A 1966 Beach Boys song written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, featuring a French horn introduction and complex shifting harmonic motion.
Composition
God Only Knows was composed by Brian Wilson with lyrics by Tony Asher. The chord movement avoids a stable tonic for much of the song, and the arrangement layers French horn, accordion, sleigh bells, and stacked vocal harmonies.
Recording
The recording was completed at Western Recorders in Los Angeles in 1966. Carl Wilson sings lead, an arrangement choice made by Brian Wilson, who felt his brother’s gentler tone better suited the song’s lyric.
Reception
Released as the B-side to “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” God Only Knows reached the top ten in the United Kingdom but only modestly charted in the United States. Paul McCartney has named it among his favorite songs ever written.