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God Only Knows
The Beach Boys
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Until the summer of 1966 the Beach Boys were primarily known as a surf鈥檔鈥檋ot-rod band, but 鈥楪od Only Knows鈥, 鈥楪ood Vibrations鈥 and the Pet Sounds album changed all that - and, by the end of the year, they had deposed The Beatles as Best Group in the prestigious Melody Maker poll.
鈥楪od Only Knows鈥, the Beach Boys鈥 third hit single of 1966, demonstrated just how far, and how fast, the group had progressed since 鈥楤arbara Ann鈥 and 鈥楽loop John B鈥.
Brian Wilson was now hearing whole symphonies in his head, but he still needed a lyricist. He recruited advertising executive Tony Asher, who worried 鈥渢hat the lyric might not be up to the quality of the music鈥 - but when the Beach Boys came to cut the track everything gelled.
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Brian Wilson talks about his love of God Only Knows |
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Brian Wilson鈥檚 talent is nowhere better displayed than in this gorgeous verse, which moves flowingly through two keys and four sweeping phrases, with the bass on fifths and thirds, gaining a sense of romantic reassurance as it progresses to the chorus. The outro canon is Beach Boys鈥 Heaven, the voices crossing in a tapestry of parts, saved from excessive sentimentality by the nifty use of the barber鈥檚 shop flat seventh. Dominic King |
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Carl, the youngest of the three Wilson brothers, took a rare lead vocal on 鈥楪od Only Knows鈥, a performance which Elvis Costello rates as one of the finest ever recorded. Carl died in 1998, but he always remembered that historic session: 鈥淚t was on a Sunday afternoon at Columbia Records studios鈥 I was honoured to be able to sing that one. It is so beautifully written it sings itself.鈥
On its release, New Musical Express found 鈥楪od Only Knows鈥 to be 鈥渁 delightful mid-tempo ballad with a big orchestral opening, settling into an irresistible jog-trotting beat.鈥 But over the years the song, and its parent-album Pet Sounds, have taken on almost mythic status - and there is a case to be made that 鈥楪od Only Knows鈥 might just be the most perfectly constructed song in pop history.
Elvis Costello and David Bowie are fans - and both have covered the song. While, to this day, Paul McCartney - who knows a thing or two about these things - maintains that 鈥楪od Only Knows鈥 is 鈥渢he best song ever written.鈥
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