song: God Only Knows
artist: The Beach Boys
album: Pet Sounds (1966)
writers: Music by Brian Wilson / Lyrics by Tony Asher

lead vocals: Carl Wilson
backing vocals: Brian Wilson, Bruce Johnston
acoustic piano: Don Randi
upright/double bass: Lyle Ritz
6-string electric bass guitar: Ray Pohlman
French horn: Alan Robinson
flutes: Bill Green, Jim Horn
drums + sleigh bells: Hal Blaine
12-string electric guitar: Brian Wilson or Carol Kaye
tambourine: Terry Melcher
strings: The Sid Sharp Strings:
—violin: Sid Sharp
—violin: Leonard Malarsky
—viola: Darrel Terwilliger
—cello: Jesse Erlich
—arrangement: Brian Wilson

This is a note-for-note transcription of the instrument listed, in 11 different scores. The accuracy of this transcription has been aided greatly by all the new AI-tools for isolating instruments – thank you to all the sound nerds out there on YouTube. Enjoy!

This song is usually ranked up top when the world's best songs are listed by music critics – and by musicians like Paul McCartney and Hans Zimmer! Be sure to read thorough the song’s Wikipedia page for lots of lore. And be sure to check out the videos by the YouTube channel Behind The Sounds featuring behind-the-scene sound recordings and photographs from that fateful recording session in 1966: Part 1 + Part 2. This is magical!