“Celebrate the News” (1969) – The Beach Boys * Written by Dennis Wilson and Gregg Jakobsen * 45: “Break Away” / “Celebrate the News” * Produced by Dennis Wilson * Label: Capitol
The Beach Boys’ “Break Away” 45 might have been subtitled “the uneasy relationships single.” Side A features a track written by Brian Wilson and abusive father Murry Wilson, while side B contains a co-write between Dennis Wilson and Gregg Jakobsen, who had earlier funded Charles Manson’s recording sessions and later testified at the Manson murder trial. So both sides get knowledgable Beach Boy listeners thinking about darker aspects of the band’s history. Jakobsen, though, would be a frequent co-writer with Dennis Wilson on most of his best work. With its moody veneer and odd flutes, “Celebrate the News” counters the peppier sound of the flipside, giving the 45 the ying-yang tension Beach Boys observers have grown accustomed to.