On Brian Wilson: God Only Knows

This is said to be the first pop song to use the word “God” in the title, and Sir Paul McCartney- maybe the greatest song writer of all time- called it his favorite song. But on the surface, the lyric makes no sense:

I may not always love you, but you need not doubt my love? If you should ever leave me, life would be pointless- yet I would continue?

But that it makes no sense on the surface turns out to be helpful, as in a parable of Jesus: Fishers of men? But that it makes no sense on the surface prevents, or should prevent, the reader from mistaking the image for what is being said- it prevents literal-ism.

Reading through the lyric, the deeper meaning becomes apparent:

Longer than there are stars above us is eternity- they do not marry-

But to the limits of mortality, you need not doubt my love.

And so:

If you should leave me, life would continue, but to what point? Since you are what the world has to show me, and this is the purpose of mortality.

DEEP Romanticism! High and deep.

The lyricist transcends love sweet idolatry in the very truth of his love.

Happy Valentine's Day!