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iPod Shuffle
What pops up when you put someone's music on random
Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys
There are, as Bruce Johnston points out, three versions of the Beach Boys: the group led by founder-slash-genius Brian Wilson under his own name; the band “Help Me, Rhonda’’ singer Al Jardine tours with; and the Beach Boys with frontman Mike Love and Johnston, a member since 1965. The Love-led group plays a gig tonight at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset and a show tomorrow at the Hatch Shell. Johnston, whose other major claim to fame is writing the Barry Manilow hit “I Write the Songs,’’ pulled out his iPod during a stop in Montreal.
1. “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1,’’ Pink Floyd. “Mainly because I did the vocal arrangements for ‘The Wall.’ You know how much I asked them to pay me? Nothing. When you do cameos on your friend’s recordings, you never take money.’’
2. “Old Friends,’’ Simon and Garfunkel. “For my money, except for Radiohead, Coldplay, and Green Day, the music business has gone downhill since then.’’
3. “Tutti Frutti,’’ Little Richard. “Are you kidding? Sinatra. Little Richard. It’s all in my high school blender.’’
4. “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder),’’ the Beach Boys. Does he like listening to this own songs? “I love my own stuff. I think it’s great. I wouldn’t be on the phone with you if it wasn’t great.’’
5. “She’s Leaving Home,’’ the Beatles. “ ‘A Day in the Life’ and ‘She’s Leaving Home’ are the two best Lennon and McCartney songs.’’
6. “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road),’’ Frank Sinatra. “Sinatra won a Grammy for art direction. It’s that checkered cover and big tears. Very not worth getting a Grammy for.’’
7. “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,’’ Sinatra.
8. “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,’’ live version, Sinatra with Count Basie.
9. “The Thrill Is Gone,’’ B.B. King. “Did you know that the Captain & Tennille, when they had their ABC-TV show, were the first people to ever work it out so that B.B. King was on national television. You’d be surprised; the corniest people often have the hippest taste.’’
10. “Something in the Air,’’ Thunderclap Newman. “Pete Townshend produced it. Stevie West sang the lead. It sounds like ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ except it’s really underground except it was a hit.’’
Glad we missed: “Nothing. I rock with my selections. You wanna hear more? I have the ‘In the Still of the Night’ by the Five Satins. Total doo-wop great.’’ GEOFF EDGERS 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
