Paul McCartney Stayed in Touch With the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson (And Even Played an Unreleased Song for Him)
Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson had a mutual respect for each other — McCartney even showed Wilson a Beatles original before it was released. Here’s what Wilson said about his relationship with the Beatles member in his memoir.
The Beatles’ Paul McCartney mentioned his favorite Beach Boys song — ‘God Only Knows’
They were two of the biggest bands in the rock scene. There were overlapping moments between the Beach Boys and the Beatles, with John Lennon and George Harrison approaching Al Jardine about Transcendental Meditation. Rubber Soul by the Beatles had a “profound impact” on the Beach Boys songwriter.
McCartney specifically mentioned his appreciation for the bass line in Pet Sounds, a Beach Boys album created predominately by songwriter and vocalist Brian Wilson. According to Far Out Magazine, the songwriter named “God Only Knows” as his favorite Beach Boys hit.
“‘God Only Knows’ is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it,” he said in an interview. “It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian.”
Paul McCartney showed 1 Beatles song to Brian Wilson before its release
The 1960s were dominated by both the Beatles and the Beach Boys. Although there was some competition, the groups met and became friends around this time. Wilson said he “stayed in touch” with McCartney. The Beach Boys member wrote about their relationship (and admiration for one another) in I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir.
“He came to my house and told me about the new music he was working on,” he noted. “’There’s one song I want you to hear,’ he said. ‘I think it’s a nice melody.’ He put the tape on, and it was ‘She’s Leaving Home.’”
“She’s Leaving Home” was an original song included in the rock band’s 1967 release Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Now, the track holds over 55 million Spotify plays and had a lasting impact on some listeners.
“My wife, Marilyn, was there, too, and she just started crying,” Wilson continued. “Listening to Paul play a new song let me see my own songs more clearly. It was hard for me to think about the effect that my music had on other people, but it was easy to see when it was another songwriter.”
Paul McCartney inducted Brian Wilson into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame
The Beach Boys and The Beatles never worked together, although McCartney branched out to create solo music. The songwriter debuted songs like “Say Say Say,” “Wonderful Christmastime,” and “Maybe I’m Amazed.” He was also the person who inducted Brian Wilson into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
“Thank you, sir, for making me cry,” McCartney said during the ceremony (via Rolling Stone). “Thank you for doing that thing you do. You got me any day.”
