Actors - God Only Knows

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"God Only Knows" is one of the best-loved songs by the American pop band The Beach Boys, taken from their classic 1966 album Pet Sounds. It was composed and produced by Brian Wilson, with lyrics by Tony Asher, and the lead vocal was sung by Carl Wilson.

The song broke new ground in many ways. It was one of the first pop songs to use the word "God" in its title (a decision that Wilson and Asher agonised over, fearing it would not get air-play as a result). It was also far more technically sophisticated than anything the Beach Boys, or arguably any pop group, had ever attempted before - particularly the complicated melodic structure and spectacular vocal harmony effects. As producer, Brian Wilson also used many unusual instruments, including the harpsichord and French horns that are heard in the song's famous introduction.

Tony Asher has noted the irony that this, one of the all-time great love songs, opens with the line 'I may not always love you' (although the line is turned on its head by the subsequent lines: 'but long as there are stars above you / you never need to doubt it / I'll make you so sure about it'.

While Rolling Stone magazine recently named it #25 on its list of greatest songs of all-time, it only reached #39 on the US charts in 1966 (although it did reach #2 in the UK). Sir Paul McCartney has said that it is the greatest love song of all time.

Cover versions of the song have been recorded by Glen Campbell, Andy Williams and Neil Diamond. David Bowie recorded a version for his 1984 album Tonight
. The 2004 film Saved!
features a version by the film's star Mandy Moore over the opening credits, and a duet of the song by Moore and Michael Stipe (one of the film's producers) over the end credits. In 2005, Joss Stone recorded a version for a CD produced by Gap, on which various artists sang their own favourite songs. "God Only Knows" is also featured prominently in the 2003 film Love Actually
and is the theme song for the HBO series Big Love.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for God Only Knows ]

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