The muzak Christmas police were obviously having a doze this afternoon in Big W. Unless, I was dreaming, there was a moment of respite from the Christmas carol extravaganza and I found myself singing along with this whilst looking for bargains in the women’s clothing. (This montage was the best I could find on youtube). Is it a Christmas song and I’ve never realised it? Whatever, it lightened my weary feet and made the bags of purchases just that little bit easier to carry. Most of all, it’s a beautiful, classic song.
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I think this is my favourite Beach Boys song but I can’t say I’ve listened to everything they ever did, I own the “Summer Dreams” compilation which has 22 songs on it from across their career. The arrangements for many of their songs including this one are so clever (for pop music) and I think the liner notes on “Summer Dreams” mention that this song was controversial. To me the lyrics imply that the narrator would kill himself if the relationship were to break up which was probably a bit out there for the sixties. (Actually Wikipedia says that it was the God thing that made it controversial ,wikipedia: God Only Knows)
It’s the arranging that really makes their best songs I think…and the close, beautiful harmonies as well as the intertwining melodies. I think most of their songs have some aspect of those various qualities but the best ones have them all. I bought a compilation on ITunes today as only had bought a few singles previously.
I guess the mention of God would have been very controversial at the time…now much less so perhaps. I just love how it shines and shimmers (like the sound of Here Comes the Sun).