# Help settle a Beach Boys argument **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272 "2005-07-26T18:51:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![theamazingluther](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@theamazingluther](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theamazingluther)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/1 "2005-07-26T18:51:51Z")
Which is the better song: Good Vibrations or Wouldn’t It Be Nice ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/2 "2005-07-26T18:53:37Z")
Good Vibrations, hands down. (make your own joke here) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/3 "2005-07-26T18:54:22Z")
Whichever you like better? What criteria would you have us use? ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/4 "2005-07-26T18:57:26Z")
My vote is Good Vibrations. In fact, I’d also say God Only Knows is also better than Wouldn’t It Be Nice. But Good Vibrations is better than God Only Knows. ---
**Author:** ![theamazingluther](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@theamazingluther](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theamazingluther)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/5 "2005-07-26T18:58:39Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Whichever you like better? > > What criteria would you have us use? I don’t know. Which one do you prefer? Which one would you rather hear on an average day? Which one is easier to spell? Use whatever criteria you like. I just want to know what the masses think. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/6 "2005-07-26T19:05:53Z")
“Good Vibrations” over “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” no question. “God Only Knows”? That’s a harder one. GV is stunningly ambitious, and succeeds brilliantly in those ambitions, but GOK is just so heartbreakingly beautiful that it still makes my tears well up after all these years. ---
**Author:** ![gaucho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@gaucho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaucho)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/7 "2005-07-26T19:19:09Z")
“Wouldn’t it be Nice” in a walk. It’s an absolutely perfect pop ode to teen longing. All “Good Vibrations” has is a theremin. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/8 "2005-07-26T19:21:53Z")
Between the two, definitely _Good Vibrations_ (probably the high water mark of the Theremin in popular music), but I’ll always have a soft spot for _I Get Around_. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/9 "2005-07-26T19:50:26Z")
“ **Good Vibrations** ” completely destroys “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”. “Good Vibrations” - better song, arrangements, harmonies, production, etc. My second favorite would be “ **Don’t Worry Baby** ”. Technically, it is not a theremin used in the song “Good Vibrations”. It is a Tannerin. [http://www.tompolk.com/Tannerin/Tannerin.html](http://www.tompolk.com/Tannerin/Tannerin.html) ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/10 "2005-07-26T20:13:08Z")
I’m a huge Beach Boys fan. I prefer "Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ to “Good Vibrations.” If I made a top ten list of their songs, “Good Vibrations” wouldn’t make the list. Just a perference. it’s a good song, but… ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/11 "2005-07-26T20:19:15Z")
If you isolate just the vocal tracks, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” is a perfect composition. But if you’re looking for the ultimate produced song, it’d be “Good Vibrations.” Now, “Heroes & Villians” … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/12 "2005-07-26T20:21:43Z")
Well, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” is a piece of fluff that I wouldn’t put in the Beach Boys top ten, so I couldn’t figure out why you pairing it against a great song. Brian’s masterpiece is “California Girls,” not “Good Vibrations.” As pop/rock it’s about perfect, slowly building the tune, a heavenly chorus, a paean to all the girls in the world, who would be California Girls if they only could. Others in my top ten would be “Caroline, No,” “Don’t Worry, Baby,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “Darlin’,” “Please Let Me Wonder,” “Sail on Sailor,” and “I Get Around” in no special order. But “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” Eh, it’s better than “Kokomo.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![vertizontal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ad7895/32.png) [@vertizontal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vertizontal)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/13 "2005-07-26T20:44:30Z")
A couple years ago they did a story on NPR about Good Vibrations. They played a tape of the first recording of the song, which sounded like a goofy garage band song from the 60’s. And then they traced all the production elements that were added, and the new harmonies that were song for the song. It was amazing to hear the evolution. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/14 "2005-07-26T21:16:34Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > But “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” Eh, it’s better than “Kokomo.” 😃 Maybe, but it still isn’t as good as [Wipe Out](http://www.lyricsondemand.com/b/beachboysfatboyslyrics/wipeoutlyrics.html). Talk about a masterpiece… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/15 "2005-07-26T21:43:19Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Well, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” is a piece of fluff that I wouldn’t put in the Beach Boys top ten, so I couldn’t figure out why you pairing it against a great song. Hells no. Hells no. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” is phenomenal. You really have to listen to its subtle orchestrational complexity to fully appreciate it. It’s one of those songs that I’ve never paid much attention to then, one day, while revisiting _Pet Sounds_, I listened to it very closely and realized just how intricate the instrumentation is. From its quirky and memorable out-of-tune mandolin intro to the pulsing accordian (I think), bombastic tympani, and trademark harmonies. It’s a perfect pop song. Between it and “Good Vibrations,” I have to go with “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” partly because it’s sublime, and partly because it’s the opening track to one of the greatest albums of all time. Oh, and “God Only Knows” trumps both of these. ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/16 "2005-07-26T21:58:18Z")
I never really appreciated “Good Vibrations” until I saw/heard how Cameron Crow used it in **Vanilla Sky**. Within context of the film I discovered the haunting beauty of the opening lyrics, and it’s been one of my favorite song ever since. So, I’m going with GV. Pash ---
**Author:** ![parthenokinesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/17 "2005-07-26T22:00:32Z")
Well, the grandfather from “Sloop John B” can kick the ass of every song mentioned yet. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/18 "2005-07-26T22:49:23Z")
Good Vibrations is on top by a long shot. Wouldn’t It Be Nice and God Only Knows are worthy candidates for the #2 spot and Sloop John B is vastly underrated. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/19 "2005-07-26T22:54:50Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > …and Sloop John B is vastly underrated. It’s hard to have respect for a song that contains these lyrics: “The poor cook he caught the fits And threw away all my grits And then he took and he ate up all of my corn” ---
**Author:** ![theamazingluther](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@theamazingluther](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theamazingluther)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272/20 "2005-07-26T22:56:09Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > It’s hard to have respect for a song that contains these lyrics: > > “The poor cook he caught the fits > And threw away all my grits > And then he took and he ate up all of my corn” Yeah, but the Beach Boys didn’t write the lyrics for Sloop John B. It’s one hell of a nice cover, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-settle-a-beach-boys-argument/314272.md?page=2)