YMMV / Pet Sounds

---

• Awesome Music: This is one of the most acclaimed albums of all time for a reason.
• Broken Base: "I Know There's an Answer" vs. the earlier version "Hang On to Your Ego". Some argue that the latter is the definitive version and was ruined by Mike Love's insistence to change the lyrics which muddled the message of the song. Others argue that the former is more relatable, fits the album's theme of love and introspection better, and that Mike made the right call changing the lyrics because the LSD references would've dated the album.
• Covered Up:
  • "Sloop John B." began life as a folk song from the Bahamas by the name of "The John B. Sails". The earliest published version was a transcription by Richard Le Gallienne in 1916 which included five verses and a chorus. Three of those verses and the chorus were included in Carl Sandburg's collection of folk songs The American Songbag in 1927; following a recording by the Weavers in 1950, that version was widely recorded in the 1950s and early 1960s under various titles, with notable performers including The Kingston Trio under the title "(The Wreck of the) John B." and Dick Dale on his Surfers Choice album under the title "Sloop John B." The Beach Boys version was based on the Kingston Trio's, with Al Jardine modifying the chord progression to update it and Brian Wilson slightly reworking the lyrics.
    • "Sloop John B.", in turn, underwent another round of this in Sweden when Swedish-Dutch singer/songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk gave it Swedish lyrics and recorded it as an anti-war tune, "''Jag hade en gång en båt''" ("Once I Had A Boat"). Ask Swedes about the tune and a surprising number will tell you that the song was written by Vreeswijk and be stunned to learn the Beach Boys recorded it before.
  • The early version of "I Know There's an Answer" ("Hang on to Your Ego") was covered in 1992 on Frank Black's self-titled debut solo album.
• Fandom-Enraging Misconception: Don't use the album's highest charting placement on the Billboard 200 as proof that the album was some form of Acclaimed Flop upon release, as #10 is still impressively high for Pet Sounds alone.
• Gateway Series: For Baroque Pop.
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: The album was much more appreciated in Europe than the United States.
• Harsher in Hindsight: "Caroline, No" sparked speculation that Brian was secretly planning to leave the group because he was the only voice on the track.
• Retroactive Recognition: Country artist Glen Campbell (a member of the The Wrecking Crew at the time) played the guitar and banjo in a few of the album's tracks.
• Sweet Dreams Fuel: The majority of the songs on the album, with "God Only Knows" especially being this. Brian Wilson's intention for the album was to make the listener feel "loved".
• They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: Despite its critical acclaim, a good chunk of the band's main audience, who were mainly exposed to the sun, surf and girls imagery of their earlier work, didn't know what to make of the album's orchestrations and introspective lyrics when it was first released. By the same token, the concept could just as easily apply to fans who did not take to the Beach Boys' music regardless of quality without Brian Wilson's involvement or his studio experimentation.
• Tough Act to Follow: In fact, Brian Wilson had a Creator Breakdown attempting to do it. Wilson's solo version of the follow-up, SMiLE, was finally released in 2004, and the Beach Boys version was released in 2011.
• Vindicated by History: A slow seller and mixed reception at first, Pet Sounds has become one of the most acclaimed albums ever made. Many have called it the Citizen Kane of pop music albums, and the comparison is an apt one in several respects... including the Hype Backlash that both works have generated from those who fail to see what the big deal is.

---