#1 in our Hearts | POP FIX | Professor of Rock

This week we present our latest edition of #1 in our hearts. Where I’ll talk about a song that was so unbelievably great, that it absolutely should’ve have been number one on the billboard HOT 100 chart. But for some reason be it radio play, lack of marketing or label support, sheer stupidity or any number of other reasons was came up short. But in our hearts, it’s number one with a bullet.

The song I’ve chosen today is shocking in that it didn’t even make the top 20. even though it is one of the most celebrated songs of all time and arguably the jewel in the crown of what many consider to the greatest album in history. God Only Knows by the Beach Boys was the b side of the #8 hit Wouldn’t it Be Nice. Most of you watching this I assume know about the a side and b side psychology of the 50s and 60s but for those of you who don’t the “A” side would normally be the song that record company wanted radio stations to play.

The Beatles achieved this several times with Penny Lane on the a side and Strawberry Fields Forever on the B side with Penny Lane hitting #1 and Strawberry Fields going to #8. So in the Beach Boys case the A side Wouldn’t It Be Nice was pushed as the hit and God Only Knows as the B Side. In the Uk it was just the opposite. God Only knows as the A side hit #2 again denied the #1 spot. In America God Only Know did get some airplay and it did chart. ON the hot 100 it hit…. are you ready for it? It placed at #39. barely in the top40 which is a travesty of epic proportions because the song is the personification of absolute perfection. It is one of America’s greatest pop standards, so great in fact that though Brian Wilson has told many that he was influenced by the great George Gershwin’s standard Rhapsody In Blue, With God Only Knows George Gershwin met his equal. It goes without saying that Brian Wilson is a musical genius and outside of Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, and maybe a few others… One of the last left on this planet.
I also might add that God Only Know might just be his masterpiece, Tough to say for sure with the likes of Good Vibrations and California Girls and Don’t Worry Baby and I could keep going but you get my point. The vocal arrangement alone is otherworldly. There are many outtakes of God Only Knows, some of which feature Brian singing lead. but in the end Brian gave his baby brother Carl his big turn and Carl sang it beautifully but as many have told me in interviews, Carl’s heavenly lead was heavily inspired.

In 1966 Brian said and I quote : I gave the song to Carl because I was looking for a tenderness and a sweetness which I knew Carl had in himself as well as in his voice. So it makes sense that Carl would try to channel his big brother Brian who exudes love and mercy. We have a mini documentary on the story behind the song that we will be releasing featuring all of the principals including Brian Wilson himself and the famed lyricist, ad man Tony Asher.

Since it barely made the top 40 in 1966 it’s been all over our culture from use in film and tv shows like Toy Story 4 Love Actually, Boogie Nights, Big Love, The Leftovers, The Wonder Years,, Gilmore Girls, Grace and Frankie and many more to being covered by scores of different artists from Neil Diamond, Olivia Newton John, Elvis Costello and Michael Buble to David Bowie, Avenged Sevenfold, The Flaming Lips, Taylor Swift, and River Cuomo to name but a few. Paul McCartney has said on several occasions that it’s his favorite song.

I could spend hours on this song and it’s impact on our culture, so it’s tough to wrap up but We will releasing that manioc on it and we’ll continue to honor it, but just to end on, one of the best examples of the breathtaking and angelic energy within this song is the actual session itself which is on the Pet Sounds 50th anniversary box set including the vocals only track which is mind altering and soul galvanizing. I’ve included a link to the 180-gram heavyweight black vinyl LP reissue of ‘Pet Sounds’ remastered
Below. Three chords and the truth my friends.