The Beach Boys
God Only Knows/Wouldn't It Be Nice

July 28, 2011.

Bedroom.

I tell myself... "Let's listen to Pet Sounds!"... I search the shelf and it's not there... After minutes of cursing everything earthly or divine that came to mind, I realize I've lost one of my favorite records and I'm left to rely on my horrible PC speakers and look for one song in particular; the one that, more than any other gem on that LP, gives me chills: "God Only Knows". I discover there's a 45 rpm with the lovely ballad as the A-side and the fun "Wouldn't It Be Nice" as the B-side.

Well, fancy that.

We have, therefore, a single that any artist would pay gold to record for one simple quality: the immortality of two tracks that come together in just six minutes.

Let's talk about the A-side.

This is one of those songs that shows how melody was the foundation of the experimentation of these groups that made history with the prerogative of being melodic and pleasant, thus managing to transcend every ideology and genre, being even deemed INNOVATORS. I don't care if it's true or not, but this really is a masterpiece, a work of art.

"Yesterday" by the Beatles showed how a guitar, a violin, and a fitting melody were enough to be "the first in that way" and a piece of history. "God Only Knows" almost replicates the beauty of McCartney's acoustic track and goes beyond with an arrangement that is a work of art. It starts with an epic and moving intro of harpsichord and horn, which after a few seconds is filled with some plucking of bass and tambourine.

The harmonic sequence closes to make way for the sung verse composed of a background piano and percussion reminiscent of tap dance steps; the singing is delicate with some touches of falsetto, sweet and melodious beyond compare. After the phrase "God only knows what I need without you" which serves as a chorus, we transition to a moment completely out of concept with the song, a small bridge of piano, drums, and strings leading to the grand finale. Here is all the vocal art of the group as they delight in a back-and-forth of the chorus, harmonizing everything while, in the background, more and more sounds are added.

A fade-out ending that grants immortality to this perfect melody.

Right after, we reach the B-side of "Wouldn't It Be Nice". Besides opening the "Pet Sounds" album, this song sums up the whole sonic concept of that work.

It begins with a small psychedelic intro of six seconds interrupted by a drumbeat. The Beach Boys seem to propose their surfin' rock again with the usual cheerful choruses but suddenly the sounds become lysergic and a beautiful psychedelic section starts which takes us to the end of the song, alternating with that surfin’. Another masterpiece, another stroke of genius.

I close, as always, by saying that these are songs from another time... beautiful times.