"Student Demonstration Time" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1971 album '' Surf's Up''. It is an altered version of

Jerry Lieber Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...

and

Mike Stoller Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...

's " Riot in Cell Block Number 9" with new lyrics by Mike Love.

Background and lyrics

The song which "Student Demonstration Time" is based on—" Riot in Cell Block Number 9"—was originally written by

Jerry Leiber Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such Crossover music, crossover hit songs ...

and

in 1954, and was considered for inclusion on the Beach Boys' 1965 album '' Party!'', but was ultimately not included. The song was subsequently performed live by the Beach Boys in concert starting in 1969. In mid-1970, Mike Love re-wrote the lyrics after learning of the Kent State Shootings where four unarmed college students protesting the Cambodian Campaign were killed by the Ohio National Guard on Monday, May 4, 1970.

Stephen Desper Stephen W. Desper is an American audio engineer who is best known for his work with the Beach Boys during the early 1970s and for inventing the Spatializer. The Spatializer is an effects unit which employs psychoacoustic techniques that emulate th ...

, engineer of the Beach Boys during this period, explained the genesis and context behind the song: Other events referred to in the song include (in order of appearance): * Autumn 1964 –

Berkeley Free Speech Movement The Free Speech Movement (FSM) was a massive, long-lasting student protest which took place during the 1964–65 academic year on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. The Movement was informally under the central leadership of Be ...

* May 1969 – People's Park, also in Berkeley, California * June 1970 – rioting in

Isla Vista, California Isla Vista is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Barbara County, California in the United States. As of 2020 census, the community had a population of 15,500. The majority of residents are college students at ...

* May 14–15, 1970 – Jackson State killings * May 4, 1970 – Kent State shootings

Release

"Student Demonstration Time" (backed with " Don't Go Near the Water") was released as a single in the Netherlands—where it peaked at #21—and Italy, as well as Australia, where it charted during 1972. However, for the British and German releases of the single, the A-side and B-side were switched, resulting in "Don't Go Near the Water" being the A-side.

Reception

According to Jack Rieley, the band's manager at the time, "Student Demonstration Time" "had Carl and I blushing with embarrassment", while Dennis was "thoroughly disgusted". Brian disliked the song, saying that the lyrical content was "too intense".

Personnel

Credits from Craig Slowinski The Beach Boys * Al Jardine - backing vocals * Bruce Johnston - backing vocals * Mike Love - lead and backing vocals, tambourine *

Carl Wilson Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian and Dennis, and the group's ''de ...

- backing vocals, electric guitars * Dennis Wilson - backing vocals, drums Additional musicians * Blondie Chaplin - bass guitar * Daryl Dragon - tack piano,

Moog synthesizer The Moog synthesizer is a modular synthesizer developed by the American engineer Robert Moog. Moog debuted it in 1964, and Moog's company R. A. Moog Co. (later known as Moog Music) produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 20 ...

* Glenn Ferris - trombone *Sal Marquez - trumpet *

Roger Neumann Roger Neumann (3 January 1941 – 28 November 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, arranger, and music educator. He wrote arrangements for Count Basie, Buddy Rich, and The Beach Boys. He taught in Los Angeles and at the ...

- tenor saxophone *Joel Peskin - tenor saxophone *

Mike Price Michael Bruce Price (born April 6, 1946) is a former American football coach. He was the head coach at Weber State College from 1981 to 1988, Washington State University from 1989 to 2002, and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) from 2004 ...

- trumpet

References

{{Authority control 1971 songs The Beach Boys songs Songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Songs written by Mike Love Song recordings produced by the Beach Boys Anti-war songs

Background and lyrics

Release

Reception

Personnel

See also

References