You know you’ve written a good song when Paul McCartney calls it ‘the greatest song ever written’. A compliment McCartney gave to the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”. The iconic song was released on the equally iconic album Pet Sounds (1966) and ranks as one of the most important songs ever written. In this article, we will dive into the story, meaning, and legacy behind the song.
The Story Behind the Song
“God Only Knows” was written by The Beach Boys’ bandleader Brian Wilson and songwriter Tony Asher. The two collaborated for most songs on Pet Sounds, including “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Caroline, No”. Asher’s main contribution was lyrical, although he also claimed musical contributions.
Before partnering up, the two met once in a LA recording studio. Asher and Wilson exchanged some musical ideas and mutual friend Loren Schwartz suggested Wilson to collaborate with Asher. Virtually strangers to each other, Brian Wilson and Tony Asher started writing songs for Pet Sounds in early 1966.
“We were working in a somewhat intimate relationship, and I didn’t know him at all,” Tony Asher said in an interview. “So he was finding out who I was, and I was finding out who he was.”
One of those songs, of course, was “God Only Knows”. Tony Asher came up with the song’s title. But Wilson was hesitant to reference ‘God’, as it was considered pop taboo to invoke the divine, and could result in limited airplay. Eventually, Wilson agreed with the song’s title because it provided the opportunity to create some controversy.
“The time on that song was spent arguing the merits of using the word ‘God’ in a song. But we didn’t spend a lot of time writing it”, Asher said. “It came pretty quickly.”
The partners wrote the song in a single sitting, in about 45 minutes. Wilson even admitted the song required him the least effort to write. Ever.
“(‘God Only Knows’) was a vision that Tony and I had,” Wilson said in an interview. “It’s like being blind but in being blind, you can see more. You close your eyes; you’re able to see a place or something that’s happening.”
Recording and Release
The recording of the song wasn’t as effortless as writing it. Brian Wilson hired over 20 of the best session musicians of LA – also known as ‘the Wrecking Crew’ – to play on “God Only Knows”. Wilson was dissatisfied with the song’s instrumental break, and a total of 22 takes were attempted, with take 20 being chosen.
Read more: The 10 Best Beach Boys Songs of All Time
Brian Wilson initially sang the song himself, but eventually decided his brother Carl Wilson was a better fit for the song. “I was honored to be able to sing that one,” Carl said in an interview: “It is so beautifully written, it sings itself.”
“Brian said something like, ‘Don’t do anything with it. Just sing it real straight. No effort. Take in a breath. Let it go real easy’. I was really grateful to be the one to sing that song. I felt extremely lucky.”
The album Pet Sounds was released on May 16, 1966, and was received surprisingly negative in the US. “God Only Knows” was released as a B-side single to “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” a month later. The song only reached number 39 on the US charts. Nowadays, both are considered to be among the greatest music releases of all time.
The Meaning of the Song
“God Only Knows” is a song about the inability to imagine a life without the person you love deeply. In the chorus, the narrator explains that only god knows what such a life would look like.
Brian Wilson initially disagreed with the song’s opening line – ‘I may not always love you’ – believing it was too negative for a love song. But Tony Asher loved the opening line and fought for its inclusion.
“How many love songs start off with the line, ‘I may not always love you’? He later said. “I liked that twist, and fought to start the song that way.”
The Song’s Legacy
As stated earlier, “God Only Knows” wasn’t a massive commercial success upon its release. But over the years, the song came to be seen as one of the most important songs ever written.
Paul McCartney cited “God Only Knows” as ‘the greatest ever written’ and tried to capture the song’s sound on The Beatles’ “Here, There and Everywhere”.
Nearly 6 decades later, “God Only Knows” is seen as a song that pushed pop music boundaries to new levels. It’s undeniably one of the most beautiful songs ever made, and the embodiment of a perfect pop record.
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