I once wrote to a friend of mine about how I am in a constant search for the perfect pop song. I guess the true meaning of “pop” is popular. I’ve never thought of it that way. I have a couple definitions of “pop”. The first is a song that you can’t help but tap your toe to. A song that sticks in your head. The type that people whistle when they’re walking down the street. They’re usually upbeat and when I was a kid they use to call the genre bubble gum music. Here, I’ll try to lay out an example: the song “Ob La Di Ob La Da, by “The Beatles” is “pop” while “19’th Nervous Breakdown” by “The Rolling Stones” isn’t. Both great songs, both out of the same era in music yet one is, I don’t know, peppier than the other. It’s lighter and there isn’t any hidden meaning in it. It’s just a song about life. The “Stones” song, on the other hand, goes into issues that are relevant to life during that time. The key being, a good “pop” song isn’t about serious issues. They’re about high school or teenage love or driving fast cars and things like that.
The other definition I have for “pop” is a really smart love song. What’s a really smart love song? I guess I’m talking about one that holds up over time. One that, every time you hear it, you have some sort of reaction. “Your Song” by Elton John, to me, is a really smart love song. It’s almost 40 years old and still, again to me, holds up remarkably well.
“ I may not always love you.
But long as there are stars above you.
You’ll never need to doubt it.
I’ll make you so sure about it.
God only knows what I’d be without you.
If you should ever leave me,
Though life would still go on, believe me.
The world could show nothing to me.
So what good would living do me?
God only knows what I’d be without you.”
Another, and I think the ultimate; example of this type of song is “God Only Knows” by “The Beach Boys”. Actually, I think this could be one of the top three or four greatest love songs ever written. Hell with that put it at the top. Just read the lyrics. Could you possibly find fault with anything said in those 10 lines? Add the music and harmonies and I just can’t see how the song doesn’t move you. Three simple verses, actually only two because one is repeated.
I just went to you-tube and punched the song up and while listening to it I noticed that there were tears in my eyes. Yes, one of the reasons is because of my wimpyness, but jeez folks, this song is pure genius. It’s so f’ing beautiful that it literally brings tears to my eyes. Close your eyes and listen to it. Really listen to it. Remember that this was written by a 24 year old kid (Brian Wilson) and the angelic voice singing it was only 20 (his brother Carl). I listen to the song and I get the same feeling in the pit of my stomach that I get when looking at the waters of the Caribbean. It actually aches.
My original intent when I started writing this piece was to talk about another of Brian Wilson songs and how it meshes both types of the “pop” song I spoke of at the top. As usually happens I got way off track. I ask your forgiveness and thank you for your indulgence. I’ll save that for another post. Just take a listen to “God Only Knows” and, I believe, you can see how I could get so far away from my original subject. It’s a masterpiece, pure and simple.
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