Break Away (The Beach Boys song)

"Break Away" is a single released by The Beach Boys in 1969. The song is notable for being co-written by Brian Wilson under the pseudonym "Reggie Dunbar" due to his reluctance to publicly associate with the band at the time amidst internal tensions and creative differences. It was co-written with Murry Wilson, Brian's father and former manager.

The song, characterized by its upbeat tempo and relatively straightforward rock and roll structure compared to some of the band's more experimental work, features Carl Wilson on lead vocals. "Break Away" was intended to be a return to a more commercially viable sound for the group after the relative commercial failure of the Friends and 20/20 albums.

Despite the effort to create a hit, "Break Away" performed modestly on the charts, reaching number 63 in the United States and number 6 in the United Kingdom. While not a major commercial success, the song remains a footnote in the Beach Boys' discography, largely due to its unique co-writing credit and the context of its release during a turbulent period for the band. The song's lyrics deal with themes of escaping from restrictions and seeking freedom.