By Ian Murphy

After the Beach Boys completely upped the ante (in response to the Beatles’ Rubber Soul) in rock composition with Pet Sounds, lead writers Brian Wilson and Mike Love wanted to push the envelope even further. The result was “Good Vibrations”, a “pocket symphony” (as it was dubbed by publicist Derek Taylor) that was completely uncharted territory. Nothing prior to it’s release was in the same class in regards to a balance between complexity of composition and songcraft. It did not make it onto Pet Sounds, as “Good Vibrations” was not fully finished at the time of the album’s release in early 1966. Instead, it was put out as a single that fall. 1966 was the opening salvo of the true Rock revolution that was to follow in the upcoming years. At the forefront was a Brian Wilson at the peak of his powers. If Paul McCartney and John Lennon consider you an equal and a rival as a songwriter, your must be onto something. It isn’t coincidental that the next Beatle album was Sgt. Pepper and it’s clear that Wilson’s opus “Good Vibrations” provided a significant challenge for the Fab Four to match.

The Beach Boys had been ascending at a fantastic clip in the two years prior to Pet Sounds, gradually increasing the sophistication and depth of their songs, but without sacrificing relatability. This trend reached its peak with “Good Vibrations”. Not only did it have a great hook (thanks Mike Love!), it was a textural masterpiece. Brian Wilson knew what he had in the vocal power and versatility of the Beach Boys and put it to excellent use here. Despite the fact that he himself could have sung lead on “Good Vibrations”, Brian decided instead to enlist his brother Carl, and have Mike Love share the chorus. Why? Texture and proper blend. Brian had that amazing falsetto and lead vocal punch, but the juxtaposition of Carl’s and Mike’s voices are a perfect aural counterpoint and it simply suits the arrangement better. Carl had an angelic, breathy tenor while Mike has a rich and clear baritone. Brian had a gift for arrangement that was beyond just basic organization and flow, he treated each piece as a separate composition that required appropriate arrangement. The depth of Brian Wilson’s songcraft in this specific case is absolutely staggering.

There were hints of what was to come on Pet Sounds, but nothing on that album approached the balance of “Good Vibrations”, which was clearly very ambitious in its arrangement, but not overly cumbersome in its grandiosity. As much as Brian’s genius permeates this song, Carl Wilson’s voice truly is the star of the show. Almost otherworldly in its beauty, Carl’s voice adds an aching and pleading intimacy that only strengthens the composition. It complements Mike Love’s chorus perfectly. Incidentally (but not surprisingly) “Good Vibrations” is Brian Wilson’s favorite all-time Beach Boys song.

While many critics and fans point to “God Only Knows” (also with Carl Wilson as lead singer) as Brian Wilson’s magnum opus, it really could be “Good Vibrations”. They have similar strengths, such as the beauty of Carl’s voice and a clever arrangement, but “Good Vibrations” is just, “more”. More emotion, more tonal variety, and more musical complexity. On “Good Vibrations”, the combination of Brian’s vision, Carl’s voice, and Mike’s steady hand and grounding influence, the Beach Boys reached their pinnacle. It picked up where “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn’t it be Nice?” started and took it to another dimension entirely. If there were one song that completely encapsulated what was the Beach Boys in their entirety, it is the “pocket symphony” known as “Good Vibrations.

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