The band's first albums were about carefree life in California and teenage interests like surfing, girls and fast cars (hot rods). The latter include the Model B Ford that gave the album Little Deuce Coupe its name, as well as the Ford Thunderbird that the protagonist drives in Fun Fun Fun from the follow-up album Shut Down Vol. 2. Brian Wilson put it this way:
"You can always write about social issues but who gives a damn. I like to write about something these kids feel is their whole world."
"You can always write about social issues, but who cares. I like writing about something that, for these kids, is their whole world."
In My Room was the first example of a more personal content. Later, the lyrics dealt with other topics and became more personal and complex. On Pet Sounds, which included partly autobiographical lyrics about love, loss of innocence, childhood and growing up, Brian Wilson was assisted by Tony Asher as lyricist. On the Smile album, which was initially unfinished, Wilson moved away from themes of love and romance. His thoughts on the American Dream and transcendentalism were condensed by Van Dyke Parks into surreal and associatively pictorial lyrics, particularly present on Surf's Up! and Heroes & Villains. With these themes, Wilson's music and its arrangements changed.
In the second half of the 1960s, however, the subject matter changed greatly once again. In addition to their experience with Transcendental Meditation, Brian Wilson in particular wrote about everyday experiences, which usually took place in his house - this could be a jar of honey or the anticipation of impending fatherhood. Likewise, Wilson wrote about his personal problems, which manifested itself in the songs Time to Get Alone, Busy Doin' Nothing, and Til I Die.
At the beginning of the 1970s, the themes became more serious again. Besides the reference to problems of capitalism, war, and environmental destruction (example: Don't Go Near the Water from 1971), their love for California was thematized. After the successes of their hit compilations, Mike Love set on the nostalgia wave and tried again increasingly to focus on themes such as surfing, sun, girls and the earlier better times.
