The list doesn’t have nearly enough post-Pet Sounds stuff. I second “Surf’s Up,” “Feel Flows,” and “Do It Again,” and add “Darlin.”
I seem to recall we’ve done threads like these before, in which “Good Vibrations” and/or “God Only Knows” was the clear winner, with “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” also making a strong showing.
I’m in the midst of a Beach Boys phase at the moment, which means the symposium paper I’m giving in London next week has a Beach Boys song title as part of its title (neither the paper, presentation, nor entire symposium have anything to do with Brian Wilson or the Beach Boys.) My PowerPoint presentation also includes references to them, including pictures.
I also have tickets to go see Brian’s Surf ‘n’ Gersh concert next September at the Royal Festival Hall :3
I ticked off a number of songs on the list above, but admit I enjoy listening to a lot of the out-takes and rehearsals from ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Heroes and Villains.’ I also really like the instrumental-only and vocal-only versions of the songs; a number of those get played and analysed in my rock music class (Brian Wilson appears in three of my lectures, now that I think about it.) I had a chance to contribute the updated entry on surf and the Beach Boys in the Grove Encyclopedia of American Music, but someone with seniority pipped me to the post, unfortunately.
Mmm, Brian – bonkers, but a genius.
Mine is Gonna Hustle You - the original version, not one of the numerous ones with bastardized lyrics.
God Only Knows is my favourite, Surf’s Up deserves a mention, Kokomo is amazing and I too dislike Barbara Ann.
I would love to take your rock music class. Or, failing that, I would love to see an “Ask Me About My Rock Music Class” thread.
*Fun, Fun, Fun *is my favourite song by them. But I like most of them.
Good To My Baby
“Shut Down” was my favorite Beach Boys song for a long time, because it was the first BB song I heard when I was 7. Since then, I have to nominate a few that aren’t on the list: “Getcha Back,” “All Summer Long,” and “Rock & Roll To the Rescue” have become some of my favorite Beach Boys songs.
It would have been a toss up between God only knows and God vibrations, but I’ve had the latter as my ringtone for some years know and I’m really getting fed up with it*; so God only knows it is 
*but obviously not to the extent that I’m going to take the trouble to change it 
‘Good Vibrations’ is used (with different lyrics) as the jingle for a big electronics company here in Australia, and I’ve heard it so many times over the years that no matter how good I know it is, I just can’t listen to it. It is most certainly not one of those songs that “never gets old”. Try it once an ad break for years of TV-watching and it gets old.
I came here to vote for God Only Knows but started listening to The Beach Boys - 20 Good Vibrations and discovered that Good Vibrations is packed full of musical ideas that, due to the time, they had to keep to less than 4 minutes. And they had very few electronic aids. They piss away fantastic stuff over a few bars.
Agghh! Too many to list.
But let’s say Deirdre from the Sunflower album.
If people were interested, sure. It’d be fun. (I’d be hesistant because the threads I’ve started die after one or two posts 
) Maybe when I get back from these two conferences (Kinks’ paper in DC on Friday, then this other thing at the British Museum next week).
Don’t look at it that way, as pissing away a lot of ideas, but rather as taking something huge and unfinished, and narrowly honing it down – Brian deliberately edited down 90 hours’ worth of music (riffs and ideas) to create a 3:35 ‘pocket symphony’ – it’s why I find listening to the various rehearsals and practices fascinating. It was also probably the most technologically advance single released to date (November 1967); It cost $50,000 to produce that one single :eek:
Brian had advantages that the Beatles didn’t, as far as tech went.
Good taste?
I almost went with Surf’s Up, a greatly under-rated and under-appreciated work of true art. But my heart belongs to God Only Knows and Pet Sounds.
As the OP states, “for what should be obvious reasons.”
It’s the only Beach Boys song that gets radio play that forces me to change the station. I’d count “Wipe Out,” too, although I can’t remember the last time I heard it on the radio, and it’s a collaboration with the Fat Boys, so I don’t consider it a Beach Boys song.
Good Vibrations. The classic example of Brian Wilson staying on the right side of the thin line between his genius and his insantiy.
…and one where he just slips the other side of sanity,
‘Hang on to your ego’
song was renamed and slightly reworded for release to ‘There must be an answer’
God Only Knows and Don’t Worry Baby are the two best Beach Boys songs.
I voted for Good Vibrations overall, although my favorite for the last few years has been Surf’s Up. God Only Knows is a beautiful song and so expertly crafted but Good Vibrations is the Beach Boys tour de force. I was thinking of voting for In My Room because it’s so lovely and wierd but went with GV.