The Little Girl I Once Knew

[filledeplage]

I always heard this song as California Girls Volume 2, similar structure, arrangement and even chord sequences, but in all aspects one step ahead.

They are very similar. I'm not up on my facts but just from hearing them alone they seem to be brother & sister companion songs & productions and arrangements. Little Girl has a crazy Bach-on-acid at a carnival sound, California Girls is more like the coolest laid back white spiritual californian groove BrianBach had made by 1965. The first verse is a bit tame - but Mike is just warming us up. The glory is the oceanic harmonies of the second verse and beyond. The first chorus when I hear it - the bass parts sound like moogs but I'm aware that they were all electric basses and organs and pianos and saxophones or whatever else... Brian was making a sort of space sound. It wasn't just the band playing but the reverb that ended up on tape. The reverb Brian's productions got was masterful. Ordinary organs (which sound bland just as they are sometimes) become  watery ocean mirage like mystery sound colors. I would say that organ sound in California Girls, The Little Girl I Once Knew, Good Vibrations [and all the others which were less well known] is a very defining Beach Boys sound. At least for that period of impermanent happenings. Brian Wilson had a sort of Bach thing going on. You knew it for sure when you heard You Still Believe In Me in the room with the Beatles. I was there. Not as I am now, the beast that typeth to you.

What's the story on this song?

It's a song... about a girl he once knew... she was small then... but she's not now.

Is all.

I know what the lyric is most noble sir, but this song is not lightweight fluff like "You're So Good To Me". The musicians know it! Little Girl is one of Brian's coolest tracks. The silence is symphonic.

OMG - so well put - "the silence is symphonic!"   

Just love that song...and would LOVE to hear it live!

My hook to the BB music! 

[runnersdialzero]

"I HAD NO EYES" - CARL WILSON

[ghost]

"I HAD NO EYES" - CARL WILSON

Split, man. 

[OBLiO]

The silence to me is the sound of being so awe struck you stop dead in your tracks as she walks by.

[hypehat]

Ahhhhhh, there's ya boy! He's got it!

[anazgnos]

What is the deal with the cut-down of the pre-chorus, after the first verse?  Underneath "look out, babe".  The edit is so choppy it almost sounds like a glitch, but for the fact that Mike is singing over it.  Brian's live arrangement doesn't reproduce that cut.

[Jeff]

It's a sadly neglected song.  If it had been a bonus track to Pet Sounds instead of Today/Summer Days, it might receive more attention.

I've always thought that it does in fact belong much more in the Pet Sounds camp.  It was recorded more than 4 months after the last Summer Days session (an eternity in 1965), 3 months after the track for Sloop John B, and just a week or two before Trombone Dixie and You Still Believe in Me.  While it might not quite be Pet Sounds material, it doesn't miss by much.

[runnersdialzero]

I've always thought that it does in fact belong much more in the Pet Sounds camp.  It was recorded more than 4 months after the last Summer Days session (an eternity in 1965), 3 months after the track for Sloop John B, and just a week or two before Trombone Dixie and You Still Believe in Me.  While it might not quite be Pet Sounds material, it doesn't miss by much.

Agreed - I've always wondered why it never made Pet Sounds re-issues, etc. instead of Summer Days. Shoot, paw, on that note, it wouldn't have even been terribly out of place on the album itself back in '66. Maybe.

[adam78]

I absolutely love this song. Hands down in my top 5.

I've always thought though that it was a choice of putting either this or wouldn't it be nice on petsounds. The production is possibly too similar to include both on the same record. It's the rocking accordians of WIBN that does it. Pure sonic heaven!!

[runnersdialzero]

Among all the false stories of Brian destroying masters, attempting to destroy masters, etc. it's kind of sad that he really did willingly destroy the master for this one. Is there even enough there to assemble a stereo backing track or anything? Stereo backing track with a final chorus, maybe? I've never heard the conversation he taped over the song with.

[jabba2]

A unique song that makes me wonder if maybe Mike was right and they shouldnt mess with the formula. This was the last track Brian made before starting work on Pet Sounds. I think it is one of his best. Of course the next 3 albums were all pretty great too.

[Mr. Wilson]

I am the APEMAN.. LOVE LGIOK..1st song i ever heard BW play in 1999..Great keyboard part + vocals..

[BillA]

I absolutely love this song. Hands down in my top 5.

I've always thought though that it was a choice of putting either this or wouldn't it be nice on petsounds. The production is possibly too similar to include both on the same record. It's the rocking accordians of WIBN that does it. Pure sonic heaven!!

Open Pet Sounds with it, followed by WIBN - It fits with the chronology of a relationship so it keeps with the theme.

[runnersdialzero]

A unique song that makes me wonder if maybe Mike was right and they shouldnt mess with the formula. This was the last track Brian made before starting work on Pet Sounds. I think it is one of his best. Of course the next 3 albums were all pretty great too.

No one can keep up a sound and quality forever. Mikey boi was wrong.

[jabba2]

A unique song that makes me wonder if maybe Mike was right and they shouldnt mess with the formula. This was the last track Brian made before starting work on Pet Sounds. I think it is one of his best. Of course the next 3 albums were all pretty great too.

No one can keep up a sound and quality forever. Mikey boi was wrong.

This track has some pretty darn good quality though. Summer Nights to me is amazing. Its as mind blowing as Pet Sounds

[runnersdialzero]

A unique song that makes me wonder if maybe Mike was right and they shouldnt mess with the formula. This was the last track Brian made before starting work on Pet Sounds. I think it is one of his best. Of course the next 3 albums were all pretty great too.

No one can keep up a sound and quality forever. Mikey boi was wrong.

This track has some pretty darn good quality though. Summer Nights to me is amazing. Its as mind blowing as Pet Sounds

Oh, not denying that there's a ton of quality here, Summer Days etc. Just sayin', I think the change was inevitable and even happening on these songs and albums. I think attempting to re-write "The Little Girl I Once Knew" for the rest of his career just wouldn't necessarily mean the quality would remain of that level, etc.

I always have to wonder what Mike thought of some of the Summer Days and Today! stuff, considering so much of it really isn't too far off from Pet Sounds or even if talking solely of arrangement complexity, the Smile stuff. Kinda.

[Mr. Wilson]

MIKE always questioned Please Let Me Wonder..The lyrics + music.. And the title etc....And how come no one ever mentions She Knows Me To Well in the same breath as PLMW+KMB..But they talk about ..In the back of my mind..? SKMTW is BETTER than ..ITBOMM..IMHO..!!!

[runnersdialzero]

OH, THE ACRONYMS!!!!!!!!!! ;(

[Wirestone]

I always have to wonder what Mike thought of some of the Summer Days and Today! stuff, considering so much of it really isn't too far off from Pet Sounds or even if talking solely of arrangement complexity, the Smile stuff. Kinda.

Given that Mike co-wrote most of the songs on each album, I'd bet he likes them. His issue with PS and Smile, as much as he ever actually had an issue, was with listeners relating to the lyrics. That's his whole point about Good Vibrations, for instance -- his contributions made the track accessible. I'd bet he feels that way about those albums, too.

Frankly, I suspect any issue Mike has with PS has a lot more to do with Tony Asher than the actual songs. I'm sure he felt he could have done just as well.

[runnersdialzero]

I always have to wonder what Mike thought of some of the Summer Days and Today! stuff, considering so much of it really isn't too far off from Pet Sounds or even if talking solely of arrangement complexity, the Smile stuff. Kinda.

Given that Mike co-wrote most of the songs on each album, I'd bet he likes them. His issue with PS and Smile, as much as he ever actually had an issue, was with listeners relating to the lyrics. That's his whole point about Good Vibrations, for instance -- his contributions made the track accessible. I'd bet he feels that way about those albums, too.

Frankly, I suspect any issue Mike has with PS has a lot more to do with Tony Asher than the actual songs. I'm sure he felt he could have done just as well.

I was thinking the same thing a bit ago after posting this. Then I realized I was thinking about the internet while not on the internet. Then I got sad.

[Autotune]

I always have to wonder what Mike thought of some of the Summer Days and Today! stuff, considering so much of it really isn't too far off from Pet Sounds or even if talking solely of arrangement complexity, the Smile stuff. Kinda.

Given that Mike co-wrote most of the songs on each album, I'd bet he likes them. His issue with PS and Smile, as much as he ever actually had an issue, was with listeners relating to the lyrics. That's his whole point about Good Vibrations, for instance -- his contributions made the track accessible. I'd bet he feels that way about those albums, too.

Frankly, I suspect any issue Mike has with PS has a lot more to do with Tony Asher than the actual songs. I'm sure he felt he could have done just as well.

Besides, where did the stupidity that Mike does not like the BBs more sophisticated productions originate?
He questions a couple of verses and all of a sudden he hates Pet Sounds!

[Cabinessenceking]

After relistening this many times over (including the stereo mix) I think the reason why it tanked compared to CalGirls is because of it's intense complexity, it is more of a album track than a hit single. Many people cite the silence as the reason it failed, I strongly doubt that. I think it has more to do with the lyrics which are NOT AT ALL on par with the wonderful melody, chord progression and instrumentation. The lyrics on it are rather too much in the style of Summer Days for it to really work. The lyrics are almost novelty like Loop De Loop, Salt Lake City and Amusement Parks USA. I think the song was a huge missed opportunity for the group in keeping the US audience which didnt really bite on to PS which was done shortly afterwards. John Lennon recognised it as a great track. And that it truely is, but Brian screwed up on getting the lyrics/approving the right lyrics for it.

[Mr. Cohen]

Nobody ever mentions this, but Mike might have dug his own grave with the lyrics to this song.

[EgoHanger1966]

After relistening this many times over (including the stereo mix) I think the reason why it tanked compared to CalGirls is because of it's intense complexity, it is more of a album track than a hit single. Many people cite the silence as the reason it failed, I strongly doubt that. I think it has more to do with the lyrics which are NOT AT ALL on par with the wonderful melody, chord progression and instrumentation. The lyrics on it are rather too much in the style of Summer Days for it to really work. The lyrics are almost novelty like Loop De Loop, Salt Lake City and Amusement Parks USA. I think the song was a huge missed opportunity for the group in keeping the US audience which didnt really bite on to PS which was done shortly afterwards. John Lennon recognised it as a great track. And that it truely is, but Brian screwed up on getting the lyrics/approving the right lyrics for it.

I think the lyrics are great. There's no cars or surfboards, no amusement parks. It has the exact same theme lyrically as Caroline No. I think it would have fit comfortably on Pet Sounds. I haven't worked out an exact tracklisting, but in my 12-song Pet Sounds sequence in my head, it's somewhere late on either side 1 or side 2.

[guitarfool2002]

Lyrically, yes, I think it did fall just a few inches short of the themes Brian would explore in much greater depth with Tony Asher, who was able to crystallize those thoughts in more of a poetic way than "Little Girl...". The lyrics are still good, though.

I think ultimately the song's downfall was having an awkward melody. The chorus is a soaring melodic hook that anyone can sing along with and remember. It has that parade-like beat and a great melodic hook. The stop-start, dead silence trick is gimmicky but it works to build up the power of the chorus even more.

But that verse melody is awkward. You can't whistle it, it's really too thick with harmony at the outset to key in on a line to sing along with, and when it does strip down to one voice in response to the harmony, it's just "blah".

Not that every song has to have a sing-able melody, but I'd think for a radio single from the Beach Boys in 1965-66 it would have to be a concern. The chorus outshines the verse by too wide a margin, IMO. Even the deeper Pet Sounds cuts with those unusual melodies have more flow than "Little Girl..."