Don't Back Down
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Original Album
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All Summer Long
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Also Appeared On
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Written By
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Brian Wilson
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Produced By
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Brian Wilson
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Lead Vocals
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Mike and Brian
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Recorded On
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April 29, 1964
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Length
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1:43
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Notes
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- Very brief, yet brilliant surf song.
- Dave Marsh (in his book, "The Heart of Rock and Soul" claims that this song is "ten times more fascinating than 'Surf's Up'".
- The box set version is in mono and has includes the coda that was faded in the stereo album version
- Early take of this song (which according to the Little Deuce Coupe/All Summer Long 2-fer liner notes) was recorded at the same session as the regular version despite having completely different vocal melody, lyrics and vocal arrangement. The early version was included as a bonus track on the LDC/ASL 2-fer (now out of print).
- Lyrics
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The girls dig the way the guys get all wiped out
With their feet in the air you can hear 'em shout
They're not afraid (don't back down, don't back down)
Not my boys (don't back down, don't back down)
They grit their teeth, (a-oo) they don't back down
Don't back down
You gotta be a little nuts
Don't back down
But show 'em now who's got guts
Don't back down
Don't back down from that wave
With their feet full of tar and their hair full of sand
The boys know the beach like the palm of their hand
They're not afraid (don't back down, don't back down)
Not my boys (don't back down, don't back down)
They grit their teeth (a-oo) they don't back down
Don't back down
You gotta be a little nuts
Don't back down
But show 'em now who's got guts
Don't back down
Don't back down from that wave
When a twenty-footer sneaks up like a ton of lead
And the crest comes along and slaps 'em upside the head
They're not afraid (don't back down, don't back down)
Not my boys (Don't back down, don't back down)
They grit their teeth (a-oo) they don't back down
Don't back down
You gotta be a little nuts
Don't back down
But show 'em now who's got guts
Don't back down
Don't back down from that wave
Don't back down...
- Chords
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.........Ab
The girls dig the way the guys get all wiped out
With their feet in the air you can hear 'em shout
.......................Db
They're not afraid (don't back down, don't back down)
...............Ab
Not my boys (don't back down, don't back down)
..........Eb...................................................E
They grit their teeth, they don't back down
A...................................D..............E......A
Don't back down you gotta be a little nuts
...........D....................E..............A
But show 'em now who's got guts
D...................E........................D...A/C#...B
Don't back down from that wave
....................Ab
With their feet full of tar and their hair full of sand
The boys know the beach like the palm of their hand
........................Db
They're not afraid (don't back down, don't back down)
...............Ab
Not my boys (don't back down, don't back down)
..........Eb.................................................E
They grit their teeth they don't back down
.................Ab
When a twenty-footer sneaks up like a ton of lead
And the crest comes along and slaps 'em upside the head
........................Db
They're not afraid (don't back down, don't back down)
...............Ab
Not my boys (don't back down, don't back down)
..........Eb..................................................E
They grit their teeth they don't back down
Chart prepared by Francis Greene