“I broke down”: The 1966 song that reduced Paul McCartney to tears
Changing one’s reputation is by no means an easy task. When The Beach Boys first established their sound, many people wrote them off as just another uninspiring rock outfit ripping off early stars like Chuck Berry.
However, as the group developed under the leadership of Brian Wilson, they traded bubblegum surf rock for profound, mature songwriting. Pet Sounds, in particular, is an undisputed masterpiece which helped to establish Wilson’s band as being so much more than a mere novelty act.
Released in 1966, Pet Sounds quickly became one of the defining albums of the 1960s, though its brilliance eventually transcended the vibrant music scene of the decade.
Of course, there was hardly a shortage of excellent rock outfits at the time, but one group in particular seemed to dominate the period: The Beatles. Liverpool’s favourite sons completely and indefinitely revolutionised popular music, songwriting and even music production. Inevitably, their influence was felt somewhat by Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, though the appreciation seemed to go both ways.
Rather than rivals in the traditional sense, the two bands often inspired each other to aim higher. Each landmark release became an unspoken challenge, encouraging the other to push the boundaries of songwriting and studio experimentation even further.
At the time, The Beach Boys and The Beatles were often pitched against each other. This is perhaps understandable, given their profound musings on Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, respectively. These records forever altered the lineage of rock music and are still heralded as some of the greatest and earliest concept albums in musical history. Despite their manufactured rivalry, however, the California outfit and Liverpool’s Fab Four have always maintained a mutual respect for each other.
Paul McCartney, in particular, has always been outspoken about his love for Brian Wilson’s songwriting. The pair have helped each other out on multiple occasions throughout their long and illustrious careers, and both have respectively penned some of the most groundbreaking pop records of the 20th century. For Macca, however, one song in particular stands out against the undeniable brilliance of Wilson’s discography.
Taken from Pet Sounds, ‘God Only Knows’ is, on the face of it, a fairly standard love song. However, upon digging deeper, it’s easy to see that the track is an uncharacteristically sombre, emotional effort by Wilson. The emotional weight of the song is certainly not lost on McCartney, who once said of the song, “’God Only Knows’ is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it.”
What makes the song so affecting is its delicate balance between vulnerability and sophistication. Wilson’s intricate harmonies and unconventional chord changes elevate a simple declaration of love into something that feels almost spiritual, helping explain why it continues to resonate with musicians decades later.
Continuing in his assessment of Wilson’s masterpiece, the Beatles bassist explained, “It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian. I’ve actually performed it with him, and I’m afraid to say that during the soundcheck, I broke down.” McCartney has written his fair share of tear-jerking tracks, so for him to be moved to tears by somebody else’s music is particularly special.
As Macca mentioned, the pair did perform ‘God Only Knows’ together onstage in Los Angeles back in 2002. While the collaborative version does not trump the Pet Sounds original, seeing two titans of 1960s rock onstage together was truly a sight to behold. If their performance was anything to go by, McCartney was certainly not the only person in the vicinity to well up at the track.
The enduring bond between McCartney and Wilson is a reminder that the greatest musical rivalries are often rooted in admiration rather than competition. While The Beatles and The Beach Boys continually challenged one another to reach new creative heights, songs like ‘God Only Knows’ stand as proof that true artistic greatness can transcend any manufactured feud.
