Think pieces abound in the wake of Brian Wilson's passing, and I hesitate to add another, but a random Beach Boys studio clip may have unlocked a new level of sonic passion in me, and I need to share
Appreciate that! Articles like this don't hit me very often, but when they do, I just have to get it out there, even if I'm the only one who reads it. Very few people in my life really care about the weekly articles, much less these one-off, stream-of-consciousness writeups, so I'm grateful to you and the others who follow me here for indulging in my occasional tangents! I suspect if anyone can relate to these thoughts, it's our little Substack music community. :-)
Hi Matt, I enjoyed your twin post on Brian and Sly sufficiently that I shared it out this weekend. And therefore gravitated straight to this as part of my morning pages (i.e. reading not writing). ALso because I rewatched Love & Mercy last night, which was my partner Paula's first viewing, so the creation of this song, Pet Sounds before it and the failed Smile that followed, are very much on my mind. (Highly recommend the movie to anyone and all, for a biopic it's remarkably accurate to history.)
I come from a different place, as someone who frequently deep dives into songs and their construction, sometimes to write about them, and in recent years, also in a role directing shows where young students take them on and I need to know every last part if we want to pull off even a close approximation. And no, we never took on Good Vibrations though I would have been up for the challenge.... It is indeed a tour de force unlike anything else in modern music and I would say that among those who do study this stuff, it's always been recognized as such. A poll of music crits/professors/teachers for "greatest single production ever" would almost certainly have it up top. Watching the film, there is also a vindication in its global chart-topping success. That vindication is two-fold , however: not just for Brian's vision, after Pet Sounds stalled Top 10 in the States, but for Mike Love, who is shown in the movie as the hostile member, constantly criticizing Brian's musical ambitions, but who latches on to the initial chords of Good Vibrations (in the movie) and is credited as its lyricist (in real life).
As for the excessively long post on Wikipedia, which I also visited last night, Michel Faber has lots to say about the male nerd domination of content on Wikipedia, and I hope to write about that as part of a longer reflection on his incredible book "Listen" very soon.
Finally for now, Paul McCartney thought God Only Knows the greatest song ever, and it spurred him to write "Here, There & Everywhere" to Revolver at the last minute and then respond further with Sgt, Pepper's. Your dad had good taste. Cheers!
Thank you for the thoughtful reply! I am certain there are plenty of music aficionados and students of the art who have dissected "Good Vibrations" and truly appreciate the majesty of its production. I just can't believe it took me half my life to realize it, but I guess better late than never. It really is something to hear a song AGAIN for the first time, a gift that rarely if ever happens, and I got really lucky to have that moment with that song.
And as for the back and forth with McCartney, it is such a great story: Wilson, inspired by "Rubber Soul," puts out "Pet Sounds," which inspires "Sgt. Pepper." What an era!
Oh man, don’t apologize! I love your weekly post, but this was awesome!
Appreciate that! Articles like this don't hit me very often, but when they do, I just have to get it out there, even if I'm the only one who reads it. Very few people in my life really care about the weekly articles, much less these one-off, stream-of-consciousness writeups, so I'm grateful to you and the others who follow me here for indulging in my occasional tangents! I suspect if anyone can relate to these thoughts, it's our little Substack music community. :-)
Hi Matt, I enjoyed your twin post on Brian and Sly sufficiently that I shared it out this weekend. And therefore gravitated straight to this as part of my morning pages (i.e. reading not writing). ALso because I rewatched Love & Mercy last night, which was my partner Paula's first viewing, so the creation of this song, Pet Sounds before it and the failed Smile that followed, are very much on my mind. (Highly recommend the movie to anyone and all, for a biopic it's remarkably accurate to history.)
I come from a different place, as someone who frequently deep dives into songs and their construction, sometimes to write about them, and in recent years, also in a role directing shows where young students take them on and I need to know every last part if we want to pull off even a close approximation. And no, we never took on Good Vibrations though I would have been up for the challenge.... It is indeed a tour de force unlike anything else in modern music and I would say that among those who do study this stuff, it's always been recognized as such. A poll of music crits/professors/teachers for "greatest single production ever" would almost certainly have it up top. Watching the film, there is also a vindication in its global chart-topping success. That vindication is two-fold , however: not just for Brian's vision, after Pet Sounds stalled Top 10 in the States, but for Mike Love, who is shown in the movie as the hostile member, constantly criticizing Brian's musical ambitions, but who latches on to the initial chords of Good Vibrations (in the movie) and is credited as its lyricist (in real life).
As for the excessively long post on Wikipedia, which I also visited last night, Michel Faber has lots to say about the male nerd domination of content on Wikipedia, and I hope to write about that as part of a longer reflection on his incredible book "Listen" very soon.
Finally for now, Paul McCartney thought God Only Knows the greatest song ever, and it spurred him to write "Here, There & Everywhere" to Revolver at the last minute and then respond further with Sgt, Pepper's. Your dad had good taste. Cheers!
Thank you for the thoughtful reply! I am certain there are plenty of music aficionados and students of the art who have dissected "Good Vibrations" and truly appreciate the majesty of its production. I just can't believe it took me half my life to realize it, but I guess better late than never. It really is something to hear a song AGAIN for the first time, a gift that rarely if ever happens, and I got really lucky to have that moment with that song.
And as for the back and forth with McCartney, it is such a great story: Wilson, inspired by "Rubber Soul," puts out "Pet Sounds," which inspires "Sgt. Pepper." What an era!