From a composition standpoint, TWGMTR is a top 10 Beach Boys song

[mr_oleary]

If this song were written and recorded in the 60s it would be considered right up there with early songs like California Girls and Help Me Rhonda.

What do you think?


The more I listen to this new album the more I am amazed at how incredible the Brian tracks are.  An incredible achievement after 50 years.

[rab2591]

I consider it to be up there with Don't Worry Baby.

I don't care who wrote it, when it was recorded, or that Joe Thomas was involved....it's a great song. And the boys sound phenomenal on it.

[davywheatdyke]

Hmmmm. I would put it on Summer in Paradise and try hard to forget it existed...

[mr_oleary]

I consider it to be up there with Don't Worry Baby.

I don't care who wrote it, when it was recorded, or that Joe Thomas was involved....it's a great song. And the boys sound phenomenal on it.

That's an excellent one as well. 

The end of the album however reminds me more of Abbey Road.  It's an excellent closer to a fantastic career.

[runnersdialzero]

From an ear standpoint, no it isn't (imo). Pleasant enough, but no way would I put it in any kind of top 10 in terms of Beach Boys songs.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

What??

It's an average-ok song, not great, not bad, nice moments, poor moments, it's... meh. Not a classic by any stretch., whenever it was recorded.

[Autotune]

If this song were written and recorded in the 60s it would be considered right up there with early songs like California Girls and Help Me Rhonda.

What do you think?


The more I listen to this new album the more I am amazed at how incredible the Brian tracks are.  An incredible achievement after 50 years.

I happen to agree. The song is darn good, period. Some of the main concerns have to do with its execution, but I still find it good enough.

Those that dismiss it musically are kindly invited to grab their instrument and trying to figure out its chords and voicings.

[runnersdialzero]

If this song were written and recorded in the 60s it would be considered right up there with early songs like California Girls and Help Me Rhonda.

What do you think?


The more I listen to this new album the more I am amazed at how incredible the Brian tracks are.  An incredible achievement after 50 years.

I happen to agree. The song is darn good, period. Some of the main concerns have to do with its execution, but I still find it good enough.

Those that dismiss it musically are kindly invited to grab their instrument and trying to figure out its chords and voicings.

Any impressiveness in the composition due to the inability of uncultured peasants to figure out chords is automatically detracted from with lines like "Push button heaven" and Jeff Foskett's autotuned wailing in the chorus.

"California Girls" had the complex composition, the lyrics, the production, and the 11 out of 10 performance, where as "That's Why God" has some of the former, which doesn't make a great song by itself. Songs aren't mathematical equations and nothing more, folks.

[SBonilla]

I consider it to be up there with Don't Worry Baby.

It's not even in the same league. Don't Worry Baby is teenage. It's rock and roll. You can make out to it. It's a cleverly written song; an inspired composition. That's Why God Made The Radio was a highly calculated effort on a Desmond Child/Holly Knight level. Still, it's a nice song.

[STE]

It might be a complex song but it's not a very good song, imo.

[Lowbacca]

"California Girls" had the complex composition, the lyrics, the production, and the 11 out of 10 performance, where as "That's Why God" has some of the former, which doesn't make a great song by itself. Songs aren't mathematical equations and nothing more, folks.

Well east coast girls are hip
I really dig those styles they wear
And the southern girls with the way they talk
They knock me out when Im down there

Well....^^

[runnersdialzero]

"California Girls" had the complex composition, the lyrics, the production, and the 11 out of 10 performance, where as "That's Why God" has some of the former, which doesn't make a great song by itself. Songs aren't mathematical equations and nothing more, folks.

Well east coast girls are hip
I really dig those styles they wear
And the southern girls with the way they talk
They knock me out when Im down there

Well....^^

No issues here. Mike's efforts to convince folks that the Beach Boys were legit Californians that surfed and lived the lifestyle (sorry to use such a meaningless word, but I don't know how else to articulate what I'm going for) when most of them didn't or didn't to a very large extent never got much better than that. I'll grant you it may be the weakest element of the song, but still.

[Aegir]

TWGMTR is one of the worst songs on the new album. so it's definitely not a top 10 Beach Boys song.

[EgoHanger1966]

It might have been Top Twenty in their heyday, but more so because almost everything they were releasing was going Top Twenty.
Might have made a good album track, but as a single, I don't think it would be regarded as a classic. More in the category of something like Dance Dance Dance, which is a good song, but people don't go apeshit for it like California Girls or Help me Rhonda.

[Compost]

Very 'meh' track on a 'bleh' album, the 'yeah' suite notwithstanding.  Nowhere near the top 10. 

[Wirestone]

Interesting ... so the new line is that people don't like TWGMTR?

That took just about two months.

[runnersdialzero]

Interesting ... so the new line is that people don't like TWGMTR?

That took just about two months.

All's I'm saying is there's no way I'd consider it a top 10 Beach Boys song. Like I said somewhere above, it's pleasant enough and I like it, I just don't agree with it being a top 10 track on any level. Just me, though.

[Autotune]

Interesting ... so the new line is that people don't like TWGMTR?

That took just about two months.

TWGMTR is this week's Bruce.

[I. Spaceman]

Great song on a great album. If you don't agree, I feel sorry for you.

[Zach95]

Interesting ... so the new line is that people don't like TWGMTR?

That took just about two months.

This. I happen to love both the album and the song.  Lines like push button heaven are just as endearing and 'Wilson' as anything from Solar System.

[Jeff]

Great song on a great album. If you don't agree, I feel sorry for you.

Translation:

“I know more about music than all the rest of you combined.  I have determined every song ever released by the Beach Boys to be ‘great.’  My opinion cannot be questioned, so anyone who thinks this or any other Beach Boys song is less than perfect is a f****n idiot.”

[Ziggy Stardust]

hahahahaha

[TimeToGetAlone]

With a catalogue like the Beach Boys, it might be a hasty statement to make.  That being said, having casually tried to play on the piano there really is a lot going on in terms of chord changes and the like.  With this in mind, I think it is a better a composition than the actual performance and production demonstrate.

[send me a picture and i'll tell you]

C major to A major at the beginning of the verse (a la TWOTS, but different), C to E-flat to D-flat in the chorus, F# (G-flat) major with a sudden shift to C major via a D minor 7....I can't think of a song where the harmonic changes have seemed so bewilderingly fresh after hundreds of listens.  The bridge is weak but acceptable.  

Compositionally (harmonically) I'd put it with This Whole World, the aforementioned TWOTS, Pacific Coast Highway (drops from E-flat to D-flat) and Surf's Up. Oh hell, parts of "Love You" too (Solar System, LUGOTW).

[Awesoman]

The song is good, but it's not a "classic".  I was indifferent to it at first, but it has grown on me.  The real test is what we will think of this song several years down the road.  Will it still hold up?  I remember everyone gushing over Imagination when it came out.  I think it's fair to say *that* album didn't exactly age well...