The Beach Boys and The Beatles achieved fame during the era and became rivals in terms of songwriting. Although they were good friends, there was a songwriting rivalry that always pushed them to try to come up with someone better, whenever one of the groups released something really good. Brian Wilson, the mastermind behind the success of the band in the 60s, especially with the release of the groundbreaking album “Pet Sounds” (1966), always was a huge Beatles fan.
Over the decades he talked a lot about the Fab Four and even revealed which is their album he can’t live without.
The Beatles album Brian Wilson said he can’t live without
The Beatles album that Brian Wilson likes so much that he can’t live without is “Revolver”, released by them in 1966, which curiously had the song “Here, There and Everywhere” that McCartney once said it was inspired after he heard the track “God Only Knows”, released by the the Beach Boys on “Pet Sounds” that same year.
Wilson said that in an interview with Spin in 2021. “What the heck is not to love? It’s some of Paul’s best work. His vocals are amazing,” Wilson said.
“Revolver” was The Beatles seventh studio album and had many famous tracks. Some of them are “Taxman”, “Eleanor Rigby”, “Yellow Submarine”, “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “Tomorrow Never Knows”.
It’s the continuation of The Beatles’ psychedelic period that started with “Rubber Soul” (1965) and finished with “Magical Mystery Tour” (1967).
How The Beatles inspired The Beach Boys and then were inspired by the American band
Two classic Rock and Roll albums which were extremely important for music couldn’t have been the same with The Beatles and Beach Boys. The reason is that in 1965 the British band released the album “Rubber Soul”, which inspired Brian Wilson tremendously.
It was a huge influence for the artist and led him to try to come up with something better and having no fear to experiment. The result was the groundbreaking album “Pet Sounds” (1966), which would later inspire not only a few songs of “Revolver” (1966). But also the most experimental Beatles record: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967).
What Paul McCartney said about “Pet Sounds” inspiration
Talking with The Rolling Stones‘ guitarist Ronnie Wood on his TV show in 2013 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), Paul McCartney revealed that his favorite Beach Boys song is “God Only Knows”. The two musicians ended up singing the song together on stage many decades after its release.
McCartney also recalled how “Pet Sounds” inspired him. “You know, Brian Wilson sort of proved himself to be like a really amazing composer. I was into chords, harmonies and stuff at that time. We ended up with this kind of rivalry.”
“We put a song out, Brian would hear it and he’d do one. Which is nice, like me and John, you know. We kind of try to top each other all the time. But he eventually came out with ‘God Only Knows’. That was a sound stomper on ‘Pet Sounds’. I just think it’s a great song. Melody, harmonies, words. It’s a great song, I love it. It’s my favorite Beach Boys song,” Paul McCartney said.