Mike claims credit for the title "Pet Sounds".

[Pretty Funky]

Haven't read that before. Is it true?

From the Rock Radio online.

Flashback: The Beach Boys release Pet Sounds
It was 41 years ago today (May 16th, 1966), that the Beach Boys released their legendary Pet Sounds album. The album, which included the group's classic hits "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B.," and "God Only Knows," was like most of the group's early work the brainchild of their leader and producer Brian Wilson. Wilson had retired from the road in 1964 to write and produce material while the other members -- brothers Dennis and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston -- spent up to 150 days a year on the road. Pet Sounds is the first complete Beach Boys album to mainly feature session backing musicians, and is considered rock's first symphonic album.

Although the album was considered something of a chart failure in the U.S., where it peaked at Number Ten, in Britain the album was hailed an instant classic, inspiring major works from rock's greatest songwriters, including John Lennon and Paul McCartney and the Who's Pete Townshend.

Wilson sketched out his ideas thematically with lyricist Tony Asher, and together they created a romantic, coming-of-age concept album, which dealt with such adult themes as pre-marital sex, leaving home, and coping with emotional and romantic limitations.

Al Jardine says that the group was amazed by the progress that Wilson had made both musically and lyrically while they were away on tour: "We were just in a touring mode almost constantly up to that point. We'd just come back from Japan and it was a total revelation to us. I mean, we hadn't heard anything like that, other than like, you know, like 'Let Him Run Wild' was kind of in that vain, in that vernacular. If you remember that one, I loved that one. And when I heard these other songs I went 'Well, that's an exponential leap'(laughs)."

Jardine recalled the workmanlike atmosphere while recording the album's intricate harmonies: "We'd be all alone, just the four (sic) of us in this gigantic cavern of a recording studio called Columbia -- Columbia Studios on Sunset Boulevard. I mean... It was like being inside of a giant space station (laughs) and you're trying to sing these tender and beautiful and moving harmonies and stuff. And we did it. Somehow we pulled it off. But it was strange, like living in a vacuum."

Glen Campbell was one of many studio musicians who played on the album. He said that he often listens to the box set of Pet Sounds sessions to recall his time in the studio with Wilson: "He'd tell you all that stuff, where he wanted it, how he put it together. You can listen to the making of the records. I've sat and listened to that CD, I stick it in my car just so I can recall and it takes everything away, and I can listen to what we were doing in the studio, 30 something, 40 years ago."

Mike Love was asked whether it's true that he always had a problem with Brian Wilson changing the Beach Boys' musical formula: "Well, people have said the same thing about Pet Sounds, that I didn't like Pet Sounds. That's a bunch of crap, because I went with Brian to play Pet Sounds for the A&R guy at Capitol Records. We played it for him, I named the album (laughs). Because at the end of the record, he didn't know what to call the record. And at the end of the record you have this dog barking at the sound of this train going by. And I said, 'Well, why don't we call it Pet Sounds?' Double entendre, of course."

The album has often battled the Beatles' Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club albums on "Greatest Albums" lists. Over the years, Paul McCartney has called "God Only Knows" his favorite song of all time.

Due to record company red tape, Pet Sounds wasn't certified Gold -- marking 500,000 copies shipped to stores -- until February 2000. Two months later, it was certified Platinum for 1 million copies shipped.

That spring, Brian Wilson and his band performed the entire Pet Sounds album as part of his solo shows. A live album, titled Pet Sounds Live In London, was released in 2002.

Last fall and winter, Wilson and Al Jardine performed the Pet Sounds album in its entirety, for what Wilson promised was the last time.
The Rock Radio online

[PMcC]

I've had it up to here with Mike Love

[Jon Stebbins]

That's nothing new, Mike has made that claim regularly for 30 years or more.

[the captain]

Does anyone have reason to believe he didn't name Pet Sounds? He has consistently claimed it, and it's at least as believable as what I seem to recall as Brian saying it's named Pet Sounds because PS are Phil Spector's initials...

I know Mr. Love takes credit for just about everything, but that one is certainly plausible, anyway.

[Chris Brown]

I certainly think its plausable, although Brian has stated that it was Carl who came up with the title. 

[Cam Mott]

Brian Wilson in the August 19, 1966 New Music Express: “We waited until the very last minute on ‘Pet Sounds’ - all the tracks were done, the album cover was ready to go. We were just sitting around thinking, when all of a sudden Mike said: ‘Pet Sounds’. We said: ‘What?’ And  then, ‘Yeah, Pet Sounds!’ And we had a title.”

[Sheriff John Stone]

Brian Wilson in the August 19, 1966 New Music Express: “We waited until the very last minute on ‘Pet Sounds’ - all the tracks were done, the album cover was ready to go. We were just sitting around thinking, when all of a sudden Mike said: ‘Pet Sounds’. We said: ‘What?’ And  then, ‘Yeah, Pet Sounds!’ And we had a title.”

Thank you for that documented, published quote.

[Pretty Funky]

Case closed! Interesting that despite hundreds of articles and stories about the album over the last 40 years that this is not mentioned more.

[Ebb and Flow]

I've never really doubted that it was Mike who came up with it, since Carl never seemed to make the claim.

There is one thing that does raise a red flag with me about that quote of Brian's, though.  If they had done the photo shoot at the zoo earlier in the year, why a photo shoot involving goats and animals if the title "Pet Sounds" weren't already thought of?

[Jon Stebbins]

Case closed! Interesting that despite hundreds of articles and stories about the album over the last 40 years that this is not mentioned more.

This has been mentioned in published BB's related journalism for decades, look around and you will find it.

[c-man]

Case closed! Interesting that despite hundreds of articles and stories about the album over the last 40 years that this is not mentioned more.

This has been mentioned in published BB's related journalism for decades, look around and you will find it.

A VERY lucid-sounding Brian mentioned it again in a 1988 radio interview with Timothy White.  He said some pretty negative things about Mike in that interview, but he gave him credit for that.  The ONLY place I ever saw ANYONE claim that it was Carl's idea was in the "Pet Sounds Box Set" booklet (Brian said it).  In the same booklet, Carl said he wasn't sure who thought up the title, but said "I think it was Brian".  So Brian said it was Mike in '66.  Mike said it was Mike in '78 (the Preiss book).  Brian said it was Mike again in '88.  Then, 30 years after the fact, Brian slipped up and accidentally said it was Carl.  The same time, Carl said he didn't know for sure who thought up the title, and Mike (in the Electronic Press Kit) said it was Mike.  I'd say pretty conclusively it was Mike, but some people don't want it to be Mike.  This is kind of like some folks refusing to believe Denny played organ on the bridge of "Good Vibrations", despite many quotes from many Beach Boys over the years (Dennis in '66, Bruce in '85, Carl in '96, and Brian in '97).  Plus the session tape and AFM sheet, of course. 

[c-man]

Now, if Mike tried to sue Brian for naming one of his albums "Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live"...then I WOULD have a problem with that! 

[Chris Brown]

"The ONLY place I ever saw ANYONE claim that it was Carl's idea was in the "Pet Sounds Box Set" booklet (Brian said it)."

Thanks for reminding me, I knew I had read that somewhere!  I didn't recall the old '66 quote where Brian said it was Mike.  My bad.

I'll definitely take 1966 Brian's word over 1996 Brian's any day. 

[matt-zeus]

I've always thought it was Mike, i've seen this come up quite a lot over the years. For all his shortcomings, he could coin a good phrase every now and then, a bit like Ringo coming up with lots of Beatles titles.
I've also always thought it was meant slightly derogatory in a jokey way, they were Brians 'Pet sounds' (f**king with the formula) , similar to the 'dog ear' comments.

[shelter]

Big deal... There are just two things about Pet Sounds that aren't brilliant: the title and the album cover.

[Jonas]

Big deal... There are just two things about Pet Sounds that aren't brilliant: the title and the album cover.

It had to be said!

[buddhahat]

Big deal... There are just two things about Pet Sounds that aren't brilliant: the title and the album cover.

No way! The cover's the icing on the cake. I love the way Thurston Moore describes finding this creepy looking record in a record store and having to give it a spin. It's such an odd looking album - not only do you have The BBs feeding a bunch of goats on the front, but you have them dressed as samurai on the back. Clearly things did not have to make sense in the 60s!

[the captain]

  The ONLY place I ever saw ANYONE claim that it was Carl's idea was in the "Pet Sounds Box Set" booklet (Brian said it). 

I think P.J. Carlin said it was either "Mike or Carl (depending on whom you ask)" without going into any more detail. I guess that doesn't count as anyone else claiming it was Carl, just as someone else claiming someone else claims it is Carl.

Anyway...so Mike thought of it. Fine by me. This thread is non-news, to be sure.

[pixletwin]

I think since the Brian quote is sort of "ground zero" to Pet Sounds, thats the most credible quote to run with.

[PMcC]

I had read for years that Mike had titled the album, and it is a fitting title for the magical music written and produced on those 2 sides. Now I can't imagine it being called anything else. I am surprised he hasn't sued Brian for using the title for his tour a few years ago..but there's still time, and obviously plenty of lawyers and attorney's fees to go around.

[Pretty Funky]

Big deal... There are just two things about Pet Sounds that aren't brilliant: the title and the album cover.

I like the title and it was Mikes best IMO. Sure beats the "Looking Back With Love" and "Make Love Not War" genre.

[MBE]

When I was a little kid I thought Pet Sounds was literly made up of zoo animals mixed into the music. Shows you how powerful the cover is.

[XY]

Ok, so Mike had the idea to call the album Pet Sounds. Genius! Just for the record: On March 3, 1966, Capitol issued an update of the album trackslist: "Run James Run", now renamed to "Pet Sounds" took the place of "Good Good Vibrations".

[c-man]

Do we know what date the photo shoot at the San Diego Zoo took place?  I always assumed they included the animals because of the title "Pet Sounds", but that 1966 quote from Brian indicates that they had the photo first, THEN the title...

[c-man]

On March 3, 1966, Capitol issued an update of the album trackslist: "Run James Run", now renamed to "Pet Sounds" took the place of "Good Good Vibrations".

That's amazing, because when "Here Today" was cut a week later (March 11th), IT was given the working title "Pet Sounds".  So "Run James Run" was retitled "Pet Sounds", then a new track was cut with the title "Pet Sounds" (and presumably "Pet Sounds" was then retitled either "Run James Run" or something else), then lyrics were written for the NEW "Pet Sounds" and IT was renamed "Here Today" while "Run James Run" was retitled "Pet Sounds" yet AGAIN.