On January 19, 1985, the Beach Boys, all dressed in tuxedos and joined by Brian Wilson, who had been mostly estranged from the group, crowded around two microphones and sang their 1963 Little Deuce Coupe track, the Bobby Troup cover, “Their Hearts Were Full of Spring,” a cappella.
The Beach Boys were invited to perform at President Ronald Reagan’s second inaugural ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., alongside performances by Frank Sinatra, who also produced the evening, Ray Charles, and other special guests.
“President Reagan and his lovely California girl Nancy, you’ve been an inspiration to all of us, and it’s nothing to do with politics, nothing to do with boundaries or borders,” said Mike Love before the Beach Boys performed. “This inspiration has to do with the obvious love and affection, the deep devotion they share. Their love is eternal. And their hearts will always be full of spring.”
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Banned From Washington Mall
The Reagans had connected with the Beach Boys two years earlier when the group was scheduled to perform a Fourth of July concert on the Washington Mall. In April ’83, then-Secretary of the Interior James Watt banned the Beach Boys from playing the July 4 concert and said rock bands gave “the wrong element.” Instead, Watt wanted a more “wholesome” concert that was “patriotic, family-based entertainment,” featuring Wayne Newton and the U.S. Army Blues Band.
”We’re not going to encourage drug abuse and alcoholism, as was done in the past,” said Watt.
After hearing that the Beach Boys had been dropped from the concert, President Reagan and Vice President George Bush issued statements on behalf of the band. “I think for a lot of people, the Beach Boys are an American institution,” said Reagan’s deputy chief of staff, Michael Deaver. “Anyone who thinks they are hard rock would think Mantovani plays jazz.”
Following the Beach Boys’ performance at White House Ceremonies Marking the 15th Anniversary of the Special Olympics in June 13, 1983, Reagan added, “I know their music speaks for itself; but I just wanted, on behalf of all of you I know, to thank the Beach Boys for coming here on this very special occasion.” Reagan then added in another hint toward Watt, “We were looking forward to seeing them on the Fourth of July.”
The First Lady also reportedly told Watt, who had also admitted that he had never heard the band, that she was a big fan.
“The President is a friend of the Beach Boys, he likes them, and I’m sure when I get to meet them, I’ll like them, too,” Watt told reporters after meeting with the president and Mrs. Reagan. The Reagans also gifted Watt a plaster-shaped foot with a hole drilled in it. “This is shooting yourself in your foot,” Watt added.
In response, the Beach Boys were invited back to perform. Unfortunately, by the time they were back on the bill, they had already signed up for another Fourth of July performance. On July 4, 1983, the Beach Boys performed in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at Caesar’s Boardwalk for a crowd of approximately 200,000. The concert marked the last with the original six members of the Beach Boys.
Watt was later forced to resign in October 1983 after using several derogatory terms to describe his advisory committee. The next year, the Beach Boys returned to Washington Mall to play the Fourth of July concert with special guests Ringo Starr, Julio Iglesias, and La Toya Jackson.
Photo: William Campbell/Sygma via Getty Images
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