God Only Knows BBC Music ad

[Ray Lawlor]

I'm one of the few who hated it. Why?

- The overproduction on Brian sticks out alongside every other singer.

I want to address this, not to change opinions or anything but just to share what *I* heard in this recording. And as it was already said what the reasons were and how Brian mixed his segments that way, this is my own impression. Just something to consider.

Each musician got a few seconds of music, a phrase or two in which to work. What I got from watching it several times was that there seem to have been specific attempts to present more than a few artists in a way that brought out what they were known for musically, or perhaps feature the sounds or the style either in performance or sound that they have been known for.

The Brian May segment helped crystallize some of this "concept" if that's what it was. Some artists, perhaps to a lesser degree.

Would you expect to have heard Brian May sing something? Or even play a classical guitar passage? I doubt it. His guitar style has been for 40 years to overdub and harmonize his unique "guitar orchestra", stacking upwards of a half-dozen parts in harmony, using that trusty old hand-built red guitar through his trusty old Vox amps. And that's both the sound and the visual that you got from May in his 5 second spot.

Brian Wilson beyond his songwriting and 60's falsetto vocals on all those classics is known for his productions, his production techniques and the sounds that he created in the studio. Beyond playing his composition, you got to hear in his spot the doubled lead vocals, with reverb/echo chamber sounds that he is known for, even beyond this specific song's original production.

So as Brian May offered a few seconds of his stacked guitars, Stevie Wonder did a harmonica solo along with his vocal, etc...Brian Wilson offered a few seconds of his vocal production techniques dating back to 1962. Doubled lead, echo chamber...all that sonic stuff in that first appearance in the clip.

Just something to consider. Brian-as-songwriter was already represented, so he offered a few studio sounds on his vocal.

At least I perceived it that way.  

You are spot on.  The producer's told Brian to " do whatever you want" ; he decided to go back to the way he cut it originally.

On another note , I surrender.  Where the hell is this thing available for purchase/download ??  I recognize I am a technical moron but I cant find this anywhere.

Here's the iTunes link, although it may only work in the UK:  https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/god-only-knows-bbc-music-single/id925213027

It's currently number 15 on the UK iTunes singles chart!

Thank you !

[rab2591]

Doesn't work for me (US). I'm jealous of you guys across the pond! Would love to throw my money at this single.

[GoodVibrations33]

Doesn't work for me (US). I'm jealous of you guys across the pond! Would love to throw my money at this single.

If you scroll to the bottom of the page in iTunes and change your country from the US to UK does it allow you to buy it?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Yeah, great tribute to Brian and the band and all, and super that he's being shown so much respect by so many, but I hope I never have to sit through it again...
Brian May doing his screechy guitar act? Jamie Cullum? Chris Martin? Dry heave!! And I don't know who that female singer is at 0:45 but oh man, I cannot bare singers who deliberately put on that sort of croaky voice thing when they sing, presumably under the mistaken impression that it sounds sexy or meaningful or whatever... I'm afraid I just found the whole thing revoltingly twee and suffocatingly middle-class. And yeah i know it's for charity etc. But that's genuinely how I felt watching it and this is an opinion board after all. Implying that if people don't want to say nice things about this video then they shouldn't say anything at all, as some have done, is just daft. Democracy etc.

And as I said, kudos for showing Brian so much respect and all I just don't want to ever see it again.

Heard you the first time. Repetition unnecessary. My point proven.

[37!ws]

Ahhh...understood...so I'm supposed to like it. Period. My mistake.   I'm sorry that after seeing all the excitement posted about it yesterday (including by my wife) that I watched it and couldn't wait for it to end. I guess it's wrong for me to have a rare dislike for new BB-related product. (FTR, I'm not one of those peeps who complains about everything...had nary a complaint about MIC and TSS, and was pleasantly surprised by the overall goodness of the TWGMTR album...)

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Doesn't work for me (US). I'm jealous of you guys across the pond! Would love to throw my money at this single.

If you scroll to the bottom of the page in iTunes and change your country from the US to UK does it allow you to buy it?

A popup comes up saying it is not available in the US.  So I guess there's no hope of it charting here.  Seeing how Amazon doesn't have it either, I guess this is really only meant for people in England.

[Ray Lawlor]

Doesn't work for me (US). I'm jealous of you guys across the pond! Would love to throw my money at this single.

If you scroll to the bottom of the page in iTunes and change your country from the US to UK does it allow you to buy it?

A popup comes up saying it is not available in the US.  So I guess there's no hope of it charting here.  Seeing how Amazon doesn't have it either, I guess this is really only meant for people in England.

Bizarre. Taking it to a basic level. It is not like we Americans are adverse to contributing to charity; why limit it to just the U.K. and Ireland ? Strange world

[the captain]

...there are people here who would find something to bitch about at the Second Coming.

To be fair, that would mean I was wrong after all and am going to hell. I'd feel like I had the right to bitch before eternal torment (which I assume is Nickelback on repeat ad infinitum).

[Ang Jones]

Doesn't work for me (US). I'm jealous of you guys across the pond! Would love to throw my money at this single.

If you scroll to the bottom of the page in iTunes and change your country from the US to UK does it allow you to buy it?

A popup comes up saying it is not available in the US.  So I guess there's no hope of it charting here.  Seeing how Amazon doesn't have it either, I guess this is really only meant for people in England.

Does seem daft. I had a similar problem last year with The Big Beat which was only available in the US.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Ahhh...understood...so I'm supposed to like it. Period. My mistake.  

Nope. You proffered your opinion then, to no real end, voiced it again. We heard you the first time. You don't like it. Think Thumper.

[Please delete my account]

Ahhh...understood...so I'm supposed to like it. Period. My mistake.  

Nope. You proffered your opinion then, to no real end, voiced it again. We heard you the first time. You don't like it. Think Thumper.

37!ws and Disney Boy are two separate posters.

[EgoHanger1966]

I thought Brian sounded and looked cool. I think the double-tracking was nice. And the last shot gave me goosebumps.

[Larry Franz]

It's a bit surprising that neither the Associated Press nor Reuters have reported on this yet, so it's being left to individual news outlets to mention it. The LA Times has it on their music blog, but the NY Times doesn't. The NY Times does, however, have an A.P. story about Debbie Harry headlining the 34th annual John Lennon concert in December. 

Brian Wilson is still a relatively well-kept secret.

[dombanzai]

Even with borderline functional hearing in the one working ear, that was hugely impressive (except for Jake Bugg). Points to ponder...

It was the song chosen...
No-one said no when asked to take part...
They managed to keep it under wraps for two years...
It will chart very high in the UK, maybe #1.

And finally, you don't have to listen to it or buy it if you don't like it. Or comment on it.

I'm sorry, but that last comment has bugged me. No, I don't have to comment on it if I dislike it or anything else, but it is well within my rights TO make a comment should I so wish. Just as much as it is your right to comment or not comment on whether you like something or not. I have an opinion as do yourself, and if we wish to air those opinions then we can if we so wish. Just because someone dislikes or disagrees with something is not a reason he/she should be excluded from a debate.

I thank you.

[The Shift]

Perhaps it would have been better if this tune hadn't surfaced. Seems folk have to find fault with anything released, with each others' opinions and with each other every time something comes our way.

And that detracts from what a positive things this is.

[Jim Rockford]

Perhaps it would have been better if this tune hadn't surfaced. Seems folk have to find fault with anything released, with each others' opinions and with each other every time something comes our way.

And that detracts from what a positive things this is.

Yeah. Seems like people love to pick things apart.

[egon spengler]

Wow, a collaboration between many talent artists to cover a classic Beach Boys tune by separately recording and then piecing together their performances--what a neat and original concept!

http://youtu.be/HaZNgwmLuRI

[dombanzai]

I'm not usually a moaner, I think this is the first time I have posted a negative comment about anything on this board. Sorry, but I just don't like it at all as most of the singers on it are not very good in my eyes/ears. Interestingly, a colleague of mine (not a Beach Boys fan) said to me today: "Have you heard that Beach Boys song they've ruined?" and this from someone in his early 20s who doesn't have a great knowledge of the Beach Boys. So not everyone loves it.

Everything else about the Beach Boys I love – hey, 20/20 is one of my favourite albums (despite its fragmented nature) and I even sing the praises of/and listen to Summer In Paradise...

[rab2591]

I even sing the praises of/and listen to Summer In Paradise...

[Tony S]

Would have been really cool if they could have used a video version of Carl for a line or 2, maybe from Knebworth, since he is the original singer of this great tune. Just a thought.

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

Brian has a farking tiger on his piano.

Do YOU have a farking tiger on your piano?

[Shady]

Brian Wilson is still a relatively well-kept secret.

He's really not

[Pretty Funky]

And I don't know who that female singer is at 0:45 but oh man, I cannot bare singers who deliberately put on that sort of croaky voice thing when they sing, presumably under the mistaken impression that it sounds sexy or meaningful or whatever...

Lorde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlcIKh6sBtc

[pixletwin]

Lorde is pretty damn talented, imo.

[Nicko1234]

I'm sorry, but that last comment has bugged me. No, I don't have to comment on it if I dislike it or anything else, but it is well within my rights TO make a comment should I so wish. Just as much as it is your right to comment or not comment on whether you like something or not. I have an opinion as do yourself, and if we wish to air those opinions then we can if we so wish. Just because someone dislikes or disagrees with something is not a reason he/she should be excluded from a debate.

I thank you.

Absolutely.

Personally I think they`ve done a decent job with this song. But for anyone to try to silence those who have differing opinions is unpleasant madness.