Take A Load Off Your Feet


Original Album
Surf's Up
Also Appeared On
Written By
Al Jardine/Brian Wilson/Gary Winfrey
Produced By
The Beach Boys
Lead Vocals
Al and Brian (on the first verse), then Al for the remainder
Recorded On
1970/71
Length
2:25
Notes
  • Health was an obsession for Brian (especially during the SMILE period; i.e "I'm In Great Shape", "Vegatables", his diatribe about L.A. smog) and this collaboration with Al is a humourous ode to foot care a la "H.E.L.P. Is On The Way", the unrelased ADULT CHILD song, "Life Is For The Living", and the B-side to the "Love and Mercy" single, "He Couldn't Get His Poor Old Body To Move".
Lyrics
I do them when I'm down in the tub
With avocado cream they'll take a rub
They wrinkle like a-raisins if I stay too long
I wouldn't want to do it wrong

They'll put you in the driver's seat
And to the table when you want to eat
But when you go to sit down in your chair
Something else has got to put you there

Take good care of your feet, Pete
You better watch out what you eat, Pete
Better take care of your life
'Cause nobody else will

They'll twinkle when you fall in love
And put you there when you jump up above
When you're on the spot, get them right under you
One, then the other too

If you want to do the right thing for them
Just take a walk in the grass
But don't you catch yourself fallin'
Or steppin' on a piece of glass
(Ouch glass)
Pete knows all the treacherous blows
The fallen arches and the cramp in the toes
He went to H. E. L. P. and got some sandals new
And dusty old saunas too

Take a load of your feet Pete
You better watch out what you eat
Better take care of your life
'Cause nobody else will

Do do do do do do do do do do
Do do do do do do do do do do
Do do do do do do do do do do
Chords
(original key: B)

A..D.............................A................D...A.............D...................A..................D
I do them when I'm down in the tub with avocado cream they'll take a rub
..............A....................D...............A............D.........A........................E..........A
They wrinkle like a-raisins if I stay too long I wouldn't want to do it wrong

A............D.......................A...........D....A...............D..........................A..........D
They'll put you in the driver's seat and to the table when you want to eat
A.......................D...............A......................D......E7(+G)
But when you go to sit down in your chair something else has got to put you there

D...................E...................A
Take good care of your feet, Pete
..........D....................E......................A
You better watch out what you eat, Pete
D..................C#m..............B7....................................E7
Better take care of your life 'cause nobody else will

A..............D..........................A.........D.....A....................D.......................A................D
They'll twinkle when you fall in love and put you there when you jump up above
..............A......................D......................A.................D......A....................E........A
When you're on the spot, get them right under you, one, then the other too

...........F#m.......................................C#m
If you want to do the right thing for them
........F#m.........................C#m
Just take a walk in the grass
........F#m....................................C#m
But don't you catch yourself fallin'
.......Bm7...............................E7
Or steppin' on a piece of glass

A..........D.....................A................D......A................D........................A..................D
Pete knows all the treacherous foes, the fallen arches and the cramp in the toes
A..................D.........................................A...........D.............A....................E.............A
He went to H. E. L. P. and got some sandals new and does the yoga asanas too

D...........E.....................A
Take a load of your feet Pete
...........D..................E.......................A
You better watch out what you eat
D..................C#m..............B7.....................................E7
Better take care of your life 'cause nobody else will


Chart prepared by Francis Greene

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