I can never get tired of this song! The overlapping vocal harmonies are wonderful. A good example of Brian Wilson's genius at creating a crafty, intricate production supported by a simple melody. Why this wasn't a huge hit I don't know (I believe it was their last single at Capitol and wasn't promoted very well).
08 Jul 03 ·johnnyweissmueller: I agree - I have just listened to the song for the first time ever and am entirely "won over" - superb - nothing childish about it; simple but great, humble, never overdoing it. This is imaginative genius at work - in this case it has gotten way, way less credit than it deserves. Thumbs up for a powerful voice in good surroundings.
What a song. No time for breathing - because we're straight into three phases of soaring harmonies and choppy Wurlitzer piano chords. As your spine tingles get prepared for the cyclical refrain that brings the song to its climax. We're talking beauty defined.
24 Jun 03 ·tinks: i'm witchu on this one, man...i can't even listen to it without getting all choked up. "i'm a cork on the ocean/floating over the raging sea". 22 Jun 05 ·sok186: After being pushed and pushed to make more music for the Beach Boys, Brian contributes his last major composition. It's always seemed to be his way of saying,"This is why I can't keep making music, and I need to go away for a while, because this is what I feel." Easily essential listening.
available on CD - The Brian Wilsons Productions (Aze Records)
14 Apr 05 ·Goes Up To 11: As you might know, after the first few Beach Boys albums, Brian Wilson stopped touring with the group and stayed back in LA to write songs and record instrumental tracks for the next album while the band was out on the road. Somebody had to fill in for Brian with the touring band, and for a while that someone was Glen Campbell. So the story is that Brian gave this song to Glen Campbell as a thank you. A great cover version appears on the Wondermints' 2000 UK reissue of the album "Wonderful World of the Wondermints." The Wondermints, a great LA band in their own right, now form the core of Brian Wilson's current touring band.
A song whose verse is achingly beautiful for its harmony, melody and arrangement - so much that it stopped me in my tracks when I heard it playing in a record shop recently. Interestingly it took me many years of familiarity to really appreciate this track, which is in stark contrast to "God Only Knows", which I have loved since the first time I heard it.
