The Beach Boys Performed the Theme Song for a Short-Lived ’60s Sitcom
The Beach Boys were one of the biggest musical groups of the 1960s. But that doesn’t mean they completely dominated the entertainment industry. The band provided the theme song for a short-lived ’60s sitcom that few have heard of today.
The Beach Boys’ massive musical success, including dozens of hit songs and best-selling albums
The Beach Boys were formed in 1961 and were composed of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Brian was the creative mastermind behind the group’s music, while dad Murry Wilson managed them.
The group dominated the charts in the ’60s with hit singles like “Surfin’ U.S.A,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “I Get Around,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” and “California Girls.” The Beach Boys have sold over 100 million records worldwide and still tour today.
The Beach Boys provided the theme song for ‘Karen,’ a one-season sitcom from the ’60s
Undeniably, the band was a musical success. But when it came to television, The Beach Boys’ first musical contributions weren’t exactly popular. The group performed the theme song for Karen, a 1964 show that followed 16-year-old Karen, her younger sister Mimi, and their parents as they navigated life in Los Angeles.
Karen starred Debbie Watson as the titular character. Gina Gillespie played her sister, and Richard Denning and Mary LaRoche played the girls’ parents. The Beach Boys performed the show’s theme song, “Karen.”
The sitcom ran for just one season before its cancellation in 1965. Many of the band’s superfans might not even be aware that the group was part of Karen.
Popular movies and shows used Beach Boys’ songs
Even though The Beach Boys’ first foray into providing music for TV wasn’t an overwhelming success, the band quickly recovered. Since then, the group has featured singles in movies and television.
The Beach Boys’ songs showed up in movies like American Graffiti, Shampoo, The Big Chill, Teen Wolf, Can’t Buy Me Love, Good Morning, Vietnam, Forrest Gump, Boogie Nights, Rush Hour, Almost Famous, 50 First Dates, and Baby Driver.
They also provided “Kokomo” for the 1988 Tom Cruise movie Cocktail. The movie’s success pushed the single to the top of the charts, holding the No. 1 slot for a week. “Kokomo” stayed on the Billboard charts for 28 weeks.
The Beach Boys also let their music be used for a variety of hit TV shows, including sitcoms like WKRP in Cincinnati, Who’s the Boss?, The Facts of Life, The Wonder Years, Full House, Seinfeld, and Family Guy.
The band also provided songs for hit shows like Baywatch, Ally McBeal, Lizzie McGuire, The Sopranos, Gilmore Girls, The Big Bang Theory, Riverdale, Dead To Me, and Ted Lasso.
