In 1965, an emotionally charged Brian Wilson isolated himself from the rest of The Beach

Boys and set about writing Pet Sounds, the album that was to become the band's most celebrated work. The centrepiece of the LP was the love song God Only Knows. Written

in collaboration with his friend Tony Asher, the song explores the complexity of human

love, acknowledging that while a relationship may not always be perfect (he agonized

over the song's opening line for a long time), when you have found that special person,

then it's impossible to contemplate life without him or her.

Extremely musically complex, and featuring the band's trademark multi-part harmonies,

the song is considered to be one of the greatest love songs of all time and remains

a favorite choice for both weddings and funerals to this day. Band member Al Jardine

has spoken of how a strong sense of spirituality informed much of the band's work and

it is never more evident that in God Only Knows. Please enjoy this classic song from

the 60s, and scroll down to follow the lyrics while viewing a beautiful series of photos.