The Beach Boys are legendary for their flawless harmonies and classic surf vibes, but their most romantic love song comes with an unexpected twist.
"God Only Knows" is a ballad featured on the band's 1966 LP Pet Sounds. Regarded as one of the greatest love songs of all time, it showcases the band’s intricate harmonies and Brian Wilson’s masterful songwriting.
Although it’s often remembered as a full-band masterpiece, the recording featured just a handful of the band's members. In a remarkable twist, only three Beach Boys members, Carl Wilson, Brian Wilson, and Bruce Johnston, contributed their voices, making the song’s lush harmonies even more unbelievable.
As reported by the BBC, Wilson first showed the song to Tony Asher while the other Beach Boys toured in Japan. The Beach Boys icon believed that the song's first line, "I may not always love you," was "absolutely the wrong way to kick off a love song."
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Per the BBC, Asher replied, "Consider the next line," which helped appease Wilson's doubts. The following line was "But as long as the stars are above you, you'll never need to doubt me."
The song was written in with little effort, Wilson told The Guardian in 2015. I wrote "God Only Knows" in 45 minutes, me and Tony Asher," he explained.
"It’s my favorite song. Of mine," Wilson concluded.
The song was originally released as the B-side to Pet Sounds' opening track, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” which Wilson co-wrote with Asher and Mike Love.
"God Only Knows" was one of the last songs to be recorded for Pet Sounds, according to Music Radar. The Wrecking Crew, a collective of elite California session musicians, played the music for the recording, which took place at Studio 3 at United Western Recorders on Sunset Boulevard. The four-hour session began in the early morning hours and ended at 4:30 a.m.
The song is a favorite of Paul McCartney. He said in an interview with Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood that the tune profoundly impacted him.
“Brian Wilson sort of proved himself to be a really amazing composer. I was into chords and harmonies and stuff at that time, and we ended up with kind of a rivalry. We put a song out and Brian would hear it, and then he’d do one. Which is nice – it’s like me and John. You know, you kind of try and top each other all the time," he explained.
"'God Only Knows' is a great song," McCartney continued. Melodies, harmonies, words, it's a great song, I love it."
Brian Wilson died on June 11, 2025, at 82. The Beach Boys continue to tour, performing beloved hits that have defined generations and honoring the enduring legacy of their late bandmate.
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