Paul McCartney confessed that the Beatles used the Beach Boys as the inspirational catalyst to keep improving creatively with each album. Pets Sounds pushed the Beatles to create Sgt. Peppers'.
@John M Rubber Soul inspired Brian Wilson to make Pet Sounds. I'm not sure what he thought of Revolver, but I know by the time Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band came out he realized that The Beatles had two albums on him. There are bigger factors to the demise of SMiLE though.
And Brian had all these complex harmonies fully arranged in his head before even a single note of music was written down or recorded. Not to mention every part of every instrument for the arrangement. As a musician of 20 years I’m just completely floored by this. Pure genius
This inspires the hell out of me as an amateur. I know I'll never write something like this, but I think sometimes my lack of professional teaching leads me down paths that I would've otherwise never found or tried. Thanks for sharing this. That really is amazing. This man was made to write music.
HE DIDN'T , you obviously have no idea how composition occurs or reaches final form i.e lots of hard work he would not have had the final cut in his head right at the start impossible it takes time and effort to shape and form an idea an initial idea
Lol. I know plenty about composition. I never said he didn’t work hard, nor did I even mention the “final cut”. Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean it is impossible for anyone to do it. Do a little research on Beethoven, and you will find that it is indeed possible. However, if thinking it is impossible makes you feel better about your own lack of ability, then go right ahead, and perhaps work on your reading comprehension while you are at it.
it's not until you actually study music theory and harmonies that you fully begin to understand how complex this all really is. brian was a gifted genius during this period.
Nah music theory isn't ready for Brian Wilson. He's beyond it. Music theory fits nicely with classical, but with this? Music theory says this should be a mess. It'll never catch up to this. This is soul.
1:12 Probably the biggest difference between The Beatles and The Beach boys, The Beatles had stellar 3 part harmonies and great leads but The Beach boys really nailed that "Angelic Choir" Sound.
Aaron the Beatles could write harmonies that had equally as complex chord changes but The Beach Boys had the numbers to complete the sound and give it that depth as well as having vocal solos in the background
Like The Bee Gees, The Beach Boys had something that the Beatles couldn’t buy, sibling harmonies. The vocals are so full on this one that you really don’t need the instruments.
I'm glad im not the only one. The song is beautiful, don't get me wrong: that alone is worth crying for it. Good really it's the whole story, the way Brian has been treated all the way up until present day and just used like a human ATM machine is what really got me going. Stay well, Brian.
No auto tune. No quantizing. Just the perfect combination of a creative vision, an arrangement, execution and production..kinda like real art. Pretty simple formula when you really get down to it.
A revelation. Their voices had a magical, yearning quality. They could float in and out of ensemble/solo stylings with ease. With or without the backing track this is sensational. Jaw-dropping talent.
It bugs me so bad that there isn't a live version of ''wouldn't it be nice'' with Brian Wilson on the lead, before his voice went downhill.. It would give anything to hear Brian sing it live with his 1960's voice
I actually have good news! There is 1 known recording where Brian sings it live in 1967. During The Hawaii Rehearsals Brian is on lead. I attached the link below. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vQMD5n1gBfU.html
Even Brian nominated Carl for lead vocals. And when you listen to songs like "Feel Flows" you can hear he really is the quintessential Beach Boys sound.
Glenn Davey I would love to know if there is a 60s/70s version of Wouldn’t It Be Nice where Carl takes the lead vocals. I know he did it in the 1990s but idk about 60s/70s!
CoasterBrain 101 usually in the 70s Brian’s parts alternated between Carl and Al. But I think the version on the 1973 live album “The Beach Boys in Concert” has Carl singing lead, don’t quote me on that though.
I just heard the isolated vocals for the first time and that part made me burst into tears. I’ve always loved this song but to hear the vocals like that is incredible
I think that listening often their "vocals only" tracks can turn somebody into a better human being. These harmonies must have a direct effect on the soul.
To arrange all these counterpoint vocals against the instrumental track and have it all compliment each other is stunning to me. He had to hear all this in his head to ensure it would all work!
magpieeye I honestly agree ! Sure the Beatles made REALLY great music but the way The Beach Boys sings it’s like they can sing ANY words and make it sound heavenly
U have to see beatles made rubber soul and brian wilson said that was the best album ever made and then beach boys made pet sounds. The beatles were more worried to make music with the instruments cuz they were musicians. Beach boys just singers so of course the beach boys made better vocals in their music
Listen to "Sun King", "Because", "Yes it Is", "This Boy". Also, if you want to hear where Brian got his harmonies from, listen to this and see if it sounds familiar, ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6n2BUZtD688.html
It's so.... perfect. I can't explain how this makes me feel, like their voices just surround me? It's weird, feels solid and 3D? I've been obsessing over the Beach Boys for about 2 weeks now and whenever I play their songs at work, I tend to get so distracted, I forget what I was supposed to be doing haha! They're just so good! Their harmonies are euphoric!
I LOVE complex vocal harmonies like this. The kind of stuff I so badly wish I could compose, but I know I'm not that talented haha. I never really appreciated the harmonies on the bridge section until I heard this recording... it's so much more layered than the finished product makes it out to be.
Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys were pioneers and masters of vocal harmonisation in popular music. Modern music wouldn’t be the same without the Beach Boys - they paved the way
Who are the deprived cretons who thumbed this down? Arguably the finest harmonies on arguably the finest Rock album of the time. Brian Wilson's genius will be realized for decades to come. Leave this album in a time capsule for your great grand children because it will be just as pefect in 100 years.
Listening to this one can understand why Paul McCartney had this genius, back and forth musical competition with Wilson. I love how they would be so inspired and challenged by each other’s latest compositions. Sadly, it was The Beatles “Revolver” that sent Brian over the edge. Glad he’s back with us again.
Don't even... don't even compare Queen to The Beach Boys. DON'T EVEN USE THEM IN THE SAME SENTENCE! Actually, the rest of Queen never harmonized really. On the albums it was mainly Mercury multi-tracking.
Queen is my favourite band, and the BB my second favourite. Actually, Queen's harmonies are Mercury, May and Taylor, and the three of them multitracked. But their harmonies and their voices are nothing compared to The Beach Boys.
Horrendously incorrect. If you don't know something don't act like you do. No reason to make things up that you clearly don't know. To those who stumble upon this, I hope you have more of a brain than to accept someone who actively chose the name Pooplicker420. Queen (Freddie, Roger, and Brian, John didn't sing) harmonized on every one of their records multiple times. Hope this helps.
Not only was there no autotune but each vocal was recorded separately (they were not all in the same room singing their harmonies.) Brian manually spliced each recording and mixed all these voices together to produce the harmonies - now you have an even greater appreciation of Pet Sounds.
I don't think that only 500 characters are enough for a complete reply to your comment. Suffice it to say that 'originality' is merely a re-assembly of a previous encounter with someone else's creation combined with one's own inspiration and artistic input. "Good musicians borrow - great musicians steal." - Igor Stravinsky
Cooper Cormier is correct. For the life of me you can not under any circumstances what so ever compare any contemporary vocal group to the achievements of BW and the Beach Boys.
I remember when I first saw Roger and Me. There's a guy who just got laid off again shooting baskets. He talks about hearing this song on the radio after getting laid off. Then the song plays against tracking shots of a derelict Flint. It's heart breaking. Ever since I've thought of this as one of the saddest songs ever written. There's some kind of subtext, or feeling, or something that is just a heartbreaker.
A little joke for fans of Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" (aka Blade Runner): This mix could replace the Voight-Kampff test, because anybody who fails to be awestruck by these harmonies HAS to be an android!
+G Melford exactly! this was all pre auto-tune and digital compression. pure, natural talent and creativity. now we just have disposal chants used to commercials and sports stadium hype.
I'm convinced Brian Wilson was the 20th century's answer to Mozart and Beethoven. There was never a better composer for pop music. I think George Martin was his only real competitor (and even he loses by a landslide).
I grew up listening to the beach boys.. living in southern california, it was part of life. These guys are the Kings of harmony... Brian Wilson is a genius!
