 Mike Love shared the role of lead vocalist
with Brian Wilson during the band's early years, singing many of
the Beach Boys' biggest hits, including "Surfin' Safari", "Surfin'
USA", "Little Deuce Coupe", "Be True To Your School", "Fun, Fun,
Fun", "Little Saint Nick", "I Get Around", "When I Grow Up (to
be a man)" and "California Girls". His lead vocal roles later
diminished as other members' voices began to be heard more, but
he remained one of the most recognized voices in the group, on
songs such as "Do It Again" and "Kokomo". Onstage, Love has
always served as the Beach Boys' "MC".
Mike Love also wrote or co-wrote lyrics to
many of the Beach Boys early songs, mostly with the themes of
surfing or love. He later won a lawsuit for his uncredited
contributions to many early songs to which his name was then
added. Throughout his career he continued to co-write numerous
songs, and wrote some songs on his own.
Despite his conservatism in other areas, Mike
Love was one of the first pop musicians to become involved in
the practice of Transcendental Meditation, through his meeting
with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and as a result he accompanied
The Beatles and Donovan on their famous trip to the self-styled
guru's ashram at Rishikesh in India in early 1968. Mike Love has
been a lifelong advocate of the benefits of TM and contributed a
song on the subject to the Beach Boys' 1968 album Friends.
There are occasions Mike Love has exhibited
sound commercial instincts, such as his co-writing,
lead-singing, and sax solo on the 1988 US number one hit
"Kokomo", the only number one the band had that wasn't
co-written by Brian Wilson. Mike Love (along with "Kokomo"
co-writers Scott Mackenzie, Terry Melcher, and John Phillips)
was nominated for a Golden Globes Award (1988) in the Original
Song category.
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