

Released: August 28, 1989

Songwriter: Bruce Johnston John Phillips Mike Love Terry Melcher

Producer: Terry Melcher

[Chorus 1]
Late last night I got an S. O. S
The fairy tale girl's in deep in distress
She says I don't know where I am
But it's near Japan

[Chorus 2]
My engine's all burned out
My crew has all bailed out
I don't know where I am
But it's somewhere near Japan

[Verse 1]
And she said
"Rescue me
I'm somewhere in the
China Sea
I think I'm sinking fast
This call is probably my last
I'm throwing out a life line
And I'm doing it for old time's sake
Though I know you're gonna break my heart
One more time

[Chorus 1]

[Chorus 2]

[Bridge]
And she said "thank you dear
I think she sounded quite sincere
And when she turned to go
She said "I crave adventure don't you know

[Outro]
And now she's drifting on some Chinese junk
Her world is spinning and her hope has sunk
So I close my eyes
And somewhere near Japan
The spinning stopped and the world stood still
I broke her fall and I always will
Strung out in no man's land
Somewhere near Japan
Rescue me

The Beach Boys are one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time and the first American pop band to reach the 50-year milestone. Their vocal harmonies are among the most unmistakable and enduring of the rock and roll era.

Formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California, by Brian Wilson, his two brothers Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and classmate Al Jardine, the group’s first single “Surfin'” got them signed to Capitol Records and they quickly became one of the most popular and successful artists of the surf music craze of the 1960s. From 1962 to 1966, The Beach Boys scored over twenty top 40 hits in the US including the chart-toppers “I Get Around”, “Help Me Rhonda” & “Good Vibrations” along with the top 5’s “Surfin USA”, “Fun, Fun, Fun”, “California Girls”, “Barbara Ann” & “Sloop John B”. Several of the band’s singles also found top 40 success in Canada, Australia, Sweden and the UK. In 1965, de facto leader Brian Wilson suffered a mental breakdown due to the stress of writing, producing & touring combined with substance abuse issues, causing him to step down and stop traveling with the band on tour.

Inspired by producer Phil Spector and The Beatles' Rubber Soul, Brian focused on studio work, determined to keep the group relevant as the surf music scene was fading with their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Despite tension between members in the studio about this new direction, lack of faith from the record label, mixed reviews, and comparatively lukewarm reception initially in the US, the album still found massive success in the UK and earned accolades from fellow artists including The Beatles, who acknowledged that the album was their inspiration to further push the boundaries of pop music with their landmark album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Eventually Pet Sounds would be acknowledged as one of the greatest albums ever recorded by several media outlets like The Times, Mojo Magazine, The Guardian, VH1, BBC and Rolling Stone.

more tracks from the album

Still Cruisin’

From the album

Still Cruisin’ (1989)

The Beach Boys popular songs

Somewhere Near JapanThe Beach Boys

The Beach Boys

Still Cruisin’