WASHINGTON -- The Beach Boys symbolize the carefree life of youth, but now the pop musicians think young people ought to do more with their lives than just have fun, fun, fun.
The Beach Boys, who rocketed to musical fame with such hits as 'Fun, Fun, Fun' and 'Surfin' USA,' joined President and Mrs. Bush, singer Tiffany, Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripkin Jr. and other celebrities at the White House Thursday to recognize a group called StarServe, organized to encourage young people to get involved in community service.
StarServe is a partnership between the Kraft-General Foods Foundation, The (Mike) Love Foundation and the United Way of America. StarServe is sending 94,000 elementary schools materials to help teachers of grades 4-12 integrate community service into lesson plans.
'The idea is real simple. People ought to look at what they can do in their school, in their community, to get involved,' Beach Boy Mike Love said in an interview before the event. 'It could be as simple as calling the elderly, helping shut-ins or serving lunch at the local homeless center or cleaning up a beach.'
Bush challenged every young person in America to serve their community.
'Barbara and I believe that if, at an early age, you learn to serve those in need, it will become the way you live your whole life, bringing a sense of meaning and adventure that simply can't be matched,' Bush said.
Love, who quipped he is '49 chronologically but because I'm into health and meditation I have the body of a 19-year-old Adonnis,' said the Beach Boys first met Bush 12 years ago and took an immediate liking to him.
'In fact, he's the only candidate we've ever done a fund-raiser for, ' Love said. 'He's a good guy, down to earth, a straight-shooting guy. '
And when Love and his fellow musicians first heard Bush discuss his 'Points of Light' initiative -- intended to spur the public into volunteerism, 'We came away very inspired to do something with our never-ending vibrations,' Love said.
So inspired, in fact, that the group is working on a few songs with a community service theme that may be included on their next album celebrating the Beach Boys' 30th anniversary on Dec. 31, 1991.
One song, Love said, will be titled, 'One to One,' which he described as a 'rap groove thing.' Another tune may be called 'Points of Light,' which he said is a 'beautiful ballad and somewhat of an anthem. You know, each one of us is a point of light and we're trying to ignite those lights that are dimming.'
The Beach Boys treated the invited guests, including many young people, to a rendition of their most recent No. 1 hit, 'Kokomo' and, in tribute to Mrs. Bush, 'Barbara Ann.'
