Mind of Brian 1: God Only Knows by Greg Panfile http://mysite.verizon.net/vzex6mhq/index.htm

Note that each letter symbolizing a chord is assumed to have four beats as the default. Those that go longer will be doubled or whatever; shorter or passing chords will be bracketed in some vertical lines. Where there is relevant, essential material in a melody line or bass I'll add that too.

God Only Knows (music by Brian Wilson)

Intro

Chords: A E A E A E F#m E Melody: C# D E B A C# D E B A Bass: E F# G

Verse 1

Chords: D Bm F#m B E D#dim E C#m Bass: A B F# E D# E F# E (D#) C# (B)

It's hard to add more except to say that this line, these mere eight chords, are exceedingly subtle and beautiful. They seem to have been composed by someone following the pure voice of melody, both in the treble and bass ranges, with no regard whatsoever for any rules or formulas. The bracketed major and minor Bs, the use of the diminished chord at a negative point in the lyric when doubt is mentioned... you look up genius in your CD ROM dictionary, and you should hear this song.

Chorus 1

Chords: A E F#m E

Verse 2

Exactly the same as verse 1. So I guess this is a good time to talk about the arrangement, and not rewrite the chords. Harpsichord, French horns, Hammond organ, jingle bells, coconut hoofbeats, bass and piano doubling some of the low lines but not all of them, pizzicato violins... man, this thing is a masterpiece. We are repeating material here, but the new feel of the horns sustaining over the staccato chord accompaniment recolors things enough to avoid any sense of boredom.

Chorus 2

Chords: A E F#m

The break actually has two parts to it, though. The first is simply a nice melody played pizzicato on the strings over two chords twice:

Break (part 1, do this twice)

Chords: A G Melody: C# A C# A B F# B A G F#

Break Verse and Chorus (up 5 semitones)

Chords: G Em Bm E Scat: Ah ah ah ah dodo do dodoo Bom bompa bompapa Chords: A G#dim A F#m Scat: Bom bom Bompa pa pa bom Ba bom Ah, ah...

Chords: D A Bm

Verse 3

Chords: D Bm F#m B E D#dim E C#m Bass: A B F# E D# E F# E (D#) C# (B)

Coda

Chords: A E F#m E

I've mentioned in other contexts what I perceive to be a problem with many of the Pet Sounds lyrics: they fail to tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end; they just seem to evoke moods or feels without going anywhere or advancing a plot, arriving at an internal or external decision or resolution of any sort. But on this cut, and its seeming companion Good Vibrations, it's like, who cares. The song is about a mood and a feel, and it's perfect: incidentally, there is no variation in the harmonic rhythm, every chord lasts exactly four beats. God Only Knows exists in a realm beyond stories and decisions, a plane above and beyond time if you will. The way those diminished chords come in when he mentions doubt, or the world showing nothing... there's no point in finding any faults here. There is plenty of beauty to admire and enjoy, and that will have to be sufficient.

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