The greatest Pop song yet written and recorded.


 

This thread is an offshoot and was inspired by @mahgister’s wonderful thread "Interesting videos about sounds and music." I made a couple of contributions to that thread, recommending a video recorded quite a few years ago by (I believe) a music teacher, who sits at his keyboard while explaining and demonstrating the construction of the utterly majestic "God Only Knows", written by Brian Wilson (music) and Tony Asher (lyrics), recorded by The Beach Boys (vocals) and the L.A. studio musicians who comprised the legendary Wrecking Crew (instruments), the song found on the Pet Sounds album.

In my posts, I made the case for the highly sophisticated and incredibly brilliant chord progressions, modulations (key changes), and use of inversion (playing a bass note below the tonic of the chord being played on the piano) in the song’s composition. So when the video below appeared when I just jumped onto YouTube, it’s title really caught my eye. It is entitled "Exploring The Mythical Chords Of "God Only Knows"." Brian is well known for his harmony vocal arrangements, but that’s just the icing on the cake; the song itself is in it’s chords and melody. Some of the chord sequences in "God Only Knows" bring me to tears. Add to that the vocal harmonies---many sung in counterpoint---and Carl Wilson's angelic singing of the melody, and you have an absolute masterpiece of a song.

I have long considered "God Only Knows" my favorite song, and imo the "best" song ever written. I’m not alone in that; Paul McCartney has stated he feels the same. I could have added this video to @mahgister’s thread, but I believe the song and it’s appreciation warrant it’s own thread. Watch and listen to this video (and the one I posted in mahgister’s thread), give the song a new listen, and see if you don’t agree with Paul and I. 😉

 

https://youtu.be/I2PHOt9_fGc?si=7NVfhFUBn4aw_GGo

 

 

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I forgot to add my pick.

The Avette Brothers / No Hard Feelings is obviously the winner.

“Stop, In The Name Of Love” - The Supremes

”Hey Jude” - The Beatles

“God Only Knows” - BB

”Piece of My Heart” - Janis Joplin

”White Rabbit” - Jefferson Airplane

”I Wish It Would Rain” - The Temptations

”People Get Ready”  - The Impressions

”Hurt So Bad” - Little Anthony and The Imperials

”Close To You” - The Carpenters

”Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” - The Police

“Aja” - Steely Dan

 

Maybe it is Chris Isaak / Wicked Game. Now I am not sure anymore. Oh well... back to my Old Forester bourbon and a little more contemplation.

@jmalen123: Rodney Crowell's "Why Don''t We Talk About It" is from 2001. Lucinda Williams' incredible song "West" is from 2007, her song "Essence" from 2001. The latter, by the way, is the most intense song I've heard from this century, with a vocal performance absolutely lascivious, the lyrics full of wicked double entendre.

Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" is from 2002, though he of course didn't write the song. He does however make the song his own. Was he too old to matter to you? 😉

But ya know, one element in a song's stature as a great one is how it holds up to the passage of time. Some songs improved with age, others become diminished (no musical pun intended). A lot of the late-60's music now sounds quite dated to me. Genius songwriters aren't necessarily born every day, or even every decade. Would you rather listen to great music from the 20th century, or mediocre music from the 21st? J.S. Bach was for many years considered too "old" for 19th and 20th century ears, but sounds far fresher to me than most music written in those two centuries. Perhaps my love of Bach explains my love of "God Only Knows".