-1- Featuring Christine Gangelhoff
01 God Only Knows | 02 God Only Knows (Instrumental Version)
-2- God Only Knows
Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher (Irving Music, BMI) Additional Lyrics by Terry Manning
I may not always love you But long as there are stars above you You 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
God only knows what I’d be without you
And when life would once forsake us Time turn around and overtake us My love will leave you never For you’re in my soul forever God only knows what I’d be without you
God only knows what I’d be without you
-3- “God Only Knows” has always been one of my very favorites, right from the days of The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. And Carl Wilson’s vocal is easily one of my favorite performances in all of pop music.
I’ve always imagined Brian Wilson sitting at his piano, creating those glorious chord changes and looking out at the ocean in total reverie. It has long been a desire of mine to record a version of “God Only Knows” more like this—slower, even more dramatic and emotional . . . stripped down to its essence.
I was fortunate to have befriended Carl over the years, and spoke to him about my love for this song and his vocal performance. Carl was kind enough to share with me a few tidbits about the origination of the music, and about their original recording. As it turns out, Brian wrote the song somewhat slower than the final Beach Boys’ recording turned out to be. And of course, it didn’t have all of the final production elements (French horn, woodwinds, etc.).
This confidence seemed to confirm what I had always thought. So I finally had a bit of inspiration, and decided to take a step onto this sacred ground. Just my vocal, a piano, and a gorgeous alto flute part from Christine Gangelhoff.
I hope Carl can hear it from where he now lives…. —Terry Manning, 2013
-4- Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher (Irving Music, BMI) Additional Lyrics by Terry Manning
Produced and Recorded by Terry Manning at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas
Performed by Terry Manning—vocals, piano Christine Gangelhoff —alto flute
Cover Photo “Mesa Verde Sunset” by Richard Ondrovic Artist Photo by Patrick Cromwell Art Direction by Terry Manning, Blake Morgan, and David Cloyd Production Design by David Cloyd http://www.ecrmusicgroup.com/lucky7 sa 2013 Lucky Seven Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.
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