Brian Wilson conceived the song during his first acid trip, later arranging and producing the song's recording, and incorporating an orchestral prelude plus contrasting verse-chorus form.

Upon its release as a single, "California Girls" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song is considered emblematic of the 1960s California Sound. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it as one of "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". In 2010, the Beach Boys' recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Brian Wilson was quoted saying in 1986, "[The song was] something I'm very proud of in a sense because it represents the Beach Boys really greatest record production we’ve ever made.

It goes back to 1965 when I was sitting in my apartment, wondering how to write a song about girls, because I love girls.

I mean, everybody loves girls." He added in 2007, "I was thinking about the music from cowboy movies. And I sat down and started playing it, bum-buhdeeda, bum-buhdeeda.

I did that for about an hour. I got these chords going. Then I got this melody, it came pretty fast after that." Inspiration came from the rhythm of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring".

In 2015, he explained: "'California Girls' had that beat — it's called a shuffle beat — and that's definitely a Bach influence."[10]

The next day, Wilson and Mike Love finished off the remainder of the song.

Love claimed that he wrote "every syllable" of the song apart from "I wish they all could be California girls".

He was not originally listed as the song's co-writer, but his successful 1992 lawsuit for songwriting credits amended the alleged omission.

Bassist Carol Kaye credits almost every note to Wilson, with the only exception being a fill she invented at the end of the bridge section.

Comments:

Glenn W Love

Any footage of Brian working from this era is pure GOLD!!!

Jonathan O'Mara

They did some great stuff but this one, above all, is the very best. Unbelievably good song! The harmonies and musicianship are simply superb.

The Interstellar Bam

I think this is the greatest Beach Boys song ever created, even if you like other songs better, this is the greatest one. Not only was Brian at the height of his musical genius, but unlike Pet Sounds and SMiLE, all the other Beach Boys were completely supportive of it.

The result is a musically complex and over all fun as hell song.