..and to think it didn't go straight to number 1. In fact the album didn't sell that well at the time in the US. It did great in England but there is a good chance that Brian didn't know it - labels back then generally didn't want the Artists to know overseas sales, for a variety of reasons.
@@StanKindly Pet Sounds had a 39 week run on the Billboard Top 100. During that time, it was in the Top 40 for 21 weeks and in the Top 20 for 12 weeks (Peaking at #10). This was in a year when Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and soundtracks to Broadway Musicals were at the top of the charts and teen/youth oriented albums were not holding high chart positions for very long. It had actually reached gold record status by 1967 but the Beach Boys were in litigation with Capitol at that point and that was suppressed. Basically, looking at the chart positions, sales figures and taking everything in context: Pet Sounds sold fine. Part of the reason why it perhaps didn't sell as well in the U.S. as it could and should have was that Capitol A&R did not support the album and essentially sabotaged its release by releasing a Greatest Hits compilation only two months after the release of Pet Sounds: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_of_the_Beach_Boys
@@BehindTheSounds record label execs ruining the art. Lol What’s new? Thankfully, we don’t need those dickheads to release good music into the world anymore. That’s one place where society has certainly improved for the BETTER in the years since 1966
Image the pressure of having all of these world-class musicians in the same room and having to instruct them all individually on how their parts went. To say Brian is a genius is putting it mildly!
Alan and I were sweethearts at the time. He called me from the studio and asked me to bring him some old wooden organ pipes. He told me to look for the box of them in the closet and...hurry! I drove down to Hollywood and went in with the box. I don't think they used them that night, but I was awestruck. After a while I had to go home and to bed because I was a school teacher and had to get up early the next morning. My darling Alan introduced me to so many music greats our years together, of course, including his brother, Gayle Robinson, also a fantastic French horn player.
It's just amazing to hear the process of this music. So many musicians nowadays get so lazy with protools and they just slap anything on without a care in the world. It seemed like Brian had to move mountains to make his music a reality.
Despite Brian's amazing genius he still had room to listen to suggestions and without hesitation incorporate them into the song. To those he trusted, like the guys at Wrecking Crew, he listened and and took the advice without ego. Brian was just searching for perfection in his song.
Brian had a vision. And he created on the fly. He knew what he wanted but didnt convey thst using musical terms. It was...go to that part....hey horns are sagging. He didnt mention bar number or mention rhythms of notes. His genius was in being able to relay his desires in common language.
So good to hear musicians working together 'by ear' . I can understand that this may have been a frustrating process for some of the more classically trained musicians that were, perhaps not used to a guy speaking in "bam badda bam bam bam" terms but...at the end of the day, music MUST come from the heart and we can all see that, in this song he accomplished what he 'heard' in his own mind. Its a great track that is full of emotion. That emotion doesnt just come from him, it comes from all those that worked on the track. The song is the sum of all its parts, thats why it works so well. Its a piece of musical history......and I like it!!!
The most amazing thing for that time is completely innovative use of tape echo and reverb to plate the only technologies available at that time apart from some compressor and condensed microphones
That's a trip that Don Randi was on this! I got to see him play at his club "The Baked Potato" in Studio City, CA a few times. He sure has played with a lot of great bands over the years. The best of the best musicians play in his club all the time.
@BehindTheSounds Please do! And wow. The commitment you put in...if anyone ever says that they are bigger Beach Boys fans than you....I will personally smack them. Awesome thing you did here man. Thanks from a person who is barely beginning to understand how great they really were.
Thank you so much for adding this video! It´s one of the most beautiful clips I've ever seen. It´s not just the song, it´s Brians voice n' everything getting together in one clip. Thanks!
The band playing he music is named The Wrecking Crew. Google them to see how many songs and albums they played on. Glen Campbell was in the band. Hal Blaine Tommy Tedesco, Carol Kaye
Like them on Facebook and you will hear musical history like nowhere else. I first heard this outtake on their FB page about a year ago. The Beatles had each other. LA had the Wrecking Crew. If you like American pop songs from the 60s, chances are the Wrecking Crew played on them. Even The Byrds and The Doors used them in the studio.
Jer Lewis According to Carol Kaye, the Wrecking Crew, was not the name they were known by at the time. Carol says they were known as "The Clique". In the interview which is available on RUclips, Carol says she does not agree with a big portion of the "Wrecking Crew" movie. She says in the interview that "The Wrecking Crew" is mostly the story of Hal Blaine, and Tommy Tedesco. I am glad the movie is out there, and I'm also glad to hear what to look out for, according to Carol Kaye.
Terry Pursell Carol Kaye claims to have played on a lot of things that she clearly didn't such as Motown sessions. She also claims to have played on several Beach Boys songs, when in fact she played on a few cash-in cover versions made by other artists. She may have been there but she's not the end-all authority and she's nasty to anyone who questions her faulty memories. I'm not entirely sure what the Wrecking Crew was referred to back then, but it seems like different people could have had different names for it. Brian never even refers to them as a group in his sessions, so maybe he didn't think of it that way.
***** Thanks for the reply! As for Motown sessions, I don't see why she would claim she played on Motown tracks, since that was in Detroit. I believe she did work for Phil Spector, as maybe a lot of the studio players did that are a part of this clique, or wrecking crew.....
Terry Pursell The reason why she takes credit for Motown recordings is because she apparently played on a few covers of Motown songs and somehow confuses that with the hit single versions recorded in Detroit with Jamerson (who is now dead and can't speak). It's pretty shameless and infuriating that she sticks to this story dispelled by so much evidence. It's not the mistake that's the problem, it's that she sticks to her guns when confronted about it. She did work for Phil Spector a lot, but she has this thing where she tries to present herself as "the" bassist of the Wrecking Crew. I honestly think the evidence shows that Ray Pohlman was Brian's no. 1 choice for bassist and if he couldn't get him (or wanted two bassists as was often the case) Carol Kaye would do as a replacement. She'll play the bassline for "Good Vibrations" in interviews as though she owns it when she wasn't even on any of the sections used in the final single version. Just her whole persona these days strikes a lot of bad chords with me. Hal Blaine is much cooler about taking credit for what he actually played and realizing when he makes an error in taking credit for a session he wasn't on.
I think praise is due to both Don Randi for a productive suggestion (to tighten that transition), and Brian for willing to roll with it and see how it sounded.
Thanks for all your work in putting these clips together. Enjoyed every single one so far. Brian really knew what he was doing in the studio sound wise, height of his powers. A musical genius...A
People keep bringing this up and it makes me wish I hadn't included it in the video. Don Randi is just playing the notes from the figure in GOK in a descending pattern. Not the same pattern of notes (or even key) as the riff in Satisfaction.
I love around 6:30 when Brian and Hal work out the drum fill, with Blaine trying first the hit on the tom-tom before trying the snare. "That's it," Brian calls out and moves on to another issue. The man was SERIOUSLY on top of his game.
The guys needed to step it up a couple of times here on this important record. It seems like they were behind a little in that part. Great outtakes and it was nice to hear all the guys working hard to make this record sound great like it did. Brian is such a maste musician he can hear everything and the mistakes as well. Love this part of the Pet Sounds CD. Thanks for the post.
There is a RUclips video of this song with Brian's lead vocal instead of Carl's. Brian decided later that Carl's voice would be better for the song. Both versions are good!
***** Just wondering... How do you know that for sure? It sounds quite different, and from what I've read, Brian had intended to sing the lead vocal. There are places in the "Brian" vocal that sure sound like his usual style-isms.
marvy1118 It's Carl's voice for sure, at least as the dominant lead vocal. A guide vocal from Brian *might* be buried somewhere in the mix which might be what's confusing people. Brian and Carl had very similar voices but also minor differences in their inflections and their overall vocal range that should be evident to any fan, and the alternate version sounds like 100% Carl to me. I think it's just a take recorded earlier the same night, which is why the vocal delivery is more forceful than the released version. It's been said that Carl was exhausted by the time the final vocal take was recorded, which is why Brian recorded over his lead in the mono mix for the fadeout (starting about 2:00 in). And part of why I don't buy it, Brian has always said he wrote the song specifically for Carl to sing. I've never read anything otherwise. The only reason why he would have sang it is for a guide vocal, which would not have been double tracked.
thanks for this! im recording a version of this for my mum for christmas and this has helped me no end with the sounds and music especially in that middle section!
I must say, this song took on more meaning in our family when my daughter married earlier this year (in London). As guests were taking their seats, California Girls played (her new father-in-law thought it appropriate). She walked up the aisle to the music (no words allowed) 'God Only Knows'. Her new family thinks all California girls must be beautiful, blond haired, & blue eyed. No words to God only knows as religion cannot be brought into the ceremony.
@rjmprod Bruce Johnston and Derek Taylor hosted a listening party in London in the days following the release of Pet Sounds in the US to generate word of mouth for the LP in the UK. John and Paul showed up, played canasta, had drinks, listened to the entire album twice and left. It's been described as an acetate, but several sources indicate it was the final release copy.
@producer1 The bass heard at 0:30 when they're setting the levels is an upright bass...it even has its own channel on the multitrack. There is some debate whether there are two electric basses on this track, but there is DEFINITELY an upright bass, which was a vital element of BW's mid-60's bass sound.
Brian Wilson was born June 20th, 1962, so he would have been 23 going on 24 at this time. Doesn't change how remarkable it is that he made the greatest pop album of all time at that age though!
Yeah....probably both, as they did that quite a bit. If Carol was on the session, and not playing bass along with the upright player, she may have comped the bass line on guitar. I do hear both, but you're correct...it's not just an upright, and not just an electric.
@M3town3 There's honestly not much more to release at this point. The 40th anniversary release is likely the definitive release of the album, and I suspect a 50th version would be the same with new packaging. The newest DCC release is the definitive mono version and the Sessions box set is surprisingly exhaustive. Most of the full tracking sessions have also been bootlegged. I for one would like a release of the multitracks, but the commercial viability of such a release is very low.
I wonder if Brian was surrounded by more supportive people, if he would not have crashed so badly. Paul McCartney said he almost lost his mind after the Beatles broke up and credits Linda with helping him out of his depression. Brian went from a bright, creative guy to someone from skid row in about 3 years. His rise was fast and his fall was just as fast.
I love how Dan randi makes a suggestion about the whole timing/arrangement of the bridge and rather than get defensive Brian Wilson just says: "Well try it." A real musician's musician. His fellow bandmates (like most fellow bandmates) would have discussed it and argued about it for an hour.
My God, what an amazing song. There are three and only three people that are supreme Songwriters, Musicians and Performers; Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney and Pete Townshend. These three are the finest that the human race has ever produced. Yes, there are amazing people like Carole King, Billy Joel, John Lennon; but these three, they are SCARY talented. Let's take Pete; he goes home after a tour and he writes and records every song. He plays all of the instruments. Does all of the vocals. And when he thinks it's ready, he takes it to the others and they learn their parts. I'm sorry but that is just Frigging Amazing. Only other musicians can possibly understand what I'm saying. I never said these were my favorites. Brian Wilson; he heard every vocal with all of the harmonies along with the music in his head. Go listen to those other worldly harmonies. Those are what was in that man's head. Macca; c'mon. Supremely Gifted musician, composer and singer. How in the hell does all of that material fit in that head? McCartney is so talented, he does not even know. It just comes out. These three will never, ever be topped. The best part; I was there for all three hitting their prime. God Only Knows how lucky we all are.
Not to put McCartney down a peg but IMO Lennon was the true innovator in that group and was a genius for being essentially self-taught, similar to Brian Wilson. I'm not sure if he ever could have achieved success without McCartney (who I think would have ended up a successful musician or songwriter regardless), but I generally think his songs are more personal and more adventurous...written by somebody who routinely broke rules or conventions in composition because he didn't fully understand them in the first place. Pretty much all of my favorite Beatles songs are the ones written primarily by Lennon. Lennon's "Strawberry Fields Forever" made Brian Wilson pull his car over when he first heard it on the radio in early 1967 and declare that the Beatles had beat him to the sound he was chasing with "Smile" and within a few months the project had fallen apart. I don't see its B-side "Penny Lane" eliciting the same reaction, even though it strikes some of the same nostalgic notes.
@@BehindTheSounds I could live the rest of my life having John instead of Paul in my top three. What really matters is that our likes and dislikes are Subjective and that we at least acknowledge a few of the truly greatest. Thanks for hosting this video and for taking the time to reply to my comment! Have a Terrific week.
I enjoy the perpetual Paul or John is best arguments but I think they truly were each others equal as songwriters, arrangers, producers and performers. I would agree that John deserves more credit creatively and Paul more as arranger but both were as strong as the other in different ways and at different times. John's high point as songwriter was '63 - 67 and Paul's from 67-71. What either did afterwards never surpassed those years creatively and artistically. Their later solo material was also largely written or culled from those brief years of self-discovery. Brian was very similar in that regard having a 4 year burst of creative inspiration that would never repeat itself.
Music is totally subjective, so there’s no one “right” answer, but I’d add Paul Simon to your list. He wrote, arranged, and produced so many beloved songs that will long outlive him, outlive anyone commenting here. He’s very “rated”, but still somehow criminally underrated. Like those mentioned above, he wrote music that was simultaneously approachable enough for the masses and also so dense with genius musical choices in composition for the close listeners and musicians who understood the theory, Undeniably one of the greatest ever IMO.
Thanks so much for your detailed response! I was about to buy the latest Capitol release not knowing any better. I'll look for one of the audiophile releases.
@urmacdonahue Yeah, you know I read about that somewhere, I believe the entire control board was tube powered, giving the entire album a very reverb ethereal sound...
@ScottSilverman1 Murry was not invited to tracking sessions after 1964 and I think his presence would have been made much clearer if he were there that night. I think Brian is probably saying "Diane", referencing his sister-in-law, who was there.
@@BehindTheSounds Background: The console was a Universal Audio 610a. The talkback was bussed via a monitoring aux built into the mixer and activated with a foot switch. So you’re hearing the foot switch when Brian steps on it. This same console was recently sold at auction for $375,000 usd.
I was sort of basing it on the assumption that it was a switch Brian could flick based on the photo of him doing so taken at Columbia, which obviously used different equipment. i.imgur.com/pW2RpyY.jpg
Awesome songs ,...but I wish the Beach Boys could have played more on them ,.... this was basically a Brian Wilson solo album ,.... ( featuring special guests the Beach Boys ) ,....
I really would like to know where this recording comes from... it must have changed hands a dozen if not a thousand times... or maybe it just remained in a closet for fourty years? Absolutely AWESOME POST, obviously ;-)
Parks Van Dyke was quoted saying the Sgt. Peppers was responsible for breaking Brian Wilson's heart and sending him in his downward spiral. It was the nail in the coffin for Brian Wilson. There was definitely some healthy competition going on between The Beatles and The Beach Boys. Paul and Brian often shared their music with one another, kind of pushing each other's influences further and further.
Yeah dude, Brian has said it countless times that Rubber Soul influenced him. True it's not as layered and complex but I think he's referring to the songs themselves that blew him away on Rubber Soul.
One of the best songs ever written. Period.
..and to think it didn't go straight to number 1. In fact the album didn't sell that well at the time in the US. It did great in England but there is a good chance that Brian didn't know it - labels back then generally didn't want the Artists to know overseas sales, for a variety of reasons.
@@StanKindly Pet Sounds had a 39 week run on the Billboard Top 100. During that time, it was in the Top 40 for 21 weeks and in the Top 20 for 12 weeks (Peaking at #10). This was in a year when Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and soundtracks to Broadway Musicals were at the top of the charts and teen/youth oriented albums were not holding high chart positions for very long. It had actually reached gold record status by 1967 but the Beach Boys were in litigation with Capitol at that point and that was suppressed. Basically, looking at the chart positions, sales figures and taking everything in context: Pet Sounds sold fine.
Part of the reason why it perhaps didn't sell as well in the U.S. as it could and should have was that Capitol A&R did not support the album and essentially sabotaged its release by releasing a Greatest Hits compilation only two months after the release of Pet Sounds: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_of_the_Beach_Boys
@@BehindTheSounds record label execs ruining the art. Lol What’s new? Thankfully, we don’t need those dickheads to release good music into the world anymore. That’s one place where society has certainly improved for the BETTER in the years since 1966
Image the pressure of having all of these world-class musicians in the same room and having to instruct them all individually on how their parts went. To say Brian is a genius is putting it mildly!
My cousin Alan Robinson was the French Horn player who played on the opening of this song!
your cousin is an icon for that
cool indeed!
Very cool!
That is definitely Outtasight! 👍
Alan and I were sweethearts at the time. He called me from the studio and asked me to bring him some old wooden organ pipes. He told me to look for the box of them in the closet and...hurry! I drove down to Hollywood and went in with the box. I don't think they used them that night, but I was awestruck. After a while I had to go home and to bed because I was a school teacher and had to get up early the next morning. My darling Alan introduced me to so many music greats our years together, of course, including his brother, Gayle Robinson, also a fantastic French horn player.
A kid genius, let loose in an LA studio with the world's greatest session musicians ...
It's just amazing to hear the process of this music. So many musicians nowadays get so lazy with protools and they just slap anything on without a care in the world. It seemed like Brian had to move mountains to make his music a reality.
Despite Brian's amazing genius he still had room to listen to suggestions and without hesitation incorporate them into the song. To those he trusted, like the guys at Wrecking Crew, he listened and and took the advice without ego. Brian was just searching for perfection in his song.
+Jim Hensel And the one gal.
Brian Wilson is a musical genius.
Brilliance, hard to believe that this level of complexity can sound so natural. Beautiful flow.
This is such a cool thing to see. I wish there was more of this. I love Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys.
Brian had a vision. And he created on the fly. He knew what he wanted but didnt convey thst using musical terms. It was...go to that part....hey horns are sagging. He didnt mention bar number or mention rhythms of notes. His genius was in being able to relay his desires in common language.
The best love song ever.
"God Ony Knows" indeed presents only his genius! He's my idol too, because he is a phenomenal producer too!
Fascinating look at the origin of a great song
American music legends at work and thank you for sharing this with us because we
don't get to hear it every day!
So much better than showing how sausage is made.
Seeing footage of this is awesome.
This isn't "footage" and the pics here are not from the actual session...but ok.
Pure genius.
Brilliant. My fave Beach Boys song. It holds up well after all these years. Oh to have been a fly on the wall when this was made.
I love this clip. Thank you so much for posting.
Brian and Tony Asher both said the song took about 30 minutes to write. Talk about a Mind Meld!
So good to hear musicians working together 'by ear' . I can understand that this may have been a frustrating process for some of the more classically trained musicians that were, perhaps not used to a guy speaking in "bam badda bam bam bam" terms but...at the end of the day, music MUST come from the heart and we can all see that, in this song he accomplished what he 'heard' in his own mind. Its a great track that is full of emotion. That emotion doesnt just come from him, it comes from all those that worked on the track. The song is the sum of all its parts, thats why it works so well. Its a piece of musical history......and I like it!!!
The most amazing thing for that time is completely innovative use of tape echo and reverb to plate the only technologies available at that time apart from some compressor and condensed microphones
That's a trip that Don Randi was on this! I got to see him play at his club "The Baked Potato" in Studio City, CA a few times. He sure has played with a lot of great bands over the years. The best of the best musicians play in his club all the time.
You can really hear the Gershwin influence, especially when the horns play by themselves during the bridge.
Children of today: This is making real music.Brian, you blow us away with your talent and untiring commitment to excellence. Thank you.
Great collage of photos. Appreciate the detail given to the roster of players. Thanks!
@BehindTheSounds Please do! And wow. The commitment you put in...if anyone ever says that they are bigger Beach Boys fans than you....I will personally smack them. Awesome thing you did here man. Thanks from a person who is barely beginning to understand how great they really were.
Thank you so much for adding this video! It´s one of the most beautiful clips I've ever seen. It´s not just the song, it´s Brians voice n' everything getting together in one clip. Thanks!
For a video about the making of the song to be full of revelations & moving is a major plus point. There's no way to escape Brian Wilson's spark.
The band playing he music is named The Wrecking Crew. Google them to see how many songs and albums they played on. Glen Campbell was in the band. Hal Blaine Tommy Tedesco, Carol Kaye
Like them on Facebook and you will hear musical history like nowhere else. I first heard this outtake on their FB page about a year ago. The Beatles had each other. LA had the Wrecking Crew. If you like American pop songs from the 60s, chances are the Wrecking Crew played on them. Even The Byrds and The Doors used them in the studio.
Jer Lewis According to Carol Kaye, the Wrecking Crew, was not the name they were known by at the time. Carol says they were known as "The Clique". In the interview which is available on RUclips, Carol says she does not agree with a big portion of the "Wrecking Crew" movie. She says in the interview that "The Wrecking Crew" is mostly the story of Hal Blaine, and Tommy Tedesco.
I am glad the movie is out there, and I'm also glad to hear what to look out for, according to Carol Kaye.
Terry Pursell Carol Kaye claims to have played on a lot of things that she clearly didn't such as Motown sessions. She also claims to have played on several Beach Boys songs, when in fact she played on a few cash-in cover versions made by other artists. She may have been there but she's not the end-all authority and she's nasty to anyone who questions her faulty memories. I'm not entirely sure what the Wrecking Crew was referred to back then, but it seems like different people could have had different names for it. Brian never even refers to them as a group in his sessions, so maybe he didn't think of it that way.
***** Thanks for the reply! As for Motown sessions, I don't see why she would claim she played on Motown tracks, since that was in Detroit. I believe she did work for Phil Spector, as maybe a lot of the studio players did that are a part of this clique, or wrecking crew.....
Terry Pursell The reason why she takes credit for Motown recordings is because she apparently played on a few covers of Motown songs and somehow confuses that with the hit single versions recorded in Detroit with Jamerson (who is now dead and can't speak). It's pretty shameless and infuriating that she sticks to this story dispelled by so much evidence. It's not the mistake that's the problem, it's that she sticks to her guns when confronted about it.
She did work for Phil Spector a lot, but she has this thing where she tries to present herself as "the" bassist of the Wrecking Crew. I honestly think the evidence shows that Ray Pohlman was Brian's no. 1 choice for bassist and if he couldn't get him (or wanted two bassists as was often the case) Carol Kaye would do as a replacement. She'll play the bassline for "Good Vibrations" in interviews as though she owns it when she wasn't even on any of the sections used in the final single version. Just her whole persona these days strikes a lot of bad chords with me. Hal Blaine is much cooler about taking credit for what he actually played and realizing when he makes an error in taking credit for a session he wasn't on.
A smart man will listen to the seasoned musicians. So brilliant then the note clipping on the jazzy sections...
i guess the half dozen thumbs downs,just do not like to listen to masterpieces in the making
I think praise is due to both Don Randi for a productive suggestion (to tighten that transition), and Brian for willing to roll with it and see how it sounded.
Thanks for all your work in putting these clips together. Enjoyed every single one so far. Brian really knew what he was doing in the studio sound wise, height of his powers. A musical genius...A
There at the very end where he wants to hear the bass notes the play the "Satisfaction" lick.
People keep bringing this up and it makes me wish I hadn't included it in the video. Don Randi is just playing the notes from the figure in GOK in a descending pattern. Not the same pattern of notes (or even key) as the riff in Satisfaction.
These videos are mesmerizing. If I knew anything about writing or playing music, I imagine they would be almost pornographic.
I love around 6:30 when Brian and Hal work out the drum fill, with Blaine trying first the hit on the tom-tom before trying the snare. "That's it," Brian calls out and moves on to another issue. The man was SERIOUSLY on top of his game.
Amazing. Beautiful.
The guys needed to step it up a couple of times here on this important record. It seems like they were behind a little in that part. Great outtakes and it was nice to hear all the guys working hard to make this record sound great like it did. Brian is such a maste musician he can hear everything and the mistakes as well. Love this part of the Pet Sounds CD. Thanks for the post.
There is a RUclips video of this song with Brian's lead vocal instead of Carl's. Brian decided later that Carl's voice would be better for the song. Both versions are good!
The alternate version of God Only Knows is still Carl, it's just an alternate vocal take.
***** Just wondering... How do you know that for sure? It sounds quite different, and from what I've read, Brian had intended to sing the lead vocal. There are places in the "Brian" vocal that sure sound like his usual style-isms.
marvy1118
It's Carl's voice for sure, at least as the dominant lead vocal. A guide vocal from Brian *might* be buried somewhere in the mix which might be what's confusing people. Brian and Carl had very similar voices but also minor differences in their inflections and their overall vocal range that should be evident to any fan, and the alternate version sounds like 100% Carl to me.
I think it's just a take recorded earlier the same night, which is why the vocal delivery is more forceful than the released version. It's been said that Carl was exhausted by the time the final vocal take was recorded, which is why Brian recorded over his lead in the mono mix for the fadeout (starting about 2:00 in).
And part of why I don't buy it, Brian has always said he wrote the song specifically for Carl to sing. I've never read anything otherwise. The only reason why he would have sang it is for a guide vocal, which would not have been double tracked.
***** Thank you! That all makes total sense.
Carl Wilson's vocals made this song come alive! SUPERB!!
making records is not for the faint of heart.
Masterful...
In 1966, "Dad" was a common reference to just about anybody... derived from Beatnik culture... "Dad", "Big Daddy", "Daddy-O"... ;)
thanks for this! im recording a version of this for my mum for christmas and this has helped me no end with the sounds and music especially in that middle section!
People set this tune as your morning alarm and live a happier life. Love it! as Elvis would say "always have, always will!
I like how you put the pictures of him doing gestures while he's saying something.
Please post Part 2. This is beautiful! C'mon I'm on my knees..pleeeaaase....
These videos are great! I can't wait to see part 2! Thanks for posting.
Pure gold here.
@BehindTheSounds
These are great controlroom discussions - sure nice to hear the creative pingpong between Wilson and the sessionmusicians...
I must say, this song took on more meaning in our family when my daughter married earlier this year (in London). As guests were taking their seats, California Girls played (her new father-in-law thought it appropriate). She walked up the aisle to the music (no words allowed) 'God Only Knows'. Her new family thinks all California girls must be beautiful, blond haired, & blue eyed. No words to God only knows as religion cannot be brought into the ceremony.
@rjmprod Bruce Johnston and Derek Taylor hosted a listening party in London in the days following the release of Pet Sounds in the US to generate word of mouth for the LP in the UK. John and Paul showed up, played canasta, had drinks, listened to the entire album twice and left. It's been described as an acetate, but several sources indicate it was the final release copy.
I wonder how Brian does it. Being deaf in one ear.
He mixed it in mono, which what most people did at the time. All of those old records sound better in mono anyway.
You do such and awesome job! I love these sessions. I could listen to him arrange alll day!
@producer1 The bass heard at 0:30 when they're setting the levels is an upright bass...it even has its own channel on the multitrack. There is some debate whether there are two electric basses on this track, but there is DEFINITELY an upright bass, which was a vital element of BW's mid-60's bass sound.
No one abuses a talk back mic like Brian. Love it.
Also, the picture of him at 2:00 made me spit up my drink.
Brian Wilson was born June 20th, 1962, so he would have been 23 going on 24 at this time. Doesn't change how remarkable it is that he made the greatest pop album of all time at that age though!
To this day - whenever I hear GOD ONLY KNOWS, I get a tingle.
that was fantastic. he was a genius who knew what he wanted :))
seems like a rare video. i loved it, alot
One of the best
One of the most difficult progressions to learn by ear even for a skilled musician born with perfect pitch
Yeah....probably both, as they did that quite a bit. If Carol was on the session, and not playing bass along with the upright player, she may have comped the bass line on guitar. I do hear both, but you're correct...it's not just an upright, and not just an electric.
I love Brian's phrase, "Let's make it!" Craftsmen at work.
totally...agreed. My bandmates and I do that all the time! The pianist here just picked up on a coincidence and had some fun with it.
Just incredible
@M3town3 There's honestly not much more to release at this point. The 40th anniversary release is likely the definitive release of the album, and I suspect a 50th version would be the same with new packaging. The newest DCC release is the definitive mono version and the Sessions box set is surprisingly exhaustive. Most of the full tracking sessions have also been bootlegged.
I for one would like a release of the multitracks, but the commercial viability of such a release is very low.
This is awesome!!!!
Very interesting - big thank you for posting.
most excellent work your doing here ,, thanks !
I wonder if Brian was surrounded by more supportive people, if he would not have crashed so badly. Paul McCartney said he almost lost his mind after the Beatles broke up and credits Linda with helping him out of his depression. Brian went from a bright, creative guy to someone from skid row in about 3 years. His rise was fast and his fall was just as fast.
Is Brian hitting a tambourine each time before he talks to the Wrecking Crew members?
It's the click of the talkback mic turning on.
These are great!
I love how Dan randi makes a suggestion about the whole timing/arrangement of the bridge and rather than get defensive Brian Wilson just says: "Well try it." A real musician's musician. His fellow bandmates (like most fellow bandmates) would have discussed it and argued about it for an hour.
My God, what an amazing song. There are three and only three people that are supreme Songwriters, Musicians and Performers; Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney and Pete Townshend. These three are the finest that the human race has ever produced. Yes, there are amazing people like Carole King, Billy Joel, John Lennon; but these three, they are SCARY talented. Let's take Pete; he goes home after a tour and he writes and records every song. He plays all of the instruments. Does all of the vocals. And when he thinks it's ready, he takes it to the others and they learn their parts. I'm sorry but that is just Frigging Amazing. Only other musicians can possibly understand what I'm saying.
I never said these were my favorites. Brian Wilson; he heard every vocal with all of the harmonies along with the music in his head. Go listen to those other worldly harmonies. Those are what was in that man's head. Macca; c'mon. Supremely Gifted musician, composer and singer. How in the hell does all of that material fit in that head? McCartney is so talented, he does not even know. It just comes out. These three will never, ever be topped. The best part; I was there for all three hitting their prime. God Only Knows how lucky we all are.
Not to put McCartney down a peg but IMO Lennon was the true innovator in that group and was a genius for being essentially self-taught, similar to Brian Wilson. I'm not sure if he ever could have achieved success without McCartney (who I think would have ended up a successful musician or songwriter regardless), but I generally think his songs are more personal and more adventurous...written by somebody who routinely broke rules or conventions in composition because he didn't fully understand them in the first place. Pretty much all of my favorite Beatles songs are the ones written primarily by Lennon.
Lennon's "Strawberry Fields Forever" made Brian Wilson pull his car over when he first heard it on the radio in early 1967 and declare that the Beatles had beat him to the sound he was chasing with "Smile" and within a few months the project had fallen apart. I don't see its B-side "Penny Lane" eliciting the same reaction, even though it strikes some of the same nostalgic notes.
@@BehindTheSounds I could live the rest of my life having John instead of Paul in my top three. What really matters is that our likes and dislikes are Subjective and that we at least acknowledge a few of the truly greatest. Thanks for hosting this video and for taking the time to reply to my comment! Have a Terrific week.
I enjoy the perpetual Paul or John is best arguments but I think they truly were each others equal as songwriters, arrangers, producers and performers. I would agree that John deserves more credit creatively and Paul more as arranger but both were as strong as the other in different ways and at different times. John's high point as songwriter was '63 - 67 and Paul's from 67-71. What either did afterwards never surpassed those years creatively and artistically. Their later solo material was also largely written or culled from those brief years of self-discovery. Brian was very similar in that regard having a 4 year burst of creative inspiration that would never repeat itself.
Music is totally subjective, so there’s no one “right” answer, but I’d add Paul Simon to your list. He wrote, arranged, and produced so many beloved songs that will long outlive him, outlive anyone commenting here. He’s very “rated”, but still somehow criminally underrated. Like those mentioned above, he wrote music that was simultaneously approachable enough for the masses and also so dense with genius musical choices in composition for the close listeners and musicians who understood the theory, Undeniably one of the greatest ever IMO.
Thanks so much for your detailed response! I was about to buy the latest Capitol release not knowing any better. I'll look for one of the audiophile releases.
@urmacdonahue Yeah, you know I read about that somewhere, I believe the entire control board was tube powered, giving the entire album a very reverb ethereal sound...
@ScottSilverman1 Murry was not invited to tracking sessions after 1964 and I think his presence would have been made much clearer if he were there that night. I think Brian is probably saying "Diane", referencing his sister-in-law, who was there.
What's the reason for the tambourine hit sound when Brian uses the talkback?
The click sound is probably literally the sound of the analog switch being flicked by Brian.
@@BehindTheSounds Background: The console was a Universal Audio 610a. The talkback was bussed via a monitoring aux built into the mixer and activated with a foot switch. So you’re hearing the foot switch when Brian steps on it. This same console was recently sold at auction for $375,000 usd.
I was sort of basing it on the assumption that it was a switch Brian could flick based on the photo of him doing so taken at Columbia, which obviously used different equipment. i.imgur.com/pW2RpyY.jpg
Awesome songs ,...but I wish the Beach Boys could have played more on them ,.... this was basically a Brian Wilson solo album ,.... ( featuring special guests the Beach Boys ) ,....
Lol, that's right, but how ever he got that music is what really mattered I suppose.
wow!!! thats really great work!!!.....wouldnt it be nice ;-) ...to make a series out of this ???
@rjmprod Yeah but Pet Sounds was Brian Wilson's response to The Beatles' Rubber Soul and Revolver.
...he come grooving up slowly....
I really would like to know where this recording comes from... it must have changed hands a dozen if not a thousand times... or maybe it just remained in a closet for fourty years?
Absolutely AWESOME POST, obviously ;-)
now that studios been torn down, and a terrible mini mall is there.
Nope, United Western is still at 6000 Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. It's known as Eastwest Recording Studios these days.
They had that awesome slapback reverb on everything, huh? Is that the echo chamber?
@BehindTheSounds Hey dude where did you get these sessions from I would love to hear these sessions in full man
Parks Van Dyke was quoted saying the Sgt. Peppers was responsible for breaking Brian Wilson's heart and sending him in his downward spiral. It was the nail in the coffin for Brian Wilson. There was definitely some healthy competition going on between The Beatles and The Beach Boys. Paul and Brian often shared their music with one another, kind of pushing each other's influences further and further.
Any good books detailing the recordings?
these vids are awesome..do all songs have a vid?
It sounds like he's talking to his father at 6.09 he says" right dad"
@DaDa2Phlux songs evolve anywhere anytime
Yeah dude, Brian has said it countless times that Rubber Soul influenced him. True it's not as layered and complex but I think he's referring to the songs themselves that blew him away on Rubber Soul.
Wtf?!?!? Where are my Pet Sounds behind the scenes???
Please do a Behind The Sounds: Vegetables.
brian's trademark is "y'know"
@tatelabianca I do. It's called Friends & 20/20. Is it good? Haven't checked out. Still stuck on Sounds of Summer(Greatest Hits).
off the rip this shit is great !!
just to think, BW was all of what? 24 years old? incredible genius.