The Beatles and The Beach Boys had a friendly rivalry during the 1960s. The two bands were at the top of the rock world and constantly wanted to outdo each other. However, Paul McCartney had nothing but respect for The Beach Boys, including Brian Wilson. The two once performed together, and McCartney became emotional while performing with the American singer.
‘God Only Knows’ is one of Paul McCartney’s favorite songs
“God Only Knows” was written by Wilson and Tony Asher and debuted in 1966. The song appeared as a B-side single before becoming a part of The Beach Boys’ album Pet Sounds. While the song isn’t one of the band’s biggest hits, it is regarded by many as one of their best tracks, with Rolling Stone placing at No. 11 on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time List. Speaking with the BBC, McCartney said that song always makes him tear up.
“‘God Only Knows’ is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it,” McCartney admitted. “It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian [Wilson].
Paul McCartney became emotional performing ‘God Only Knows’ with Brian Wilson
In a 2013 interview with The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, Paul McCartney shared an anecdote about performing with Brian Wilson for a benefit concert. The former Beatle said that when he began playing “God Only Knows” during rehearsal, he “lost it,” overwhelmed by the experience of playing the song with Wilson. Fortunately, he was able to hold it together for the primary performance.
“I got to sing it with Brian once when we did a benefit [show] together,” McCartney shared. “I was okay at the actual performance, I held it together. But at the rehearsal, at the soundcheck, I lost it, because it’s very emotional, this song, I find it… ‘Oh my god, I’m singing with Brian,’ it just got me, I couldn’t. So all it is, it’s little vibrations reaching your music, it’s only little vibrations, little words, and little things. There is this powerful effect, you know.”
The Beatles and The Beach Boys were engaged in friendly competition
The Beach Boys formed in 1961, shortly after The Beatles formed. Both became incredibly popular around the same time, leading to the two bands becoming competitors. While the rivalry never became violent or hostile, they were often influenced by each other’s work and wanted to up the other’s music.
According to societyofrock.com, Brian Wilson was agitated by the excellency of 1965’s Rubber Soul and wanted to make an album that exceeded it. This reportedly led to Pet Sounds, and Wilson has admitted that the album was influenced by Rubber Soul. Paul McCartney enjoyed the competition with Brian Wilson, and compared it to his internal rivalry with John Lennon.
“You know, Brian Wilson sort of proved himself to be like a really amazing composer,” McCartney told Wood. “I was into chords, harmonies and stuff at that time, and we ended up with this kind of rivalry. We put a song out, Brian would hear it, and he’d do one. Which is nice, like me and John, you know, we kind of try to top each other all the time.”
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