Even at the height of their fame, not every song by The Beach Boys was a success. Decades after its release, band member Al Jardine identified one early single as a "huge disaster," a track marred by commercial failure and controversial lyrics that have drawn criticism for their use of a racial slur.
Key Takeaways
- Al Jardine described the band's early single "Ten Little Indians" as a "huge disaster" in a 2022 interview.
- The song, based on a nursery rhyme, features the repeated use of the word "squaw," a term officially declared derogatory by the U.S. government in 2021.
- Released after their first nationwide hit "Surfin' Safari," the single failed to perform well on the U.S. charts.
- Despite the misstep, the band's overall momentum and the success of other tracks allowed them to recover and continue their career with Capitol Records.
Brian Wilson's Early Genius
The Beach Boys, guided by the prodigious songwriting of Brian Wilson, became a dominant force in popular music during the 1960s. Wilson's innate ability to craft complex melodies and harmonies set the band apart from their contemporaries and earned them widespread acclaim.
His talent was so remarkable that it drew praise from other musical icons. Bob Dylan once commented on Wilson's unique skill, stating, "Jesus, that ear. He should donate it to the Smithsonian." This sentiment captured the awe many felt for Wilson's musical instincts, which powered the band's hit-making machine.
During their peak, albums like Pet Sounds redefined the possibilities of studio recording and cemented their place in music history. However, the band's journey to this creative zenith was not without its errors, especially in their formative years.
The Debut Album and Early Pressures
When The Beach Boys released their first full-length album, Surfin' Safari, in 1962, they were still developing their sound. Brian Wilson was only 20 years old, navigating the complexities of a major record deal and the studio environment for the first time.
The album itself was a brief affair, featuring 12 songs with a total runtime of less than 25 minutes. While Nick Venet is officially credited as the producer, reports suggest that Brian Wilson and his father, Murry Wilson, handled most of the production duties, marking a steep learning curve for the young songwriter.
The band had already generated significant buzz with their debut single, "Surfin'," and its follow-up, "Surfin' Safari." The title track became their first nationwide hit, climbing to number 14 on the Billboard chart and creating high expectations for the album.
A Young Band's Beginnings
At the time of Surfin' Safari's release, Brian Wilson was just 20 years old. The band was composed of young musicians learning their craft under the pressure of a contract with Capitol Records. This early period was crucial for their development, but also produced material that the band would later reconsider.
A Controversial Single Choice
Despite the success of their surf-themed singles, the record label decided to release "Ten Little Indians" as the follow-up. The song was a musical adaptation of the controversial nursery rhyme of the same name. Its selection proved to be a significant miscalculation both commercially and culturally.
The track's most problematic element is its repeated use of the word "squaw," a term used to describe a Native American woman. The word carries deeply derogatory and offensive connotations.
Official Recognition of Harmful Language
In 2021, the United States Department of the Interior officially declared the term "squaw" to be racist and derogatory. The department initiated a process to remove the word from all federal land and geographic features, acknowledging the harm caused by its historical use.
The song's lyrical content, which was based on a 19th-century minstrel song, has not aged well. In the context of modern understanding, the track stands as a regrettable moment in the band's extensive catalog, reflecting outdated cultural norms.
Al Jardine's Retrospective Criticism
In a 2022 interview with Consequence, founding member Al Jardine reflected on this early period and did not mince words about "Ten Little Indians." He recalled the pressure the band was under and the label's poor decision-making regarding the single.
"Well, it was our third single. What can I tell you? We just came off a bomb, a huge disaster called ‘Ten Little Indians.’ The label didn’t know what the hell it was doing and thought that it would be a new direction for us. Obviously, it wasn’t."
Jardine went on to credit the success of "Surfin' Safari" with saving the group's career at that critical moment. He stated, "So, ‘Surfin’ Safari’ bailed the group out. We thought it was over."
While Jardine's memory of the release order was slightly incorrect—"Surfin' Safari" was released before "Ten Little Indians"—his assessment of the song's impact remains clear. The failure of "Ten Little Indians" was a significant setback that could have derailed their career before it truly began.
Commercial Failure and Lasting Legacy
Jardine's description of the song as a "disaster" is supported by its chart performance. While it surprisingly found some success in Sweden, the single barely registered on the U.S. Billboard chart, failing to build on the momentum of "Surfin' Safari."
The commercial failure of "Ten Little Indians" was a clear signal that audiences were not interested in the direction the label had chosen. For a new band trying to establish its identity, such a misstep could have been fatal.
Fortunately for The Beach Boys, their talent and the strength of their other material were enough to overcome this early stumble. They quickly moved on, producing a string of iconic hits that would define the sound of the 1960s. The episode of "Ten Little Indians" was soon forgotten by the public, though it evidently remained a sour memory for members of the band.
Today, the song is viewed as a curious and unfortunate footnote in an otherwise legendary career, serving as a reminder that even the most celebrated artists can have moments they would rather forget.