The BEACH BOYS History Part Three |  

I work at a fancy resort in San Diego and I once drove Brian Wilson around in a golf cart, (which he really enjoyed!) and I mentioned to him that I was surprised that he checked in and I was bummed that I didn't have my copy of Pet Sounds with me! All that he said to that was "that's ok, that's ok" !! Anyway there's my shameless name drop for the day!

Pet Sounds was truly ahead of its time. Moreso was SMiLE! Nevertheless, they are BOTH undeniable masterpieces. Brian Wilson had demonstrated that the studio was mostly certainly an instrument to be played.... Perhaps more than even the guitars, bass, & drums. Tom Petty compared it to Bach & Beethoven FFS. But I concur... What a strange remark about "overproduction" from Townshend! Hehe. Nice work!👌

Wow Matt!!! This is a revelation, I didnt know until watching this video that Paul Mccartney didnt care that much for Good Vibrations- Thats like one of the Greatest Pop songs of the 60's!!!

Absolutely right about Capital just choking the market like there was no tomorrow. If they could get two new songs from a popular band, they would build a whole album out them by rearranging nine previously released tracks, putting in a couple pictures and some liner notes, and slapping a new title on it.

" That's Not Me " I Love that song !!!

Your numbers on this album's sales surprised me too. Like others, i believed the "flop" theory

Another compelling instalment in a superb series, Matt. Looking forward to the story of 'Smile'.

Pet Sounds is type of album that I listen to with headphones, on the couch, with closed eyes so I can soak in all the sounds and contemplate the lyrics.

One reason why you won't find many contemporaneous reviews of Pet Sounds is that reviews of rock records weren't really even a thing until 1966. Crawdaddy was launched in 1966; Rolling Stone in 1967. Richard Goldstein of the Village Voice was one of the first rock music reviewers, and he didn't start until 1966. Before that, there really were no rock music critics; occasionally jazz critics would cover a rock album for the newspaper, but that was about it. Billboard and Cash Box would write little industry blurbs that barely counted as 'reviews'. I don't think you'll be receiving many more than you've already collected.

Pet Sounds in such an orchestrated album with many slower songs and darker moods. What is interesting to me that I didn't hear you mention was that it was a monophonic release. It was finally issued in stereo with the box set, I believe. I have a stereo cd that came out after the box. This was a great episode, so thank you!

Long live the memories of Dennis & Carl Wilson. xoxo The Clarences

This part three is nothing short of exceptional Matt. The research and detail is brilliant. Cannot wait for Part Four 🙏

For me personally, memories of being at a California beach and hearing The Beach Boys, went perfectly together. It was a special experience. What's even more special is that after all these years, I enjoy hearing the classics as well as hearing something I hadn't heard before. This is where I really appreciate Matt's channel and his overviews... I learn lots! The Beach Boys & Beatles Forever!

LOVE your hard work on the history of the Beach Boys. Very fascinating to learn some of the background stories!

What a beautiful album still sounds good today! I think your point that the amount of music being released around then has never been matched in quality that this album was smothered by the quantity and the striped shirt image of them that prevailed in their image which hurt them I feel !

Pet Sounds is a definite headphones album. I revel in its beauty every time. Same with Good Vibrations.

For years, it's always been put across in the media that Mike Love was the only Beach Boy to have any initial objections to Pet Sounds music and individual song arrangements/how each song was structured. It's good to know the fuller picture, that other band members also had reservations about the songs. I've read quotes from the Pete Townshend interview (where he was talking about Pet Sounds), where he was quoted as saying Pet Sounds music was for fans who were into Brian's personal hangups. Have also read interviews with Keith Moon from around this time, where he thought Pet Sounds was too far out for the Beach Boys, and that they should stick to Surf music. Have known Paul McCartney has always held "God Only Knows" in high regard (think he has called it his favorite song). Would have been interesting to hear Dennis singing lead on "God Only Knows". Funny that Brian would turn to Tony Asher, a jingle-writer, for more sophisticated lyrics to Pet Sounds songs, rather than to Gary Usher or Terry Melcher, people he had already worked with, or was familiar with. Agree that Capitol's attempt at making the band appear more hip with it's marketing of the album, was lacking, although Brian did start wearing his hair in a "mop top" fashion, and Mike grew a beard/started wearing hats. A few years ago, one of Moby Grape's guitarists had a RU-vid video talking about the group's first album, and how the Beach Boys were just down the hall from them working on "Good Vibrations". Think in many ways, 1966 was the Beach Boys peak year.

Pet Sounds is one of my favorite albums of all time. Its really a work of art. It’s a perfect balance of pop and experimentation. It’s very pleasing to the ears. Sure their image was not a California version of Pink Floyd or something that was supposed to be groundbreaking, but the music was excellent. Plus I think the blandness of The Beach Boys’s image was who they really were, which is refreshing and not pretentious at all. I only wish Brian Wilson would have controlled his drug use and stayed focused on the art. Smile was an excellent concept and would have been an excellent album for the time if he could have controlled his demons. Thank you Matt for another excellent episode!

I think time will tell re the growth of the appreciation for the Beach boys. There is such an arc of development in their output that brings us back time and time again to cycle through the value and meaningfulness of their art !! Their popularity will only increase. Thanks for the great videos.

Impeccable research and commentary. Ta.

I remember the first time I heard Pet Sounds. I sat on the floor in front of the turntable only moving to flip to side two. It was truly, purely beautiful. I was five years old. Listen to it at least once a week ever since. A few years later, when I heard Esquivel, Martin Denny, and others in the Exotica area, I instantly enjoyed their music (though much of it predated Pet Sounds). Enjoying this, Matt. Thank you!

I spent the weekend watching about ten hours of RU-vid Beach Boys documentaries, mainly by accident. I haven't been paying much attention to them over the years but I got inspired. I only bought one Beach Boys album in the 60's, Summer Days and Summer NIghts. I was a big fan in the surfing days and during their re-emergence in the early 70's. At dances at university the final set was always loaded with Beatles 65 stuff and early Beach Boys. I loved it. All that has disappeared but the memories last forever. Thanks for your perspective.

Speaking of reviews , Rolling Stone gave one-half star to ex-Wham Andrew Ridley's solo LP. Pet Sounds is such a great collection of strong compositions. The songwriting battle took place in other people's minds. Pet Sounds is tied to the popularity of pop orchestral sounds, which peaked in rock about 1968. After that horns come back strong. Strings continue into elevator and moods albums.

I was 14 when I first heard "Pet Sounds", too Matt. Only it was 1966. It remains my desert island disc and to this day it has never bored me. Every listen still impresses me.

You hit this episode out of the park ~ Rightfully so giving Pet Sound the room it needed to be explored ~ Can't wait to hear Vol.4 ~

Thoroughly enjoying the series. I think your insight: The Best Of buyers were different from the album buyers, is right on. My dad was a fan from their earliest recordings. Graduated high school in '64, then did 2 tours in Vietnam. Mid '65 to mid '67. The world changed drastically. To say the he was not embraced upon returning would be a kind way of putting it. He, in return, didn't really embrace the new world either. He did fill in his collection of Beach Boys albums but bought little else. The Best Of albums were just right for those who were getting back in the world, as it was called. Great insight, I appreciate your perspective and just thought I would share a different one. Keep up the good work.

I was only 7 years young in 1966 so I was familiar with the pop hits played on AM radio and the records my parents played. In my early 20’s I bought “Endless Summer” so that I could have *all* The Beach Boys hit songs from the 60’s. A great collection but I was puzzled that the set didn’t include “Wouldn’t It Be Nice, “Sloop John B” or “Good Vibrations”. So I headed to my favorite record shop, Starbound Records” in West Valley City, Utah. The store was owned and operated by another Matt - Matt Lindburg - who turned me on to so many great artists and albums. When I mentioned what I was looking for he lit up enthusiastically and he handed me “Pet Sounds”. He told me that this was The Beach Boys’ greatest album with nary a bad or silly track on it and that it was among the best albums of all time. I took it home, put it on and gave it a serious listen. And another. And another. I admit that it took a few tries to grow on me, but boy did it grow! I have long since counted it among my favorite records ever. It was my gateway to a life-long Beach Boys and Brian Wilson obsession and the outlaying of [Cough! Cough!] many hundreds of dollars of Beach Boys and Wilson LPs, CDs, books, DVDs, concert tickets (when The Beach Boys reunited in 2012 and several Brian Wilson Band shows; I refuse to go see Mike Love’s shows even though he calls himself “The Beach Boys”). Anyway, The Beatles will always be #1 for me, but The Beach Boys rank right up there and I love Pet Sounds the best (especially “You Still Believe in Me” and “God Only Knows”). However, the album sleeve whomps. Talk about a total disconnect between the goofball packaging and the fabulous music of the record! Thanks for your hard and involved work and insights, Matt! Much appreciated.

Even after hearing it so much over the years, Pet Sounds still sits firmly in my top five pop/rock albums of all time. Just like the best of the Beatles' work, it continues to find diehard fans with each new generation.

I think it's fair that you pointed out the "drugs" (really psychedelics, not "drugs" like John and Yoko were doing) did open him up musically. That's the part people leave out when talking about Brian or Syd or some other people. Thank you for the honesty.

While Derek Taylor devised the "Brian Wilson is a genius" campaign, Murry Wilson was responsible for "I'm a genius, too."

Pete Townshend completely reversed his initial reaction to Pet Sounds and praised it on a 2021 interview

Great series Matt! I was turned on to Pet Sounds in my 20's, still have a stereo first press from the late 90s (sounds amazing). This is SUCH a sophisticated album, who was referencing Gregorian in the 60's? The production itself was a generation ahead of anyone else around Brian Wilson at the time.

Wow! This episode blew me away! I graduated high school in '66 and "Pet Sounds" almost seemed like a bizarre new graduation present. That fall I was a freshman in college, and "Revolver" seemed like a welcome to a completely different life experience. I don't know about anyone else, but I find it hard to think of '66 as an entity as I gauged my life while in school by the grade I was in. My first listen to "Pet Sounds" generated a 'HUH?" i guess that I have always been a member of the f**k art, let's dance mob, but a second listen to "Pet Sounds" sucked me into a world of strange sounds (bass woodwinds) and harmonies that worked on my soul. But enough personal garbage, and let's move on to the facts or some facsimile thereof. Capitol seemed more attuned to what the deejays wanted than exploring what the public would buy. One commenter pointed out 'God Only Knows' was boycotted by a bunch of deejays. I read that in one of the daily newspapers of the time and was shocked that someone would call that blasphemous (Good thing that the Freudian word 'ego' was jettisoned I suppose.) And another commenter pointed out that there really was no alternative music press. While Crawdaddy started in '66, it had no distribution for some time (I did buy the back issues that I could later. Rolling Stone started in late '67 and Creem in in '69. One had to buy English papers like Disc and Melody Maker - which were hard to find - to get reviews of albums. Hmmm, lots of radio stations in America and the only press was trade papers while in England there was only the BBC, but a good selection of music magazines. 1966 marked the beginning of the time that bands that sold singles were 'unhip' while album bands were cool. By 1968 mono albums were dead in the water as stereos became de rigeur. Singles were for teeny boppers. The Beach Boys lacked the right image (glad you used that word) to be considered cool, particularly as Brian failed to produce "Smile" all the while 'serious' mags were devoting space to Wilson's new magnum opus. No "Smile" equaled bad press and bad reviews

Love this series...

Out of all the subscriptions I have yours is a must watch the second it comes out

There was not a lot of US album reviewers in 1966. The small music press, compared to the huge music press corps in the 70’s, were still more focused on singles.

Thank you , that installment was fantastic and eagerly await part IV. I Never gave the Beach Boys much thought in the early seventies in my formative years. I finally dug into Pet Sounds after reading up and wanting something "new" to listen to. It was 1993 and you couldn't get away from "grunge" and the horrid specter of "classic rock radio" with an endless loop of "Hotel California" was looming in the horizon....so Pet Sounds went into the CD player and I was literally floored with what I was hearing. I have since investigated much of the catalog and have dug deep into Brian Wilson's solo output. Your series just focuses the lense better. Now in my 60's I have reviewed many older acts and some on suggestion of your history series. I find the explorations enjoyable.

Thanks for giving us the real facts about Pet Sounds and the sales numbers. I used to believe in the "flopped hard" narrative.

Another thing to consider, too, about Pet Sounds is that Brian's response to Rubber Soul was immediate! Time-wise, Rubber Soul hadn't even been finished recording and in the shops when Brian had already started the basic tracks for Pet Sounds two months later! But I guess that just illustrates just how fast and competitive things were in the 1960s!

Excellent as always. Really looking forward to Part 4!

When you first started this beach boys series, i thought why?; hasnt this band received enough coverage? But, i was wrong. I like this series of yours😊

Another great job, Matt. Just as I mentioned that All Summer Long gained rebirth in 1973 as the end-credit music to the film American Graffiti, Wouldn't It Be Nice gained rebirth in 1975 as the end-credit music to Shampoo. In each case, audiences left theaters with a lift.

I think the label cramming the singles and albums so close together because they likely think: "Let's put out as much product until this surf music trend goes away. "

What a great piece, SO good. Especially dig your view of Sounds as a concept/evolution of production, not a concept album---couldn't agree more! And the poor PR and scattershot album/single releases that year by Capitol handcuffing the album's messaging, had no idea. That, Matt, took some serious journalistic deep digging to reveal, right on.

Pet Sounds is my favorite Beach Boys album. I identify with "I Just wasn't Made for thêse Times".

the best way to listen for me to pet sounds is thru really nice expensive head phones. if you close your eyes in a dark room it transports you

I think...Pet Sounds, Rubber Soul & Ogdens Nut Gone Flake are my 3 favourite Records of the 1960s. And Pet Sounds is my Joint favourite Record Ever with Rubber.

Great research as always Matt. You obviously have a deep love for this music and your enthusiasm shines through. However, I have never considered The Beach Boys an album band. All of their albums, IMHO, are very uneven. They did produce great singles, but their albums don`t hang together very well. I first heard Pet Sounds in 1966 around the same time I heard Revolver, and there is just no comparison. I realize that it is not a competition and that music appreciation is highly subjective, but I don`t think that Brian - as brilliant as he was, and was he ever - ever came close to Lennon-McCartney. Of course, there was only one of him (and two of them). That being said, God Only Knows is a masterpiece!

I got my Pet sounds LP signed by Brian Wilson, met him in 2002 in London HMV store signing copies of his new album, I got Pet sounds signed instead :)

This was a very thoughtful review. Thank you. I wish "The Little Girl I Once Knew" had been made a part of Pet Soinds, instead of "Sloop John B," which has always seemed to me to be a poor fit on PS.

Great work. I watched it twice, and then proceeded to listen to various songs from the album on RU-vid. It is interesting that members of the Who seemed not so keen on Pet Sounds and the song Good Vibrations. With the latter, "Pete Townshend once groused about the song. “You had to play it about 90 bloody times to even hear what they were singing about.”"), and I can't really figure out why. Were they still stuck on the original surf sound as fans? I thought they covered Barbara Ann in 1966, a year after the Beach Boys' version came out? Would be ironic if a rock group that was changing quite a bit didn't want groups that they liked to evolve and change....

Man, I was just sitting here, with a Canadian whisky low-ball, toasting a splif of choice cheese from Mendo, and looking for something to watch before I retire, and THIS pops up. Pure bliss.

As always, you have good, thoughtful commentary on the subject. I like how you can say good things about a song or album without gushing over it like a fan. In a nice, balanced way, you point out what is good or not so good about the artists' work, and give sound reasons for your statements. I look forward to what you will do with the rest of the story of the Beach Boys.

I listen to Pet Sounds on a pretty much daily basis. It is an album of enormous beauty and grace. If you appreciate this album I highly recommend the Per Sounds Sessions box set which illustrate how Brian Wilson produced and arranged the album. As others have pointed out he was only 23 years old at the time. That is why so many of his fellow musicians including all four Beatles hold him in such tesp. Myself and thousands of others are grateful for the music he has given the world. This album fully deserves every bit of the respect and critical acclaim it has won. It is beyond a masterpiece

My wife and I love the album so much we actually have Pet Sounds listening date nights (vinyl of course).

Fantastic video Matt!

I read some book called heroes and vililans by stephen gaines which explains the origins of the song caroline no. In high school brian had a crush on a girl named carol mountain. If you listen to the song carefully the words are Carol I Know.. there is also a story about murray wilson taking the master tape of the song and had brians vocal speeded up to make him sound younger.

I have to go back and catch up on Part Two yet truly enjoy your research and presentation. I knew Dennis very well. Avid Beach Boy fan since I was 3. Met all of The Beach Boys in 1977 at Olympia Stadium in Detroit when I was 15. Ultimately moved to CA age 19. I contributed to the BBC Documentary on Dennis Wilson etc. I spent weeks on The Harmony, Christine McVie’s home, and Wavescrest. I am so honored to have known Dennis so well. Enjoy your well researched presentations.

Pete Townsend has changed his mind on many things he opined on as a younger man. I believe he recently met Brian and gave him a hug and said something like: "i love you." I believe he hated The Grateful Dead in his early years (around the time of Monterey Pop) but reportedly went against his feelings about psychedelics and dropped acid with the band when they visited England in the early 80's. As they sat by the river Thames as the sun was coming up, he stated: "there will always be Mother Nature."

Record World reviewed "Pet Sounds" in its May 21, 1966 issue as one of the "Albums of the Week," along with "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge and "Great Country Hits" by Billy Vaughn. Their review said, "The big enhancements here are "Sloop John B. and Caroline No." There are 11 other Beach Boy goodies to delight the teen ear. Brian Wilson produced the package and everything is copacetic." Record World named "Sloop John B" as one of the "Single Picks of the Week" for March 26, saying, "The Beach Boys have taken a tune from the folk books and given it an intriguing rock backing. Smooth sailing for the "Sloop John B" deck." Oddly, they don't seem to have reviewed the other singles from "Pet Sounds."

Liked the music. That album cover, though. It always reminded me of a yearbook photo of a school field trip. Really enjoy these videos.

I loved your channel and I loved this video about the Beach boys. I'm waiting for part 4, I've already researched a lot about the smile sessions and the famous shows in Hawaii where they recorded the videos but never released them to the public, looking forward to these stories.

Ha!! Just noticed the Schlitz beer!! My drink of choice in the early 70’s

I'm an old Beach Boys fanboy since the 70s and have bought every LP, EP, single I could get my hands on and read every article and book I could find. I must say, your take on Pet Sounds is spot on and opened my eyes for a new perspective. I guess it was time to debunk some of the myth surrounding it, why it supposedly failed.I thoroughly enjoyed this (and the other) episode.

Brilliant video Mat, You really did some great research on this one and put a lot of so called journalists to shame. There has been a lot of revisionist writing put out there this last 30 plus years since Pet Sounds was released on cd. Very interesting to hear comments from people round the time of release of the LP and the fact that the album sold quite well in the USA, I had no idea. Interesting to hear that the album wasn’t a universal critical success at the time which I did not know before either, though PS has obviously grown in stature over the years. I first bought the album in the middle of winter in 1990, living in Helsinki of all places - so it’s not a summer album for me. I was absolutely stunned by PS at the time, though it has waned over time for me. It definitely helped the BB in the longer term in terms of their image and how they were perceived by the public. Today I rarely listen to PS much and prefer to listen to “Friends”, “20/20”, “Sunflower” and “Surf’s Up”. But I doubt that the band could have made those albums if it hadn’t been for PS coming first. PS is a great album, but I suspect that it’s been overrated a bit when there is so much more to the BB story. I’ll give PS a spin later today as I’ve not heard it in a long time. I did see the BB once in Belfast Northern Ireland in the early ‘90’s when Carl was still alive and healthy - he stole the show with “God only knows” and “Good Vibrations”. Mike Love? Love sang “Be true to your school”. 🤮lol. Really enjoyed this one Mat. Cheers from Sweden.

You did a tremendous job with these reviews of the Beach Boys musical history. I have learned so much new info I didn't know about even though I own every album from 1962-1966 and a number of singles, own several books and have watched many movies and documentaries on them. It was interesting how David Marks departed in 1963 over money Murray the father refused to pay to David and his family which came to blows. Didn't know about that. I recommend anyone wanting to know more about the Beach Boy's to watch this expertly done review.

7:35 - Yes, Phil Spector went into (temporary) retirement in 1966 after Ike and Tina Turner's 'River Deep, Mountain High' bombed.

I really respect you for destroying myths with facts.

Another great video, thanks! I've been listening to Pet Sounds for over 30 years, and it's wonderful to hear a new take on the whole story of its production, release and reception. Long may you ride, Mr Pop!

Great video Matt! Pet Sounds wasn't my favorite lp, but it had some great songs on it. God Only Knows is a masterpiece. Love the Beach Boys. Well, I now have to go find a six pack of Schlitz! #1 Matt!

A 4 or 5 piece Beach Boys on Ed Sullivan did a great live version of Good Vibrations. Carl Wilson guitar lead vocal. Actually i like it better than the studio production. Only in that it proved that it could be done live that early in 67 or 68, without the massive classical ensemble and all that production time. Hat's off to that and that song. Hell, none of us could have wrote it. And when hearing it, images of the 60's of that time emerge. Great series Matt.

Riveting video, riveting series - and a riveting discussion in the comments to boot. Much respect to those who love Pet Sounds, but aside from its three most famous songs (which I think are terrific), I agree with those who find the rest of it kind of plodding, meandering mood music. You mention a "symphonic vs. rock" divide, but, I dunno, I enjoy plenty of late '60s baroque/MOR/"non-guitar oriented" pop like Simon & Garfunkel, the Left Banke, Harry Nilsson, the Bee Gees, hell, even the Carpenters. I just don't know if Pet Sounds' deeper cuts are all that ... melodically strong? Not that I have a degree in music, so God only knows what "melodically strong" means to different sets of ears, but I want to genuinely ask: Are there people out there who say to themselves, "Man, I have just GOT to hear 'Don't Talk, Put Your Head on My Shoulder,' like this instant"? I find myself enjoying certain SEGMENTS of songs, like the bridge in "Here Today," but then the chorus shows up and ... it just feels comparatively limp? Look, I love many individual pre- and post-Pet Sounds Beach Boys songs, so I could care less about the lack of bluesy guitar raunch. If I thought it had at least four more songs as strong as the big three, maybe I'd understand, but ... anyway. In the end, it's all good. Just interesting. And all these years, I was afraid I was alone. Now I know how those who don't care for Sgt. Pepper must feel every time they hear me go on and on about it.

I love it! Find out in part 4

As a side note not only was he an excellent guitarist but a great singer as well. He was a talented musician all around. He was also the most laid back and soft spoken. He didn't let success go to his head ĺike so many others.

Simply: Pet Sounds and even more so, Smile were just too avant-garde for the time, particularly by a heretofore very Pop, establishment band. I truly appreciate and admire your research sir...and love the channel!

Excellent job Matt. I am looking forward to the Jack Reilly years. Sunflower Surf's Up Carl and the Passions and Holland. I think it is their best years.

Rock journalism now is like reading the tabloids. This channel however is the source for the most accurate picture of 60s Rock and Pop music.

Great information. Well done, needless to say. I could never share the enthusiasm over Pet Sounds that you and BB fans do (I didn't listen to it until many years after its release), but I enjoyed learning about it, nonetheless. I heard Al Jardine say that he brought Sloop John B to Wilson (an old traditional song) but that Wilson never even invited him to the recording sessions for it. Jardine admitted being a little hurt by that but more or less brushed it off saying, that was just Brian.

I am thoroughly enjoying this ( and I've read all the books)....Peace and Love....Terry Tutor

Not mentioned here but strange how Cream were great contemporaneous enthusuasts for Pet Sounds considering that they were leading music in a completely opposite direction and Clapton had hitherto been known as being rather contemptuous of 'pop' - him having left The Yardbirds, for instance, because they'd starting moving in too much of a pop direction with tracks like For Your Love.

On streams (Spotify) only the 3 1/2 Hits get ample play. I'm a fan but this is not to be denied. Nobody knows the other songs.

Brilliant job, Matt. So well-researched and presented.

They were all talented in their own right but my favorite Beach Boy has always been CARL.

I dont begin to understand what record companies did back in the 60s, but in the 90s (when I was managing a music store) artists in a companies roster were simply a product to be sold. There have been few CEO's who understood what they owned, in the Clive Davis mould, but they were/are few and far between. So I can easily understand why a "best of" or "greatest hits" followed a new (or any) album release so quickly. It would be done simply to capatalise on sales. "Hey that thing is selling, so sell more of them!" and Matt, I loved that an almost full episode was dedicated to a specific album. Some albums need that time and detail. Thank you :)

I really love this period of the beach boys

Oh did I check RU-vid at the right time 🎉🎉🎉🎉

The Townshend review was hilarious.

Pet Sounds.....I first heard it as a teenager. I didn't completely get it at first, but it didn't take too long. The album still fascinates me and I do listen to it a few times a year. Great video once again!

I can see how Pet Sounds was hard to swallow for the average pop fan. It even took me a couple of listens to get into it.

I use to go to sleep to this record on a loop.

This is a statement pertaining to modern bands that did essentially what Pet Sounds did at that time, musically… I know it was a comparative statement for the Flaming Lips when they released the ‘Soft Bulletin’ coming off the rock esq ‘clouds taste metallic’… as generally their whole style essentially, categorically speaking. And not so much ‘comparative’ to what Radiohead did with ‘Kid A’ or even with ‘ok computer’ but their departure from a rock band presentation. These bands at that time, went from being a part of the mass of ‘guitar’ rock, let’s say, to something that was far deeper musically. Much like when you were mentioning like Townshend’s quote or other people not particularly ‘digging’ this new direction of ‘pretty’ musical arrangements. What Brian did was stand pop music on its head…. Taking vision that was mono and black n white with such great pop/rock songs as say my generation or anyway anyhow anywhere with the rock power chords And just completely arranging something that was to be seen in color and heard in stereo with a wide beautiful scape. Petsounds was the door that separated the black and white from the color scene in the Wizard of Oz.

Excellent as usual!

I love the stats and the sales data that you bring in this video, Matt. Just like others, I was under the impression that the album flopped and was selling poorly, which led to Brian doing more drugs. It was great hearing the contemporary reviews that you mentioned in this episode. I discovered this album only about 10 years ago, and even though I love the music on it (my personal favorite is 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'), I think with time the album became very overrated, and "Brian is a genius" is too often used. It's a great album, no question about it, but does it make Brian a genius? Another great video, and I'm looking forward to part 4!

Pet sounds is the only BB album I've listened to and kept. I like it mostly for its B-side, such songs as Wasn't made for this time, I know there's an answer and Love is here are striking, and Caroline no is a gem. There's some richness in sound, some kind of subtlety that Mc Cartney would be greatly inspired of while making the Sgt Pepper album (especially in tracks like Fixing a hole, She's leaving home and Lovely Rita). I guess Mc Cartney had already the BB in mind when he conceived the vocal harmonies for Paperback writer. The only BB song that may compare to those off Pet sounds, to my personal taste of course, is Till I die (from the Surf's up LP). I also heard about Caroline no, that Marylin Wilson took it personnaly upon hearing the first verse "Where did your long hair go ?", because she'd just cut her hair (which, IMO, suited her perfectly well).

Very interesting analysis and insights.

Bought this Album in Batley market late 1966 cost me a weeks wages,moved to California 71,met Denis surfing at El Porto,that’s all I can remember cos I got hit on the head by my surfboard,last I heard of Dennis is that he was wandering around pissed in Venice,now he’s brown bread

Great segment. I was nine when this came out and had been assembling a soundtrack of my childhood for a few years. Earlier Beach Boys songs were part of it, then the Beatles, Stones, etc. But there was so much, pop culture and music rapidly burying everything behind it, plowing ahead. So Pet Sounds went by mostly unnoticed, the BB's passe. "Good Vibrations" changed that a little bit. But the BB's were becoming uncool old school on a rapid trajectory. I had to come back, years later to appreciate Brian's opus.

Thanks Matt!

I've been waiting for Part Three! Not disappointed but... "Find out in Part Four"! Ohh, all right...

Another great presentation, Matt! A few personal observations: I’m 69 years old, a lifelong fan of rock and roll, and Pet Sounds is still my favorite album, and I think that Good Vibrations is the greatest single ever recorded (but, not necessarily my favorite). I do believe that Capitol records in the 1960s was, quite possibly, the most inept record company ever. Why they felt the need to screw with the Beatles albums up to Sgt Pepper’s is beyond comprehension. As far as The Beach Boys go, the record company didn’t give Brian the support he needed during the Pet Sounds/SMiLE period. Warner Bros/Reprise was the exact opposite during that period. They considered it a badge of honor to have non-commercial artists like Randy Newman and Van Dyke Parks associated with their label(s). Capitol was just looking for more hits; to hell with artistic growth. I bought brand new mono copies of Pet Sounds, Best of Beach Boys Vol 2, Revolver and Sgt Pepper’s all on the same day at a store in Brooklyn, NY for $1.99 each. Why were they so cheap??? For me, it was a score! It was the spring of 1968, and I was still 13 years old. It took me a little while to get used to it, but, when I did, Pet Sounds touched my soul on a very deep level. All these years later, my feelings haven’t changed. Although I love Sloop John B, I never thought it fit on the record lyrically. Musically, it has those brilliant Brian Wilson instrumental and vocal arrangements. But, I hear Pet Sounds as a concept album both musically and the story it tells of a relationship and it’s inevitable heartbreak. Also, when it comes to SMiLE, it appears that it was Capitol’s intention to include Good Vibrations on the album when it was supposed to be released in 1967, and Brian included it when he finally recorded and released it back in 2005(?). I always felt that Good Vibrations was a work unto itself and did not belong on any album. I also thought it was ironic that Brian included it on SMiLE because Mike got to share in the royalties for a project that he was adamantly against. All for providing the hook “I’m picking up good vibrations, she’s sending me the excitations”. Definitely, a catchy phrase, but it made Mike a whole lot of money and ended up on an album that he campaigned against.