Here Today (The Beach Boys song)

1966 song by the Beach Boys

"Here Today" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, the lyric warns the listener of inevitable heartbreak before the narrator reveals himself to be the ex boyfriend of the listener's newfound love. Musically, the song features an uncommon formal structure, the use of electric bass guitar as a lead instrument, and a 20 bar length instrumental break. One of the last songs recorded for Pet Sounds, Wilson produced the track in March 1966 with the aid of his bandmates, who provided additional backing vocals, and 12 studio musicians, who played guitars, organ, upright bass, trombones, saxophones, tack piano, drums, and other percussion. Mike Love sang the lead vocal. "Here Today" proved influential to musicians such as Al Kooper, Paul McCartney, and Lemmy. Acts who have covered the song include Bobby Vee, R. Stevie Moore, Mathilde Santing, and Thurston Moore.

"Here Today" is primarily in the key of A major, with other portions suggesting F minor. Wilson said: Here Today' was a work of art in my opinion. It was an assertive track with utilization of basses played up higher. The trombones gave it that masculine touch." He stated that his intention for the piece was "to conceive the idea of a bass guitar playing an octave higher than regular and showcase it as the principal instrument in the track." A 20 bar instrumental break – with three sections divided into eight, six, and six bars – occurs between the second and third choruses. In this point in the song (1:47–2:02), musicologist Walter Everett notes "[o]ne of the most remarkable parts in the bass literature where rapidly repeated bass notes are all sevenths, 1 appearing beneath ii, in alternation with 7 placed below I." According to Granata, "This break presents another neat rhythmic situation. The first eight measures consist of short, accented punctuations by all of the instruments except the pulsating bass." This is directly followed by another major shift in which "all instruments (primarily piano and circus style organ) maintain the tempo, but the feel changes when the snare pounds out a set of polka like eighth notes."

"Here Today" was the last song started for the Pet Sounds album. the instrumental track was recorded on March 10 or 11, 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorders Studio A. Record producer Phil Ramone afforded attention to Wilson's mixing and production layering on Pet Sounds and this track in particular: "There are placements for every instrument in the mono mix—they're great studies of contrast, texture, balance, and rhythm. For example, on 'Here Today,' the combination of wet and dry sounds in the vocals and the distinctive sound of the organ and baritone sax give it incredible dimension."

On May 16, 1966, "Here Today" was released as the tenth track on Pet Sounds, sequenced in between "I Know There's an Answer" and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times". It later appeared on the 1966 EP God Only Knows (released exclusively in the UK). In December 1967, "Here Today" was issued again as the B side to the 1967 single "Darlin'", a top 30 hit. Unlike earlier B sides by the group such as "Don't Worry Baby" and "God Only Knows" it did not chart. A promotional film for the song, directed by band publicist Derek Taylor, was filmed for the UK's Top of the Pops on April 25. The film featured the group (minus Johnston) at Lake Arrowhead, flailing around in grotesque horror masks and playing Old Maid. The clip ran for five minutes and featured excerpts from "Here Today" alongside "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows". The original clip was never released due to concerns from the BBC over the horror masks. An edited version was later released, with only "God Only Knows" featured. In 1968, the backing track of "Here Today" was issued on the Beach Boys' album Stack o Tracks. In 1996, to promote The Pet Sounds Sessions (1997), Sub Pop issued a newly mixed stereo backing track of "Here Today" as the B side of the first true stereo mix of "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times". This version omitted the studio chatter present in the 1966 mono mix.

AllMusic reviewer Donald Guarisco praised "Here Today" as "a highlight of Pet Sounds" and "one of Brian Wilson's most ambitious arrangements." Dillon similarly called it "one of the album's most incredible instrumental arrangements" and "the most direct precursor to 'Good Vibrations'". A 1972 Rolling Stone review of Pet Sounds written by Stephen Davis characterized "Here Today" as an unusually "angry" song on the album, highlighting its depiction of "pessimism and dissatisfaction". The same review drew similarities between "Here Today" and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", noting that both the subject matter of each has a "universal" nature, and speaks directly to the audience. Davis surmises that these songs succeed because "Wilson knows how most people think". Conversely, in his self described "unbiased" review of Pet Sounds for Record Mirror, Norman Jopling described "Here Today" as perhaps the album's "corniest song" and that "one is left with the feeling that this track is a kind of condensed showcase of all the backing sounds that anyone could cram into a few minutes. Not too good at all "

Blood, Sweat & Tears founder Al Kooper, whose favorite album of all time is the 1997 box set The Pet Sounds Sessions, said that "Here Today" inspired the organ break in his band's 1969 hit "You've Made Me So Very Happy", as well as his songs "I Can Love a Woman" (1968) and "Lucille" (1969). Motörhead founder Lemmy Kilmister regarded "Here Today" as "quite innovative" and would perform the song at clubs early in his career. Musician Lenie Colacino argued that the bass part was a direct influence on Paul McCartney's bass playing on "With a Little Help from My Friends" and "Getting Better" from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967).