Heads You Win–Tails I Lose
1962 song by The Beach Boys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Heads You Win–Tails I Lose" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1962 album Surfin' Safari.[1]
| "Heads You Win–Tails I Lose" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Beach Boys | |
| from the album Surfin' Safari | |
| Released | October 1, 1962 |
| Recorded | September 6, 1962 Capitol Studios |
| Genre | Surf rock |
| Length | 2:17 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriters | Brian Wilson Gary Usher |
| Producer | Nik Venet |
Composition
According to lyricist Gary Usher, "Heads You Win–Tails I Lose" resulted from an effort to turn contemporary expressions into songs.[2] The song is in AABA form. In the A sections, the typical doo-wop chord patterns are split in half, and then repeated: I-vi-I-vi-IV-V-IV-V. The B section is a more traditional pattern, much like other songs from Surfin' Safari.[3]
Recording
"Heads You Win–Tails I Lose" was recorded at the last Surfin' Safari session, on September 6, 1962.[4] While Nik Venet is officially credited as producer, some of the participants claim that Brian Wilson did the production work.[5]
Personnel
The Beach Boys
- Mike Love – lead vocals
- David Marks – rhythm guitar
- Brian Wilson – harmony and backing vocals; bass guitar
- Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals; lead guitar
- Dennis Wilson – harmony and backing vocals; drums