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London Calling Podcast Yana Bolder
Brian Wilson is indisputably a pop genius. Leading The Beach Boys through blissful harmonies, experimental recording techniques, and surf-inspired soundscapes, he became one of the most important songwriters in the history of the genre. Between the idyllic ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ and the twangy guitars of ‘Surfin’ U.S.A.’, the Beach Boys carved some of pop’s most innovative tracks, many of which remain well-loved over half a century later.
Perhaps the song that is most illustrative of their warm, complex pop composition is ‘God Only Knows’. Released in 1966 as part of their magnum opus, Pet Sounds, the transcendental track paired layered harmony with sleigh bells and flute. The result was an unparalleled achievement in pop, one which even takes the title of Paul McCartney’s favourite song.
McCartney is just one of many ‘God Only Knows’ devotees – the likes of David Bowie, Taylor Swift, and Olivia Newton-John have all paid tribute to the track with covers, while Bono, Margo Guryan, and John Lennon have also all praised the song. But one of the track’s biggest enthusiasts comes in the form of another harmonic pop legend – the Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb.
Holding the title for the most consecutive US number ones, tied only with Lennon and McCartney, there are few musicians more qualified to comment on pop. In a quote on the Brian Wilson website, the Bee Gees singer recalled his initial response to hearing ‘God Only Knows’ for the first time, stating that it “blew the top of my head off.”
“Who could possibly be doing this?” Gibb added, “This was beyond pop music.” It certainly was – between the other-worldly harmonies and simple but intimate repetition of the phrase, “God only knows what I’d be without you”, the Beach Boys had transcended genre altogether.
Gibb continued to praise the specifics of the pop haven, noting, “The chord structure, that beautiful voice, the inspiring subject matter. In one giant leap, music had moved to another level.” In awe of their musical mysticality, Gibb was overcome with admiration but also with envy. As he recalls it, his first thought was, “‘Oh dear, I’m wasting my time, how can I ever compete with that?’”
“We’ve been competing with that ever since,” he concluded. Though it’s certainly an uphill battle to try and match the pop genius of ‘God Only Knows’, there were few more qualified than the Bee Gees. Like the Beach Boys, they secured a place in pop history with their innovative use of harmonies and disco influences.
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Go with the flow at Finland’s premier music festival with headliners like Blur and Suede
WALKING barefoot in the forest is not where I’d picture myself on a Monday morning. While the rest of the world gritted its collective teeth and prepared to get back to it, I was somewhere on the outskirts of Tampere — Finland’s third city. Only you wouldn’t know it. 9The Finnish capital Helsinki 9Suede performing at Flow Festival in Helsinki 9Will's bowl of berries he picke don his forest walk. As my guide talked me through the surroundings I was […]
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