On this day in history, May 16, 1966 Capitol released the Beach Boys magnum opus Pet Sounds.

This album will go head to head with any album of popular music ever made. The songs, the melodies, the intricate arrangements and performances- you can't legitimately fault this in any part whatsoever.

Leaving aside my own puny ability to comment on such a masterpiece, let us turn to Sir McCartney. No less than Paul McCartney once publicly proclaimed "God Only Knows" to be the greatest pop song ever written.

Hell, that's not even one of the hit singles. "God Only Knows" and "Sloop John B" have been the songs played on the radio for a couple of generations now. What beautiful recordings they are.

This album makes a prime example for my standing idea of the consolation of creation. Brian Wilson fairly much went to pieces mentally not long after making this album. No matter how crazy he might ever get though, whenever he feels doubtful of his own worth he can climb out from hiding under the bed and say, "Hey, I made Pet Sounds - I'm somebody."

They can't take that away from him.