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ADRIAN THRILLS: Brian Wilson was behind some of the greatest songs ever written: I've picked out the Beach Boys' top 12
Beach Boy Brian Wilson, who died this week, was the musical pioneer who provided the soundtrack to summer.
Whether singing the praises of California 's sun and surf or pushing the envelope with ambitious studio experiments, he was behind some of the greatest songs ever written.
Music critic Adrian Thrills picks 12 of the best.
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Surfin' (1961)
Cheaply recorded, and released on a small independent label after being written by Brian Wilson and his cousin Mike Love on rented musical equipment, The Beach Boys' first single set the template for a run of hits that used brilliant harmonies to reflect a youth culture of sun, surf, fast cars and romance.
Surfin' USA (1963)
Cashing in again on the surf craze that swept Southern California in the 1960s, Wilson took the tune of Chuck Berry's Sweet Little Sixteen and added his own lyrics.
When I saw The Beach Boys sing Surfin' U.S.A. at London's Mermaid Theatre in 2012, you could practically hear the waves crashing on the beach.
Fun, Fun, Fun (1964)
Wilson's initial focus on surfing themes soon broadened to take in other topics, including hot-rod cars.
There was another nod to Chuck Berry – via a guitar intro based on Johnny B.
Goode – on this idyllic pop song about a girl who deceives her father so she can take his Ford Thunderbird for a spin.
Don't Worry Baby (1964)
Beneath the sun, sea and surf, a more melancholy strain to Wilson's writing emerged, and the yearning Don't Worry Baby is a case in point.
With its stand-alone drum intro inspired by the Ronettes' Be My Baby, a song ostensibly about a hot-rod race became a study of Wilson's insecurities.
California Girls (1965)
Wilson called it 'a hymn to youth.' Mike Love thought the song's 23-second orchestral prelude was worthy of a symphony – and it was subsequently recorded by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
One of The Beach Boys' signature tunes, California Girls is one of the most blissful moments in pop.
Wouldn't It Be Nice (1966)
When making the classic Pet Sounds album, Brian Wilson aimed to deliver a record that would still sound good in ten years time.
Almost six decades later, it remains a masterpiece.
Opening track Wouldn't It Be Nice, about a couple deemed too young for a serious relationship, sets the ambitious tone.
God Only Knows (1966)
Given that Pet Sounds was conceived as The Beach Boys' response to The Beatles' Rubber Soul, it's fitting that Paul McCartney considers God Only Knows to be the finest pop song ever written.
It was another of the LP's high points, its woodwind and French Horn parts worthy of a classical composer.
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times (1966)
Another Pet Sounds gem, and another indication of the sadness that lay behind the sunshine.
An introspective song that chimes with the songwriter's personal travails, it paints a sensitive picture of an individual unsure of their place in the world.
Caroline, No (1966)
Originally released as Wilson's first solo single, Caroline, No went on to become the closing track on Pet Sounds.
A song about the loss of innocence that comes with growing up, its reflections on a former girlfriend were enhanced by harpsichord, vibraphone and the sound of an empty water jug being used for percussion.
Good Vibrations (1966)
A complex 'pocket symphony' which took six months, four studios and an estimated 16,000 dollars to make (a considerable sum in 1966), Good Vibrations pushed pop's envelope further than anyone had before.
Its shifts of mood and tempo ushered in a new era of musical experimentation.
Heroes And Villains (1967)
Aiming to take the daring of Good Vibrations one step further, Wilson's next move was to produce Heroes And Villains.
Intended as the centrepiece of the shelved concept album Smile (which was finally released as a solo record in 2004), the song used Wild West themes as a metaphor for the music business.
That's Why God Made The Radio (2012)
There was a strong sense of nostalgia to The Beach Boys's 2012 comeback album.
The title track, the group's first new single in 20 years, was a salute to the joys of hearing your favourite song on the car radio.
With those five-part harmonies still soaring, its sound was reassuringly familiar.
