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"Good Timin’" is a song written by brothers Brian and Carl Wilson for the American rock band the Beach Boys. It was the second single released from the album L.A. (Light Album) (1979); the B-side was "Love Surrounds Me".

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"Good Timin'"
Single by The Beach Boys
from the album L.A. (Light Album)
B-side	"Love Surrounds Me"
Released	April 1979
Recorded	April 29 / November 2, 1974; December 13, 1978, Brother Studios and Caribou Ranch, California
Genre	Pop
Length	2:12
Label	Brother/Caribou/CBS
Songwriter(s)	Brian Wilson Carl Wilson
Producer(s)	Bruce Johnston The Beach Boys James William Guercio
The Beach Boys singles chronology
"Here Comes the Night" (1979) "Good Timin'" (1979) "Lady Lynda" (1979)

Recording

The track was initiated during the group's sporadic sessions at Brother Studios and Caribou Ranch during 1974, with Brian contributing on the piano and harpsichord.[1] The basic track was completed and Carl Wilson recorded the lead vocals. Initially intended for release on their next album, 15 Big Ones, it ultimately remained unreleased until 1979.

Due to the negative reception following the release of the Beach Boys' unconventional disco remake of "Here Comes the Night", "Good Timin'" was hastily assembled with necessary vocal overdubs by Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnston and released as a single.[2] Johnston recalled: "'I'm not putting Al down or Mike but the real soldier who stuck with me the whole time was Carl. The two us sang the verses on 'Good Timin″, the two of us sang the four vocal parts."[3] It was the lead track on their subsequent L.A. (Light Album), which was released later that year.

Live performances

"Good Timin'" was performed live on tours throughout the early 1980s following its release.^{[citation needed]} Brian sang the lead vocals during The 50th Reunion Tour with Al Jardine also on vocals filling in for Carl Wilson.^{[citation needed]}

Charts

"Good Timin'" reached No. 40 in the U.S. during a stay of ten weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart; and peaked at No. 33 on the Cash Box sales chart. It was their first single to reach the Top 40 portion of the chart since "It's OK" in October 1976. It also reached No. 12 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[4]

Personnel

Sourced from sessionography archivist Craig Slowinski.[5][6][7][8][9]

Good Timin'

The Beach Boys

• Carl Wilson – lead and backing vocals, electric guitars
• Brian Wilson – piano, harpsichord, keyboards
• Dennis Wilson – drums
• Bruce Johnston – backing vocals
• Mike Love – backing vocals
• Al Jardine – backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Bobby Figueroa – backing vocals
• Jim Guercio – bass

Love Surrounds Me

The Beach Boys

• Dennis Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals, electric piano, grand piano, Oberheim and Minimoog synthesizers, additional drums, possible timpani, arrangements
• Carl Wilson – backing vocals
• Bruce Johnston - backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Christine McVie – backing vocals
• Ed Carter – electric lead and rhythm guitars
• Neil Levang – dobro during closing vamp
• Joe Chemay – bass
• Carli Muñoz – electric piano, grand piano
• Phil Shenale – Oberheim synthesizer during closing vamp
• Bobby Figueroa – drums, possible timpani
• Steve Forman – tambourine, mark tree, bell tree, cabasa during closing vamp

References

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