Pet Sounds
Pet Sounds is a
1966 album by
Brian Wilson and
The Beach Boys.
Essentially a Brian Wilson solo project, Pet Sounds was created after Wilson had stopped touring with the band and focused his attention on recording. Wilson created incredible layers of beautiful harmonies by the Beach Boys, sound effects and unusual instruments like bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, the theremin, and even dog whistles, on top of conventional keyboards and guitars.
Although not a big seller for the band originally, Pet Sounds has been massively influential since the day it was released. The Beatles, for example, have claimed that Pet Sounds was a major influence on the classic album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and it is Paul McCartney's favorite album ("God Only Knows" is his favorite song).
Track listing
- "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (Asher/Love/Wilson)
- "You Still Believe in Me" (Asher/Wilson)
- "That's Not Me" (Asher/Wilson)
- "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)" (Asher/Wilson)
- "I'm Waiting for the Day" (Love/Wilson)
- "Let's Go Away for Awhile" (Wilson)
- "Sloop John B." (Traditional)
- "God Only Knows" (Asher/Wilson)
- "I Know There's an Answer" (Love/Sachen/Wilson)
- "Here Today" (Asher/Wilson)
- "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" (Asher/Wilson)
- "Pet Sounds" (Wilson)
- "Caroline, No" (Asher/Wilson)
- "Hang on to Your Ego" (Sachen/Wilson)
In 1999, a Pet Sounds box set was released which included the original mono release, the first ever stereo release and 3 CDs of out-takes and rehearsals. Recordings from Brian Wilson's 2002 concert tour, in which he reproduced the whole album live on stage, were released as Pet Sounds Live.
Personnel
- Glen Campbell - Guitar (12 String)
- Paul Horn - Sax (Tenor)
- Brian Wilson - Organ, Guitar, Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr), Producer, Liner Notes, Supervisor
- Frank Capp - Percussion, Glockenspiel, Bells, Tympani [Timpani], Vibraphone
- Plas Johnson - Percussion, Saxophone, Sax (Tenor)
- Barney Kessel - Guitar, Mandolin
- Don Randi - Piano
- Jerry Cole - Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
- Frank Marocco - Accordion
- Lyle Ritz - Ukulele, String Bass
- Julius Wechter - Tympani [Timpani], Vibraphone, Latin Percussion
- Mike Deasy Sr. - Guitar
- Bruce Johnston - Vocals
- Mike Love - Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)
- Terry Melcher - Tambourine, Vocals
- Jerry Williams - Percussion
- Carl Wilson - Guitar, Vocals
- Billy Strange - Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String)
- Jim Gordon - Percussion, Drums
- Hal Blaine - Bongos, Drums, Tympani [Timpani]
- Arnold Belnick - Violin
- Chuck Berghofer - String Bass
- Bruce Botnick - Engineer
- Norman Botnick - Viola
- Chuck Britz - Engineer
- Roy Caton - Trumpet
- Gary Coleman - Bongos, Tympani [Timpani]
- Al DeLory - Organ, Piano, Tack Piano
- Dennis Diken
- Jesse Erlich - Cello
- Carl Fortina - Accordion
- Ron Furmanek
- James Getzoff - Violin
- Bill Green - Flute, Percussion, Saxophone, Sax (Tenor)
- Jim Horn - Flute, Saxophone, Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor)
- Harry Hyams - Viola
- Jules Jacob - Flute
- Alan Jardine - Vocals
- Carol Kaye - Bass, Bass (Electric)
- Larry Knechtel - Organ
- William Kurasch - Violin
- Larry Levine - Engineer
- Mark Linett - Engineer, Liner Notes, Coordination, Compilation, Mixing, Digital Remastering, Stereo Mix Producer
- Nick Martinis - Drums
- Ron McMaster - Remixing
- Mike Melvoin - Harpsichord
- Jay Migliori - Clarinet, Flute, Clarinet (Bass), Saxophone, Sax (Baritone)
- Tommy Morgan - Harmonica
- Jack Nimitz - Sax (Baritone)
- Bill Pitman - Guitar
- Ray Pohlman - Guitar, Mandolin, Bass (Electric)
- Jerome Reisler - Violin
- Alan Robinson - French Horn
- Andrew Sandoval - Transfers, Mastering Supervisor
- Ralph Schaeffer - Violin
- Sid Sharp - Violin
- Ernie Tack - Trombone (Bass)
- Paul Tanner - Theremin
- Tommy Tedesco - Guitar (Acoustic)
- Darrel Terwilliger - Viola
- Dennis Wilson - Drums, Vocals
- Tibor Zelig - Violin
- Brad Benedict - Photo Research
- Joseph DiFiore - Viola
- Joseph Saxon - Cello
- Gail Martin - Trombone
- Larry Walsh - Mixing, Digital Remastering
- Justin DiTullio - Cello
- David Leaf - Liner Notes
- Tommy Steele - Art Direction
- Leonard Hartman - Clarinet, Clarinet (Bass), Horn (English)
- Sam Gay - Art Supervisor
- George Jerman - Photography
- Darren Wong - Art Supervisor
- Lisa Reddick - Producer
- Jim Elliott - Producer
- Bobby Klein - Sax (Tenor)
- Ralph Balantin - Engineer
- Brad Elliott - Liner Notes
- Michael Etchart - Executive Producer
- Tammy Kizer - Producer
- Al Casey - Guitar
- Richard Evans - Design
- Steve Douglas - Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone, Sax (Tenor)
Chart positions
Billboard Music Charts (North America) - album
1966 Pet Sounds Pop Albums No. 10
1990 Pet Sounds The Billboard 200 No. 162
2001 Pet Sounds Top Internet Albums No. 24
Billboard Music Charts (North America) - singles
1966 Caroline, No Pop Singles No. 32
1966 God Only Knows Pop Singles No. 39
1966 Sloop John B Pop Singles No. 3
1966 Wouldn't It Be Nice Pop Singles No. 8
Range of modern influence can be found under
Gothic rock.