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Monday, June 29, 2015

Music Monday - "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys (1966)


I have always loved the Beach Boys.   They are second only to the Beatles in my list of musical favorites.  I change my mind from time to time about my favorite of their songs, but I keep coming back to "God Only Knows."  This is such a beautiful song, written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, and featured on the album Pet Sounds.  The lyrics and harmonies are beautiful.  The song begins:


"I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I'll make you so sure about it
God only knows what I'd be without you"

I also  love the instrumentation, which includes French horns, violins, cellos, and even accordions.

This song was featured in the Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy.  I saw the movie this weekend, and if you love retro music and the Beach Boys, it is a must see!  I think it may be my all-time favorite musical biopic (and this is a genre I love).  It is beautifully written, with strong performances from Paul Dano, John Cusack, and Elizabeth Banks.  The way that love brings Brian Wilson back to his life, and ultimately saves him after a breakdown, is both moving and uplifting.  I've included the trailer from the movie for you:

Do you love the Beach Boys? Have you seen Love & Mercy? I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.