...and the French supposedly consider Jerry Lewis a genius - but I don't force myself to watch his movies. |
"country my expectations, based on that music alone, were right on."
Agreed, even though they didn't grow up near the beach and didn't surf. The harmonies were incredible and unlike anything being heard at that time. |
The Beach Boys are the greatest American rock band of all time, ranking only behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones in terms of influence on rock/pop music. Pet Sounds is their defining genius. This is timeless music, sounding as fresh today as it did 40 years ago. I love you Brian, rest in peace Carl and Dennis. |
Never. Concur w/ above, the album was envisioned as a complete work and enabled Brian to showcase his vocal arranging, production skills. One must closely listen to the many 'layers' of harmony... |
It took me many years before I began to "get" the Beach Boys and what Wilson contributed to pop music. One thing I will say for Brian and the Boys was that as a kid growing up in Marshfield, MA in the summer of 1965, hearing their music about Southern California on the family station wagon radio "transported" me there and when I finally got to visit that part of the country my expectations, based on that music alone, were right on.
That is the the power of great songwriting. |
"What am I missing?" Well, for starters - just how old are you? If you weren't around then that explains a lot...
We're all a product of our experience, and the collective wisdom that identified this as one of the greatest all lived through that era. Narrod and Rar1 give a hint of some of the reasons - the Beach Boys were practically the major competitors in the U.S. to the Beatles (and Stones, maybe). They sounded like nothing else around (at the time...) and this did provide a significant spark for Dr. Pepper's.
Once you've heard so much that's been produced since that time then Pet Sounds may not seem like all that much - until you step back and realize that so much of what followed is often quite derivative in some way. This was such a change (as Jaybo noted) from the norm at that time that even many fans of the most popular group in the U.S. didn't get it nor buy it. It was just those guys like the Beatles, etc. who were knocked out by Pet Sounds and the rest has become history... |
one more tidbit...pet sounds was a commercial failure at the time..the poorest selling lp the band had released to date(1966). it would years before many of their fans would come back to the band....and new lp sales never did. like hendrix, the stones, and others, you either 'get' the beach boys, or you don't. if you don't its not a high crime....thats just rock n roll. |
its still being played regularly 40 some years after the fact on my stereo for sure. however my favorite beach boys albums are sunflower(tremendous), 20/20(pieced together with sinles. b sides, and relics from the unreleased 'smile' it hangs together, and is still great,and friends(one of the great sunday morning albums ever)...i've heard friends is brian's as well......ps, the beach boys hold my personal record for live concert events. i saw them 19 times beginning in 65. after carl died, i called it quits....couldn't imagine the band playing on without him. |
Pet Sounds is not overrated at all. It was one of the few albums at its time that was visioned as a complete work. Before that time, only Sinatra (another performer not recognized for his musical smarts) was putting together thematic albums. The genius of the work is one of those things that you either get or not get or more importantly, like or not like.
Part of considering any album from 40 years ago is understanding what was going on at the time. The Beach Boys were primarily a singles group doing surfer ballads and pop and they came up with a symphonic type work that lit a fire under the Beatles. Look at the top 15 Cash Box Albums for 1966 to see what was popular at the time (source Lillian Roxon's "Rock Encyclopedia"):
1. Sound of Music - Soundtrack
2. Whipped Cream - Herb Alpert
3. Going Places - Herb Alpert
4. Dr. Zhivago - Soundtrack
5. South of the Border - Herb Alpert
6. Best of Herman's Hermits
7. Best of the Animals
8. What Now My Love - Herb Alpert
9. Lonely Bull - Herb Alpert
10. Why Is There Air - Bill Cosby
11. Fiddler on the Roof - Original Cast
12. If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears - Mamas & Papas
13. Big Hits - Rolling Stones
14. My Name is Barbra, Two - Barbra Steisand
15. September of My Years - Frank Sinatra ...
33. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys
Regards,
Rich |
The album is very good and I suppose overrated; personally I prefer "Surfin USA" and "Surfer Girl".
However, it's a marvelous showcase for Brian Wilson's production and vocal arranging skills.
That is the "genius" of the album IMO. |
Pet Sounds has some great songs but I don't consider it a great album.
If you don't "get" Hendrix, you haven't heard it under the right "circumstances". Rock on. |
God Only Knows may be the most beautiful ballad of the rock era. Sloop John B, Wouldn't It Be Nice, et al. are flat out great songs. It's hard to understand what you don't understand. The record holds a special historical place because the "sonic palate" inspired the Beatles (as noted above), but even putting that aside, the songcraft is pretty self evident. I guess, you either get it or you don't.
BTW, in the same vein, I don't "get" Hendrix. I understand his music, and appreciate his contribution in the abstract, but I just don't love it. In this instance, I just don't "get it". So, join the club.
Marty
Marty |
Pet Sounds was the Beach Boys answer to Rubber Soul. In turn
the Beatles were very impressed with Pet Sounds and it was an influence for SPLHCB. I like both albums but neither is my favorite work by either group. |
