The Competition
The Beatles – Beach Boys Rivalry is legendary. Recently, however, two of The Beach Boys were interviewed and may have inadvertently revealed some details regarding the long standing 1960’s pop music rivalry. The interview also uncovers a secret preview of the Pet Sounds album by Lennon and McCartney which led to a Beatles classic on Revolver and upped the rivalry to a new level.
While much has been made of the past competition between the two bands, that has pretty much subsided since many consider The Beatles are the undisputed champions of cultural and music influence to have emerged out of the 1960’s. But these new details may reveal the rivalry felt between both bands that lingered on.
Let’s take a look at how The Beatles and Beach Boys influenced one another during their peak competition years of 1965-1967 and what these new details reveal about their friendly creative competition that frankly the world ultimately still benefits from.
The band the Beatles initially most competed with in the U.S. were The Beach Boys which inspired some of both band’s classic songs keeping them on their toes trying to anticipate what the other would do next and then outshine them.
It seems counterintuitive that a British Mod-esque band with an unrelenting merseybeat could be inspired by a Southern California Surfer band with sunny optimism. Sonically and Aesthetically they seemed worlds apart. The Beach Boys were about the beach, girls and fun, fun, fun. As soon as American women caught sight of these well dressed men with a sense of humor.. it was game on.
In 1964 Three months after “I Want To Hold Your Hand” topped the U.S. charts, “I Get Around” became The Beach Boys’ first No. 1 hit.
Admiration
When The Beatles began writing more introspective songs leaving behind much of their early bubblegum pop songs, The Beach Boys took notice along with the rest of the world. Brian was also growing tired of The Beach Boys’ early sound, and wanted to push them forward in order to be perceived as interesting and stay relevant. Brian Wilson soon began composing Pet Sounds based on the innovative new songs he heard on Rubber Soul.
“Rubber Soul is probably the greatest record ever,” Brian wrote in his memoir ‘I Am Brian Wilson. “It came out in December of 1965 and sent me right to the piano bench. It wasn’t just the lyrics and the melodies but the production and their harmonies… [it was] almost art music.” The song that Brian composed when he went to his piano and tried to top Rubber Soul? “God Only Knows,” which Paul McCartney later called his favorite song of all time.
Inspiration
“It was Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water. First of all, it was Brian’s writing. I love the album so much. I’ve just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life—I figure no one is educated musically ’til they’ve heard that album. I was into the writing and the songs.”
In a recent interview with The Times, The Beach Boys revealed a secret preview that Lennon and McCartney got of Pet Sounds.
The Beach Boys’ bassist and backing singer Bruce Johnston was a touring member in 1965 after Brian Wilson had a breakdown in December 1964. “One day I told our publicist Derek Taylor, who had been the Beatles’ publicist, that I wanted to go to England. You know, have a look around. I had a little record player in the hotel suite with Pet Sounds on it, which hadn’t been released in England yet.”
Johnston continues, “I came back from dinner one evening to find John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the suite, waiting to hear Pet Sounds. They loved it, made me play the album twice, and said the five vocals on “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” helped them write ‘Here, There and Everywhere’.”
They’re attending global summits, partnering with NGOs, and creating their own charitable initiatives to address issues they’re passionate about. Whether motivated by genuine altruism or a savvy public relations strategy, this shift towards philanthropy is a promising sign, indicating a more conscientious generation of billionaires to come.
Criticism
While McCartney may in retrospect be able to express his full blown love of the album Pet Sounds and The Beach Boys, it seems that he did have some critique as well that he let slip in 1968 in India.
The Beach Boys interview by singer Mike Love expressed his annoyance at something that Paul McCartney said during their famed 1968 trip to Rishikesh India.
