In honor of the late Brian Wilson, who passed away earlier this week, today’s classic song of the day is one of his most sophisticated works, “Good Vibrations.” Released as a single by the Beach Boys in October of 1966, this groundbreaking track went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and all around the world—it was a number-one hit in France, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain, and the UK, and a top ten record in just about every other country and region.
What makes “Good Vibrations” so special? It was the way Brian wrote it and recorded it. Just look at these pertinent facts:
- Brian wrote “Good Vibrations” not as a complete whole but as a series of short fragments that were then edited together. Brian recalled it this way: “I had a lot of unfinished ideas, fragments of music I called ‘feels.’ Each feel represented a mood or an emotion I’d felt, and I planned to fit them together like a mosaic.”
- Brian also recorded it as a series of short bits, all recorded at different times in different studios. Recording took 20 sessions in four studios over a period of seven months (February to September, 1966). Brian ended up recording more than 90 hours worth of material that were then edited down to the final three minute and 35-second single. (4:14 for the album version.)
- The track cost close to $25,000 to record, then a record figure. In comparison, it took only $70,000 to record the entire Pet Sounds album.
- Because the recordings took place over such a long period of time, Brian ended up employing virtually every session player in L.A. at one time or another, playing one or another sections of the song. That includes:
- Hal Blaine on drums (verses and choruses) and timpani (choruses)
- Jim Gordon on drums (third bridge and fade-out chorus)
- Frank Capp on bongos (played with sticks)
- Gary Coleman on sleighbells (third bridge and fade-out chorus)
- Al Casey on electric rhythm guitar (verses and first bridge)
- Jerry Cole on electric rhythm guitar (first bridge)
- Billy Strange on 12-string electric rhythm guitar (verses)
- Larry Knechtel on Hammond organ (verses)
- Don Randi on electric harpsichord
- Al De Lory on tack piano
- Mike Melvoin on upright piano (on the fade-out chorus)
- Jimmy Bond on upright bass (first bridge)
- Lyle Ritz on upright bass (verses and second bridge) and Fender bass (choruses)
- Ray Pohlman on Fender bass (verses and first bridge)
- Bill Pitman on Danelectro bass (first and third bridges and fade-out chorus)
- Jim Horn on piccolo (first bridge)
- Plas Johnson on piccolo (verses and fade-out chorus) and flutes (fade-out chorus)
- Jay Migliori on flutes (verses and fade-out chorus)
- Bill Green on contrabass clarinet and bass saxophone
- Steve Douglas on tenor flute (verses and first bridge)
- Jesse Ehrlich on cello
- Tommy Morgan on bass harmonica, harmonica, and jaw harp
- Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and Brian himself on vocals
- The song was one of the first to include use of the theremin, the electronic instrument that produced that science fiction-y saw-type effect throughout the track. The theremin was played by Paul Tanner.
- The recording employed three engineers across all the sessions: Chuck Britz, Cal Harris, and Jim Lockert
- “Good Vibrations” was initially conceived as part of the Pet Sounds album, but the timing wasn’t right. (And it would have fit right in with that album, in my opinion.) It was thus released as a non-album single and slated for inclusion on the ill-fated and not released-at-the-time Smile album. It finally saw an album release on the Smiley Smile album in 1967, above Brian’s objections.
- The song involved three lyricists. Tony Asher, who supplied lyrics for much of the Pet Sounds album, did a first pass on lyrics but those were rejected by Brian. Fellow Beach Boy Mike Love then supplied what became the final lyrics, although Brian wasn’t completely happy with them, especially the non-word “excitation.” Brian then approached Van Dyke Parks, who did the lyrics for tunes on the aborted Smile album, to revise the words, but Parks declined, saying “nobody’d be listening to the lyrics anyway once they heard that music.”
- Brian says “Good Vibrations” was influenced by Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound production on the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” as well as the topic of ESP and Brian’s use of marijuana and LSD
The result of all that was what some called a “pocket symphony.” It sounded like nothing before, a significant departure from the typical verse-chorus-verse structure of contemporary pop songs. There was pop music before “Good Vibrations” and then there was music after “Good Vibrations.” It changed the world of music as we know it.
“Good Vibrations” showed a much different approach to songwriting and recording that influenced generations of musicians afterwards. It certainly was inspiration for the Beatles’ work on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and especially the medley on the second side of their Abbey Road album.
What more do you need to know about “Good Vibrations?” It shows Brian Wilson at his most creative and innovative. He heard sounds in his head and went to great lengths to reproduce those songs on record. “Good Vibrations” is the result, a true turning point in the world of music. (Not surprisingly, “Good Vibrations” was nominated for four Grammy awards and, in 1994, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.)
And here’s your daily bonus video of the day, the official promo film the Beach Boys made to promote “Good Vibrations.” Very cool.
