The Beach Boys 'Pet Sounds' is a classic...or is it?

When discussions take place about the greatest albums of the 1960s, the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds is usually included in the discussion. As Brian Wilson's last great production before he plunged into mental illness (although the remarkable single 'Good Vibrations' came out in the months after Pet Sounds), it is one of the most unusual albums of that period. It was an album that presented the band in a brand new light.

Up until this point, most fans liked them for the surf-and-fun songs they released. It was a utopia most male fans could only dream about: life at the beach with nothing but girls and cars. However, for those paying close attention, Wilson was already edging the band from that formula.

As early as 1963 on the Surfer Girl album, Wilson was already unveiling songs like 'In My Room.' In this song, there were no fantasies about girls and the beach. It was melancholy and projected vulnerability, which would be major themes on Pet Sounds three years later. He was finding security in isolation, but that was lost in the image the band was projecting in its big hits.

Pet Sounds actually begins with another version of utopia. The marvelous 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' studies marital bliss, but from this point, the cute love songs are gone. 'God Only Knows' brings intimacy rarely heard in a pop or rock song. When the album was re-released in 1990, Brian had this to say about the song: "Carl (Wilson) and I were into prayer. We'd pray together, and we prayed for light and guidance through the album. We kind of made it a religious ceremony." So, is 'God Only Knows' a romantic song or a spiritual song? You make the call.

There are lighter moments on the album like the goofy 'Sloop John B.' However, Brian was saying goodbye to the old Beach Boys. 'I Just Wasn't Made for These Times' communicates the isolation of not fitting in. 'Caroline, No' said good-bye to the types of girls sung about on previous Beach Boys songs.

Unsurprisingly, because of the departure from their successful formula, the album sold modestly and briefly peaked at number ten on the album chart. From this point, Brian faded away, and the band started resembling a Las Vegas act content on flogging the old hits.

I had heard the hype about this album for years, and finally broke down and bought it. When I listened to it the first time, I was not impressed. I tossed it into my pile of CDs and ignored it for a couple of years. Then, on a sleepless summer night, I gave it a second chance, and the music that came through my head phones touched me in a way few albums have.

Maybe I had grown a little older and could better understand the issues Brian Wilson was battling. I don't know. However, I do know this is a great album. In fact, I cannot think of an album quite like it.

Songs to begin 2009 with

I spend way too much time driving each week. However, the upside of this is that I get to listen to a lot of CDs as I cruise down the interstate. Here are a few songs you might want to check out as 2009 begins.

'I'm Waiting for the Day' -- The Beach Boys
'Let's Go Away for a While' -- The Beach Boys
'Mysterious Ways' -- U2
'Beautiful Day' -- U2
'One' -- U2
'Until the End of the World' -- U2
'Staring at the Sun' -- U2
'The First Time' -- U2
'I Looked Away' -- Derek and the Dominos
'Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?' -- Derek and the Dominos
'Little Wing' -- Derek and the Dominos
'Slip Kid' -- The Who
'Blue, Red, and Grey' -- The Who
'Eminence Front' -- The Who
'Saturday Night’s Alright (for Fighting)/Take Me to the Pilot' -- The Who

Five CDs you should own (if you don't already)

1. Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the Byrds – If you're into Gram Parsons, you probably already have this one. If you're looking for a Parsons' sampler, start here.
2. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector – Before becoming a dangerous eccentric, Spector was a great producer. Christmas songs by Darlene Love, the Ronettes, Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, and the Crystals are all here.
3. Photographs and Memories: The Best of Jim Croce – Some dismiss Croce as lightweight, but he was a good storyteller. This selection contains all his best ('Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,' 'You Don't Mess Around with Jim,' and the excellent 'Workin' at the Car Wash Blues').
4. Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys – Unbelievably, I didn't like it the first time I listened to it, but it has really soaked in over the years. I understand where Brian Wilson is coming from.
5. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones LTD. by the Monkees – I know I'll take a credibility hit here, but it is a first-rate pop record. Bubble gum is tasty, too, you know.