Beach Boys ULTIMATE Survivor Winner: GOD ONLY KNOWS

[feelsflow]

I do love the TSS version of "Surf's Up"...but nowhere near the beauty of the 1971 version.  And a demo Can Not be considered better in my world.  I couldn't believe it when "Surf's Up" didn't win the Surf's Up album round.  I didn't help more than a couple of the songs on our list get here.  I'd have to go back and check if any of them were my #1 choice, except for "Surf's Up" TSS.  These are not my favorite Beach Boys tracks from the respective albums.  "Soul Searchin'" - now, that's a different story.  Just wonderful, but I don't think it was my pick for #1 in that round.  Add "This Whole World" and "Please Let Me Wonder" - then, you have my top three From This List.

This was a difficult game as it played out, and sometimes my feelings were hurt.  But I've already forgot the details.  It was just a game...

My Brave Vote:

"Good Vibrations"

[TimeToGetAlone]

I guess there lies the answer: people disagreeing on what the definitive version of the song is.  I think at this point I'm rooting for God Only Knows pretty easily.

[pixletwin]

Welcome, welcome one and all to ULTIMATE SURVIVOR.

We have spent months dissecting tracks from albums, figuring out which ones deserve the title of Survivor. We pitted these surviving tracks against each other finding out which 12 tracks deserved the title SUPER Survivor.

He we are. At the end of BEACH BOYS ULTIMATE SURVIVOR!!!!

ULTIMATE SURVIVOR

I'm a vote on a fo-rum. Time for me to get voted off. How many votes against me? How many votes against me? (19)

BE BRAVE!  

Vote for the track you find is your ULTIMATE FAVORITE from among the two tracks. The track with the most votes will be the ULTIMATE SURVIVOR!!!

Tally July 13

God Only Knows
Good Vibrations

Round#1 - Soul Searchin' June 18
Round#2 - Goin' On June 20
Round#3 - From There To Back Again June 23
Round#4 - In My Room June 25
Round#5 - Breakaway June 27
Round#6 - Please Let Me Wonder June 30
Round#7 - This Whole World July 2
Round#8 - Don't Worry Baby July 7
Round#9 - Surf's Up (TSS) July 10
Round#10 - 'Til I Die July 11

Good Vibrations.

The song begins in Eb minor. Has a chorus that modulates from Gb Major to Ab Major to Bb Major. It has a bridge that is in F major.

And the dang song ends in Ab.

Show me another #1 hit song that cycles through so much and manages to stay accessible and widely popular.

This song was voted out in round#6 of Survivor Smiley Smile. But the votes against it were overwhelmingly because of how it fit in within context of the album, rather than on it's own strength as a single. It's a unique track in Beach Boys history. Probably the key stone to their story.

Good Vibrations deserves to be the Ultimate Survivor.

[alf wiedersehen]

Interesting that they both feature Carl on lead vocals.

Unless I change my vote sometime in the future, I'm voting "God Only Knows."

[drbeachboy]

I am happy that both tunes are with Carl as lead vocalist. The best singer singing the best songs. Though both really deserve to win, I am going with Good Vibrations. It was the pinnacle of their 1960's success.

[Shady]

How do you choose between two of the greatest songs ever, wow

Good vibrations

[Please delete my account]

Good Vibrations

[Dudd]

God Only Knows.

[The Dumb Angel]

Good Vibrations

[beacharg]

It's very hard, we all know already these are top BBs songs, so I sat down and listened to both songs, to make my final decision.

Here's the thing... Good Vibrations only give me goosebumps, shivers and/or chills in the bridge... that part with "eco", it's a great listening experience... But God Only Knows do that through ALL the song.

And a plus: I supose I prefer short songs. Sometimes Good Gibrations lasts too much.

My favourite vote goes to God Only Knows.

[feelsflow]

"God Only Knows"

[Emdeeh]

Good Vibrations

[TimeToGetAlone]

God Only Knows

I'll actually be kinda disappointed if GV wins.  Maybe it's just because it's the one song that always wins more casual best BB song lists (where, you know, Surf's Up wouldn't even make the top ten because it wasn't a hit), but I'd like to see it go to something that hasn't reached that level of exposure everywhere.  It's nice to have a place like this where people actually know the band's full discography, and though few well-known BB songs would be more deserving than GV, part of me is rooting for something that the average person who knows little about the Beach Boys couldn't just also hold up and say this is their pinnacle (even if, in this case, they might not be far off).  Good Vibrations will rightfully always be in the discussion for one of their best songs, but it's nice to see those other ones also worthy of such status run away with the title once in a while.

With God Only Knows, I feel it gets more praise from musicians than the most casual listener looking for good-time tunes, so it winning would somehow seem different.  That, and it's the ultimate gorgeous ballad, a style in which The Beach Boys particularly excelled with their harmonies and Brian's production.

[musicismylife101]

Good Vibrations

[rogerlancelot]

Good..good...goodbye Good Vibrations. It has that boy/girl thing going on it. What do you mean GOK does too? Damn it, why didn't "Surf's Up" from Surf's Up make the list?

"God Only Knows" is the song that got me hooked on the Beach Boys to begin with and I played it at my wedding. It's my favorite out of the two (despite what I still consider to be very clumsy lyrics). Mr. Asher, why would you open up a love ballad with "I may not always love you but long as there are stars above you"?

 

Just to be clear, since I can't quite understand what's happening this round, I'm voting "Good Vibrations" off and voting "God Only Knows" as the weiner winner. Sorry f*** about that.

Edit: I just noticed that this was my 1000th post. I should retire.

[bluesno1fann]

God Only Knows

[slippingonthrough]

God Only Knows

[Ovi]

Good Vibrations, possibly the best song I've ever heard.

[bossaroo]

wow. very tough decision.

both songs mean so much to me, and God Only Knows is certainly the sweeter of the two.

but Good Vibrations goes places that no other song has gone before or since. it's a monster production, a musical odyssey, and an anthem.

it's SMiLE encapsulated in 3-and-a-half minutes. it's pop, it's jazz, it's psychedelic. it's avant garde yet totally accessible.

as much as some people want to downplay The Beach Boys and their music, Good Vibrations is perhaps the most monumental song ever recorded. it's Brian Wilson at the very peak of his creative powers, and the fact that he was able to distill 6 weeks worth of sessions into one 3.5 minute masterpiece is just another sign of his genius. the tempo changes, the key changes, the mood changes but it never drags or loses the listener's attention.

sure it's a bit overplayed, but it still has a freshness and vitality and exuberance that is timeless and infectious to this day.

and since This Whole World got voted off, I'm gonna have to go with GOOD VIBRATIONS.

[zachrwolfe]

‍

[halblaineisgood]

.

[Phoenix]

Good Vibrations

[bluesno1fann]

"God Only Knows", if only because the "wild card" idea was totally bizarre. Still doesn't make sense to me how the song that was voted off, can be given a 2nd chance. The whole competition thing misses the point.

I completely agree. It wouldn't make sense if a song that has been voted off twice wins the entire game. The wild card idea should have remained just that.

[Gabo]

GOD ONLY KNOWS


I was never a big fan of GV. I love the production and structure, but there is not a lot of lyrical substance. It doesn't touch me.

[Quzi]

God Only Knows