Richard BodinThere are some songs, that when you hear them for the first time, you take a huge blow in the guts and just forget where you are. Then you listen to it a second time, and a third, and so on, and you simply realise that the word you were looking for is perfection. Every time the song plays — at random or of your own accord — it fills you up with this warm feeling and you just take it in, and enjoy. With a big satisfied grin on your face. The Beach Boys’ God Only Knows is such a song.
A Turning Point for Brian Wilson
Before we dive into the song itself, it is important to set it back into its context. Up until 1964, The Beach Boys had released about seven albums — an average of three per year — and had been touring pretty much non-stop. Toward the end of 1964, Brian Wilson, who is often considered the creative force and leader of the band, had a mental breakdown. A couple of months later, while in the studio in January 1965, he announced to the rest of the band that he would not be touring anymore. He would later attribute this decision to a “fucked-up jealousy of Phil Spector and The Beatles.”
The British Invasion shocked Wilson. Bands like The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks or, more importantly, The Beatles, were showing a whole lot more creativity in the sound and the topics they tackled… He became a bit self-conscious about the Beach Boys’ songs being a bit shallow — about girls, surf, and cars mostly. Wilson quickly realised that if The Beach Boys wanted to stay relevant, they had to switch gears.
Drugs, Isolation, and Pet Sounds
In 1965, Wilson experimented a lot. He developed relationships that expanded his cultural and spiritual horizons, but they also introduced him to drugs. Toward the end of the year, in his new home in Beverly Hills — away from these bad influences — inspiration came flowing. Drug use led him to explore deeper topics and more introspective subjects. With the help of Tony Asher, he came up with enough material to go back into the studio and start working on what would become one of the greatest masterpieces by The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds.
In the studio, Brian Wilson invited lots of professional musicians: horns, strings, piano, harpsichords, etc. He was fascinated by the work of Phil Spector and came up with his own version of the “Wall of Sound.” Although he never had any musical training, Wilson knew exactly how to convey what he wanted to the musicians, and they helped him make his vision a reality. The rest of the band only joined to add the vocal parts…
The Making of God Only Knows
God Only Knows was part of these sessions. Even though it took a while for it to take form in the studio, it took only 45 minutes for Tony Asher and Brian Wilson to come up with the lyrics. Even though the collaboration went fine between the two men, two topics created some concerns for Wilson.
For the opening line, Asher had written “I may not always love you”… Wilson objected that it wasn’t a great way to start a love song. The Beach Boys already had their fair share of love songs in their repertoire… He was a bit worried that their audience would not welcome such a negative approach. But Asher held his ground. “I liked that twist, and fought to start the song that way… Working with Brian, I didn’t have a whole lot of fighting to do, but I was certainly willing to fight to the end for that.”
The other topic of dissent was about the title itself. Referring to God in a pop song wasn’t exactly very trendy at the time – so imagine having it in the title! Although they were conscious that the song might get banned, they decided to go with it and saw it as an opportunity to shake customs a little bit, even if it meant being controversial.
Controversy and Interpretation
Because of the title, the record label decided to publish the song only as the B-side for Wouldn’t It Be Nice. And as expected, a few radio stations touted the single and decided not to give it any air time. But ultimately the song didn’t meet the anticipated backlash — only in a few conservative states.
However, some will read between the lines and always find something to object to. The ‘controversy’ this time lies in these lines:
“If you should ever leave me / Well, life would still go on, believe me / The world could show nothing to me / So what good would living do me? / God only knows what I’d be without you.”
While I see someone talking about a love so strong one could die of heartache, some see dark ideation of suicide. I honestly prefer my interpretation, making it one of the greatest love songs in my opinion.
Reverberations Across the Atlantic
Beyond the love song, God Only Knows is today considered one of the greatest songs of all time — period. From one of the greatest albums. The Beach Boys had definitely signed a masterpiece here. And while Brian Wilson was feeling jealous of The Beatles after hearing Rubber Soul, this time the jealousy was on The Beatles’ side. Upon hearing a preview of Pet Sounds, they went straight back into the studio, deeply moved and inspired by what they had just heard.
And when it comes to God Only Knows, Paul McCartney confessed his admiration many times:
“God Only Knows is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it. It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian.”
God Only Knows What We’d Be Without You
With Brian Wilson’s passing, God Only Knows takes on an even more powerful resonance. It’s not just a love song anymore — it’s a legacy, a window into a vulnerable and visionary mind that reshaped pop music. And for that, God only knows how grateful we should be.
